Master authenticator

• US 6,774,796 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2001
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Edwin Derek
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/920,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20030025603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.3, 340/573.4, 340/686.1, 340/686.6, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.85, 340/568.1, 340/568.2, 340/568.4, 340/571, 340/539, 340/572.8, 340/572.9, 340/5.64
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1418 Removal detected by failure in electrical connection between the appliance and a control centre, home control panel or a power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/33 using wearable devices, e.g. using a smartwatch or smart-glasses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• 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

A master authenticator (10) is worn by a user and wirelessly transmits information associated with the user to a remotely located electronic device. The master authenticator contains a sensor (12) to determine or sense whether or not the user is wearing the authenticator, along with a means to allow the user to log (22) in to the master authenticator by performing predefined physical action on the master authenticator. Once the sensor senses that the user is physically coupled to or wearing the device, the user logs in so as to uniquely associate the master authenticator with the user. Once the user is logged in, a transmitter is enabled so that the information can be transmitted to an electronic device in the proximity of the user. When the user ceases to wear the master authenticator by removing it, the log in means de-authorizes further transmissions by the master authenticator due to action of the sensor sensing that the authenticator is no longer on the user.

Claims

1. A master authenticator, wearable by a plurality of users, for wireless transmission of information associated with each user, comprising:

a sensor for automatically sensing whether one of the plurality of users is wearing the master authenticator;

a log in means, functioning in response to the sensor sensing that one of the plurality of users is wearing the master authenticator, wherein the log in means uniquely identifies each user, and further wherein the log in means uniquely verifies authorization for the master authenticator to transmit the information associated with the user wearing the master authenticator, thereby providing an authorized user when the authorization verification is successful; and

a transmitting means, responsive to the log in means, for wirelessly transmitting the information associated with the authorized user to an electronic device in the proximity of the master authenticator, wherein the information comprises an authentication for the authorized user to perform one or more operations utilizing the electronic device.

2. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the log in means comprises a predefined physical action performed on the master authenticator.

3. The master authenticator as described in claim 2, wherein the user performs the predefined physical action remote from the master authenticator.

4. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the log in means de-authorizes the master authenticator when a second predefined physical action is performed on the master authenticator by the user.

5. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein in response to the sensor sensing that the authorized user is no longer wearing the master authenticator, the log in means de-authorizes the authorized user, wherein the transmitter communicates the de-authorization to the electronic device, and further wherein the authorized user can no longer perform the one or more operations utilizing the electronic device in response to the de-authorizing.

6. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the transmitting means is infrared.

7. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the transmitting means is radio frequency.

8. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the master authenticator comprises a transponder.

9. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a skin sensor.

10. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the master authenticator comprises a wristband.

11. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the user is a human user.

12. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the user is an animal.

13. A master authenticator, wearable by a plurality of users, for wireless transmission of information associated with each user, comprising:

a sensor for automatically sensing whether one of the plurality of users is wearing the master authenticator;

a log in means functioning in response to the sensor sensing that one of the plurality of users is wearing the master authenticator, wherein the log in means uniquely identifies each user, and further wherein the log in means uniquely verifies authorization for the master authenticator to transmit the information associated with the user wearing the master authenticator, thereby providing an authorized user when the authorization is successful;

a transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting the information associated with the user to an electronic device in the proximity of the master authenticator, wherein the information comprises an authentication for the authorized user to perform one or more operations utilizing the electronic device; and

a locking means, responsive to the sensor and the log in means, for preventing the transmitting means from transmitting the information when the authorization verification by the log in means is not successful.

14. The master authenticator as described in claim 13, wherein the receiving means is infrared.

15. The master authenticator as described in claim 13, wherein the receiving means is radio frequency.

16. The master authenticator as described in claim 13, wherein the receiving means is a transponder.

17. A master authenticator, wearable by a plurality of human users, for wireless transmission of information associated with each user, comprising:

a skin sensor for automatically sensing whether one of the plurality of human users is wearing the master authenticator;

a log in means, functioning in response to the sensor sensing that one of the plurality of human users is wearing the master authenticator, whereby a physical action performed on the master authenticator by the user uniquely identifies the master authenticator with the user, and further wherein the log in means uniquely verifies authorization by the user for the master authenticator to transmit the information associated with the user wearing the master authenticator, thereby providing an authorized user when the authorization is successful;

a transponder, responsive to the log in means, for wirelessly transmitting the information associated with the authorized user to an electronic device in the proximity of the master authenticator, wherein the information comprises an authentication for the authorized user to perform one or more operations utilizing the electronic device; and

a locking means, responsive to the sensor and the log in means, for preventing the transponder from transmitting the information associated with the user wearing the master authenticator when the authorization verification by the log in means is not successful.

18. A master authenticator, wearable by a plurality of users, for wireless reception of information associated with each user, comprising:

a sensor for automatically sensing whether one of the plurality of users is wearing the master authenticator;

a log in means, functioning in response to the sensor sensing that one of the plurality of users is wearing the master authenticator, whereby a physical action performed on the master authenticator by each user uniquely verifies authorization of the user performing the physical action and wearing the master authenticator to receive transaction requests using the master authenticator, thereby providing an authorized user when the authorization verification is successful;

a receiving means, responsive to the log in means, for wirelessly receiving a transaction request associated with the authorized user from an electronic device in the proximity of the authorized user; and

a transmitting means, responsive to receiving the transaction request, for wirelessly transmitting one or more information associated with the authorized user to the electronic device, wherein the information comprises an authorization of the transaction request for the electronic device.

19. A method of authenticating, comprising:

providing a master authenticator wearable by a user, wherein the user actively logs in to the master authenticator by performing a physical action such that the master authenticator becomes uniquely identified with the user;

providing a wireless electronic device for performing one or more operations, and capable of communicating with the master authenticator;

authenticating the user by;

sensing that the master authenticator is physically attached to the user, and

uniquely identifying the user using a log in means;

transmitting information associated with the authenticated user from the master authenticator to the wireless electronic device in response to the device being in proximity to the master authenticator and further in response to the authorization verification,

authenticating the user within the wireless electronic device using the transmitted information; and

performing one or more operations within the wireless electronic device in response to the authentication.

20. The method of authenticating as described in claim 19, wherein the information is transmitted from the wireless electronic device to the master authenticator by signals in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

21. The method of authenticating as described in claim 19, wherein the information is transmitted from the wireless electronic device to the master authenticator by signals in the radio frequency region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

22. The method of authenticating as described in claim 19, wherein the step of authenticating further comprises attaching a wristband to the user.

23. The method of authenticating as described in claim 19, wherein the master authenticator further comprises a sensor, and further wherein the step of sensing comprises sensing the presence or absence of the user'"'"'s skin.

24. The method of authenticating as described in claim 19, further comprising a final step of de-authenticating the user by:

physically removing the master authenticator from the user so as to disable the master authenticator from transmitting or receiving information from the wireless electronic device; and

de-authorizing the authorized user from performing operations within the electronic device.

25. A method of authenticating, comprising:

providing a master authenticator wearable by a user, wherein the user actively logs in to the master authenticator by performing a physical action such that the master authenticator becomes uniquely identified with the user;

providing a wireless electronic device capable of communicating with the master authenticator;

authenticating the user by;

physically attaching the master authenticator to the user, and

uniquely identifying the user using a log in means;

transmitting a transaction request associated with the authenticated user from the wireless electronic device to the master authenticator in response to the device being in proximity to the authenticated user and further in response to the authorization verification;

transmitting one or more information associated with the authorized user from the master authenticator to the wireless electronic device; and

authorizing the transaction request using the one or more information within the wireless electronic device.