Method and apparatus that facilitates a wearable identity manager

• US 9,826,400 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2014
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jakobsson, Bjorn Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Su, Sarah
• Application Number:
  US14/444,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20150286813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 726 2, 726 3, 726 4, 726 9, 726 16, 726 17, 726 20, 713182, 713185
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6844 Monitoring or controlling distance between sensor and tissue
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• 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: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/33 using wearable devices, e.g. using a smartwatch or smart-glasses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices

Abstract

Various aspects directed towards a wearable identity manager system are disclosed. In a first aspect, an association status between a user and a wearable identity manager device is ascertained based on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn by the user, and motion data associated with a movement of the wearable identity manager device is monitored. Authentication data, which includes the motion data, is then transmitted based on the association status. In another aspect, an association status between a user and a wearable identity manager device is again determined based on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn by the user. Here, however, the wearable identity manager device is paired with a pairing device, and authentication data is transmitted to the pairing device based on the association status to facilitate a user authentication via the pairing device.

Claims

1. A wearable identity manager device, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to;

determine an association status between a user and the wearable identity manager device based in part on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn;

pair the wearable identity manager device with a pairing device, wherein the pairing device is configured as a relay device between the wearable identity manager device and an external device based on whether the wearable identity manager device is continuously worn, and wherein the wearable identity manager device is configured to unpair from the pairing device in response to a discontinuity of the wearable identity manager device being worn; and

transmit authentication data from the wearable identity manager device to the external device via the pairing device based on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn, wherein the authentication data is data used to determine a user authentication.

2. The wearable identity manager device of claim 1, the processor further configured to:

monitor and collect motion data associated with a movement of the wearable identity manager device, wherein the authentication data includes the collected motion data, and wherein the collected motion data is configured to facilitate a pairing of the wearable identity manager device with the pairing device.

3. The wearable identity manager device of claim 2, wherein the motion data comprises a path traversed by the wearable identity manager device.

4. The wearable identity manager device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to associate the wearable identity manager device with the user via an association procedure, wherein the association status is based on an outcome of the association procedure.

5. The wearable identity manager device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve sensor data from at least one of a gyro, a global positioning system (GPS) device, a touch-sensitive sensor, or a microphone, and wherein the authentication data further comprises the sensor data.

6. The wearable identity manager device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to infer whether the wearable identity manager device is worn based on data retrieved from at least one of a clasp sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a pulse sensor, a motion sensor, or a stretch sensor.

7. The wearable identity manager device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive an authentication request;

provide a credential; and

transmit the credential based on the authentication request.

8. The wearable identity manager device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to

receive an authentication request;

ascertain a security level associated with the authentication request; and

transmit the authentication data based on the security level.

9. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having one or more instructions stored thereon, which when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to:

ascertain an association status between a user and a wearable identity manager device, wherein the association status is ascertained based in part on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn;

pair the wearable identity manager device with a pairing device, wherein the pairing device is configured as a relay device between the wearable identity manager device and an external device based on whether the wearable identity manager device is continuously worn, and wherein the wearable identity manager device is configured to unpair from the pairing device in response to a discontinuity of the wearable identity manager device being worn; and

transmit authentication data from the wearable identity manager device to the external device via the pairing device based on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn, wherein the authentication data is data used to determine a user authentication.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9, the one or more instructions further comprising instructions to cause the at least one processor to:

monitor and collect motion data associated with a movement of the wearable identity manager device, wherein the authentication data includes the collected motion data, and wherein the collected motion data is configured to facilitate a pairing of the wearable identity manager device with the pairing device.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9, the one or more instructions further comprising instructions to cause the at least one processor to associate the wearable identity manager device with the user via an association procedure, wherein the association status is based on an outcome of the association procedure.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the association procedure comprises matching a locally stored password with a password received from an associating device.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the association procedure comprises matching an associating movement of the wearable identity manager device with received data corresponding to a movement of an associating device.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9, the one or more instructions further comprising instructions to cause the at least one processor to:

receive an authentication request; and

provide a credential based on at least one of a user action or an execution context extrapolated from the authentication request.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9, the one or more instructions further comprising instructions to cause the at least one processor to:

receive an authentication request;

ascertain a security level associated with the authentication request; and

provide the authentication data based on the security level.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the security level is ascertained according to at least one of a user preference setting, an execution context, or one or more historical execution contexts.

17. A method to facilitate a wireless communication, comprising:

determining an association status between a user and a wearable identity manager device, wherein the determining comprises determining whether the wearable identity manager device is worn;

pairing the wearable identity manager device with a pairing device, wherein the pairing device is configured as a relay device between the wearable identity manager device and an external device based on whether the wearable identity manager device is continuously worn, and wherein the wearable identity manager device is configured to unpair from the pairing device in response to a discontinuity of the wearable identity manager device being worn; and

transmitting authentication data from the wearable identity manager device to the external device via the pairing device based on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn, wherein the authentication data is data used to determine a user authentication.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising monitoring motion data associated with a movement of the wearable identity manager device, wherein the authentication data includes the motion data, and wherein the motion data is configured to facilitate a pairing of the wearable identity manager device with the pairing device.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising associating the wearable identity manager device with the user via an association procedure, wherein the association status is based on an outcome of the association procedure.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the association procedure comprises matching a locally stored password with a password received from an associating device.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the association procedure comprises matching an associating movement of the wearable identity manager device with received data corresponding to a movement of an associating device.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

storing a credential associated with the user; and

providing the credential to the pairing device in response to an authentication request.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

ascertaining a security level associated with the authentication request; and

limiting an amount of the credential transmitted to the pairing device based on the security level.

24. A wearable identity manager device, comprising:

means for determining an association status between a user and the wearable identity manager device, wherein the association status is based in part on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn;

means for pairing the wearable identity manager device with a pairing device, wherein the pairing device is configured as a relay device between the wearable identity manager device and an external device based on whether the wearable identity manager device is continuously worn, and wherein the wearable identity manager device is configured to unpair from the pairing device in response to a discontinuity of the wearable identity manager device being worn; and

means for transmitting authentication data from the wearable identity manager device to the external device via the pairing device based on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn, wherein the authentication data is data used to determine a user authentication.

25. The wearable identity manager device of claim 24, further comprising means for monitoring motion data associated with a movement of the wearable identity manager device, wherein the authentication data includes the motion data, and wherein the motion data is configured to facilitate a pairing of the wearable identity manager device with the pairing device.

26. The wearable identity manager device of claim 25, wherein the motion data comprises a path traversed by the wearable identity manager device.

27. The wearable identity manager device of claim 25, wherein the means for monitoring further comprises means for retrieving sensor data from at least one of a gyro, a touch-sensitive sensor, or a microphone, and wherein the authentication data further comprises the sensor data.

28. The wearable identity manager device of claim 24, wherein the means for determining further comprises means for inferring whether the wearable identity manager device is worn based on data retrieved from at least one of a clasp sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, or a stretch sensor.

29. The wearable identity manager device of claim 24, further comprising:

means for receiving an authentication request; and

means for ascertaining a security level associated with the authentication request, wherein the means for transmitting comprises means for transmitting the authentication data to the pairing device based on the security level.

30. The wearable identity manager device of claim 29, wherein the means for ascertaining comprises means for selecting the security level from a plurality of possible security levels.