Login renewal based on device surroundings

• US 7,079,652 B1
• Filed: 05/01/2001
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Original Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Inventors: Harris, Scott C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moise, Emmanuel L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MINH DIEU T
• Application Number:
  US09/681,570
• Time in Patent Office: 1,904 Days
• Field of Search: 713200-202, 713/182, 380/258, 701213-216, 340/539.13, 342/43, 726/2
• US Class Current: 380/258
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• 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

Abstract

A system of allowing user login to a computer. The user is allowed to login by entering some kind of personal identification information e.g. biometric, password or hand. Once login, the computer detects its surroundings. The surrounding detecting can be by GPS, e.g. to detect location, or can use a camera to detect of view of a user. When the user does not properly login, account of the incorrect login is maintained. Each increment of the incorrect login'"'"'s causes the security to increase.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a computer peripheral, detecting information about a first surrounding of the computer;

a computer, running a routine which allows a user to identify themselves to the computer, and controls access to the computer based on said identify and said first surrounding; and

wherein said computer determines a first surrounding at a time of user identification, and maintains the computer unlocked while the computer is within said first surrounding, and causes the computer to lock when the computer is detected to have moved from said first surrounding by a predetermined and relative amount.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein said surrounding is a physical location of the computer, as detected by an automatic position location device.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein said surrounding includes a view that is seen by the computer.

4. A system as in claim 3, wherein said view includes an image of a user.

5. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a failure processing routine, which processes failures in login by increasing security for each of a plurality of times when a login fails.

6. A system comprising:

a computer peripheral, detecting information about a current surrounding of the computer;

a computer, running a routine which allows a user to identify themselves to the computer, and controls access to the computer based on said identify and said current surrounding;

wherein said computer determines a first surrounding at a time of user identification, and maintains the computer unlocked while the computer is in said first surrounding, and causes the computer to lock when the computer is detected to vary from said first surrounding by a predetermined amount; and

further comprising a failure processing routine, which processes failures in login by increasing security for each of a plurality of times when a login fails, and increasing a security of the computer when a user powers down the computer in response to being prompted to identify themselves.

7. A method, comprising:

carrying out a first security operation which allows a user to obtain access to resources of the computer;

determining surroundings information, including first surroundings information associated with said first security operation, and second surroundings information at times subsequent to said first surroundings information; and

allowing continued access to resources of the computer only so long as said second surroundings information does not differ from said first surroundings information by more than a specified relative amount of distance, and if said second surroundings information differs from said first surroundings information by more than said specified relative amount of distance, then requiring a new security operation to obtain said access to said resources.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein said surroundings information is information indicative of a physical location of the computer, and said determining comprises using an automatic position determining device to determine said position.

9. A method as in claim 8, further comprising determining a difference between said first and second surroundings information, determining a distance between the physical locations indicated by said first and second surroundings information, determining if said distance is greater than a predetermined threshold, and allowing said continued access only when said distance is not greater than said predetermined threshold.

10. A method as in claim 7, wherein said surroundings information is information indicative of an image of a proximity of said computer, and said determining comprises using a camera to determine said image.

11. A method as in claim 10, further comprising determining a difference between a first image representing said first surroundings information, and a second image representing said second surroundings information, using automated machine vision techniques.

12. A method as in claim 7, wherein said first security operation comprises determining whether a user has successfully responded to a request for user-security information, and for each of the plurality of times that the user does not successfully respond to said request for user-security information, increasing an aspect of security.

13. A method as in claim 12, wherein said increased aspect of security includes entry of secret personal information.

14. A method, comprising:

carrying out a first security operation which allows a user to obtain access to resources of the computer;

determining surroundings information, including first surroundings information associated with said first security operation, and second surroundings information at times subsequent to said first surroundings information;

allowing continued access to resources of the computer only so long as said second surroundings information does not differ from said first surroundings information by more than a specified threshold, and if said second surroundings information differs from said first surroundings information by more than said specified threshold, then requiring a new security operation to obtain said access to said resources; and

wherein said determining comprises triangulating to determine a position.