Method and apparatus for controlling access to mobile devices

• US 20030184474A1
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sundeep M. Bajikar
• Original Assignee: Sundeep M. Bajikar
• Inventors: Bajikar, Sundeep M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,747,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/450
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/30 Authentication, i.e. establishing the identity or authorisation of security principals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location

Abstract

According to one embodiment, the invention discloses a method comprising determining a position of a mobile device; and controlling access to said mobile device based on said position. According to another embodiment of the invention there is provided a mobile device comprising a positioning mechanism to determine a position a mobile device; and a controlling mechanism to control access to said mobile device based on said position.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a position of a mobile device; and

controlling access to said mobile device based on said position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said position is a global position defined relative to a global coordinate system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said position is a local position defined relative to a local coordinate system

4. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling access to said mobile device comprises selecting a security zone associated with said position;

and

applying an access protocol defined for said security zone to said mobile device, said access protocol configures access control parameters for said mobile device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising first defining a plurality of security zones for particular geographic areas and defining an access protocol for each security zone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said position is determined by transmitting a triangulation signal from said mobile device, which signal is triangulated by a network operator;

and receiving a result of said triangulation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining said position is achieved using a position sensor which forms part of said mobile device.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein said security zone is selected from a group comprising a work zone, a home zone, a hotel zone and an airport zone.

9. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which when executed by a processor cause said processor to perform operations comprising:

determining a position of a mobile device; and

controlling access to said mobile device based on a position.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein said position is a global position defined relative to a global coordinate system.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein said position is a local position defined relative to a local coordinate system.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein controlling access to said mobile device comprises selecting a security zone associated with said position;

and applying an access protocol defined for said security zone to said mobile device, which access protocol configures access control parameters for said mobile device.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said operations further comprise first defining a plurality of security zones, each defining a geographic area;

and defining an access protocol for each security zone.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein said position is determined by transmitting a triangulation signal from said mobile device, which signal is triangulated by a network operator;

and receiving a result of said triangulation.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein determining said position is achieved using a position sensor which forms part of said mobile device.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said security zone is selected from a group comprising a work zone, a home zone, a hotel zone, and an airport zone.

17. A mobile device comprising:

positioning mechanism to determine a position of said mobile device; and

a controlling mechanism to control access to said mobile device based on said position.

18. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein said position is a global position defined relative to a global coordinate system.

19. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein said position is a local position defined relative to a local coordinate system.

20. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the controlling mechanism comprises a selection mechanism to select a security zone associated with said position;

and a configuration mechanism to apply an access policy defined for said security zone to said mobile device, which access protocol configures access control parameters for said mobile device.

21. The mobile device of claim 20 further comprising an input mechanism to receive input defining a plurality of security zones for particular geographic areas;

and for defining an access protocol for each security zone.

22. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the positioning mechanism operates to transmit a triangulation signal which is triangulated by a network operator, the device then operating to receive a result of said triangulation.

23. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a position determining sensor.

24. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein the position determining sensor comprises a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) sensor.

25. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein said security zone is selected from a group comprising a work zone, a home zone, a hotel zone, and an airport zone.

26. A mobile device comprising:

means for determining a position of said mobile device; and

means for controlling access to said mobile device based on said position.

27. The mobile device of claim 26, wherein said position is a global position defined relative to a global coordinate system.

28. The mobile device of claim 26, wherein said position is a local position defined relative to a local coordinate system.

29. The mobile device of claim 26, wherein the means for controlling access to said mobile device comprises a selection means for selecting a security zone associated with said position;

and a configuration means for applying an access protocol defined for said security zone to said mobile device, which access protocol configures access control parameters for said mobile device.