Proximity-based system that secures linked IP enabled devices

• US 9,503,902 B1
• Filed: 08/05/2015
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bruce Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bruce Corporation
• Inventors: Coney, Lillie Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhattacharya, Sam
• Application Number:
  US14/819,360
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 4554561-4563
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

The proliferation of networked, wireless-enabled devices is challenged by the reliance upon password management and user knowledge of privacy and security techniques to maintain control over data that is personal, proprietary or restricted. This disclosure enables a geo-proximity security and privacy system for assuring control and non-repudiation for wireless-enabled devices by relying upon location and trusted network relationships among a set of wireless-enabled devices, where one or more devices may act as a control or master key. Security in a digital society may be benefited by the establishment of digital walls that are as flexible as the world of cyberspace to be erected whenever and wherever wireless-enabled technology is in use. The security protocol may be configured to secure a protected device or the data they contain from loss, theft, abuse or misuse.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

identifying, by a central programming device (CPD), two or more wireless-enabled devices;

generating, by the CPD, a geo-proximity fence defining an area;

assigning, by the CPD, a relational link among at least two devices selected from the identified wireless-enabled devices;

defining, by the CPD, a rule associated with the relational link, wherein the rule is based, at least in part, on positions of the selected devices relative to the geo-proximity fence;

determining, by the CPD, whether the rule is satisfied; and

granting, by the CPD, access to secured data or to a secure location in response to determining that the rule is satisfied.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule is satisfied when the positions of the linked devices are within the area defined by the geo-proximity fence.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking, by the CPD, the positions of the linked devices during an initialization period, wherein the rule associated with the relational link is defined based, at least in part, on tracking the positions of the linked devices.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising tracking, by the CPD, operation of the two or more linked devices during the initialization period, wherein the rule associated with the relational link is further defined based, at least in part, on the tracking of the operation of the two or more linked devices.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising locking, by the CPD, access to at least one of the linked devices in response to determining that the rule has been violated.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting, by the CPD, display of a message on at least one of the linked devices in response to determining that the rule has been violated.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the area defined by the geo-proximity fence is defined by one or more of:

(A) spatial parameters defining a boundary of the area;

(B) one or more objects defining the boundary of the area; and

(C) a location identifier associated with the area.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the area defined by the geo-proximity fence is defined by current locations of the one or more objects, and wherein the area defined by the geo-proximity fence is updated as the one or more objects move locations.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the CPD assigns the relational link based on a default designation stored on any of the linked devices indicating that the CPD should assign the relation link.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the relational link includes assigning a proximity distance among the selected devices, wherein defining the rule is further based, at least in part, on the positions of the selected devices relative to each other, and wherein the rule is satisfied when the positions of the selected devices are within the area defined by the geo-proximity fence and the positions of the selected devices relative to each other are less than the proximity distance from each other.

11. A proximity-based access system comprising:

(A) a central processing device (CPD) configured to—

communicate with two or more wireless-enabled devices within a range of communication of the CPD;

enroll the two or more wireless-enabled devices in the proximity-based access system during an initialization phase;

assign a relational link between the two or more wireless-enabled devices enrolled in the proximity-based access system;

generate a geo-proximity fence encompassing an area;

define a rule associated with the relational link, the rule based on positions of the linked wireless-enabled devices relative to the geo-proximity fence; and

grant access to secured data or a secured location in response to determining the rule is satisfied; and

(B) one or more wireless-enabled devices configured to communicate with the CPD for determining if the rule is satisfied, including sending current locations of the linked wireless-enabled devices.

12. The proximity-based access system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the linked wireless-enabled devices is further configured to provide limited functionality in response to determining a violation of the rule.

13. The proximity-based access system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the linked wireless-enabled devices is further configured to verify input of a pass code to resume full functionality in response to determining the violation of the rule has been rectified.

14. The proximity-based access system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the linked wireless-enabled devices is further configured to lock access to the at least one of the linked wireless-enabled devices in response to determining the rule has been violated.

15. The proximity-based access system of claim 11, further comprising:

one or more defining objects for defining the area enclosed by the geo-proximity fence, wherein the CPD is further configured to update the area enclosed by the geo-proximity fence in response to the one or more defining objects being moved to different locations.

16. The proximity-based access system of claim 11, wherein the CPD is further configured to:

track locations of the linked wireless-enabled devices during an initialization period; and

define the rule associated with the relational link based, at least in part, on the tracked locations of the linked wireless-enabled devices during the initialization period.

17. The proximity-based access system of claim 16, wherein the CPD is further configured to:

track functionality of the linked wireless-enabled devices corresponding to the tracked locations during the initialization period; and

define the rule associated with the relational link based, at least in part, on the tracked functionality of the linked wireless-enabled devices.

18. The proximity-based access system of claim 11, wherein the area encompassed by the geo-proximity fence is based on a current location of one of the linked wireless-enabled devices, and wherein the rule is satisfied when the linked wireless-enabled devices are within the geo-proximity fence.

19. The proximity-based access system of claim 11, wherein the CPD is further configured to indicate a current location of any of the linked wireless-enabled devices that violate the rule in response to detecting the rule has been violated.

20. The proximity-based access system of claim 11, wherein the rule is further based on the positions of the linked wireless-enabled devices relative to each other, and wherein determining the rule is satisfied includes determining that the linked wireless-enabled devices are within a certain distance of each other and that the linked wireless-enabled devices are within the geo-proximity fence.