Directional sensing mechanism and communications authentication

• US 9,524,383 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2014
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Original Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Inventors: Davis, Michael Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): MCNALLY, KERRI L
• Application Number:
  US14/148,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20140118147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07336 Active means, e.g. jamming or scrambling of the electromagnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10267 the arrangement comprising a circuit inside of the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

The present invention is directed toward an RFID device that includes a motion sensing mechanism. The motion sensing mechanism is adapted to sense motion of the RFID device and then selectively allow or restrict the RFID device'"'"'s ability to transmit messages, which may include sensitive data, when the RFID device is placed in an RF field. Thus, the motion sensing mechanism is utilized to control access to data on the RFID device to only instances when the holder of the RFID device moves the RFID device in a predefined sequence of motion(s).

Claims

1. A method of controlling the operation of an electronic device equipped with an accelerometer, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a first movement of the electronic device in a first predetermined manner;

receiving an indication of a second movement of the electronic device in a second predetermined manner, wherein the second movement of the electronic device occurs after the first movement of the electronic device;

determining that the first movement and second movement correspond to a predetermined sequence of movements;

generating a message at the electronic device in response to determining that the first movement and the second movement correspond to a predetermined sequence of movements; and

sending the message to a second device,

wherein the second device is a stationary reader configured to control access to a protected facility, and wherein the message transmitted to the second device comprises sensitive data stored in a memory of the electronic device, the sensitive data including at least one of a bank account number, a social security number, a PIN code, an RFID unique ID, and an encryption scheme, and

further wherein the message transmitted to the second device comprises access control information stored in the memory of the electronic device and information regarding the first movement and the second movement, such that the second device can analyze the access control information and the first movement and the second movement in connection with making an access control decision for the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is transmitted to the reader via a Radio Frequency (RF) inductive coupling established between the reader and the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is transmitted to the reader via at least one of an audio and an optical channel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is transmitted using a Bluetooth protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is transmitted using a Near-Field Communications (NFC) protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to determining that the first movement and the second movement correspond to a predetermined sequence of movements, providing an indication via the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the indication comprises a visual indication of a lock metaphor.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the indication comprises a visual indication that the first movement and the second movement together represent at least a part of a password.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the indication comprises a vibratory feedback.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the indication comprises an audible feedback.

11. A communication system, comprising:

a portable electronic device comprising a directional sensing mechanism; and

a second electronic device configured to control access to a protected resource and further configured to exchange wireless communications with the portable electronic device via a proximity-based Radio Frequency (RF) communication protocol, wherein the portable electronic device transmits one or more messages to the second electronic device in response to the directional sensing mechanism receiving a predetermined sequence of motion-based inputs as a result of a user moving the portable electronic device, the one or more messages comprising sensitive data stored on the portable electronic device and released in response to the portable electronic device detecting the predetermined sequence of motion-based inputs and correlating the predetermined sequence of motion-based inputs to a motion-based password, the sensitive data including at least one of a bank account number, a social security number, a PIN code, a password, a key, an RFID unique ID, and an encryption scheme, wherein the motion-based password was input during an enrollment process.

12. The communication system of claim 11, wherein the proximity-based RF communication protocol comprises a Bluetooth protocol.

13. The communication system of claim 11, wherein the proximity-based RF communication protocol comprises a Near-Field Communications (NFC) protocol.

14. The communication system of claim 11, wherein the enrollment process was performed with the portable electronic device.

15. The communication system of claim 11, wherein the second electronic device comprises a stationary reader.

16. A physical access control system, comprising:

a stationary reader configured to control access to a protected facility; and

a portable electronic device comprising an Integrated Circuit and sensitive data stored thereby, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to communicate with the reader via a proximity-based Radio Frequency (RF) protocol, wherein the portable electronic device is further configured to detect and analyze a sequence of motion-based inputs based on movement of the portable electronic device and, if the sequence of motion-based inputs correspond to a password or a preprogrammed sequence of motion-based inputs stored by the portable electronic device, transmit the sensitive data to the reader via the proximity-based RF protocol,

wherein the sensitive data includes an RFID unique ID and further wherein the password or the preprogrammed sequence of motion-based inputs was programmed in firmware during a manufacturing process.

17. The physical access control system of claim 16, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a mobile communication device.

18. The physical access control system of claim 17, wherein the proximity-based RF protocol comprises a Bluetooth protocol.

19. The physical access control system of claim 17, wherein the proximity-based RF protocol comprises a Near-Field Communications (NFC) protocol.

20. The physical access control system of claim 16, wherein the password includes a plurality of motion-based inputs and wherein the sensitive data comprises an access credential.

21. The physical access control system of claim 16, wherein the sequence of motion-based inputs includes a three-dimensional set of inputs.