Enhanced wireless network security using GPS

• US 7,058,358 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2001
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Johanson, James A., Mooney, Philip D., Cannon, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CRAVER, CHARLES R
• Application Number:
  US09/759,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20020094777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,967 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4566, 455 411- 413, 455/410, 455/411, 455/452.1, 455/461, 455/466, 4554141-4143
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• 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 63/107 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: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

A wireless piconet network device includes a GPS receiver to determine and provide earth coordinates to a gatekeeper of a wireless network so as to provide a level of security to wireless networks which requires accessing wireless devices to be within predefined boundary coordinates. The automatic restriction of access to a wireless network (e.g., a wireless local area network (LAN) such as a piconet network) by requiring a wireless network device to provide earth coordinates (e.g., GPS location information) as part of an establishment or maintenance of a connection to a wireless network, independent of a range of communication of any device in the wireless network. A wireless piconet network device outside of predetermined earth coordinates of a secured area (e.g., a building, a room in a building, a desk in a room in a building, etc.) may be denied access to resources on the wireless network, and/or required to provide additional authorization information so as to confirm authorized secured status of the entering wireless device.

Claims

1. A wireless piconet server, comprising:

a wireless piconet front end;

boundary coordinates corresponding to a predetermined secured area for access to a wireless piconet network by a wireless piconet network device; and

an earth coordinates authorization module to receive a set of coordinates associated with said wireless piconet network device and to determine authority of said wireless piconet network device to gain access to said wireless piconet network based on said set of coordinates.

2. The wireless piconet server according to claim 1, further comprising:

a password authorization module to determine authority of said wireless piconet network device to gain access to said wireless network.

3. A wireless piconet device, comprising:

a wireless piconet front end;

a GPS receiver to receive a GPS signal, said GPS receiver being in communication with said wireless piconet front end;

a password entry module allowing a user of said wireless piconet device to enter an authorizing password for transmission over said wireless piconet front end;

a transmitter to transmit said GPS signal and said authorizing password over said wireless piconet front end; and

an exchange information database to be synchronized with another exchange information database over said wireless piconet network.

4. The wireless piconet server according to claim 3, wherein:

said exchange information database is synchronized only when said GPS receiver reports a location within a predetermined area.

5. A method of authorizing a wireless piconet network device to gain access to a wireless network, comprising:

receiving a set of earth coordinates from said wireless piconet network device;

comparing said received set of earth coordinates to predetermined boundaries of a secured area; and

authorizing said wireless piconet network device to gain access to said wireless network based on said received set of earth coordinates.

6. The method of authorizing a wireless piconet network device to gain access to a wireless network according to claim 5, further comprising:

determining if said received set of earth coordinates are within said predetermined boundaries of said secured area.

7. The method of authorizing a wireless piconet network device to gain access to a wireless network according to claim 5, wherein:

said earth coordinates are received from said wireless piconet network device over said wireless network.

8. The method of authorizing a wireless piconet network device to gain access to a wireless network, comprising:

receiving a set of earth coordinates from said wireless piconet network device;

comparing said received set of earth coordinates to predetermined boundaries of a secured area;

receiving a password from said wireless piconet network device;

comparing said received password to a pre-authorized list of passwords; and

authorizing said wireless piconet network device to gain access to said wireless network only if both said received set of earth coordinates are within predetermined boundaries of said secured area and said received password is present in said pre-authorized list of passwords.

9. Apparatus for authorizing a wireless piconet network device to gain access to a wireless network, comprising:

means for receiving a set of earth coordinates from said wireless piconet network device;

means for comparing said received set of earth coordinates to predetermined boundaries of a secured area; and

means for authorizing said wireless piconet network device to gain access to said wireless network based on said received set of earth coordinates.

10. The apparatus for authorizing a wireless piconet network device to gain access to a wireless network according to claim 9, wherein:

said means for receiving receives said earth coordinates from said wireless piconet network device over said wireless network.

11. Apparatus for authorizing a wireless piconet network device to gain access to a wireless network, comprising:

means for receiving a set of earth coordinates from said wireless piconet network device;

means for comparing said received set of earth coordinates to predetermined boundaries of a secured area;

means for authorizing said wireless piconet network device to gain access to said wireless network based on said received set of earth coordinates;

means for receiving a password from said wireless piconet network device; and

means for comparing said received password to a pre-authorized list of passwords;

wherein said means for authorizing authorizes said wireless piconet network device to gain access to said wireless network only if both said received set of earth coordinates are within said predetermined boundaries of said secured area and said received password is present in said pre-authorized list of passwords.