Uniquely identifying a mobile electronic device

• US 9,603,016 B1
• Filed: 09/12/2014
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Confirmetrics LLC
• Original Assignee: Digital Proctor, Inc.
• Inventors: Mills, Andrew Jesse, Sims, Shaun
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORTHY, ARAVIND K
• Application Number:
  US14/484,718
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 726/5, 726/4, 713/168, 713/182, 455/410, 455/411, 455/425
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3239 involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/274 with provision for storing more than one subscriber number at a time , e.g. using toothed disc
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 Continuous authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

The Internet is becoming an essential part of our lives. This trend is even stronger with the rise of cell phones having Internet access that almost the entire population carries with them at all times. Security is a huge problem on the Internet, however, and new authentication methods are needed specifically for cell phones. Presented here is a method of identifying a mobile electronic device by its configuration settings, potentially including contact list information. This invention, in particular, fills a crucial need to secure access to the Internet from mobile phones.

Claims

1. A device identification method, comprising:

receiving baseline configuration information indicative of a first plurality of mobile device configuration settings of a first mobile device;

receiving subsequent configuration information indicative of a second plurality of mobile device configuration settings of a second mobile device;

determining a similarity between the subsequent configuration information and the baseline configuration information; and

responsive to detecting the similarity exceeding a threshold similarity, identifying the second mobile device as the first mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile device comprises a mobile phone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile device comprises a portable computing device configured for connecting to a communications network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the baseline configuration information comprises encrypted information indicative of the first plurality of mobile device configuration settings.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the baseline configuration information comprises compressed information indicative of the first plurality of mobile device configuration settings.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of mobile device configuration settings reflects contact list information associated with an address book of the first mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of mobile device configuration settings reflects information selected from the group consisting of:

a wallpaper image of the first mobile device, ring tone settings of the first mobile device, a keyboard cache of the first mobile device, and alarm clock settings of the first mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the baseline configuration information accords with applications installed on the first mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the similarity being less than the threshold, requesting a user of the second mobile device for personal information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the personal information includes a username and password.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the personal information includes biometric information indicative of a biometric characteristic of the user.

12. A device identification server configured to perform operations, the operations comprising:

accessing baseline configuration information indicative of a first plurality of mobile device configuration settings of a first mobile device;

accessing subsequent configuration information indicative of a second plurality of mobile device configuration settings of a second mobile device;

calculating an edit distance between the subsequent configuration information and the baseline configuration information; and

determining, in accordance with a similarity indicated by the edit distance, whether a mobile device associated with the subsequent configuration information is the first mobile device.

13. The device identification server of claim 12, wherein the first mobile device comprises a mobile phone.

14. The device identification server of claim 12, wherein the first mobile device comprises a tablet device.

15. The device identification server of claim 12, wherein the baseline configuration information is determined, at least in part, based on contact list information of the first mobile device.

16. The device identification server of claim 12, wherein the baseline configuration information is determined, at least in part, based on a wallpaper image of the first mobile device.

17. The device identification server of claim 12, wherein the baseline configuration information is determined, at least in part, based on alarm clock settings of the first mobile device.

18. The device identification server of claim 12, wherein the operations include:

requesting personal information from a user of the second mobile device responsive to the similarity being less than a threshold.

19. The device identification server of claim 18, wherein the personal information includes information selected from:

a username and password; and

biometric information indicative of a biometric characteristic of the user.

20. An authentication method, comprising:

accessing baseline configuration information determined in accordance with configuration settings of a first mobile device;

accessing subsequent configuration information determined in accordance with configuration settings of a second mobile device;

calculating a value indicative of a dis-similarity between the subsequent configuration information and the baseline configuration information; and

responsive to the value being less than a threshold similarity, recognizing the second mobile device as the first mobile device.