Controlling user access to electronic resources without password

• US 9,740,846 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2015
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ANGEL Secure Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ANGEL Secure Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Fred Hewitt
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong, Thong
• Application Number:
  US14/720,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20150278501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/42 using separate channels for security data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861

Abstract

Described herein are devices and techniques for remotely controlling user access to a restricted computer resource. The process includes obtaining an image from a communication device of a user. An individual and a landmark are identified within the image. Determinations are made that the individual is the user and that the landmark is a predetermined landmark. Access to a restricted computing resource is granted based on the determining that the individual is the user and that the landmark is the predetermined landmark. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining, by a system comprising a processor, an image from a communication device of a user;

identifying, by the system, an individual within the image to obtain an identification of the individual and a landmark within the image to obtain an identification of the landmark;

determining, by the system, that the individual is the user based on the identification of the user;

determining, by the system, that the landmark is a predetermined landmark based on the identification of the landmark; and

granting, by the system, access to a restricted computing resource based on the determining that the individual is the user and that the landmark is the predetermined landmark.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the restricted computing resource comprises a computer, and wherein the image comprises an image obtained by a camera of the computer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the system, a scan of a near-field communication tag proximal to the restricted computing resource, and wherein the granting of the access is further based on the receiving of the scan of the near-field communication tag.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the system, a discovery of the communication device within a personal area network of the restricted computing resource, and wherein the granting of the access is further based on the receiving of the discovery of the communication device.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising, obtaining, by the system, a location associated with camera, wherein the granting of the access to the restricted computing resource is further based on the location associated with the camera.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising, obtaining, by the system, a second time stamp associated with the scan of the near-field communication tag, wherein the granting of the access to the restricted computing resource is further based on the second time stamp.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, obtaining, by the system, a first time stamp associated with the image, wherein the granting of the access to the restricted computing resource is further based on the first time stamp.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, accessing, by the system, information stored in a tag to obtain tag information, wherein one of the identifying of the individual, the identifying of the landmark, or both is based on the tag information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the accessing of the tag information comprises accessing the information by way of the communication device of the user.

10. A system comprising:

a memory that stores executable instructions; and

a processing system including a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processing system, responsive to executing the instructions, facilitates performance of operations comprising;

receiving an image from a wireless device of a user;

identifying an individual within the image to obtain an identification of the individual and a landmark within the image to obtain an identification of the landmark;

determining that the individual is the user based on the identification of the user;

determining that the landmark is a predetermined landmark based on the identification of the landmark; and

granting access to a restricted computing resource based on the determining that the individual is the user and that the landmark is the predetermined landmark.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the restricted computing resource comprises a computer, and wherein the image comprises an image obtained by a camera of one of the computer or the wireless device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise, obtaining a location associated with the camera, wherein the granting of the access to the restricted computing resource is further based on the location associated with the camera.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise, obtaining a first time stamp associated with the image, wherein the granting of the access to the restricted computing resource is further based on the first time stamp.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a scan of a near-field communication tag proximal to the restricted computing resource; and

obtaining a second time stamp associated with the scan of the near-field communication tag, wherein the granting of the access is further based on the receiving of the scan of the near-field communication tag and the second time stamp.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise, obtaining information from a tag, wherein one of the identifying of the individual, the identifying of the landmark, or both is based on the information obtained from the tag.

16. A machine-readable storage device, comprising executable instructions which, responsive to being executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:

obtaining an image from a cell phone a user;

identifying an individual within the image to obtain an identification of the individual and a landmark within the image to obtain an identification of the landmark;

determining that the individual is the user based on the identification of the user;

determining that the landmark is a predetermined landmark based on the identification of the landmark; and

authorizing access to a restricted computing resource based on the determining that the individual is the user and that the landmark is the predetermined landmark.

17. The machine-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the restricted computing resource comprises a computer, and wherein the image comprises an image obtained by one of a first camera of the computer or a second camera of the cell phone.

18. The machine-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise, obtaining a location associated with the one of the first camera or the second camera, wherein the authorizing of the access to the restricted computing resource is further based on the location associated with the one of the first camera or the second camera.

19. The machine-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise, obtaining a first time stamp associated with the image, wherein the authorizing of the access to the restricted computing resource is further based on the first time stamp.

20. The machine-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a scan of a near-field communication tag proximal to the restricted computing resource; and

obtaining a second time stamp associated with the scan of the near-field communication tag, wherein the authorizing of the access is further based on the receiving of the scan of the near-field communication tag and the second time stamp.