Spatially enabled secure communications

• US 9,780,837 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2015
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Freelinc Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Freelinc Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Dobyns, Douglas Howard, Abrams, Michael Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US14/841,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20160065272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• 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 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• 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: H05K 999/99 : dummy group

Abstract

Spatially enabled secure communication technologies are disclosed. A proximity boundary can be defined by a communication range of one or more SRC devices configured to communicate using near field magnetic induction (NFMI) using at least two antennas to provide magnetic induction diversity. Secure data can be selected for NFMI communication on a spatially secure NFMI data link between the one or more SRC devices. Non-secure data can be selected for communication on one of a wireless local area network or a wireless wide area network.

Claims

1. A method for proximity based secure communications, comprising:

defining a proximity boundary with dimensions defined by a selected communication range of one of a first Short Range Communication (SRC) device and a second SRC device, wherein each of the first and second SRC devices are configured to communicate using near field magnetic induction (NFMI), and the first SRC device is configured to be coupled to a first computing device and the second SRC device is configured to be coupled to a second computing device;

communicating an NFMI proximity signal in the proximity boundary between the first SRC device and the second SRC device, wherein at least one of the first and second SRC devices includes at least two antennas to provide magnetic induction diversity, and using the magnetic induction diversity to substantially reduce a variability of the dimensions of the proximity boundary;

selecting secure data for NFMI communication on a spatially secure NFMI data link between the first and second computing devices when the proximity signal is detected between the first and second SRC devices; and

selecting non-secure data for communication on a radio frequency (RF) data link from at least one of the first and second computing devices using one of a wireless local area network (WLAN) radio and a wireless wide area network (WWAN) radio when the proximity signal is detected between the first and second SRC devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting the non-secure data for communication on the RF data link via the WLAN or the WWAN from the first or second computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting the secure data for NFMI communication on the spatially secure NFMI data link using the SRC device on the first computing device and the SRC device on the second computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, selecting secure data for NFMI communication on the spatially secure NFMI data link using the first and second SRC devices, wherein the secure data comprises pairing information to allow at least one of the first computing device and the second computing device to pair with another computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, selecting secure data for NFMI communication on the spatially secure NFMI data link between the first SRC device and the second SRC device, wherein the secure data comprises selected point of sale (POS) information.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising sending the selected POS information as secure data for NFMI communication on the spatially secure NFMI data link using the first and second SRC devices, wherein the POS information comprises one or more of:

a personal identification number (PIN), a user account number, a credit card number, a checking account number, banking information, a banking account balance, personal health information, or prescription drug information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending selected point of sale (POS) information as non-secure data for communication on the RF data link using the WLAN radio or the WWAN radio, wherein the POS non-secure data comprises one or more of:

reward points, coupons, advertising information, purchasing history, or tracking information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending selected medical information as secure data for NFMI communication on the spatially secure NFMI data link using the first and second SRC devices, wherein the medical information comprises:

confidential medical information, a social security number, and confidential financial information.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending selected medical information as non-secure data for communication on the RF data link using the WLAN radio or the WWAN radio, wherein the medical non-secure data comprises:

employee time stamp information, meal schedule information, sleep schedule information, and raw sensor data.

10. A proximity based secure communications system comprising:

a first Short Range Communication (SRC) device including a near field magnetic (NFMI) transceiver that is coupled to a first computing device;

a second SRC device including an NFMI transceiver that is coupled to a second computing device,

wherein one or more of the first SRC device or the second SRC device includes at least two antennas to provide magnetic induction diversity, and

wherein a communication range of one of the first SRC device or the second SRC device, using the at least two antennas, defines one or more dimensions of a proximity boundary, and using the magnetic induction diversity to substantially reduce a variability of the dimensions of the proximity boundary;

a proximity signal module coupled to the first computing device and configured to communicate a proximity signal in the proximity boundary between the first SRC device and the second SRC device coupled to the second computing device; and

a security data selection module configured to select secure data for NFMI communication between the first computing device and the second computing device using the first SRC device and the second SRC device to form a spatially secure NFMI data link when the proximity signal is detected between the first SRC device and the second SRC device.

11. The proximity based secure communications system of claim 10, wherein the security data selection module is further configured to select non-secure data for communication on a radio frequency (RF) data link from one or more of the first computing device and the second computing device using one of a wireless local area network (WLAN) radio and a wireless wide area network (WWAN) radio when the proximity signal is detected between the first SRC device and the second SRC device on the spatially secure NFMI data link.

12. The proximity based secure communications system of claim 11, wherein the non-secure data is data selected by the security data selection module for communication via a non-proximate far-field propagated electromagnetic signal.

13. The proximity based secure communications system of claim 11, wherein the non-secure data is encrypted prior to transmission on the RF data link using one or more of the WLAN radio or the WWAN radio.

14. The proximity based secure communications system of claim 11, wherein one of the first SRC device and the second SRC device is a proximity SRC (PSRC) device in a substantially fixed position.

15. The proximity based secure communications system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first SRC device, the second SRC device, or the PSRC device is configured to communicate pairing information to allow the first computing device or the second computing device to pair with another computing device when the computing device enters the proximity boundary, wherein the pairing information is selected as secure data or non-secure data.

16. A method for proximity based secure communications, comprising:

defining a proximity boundary with dimensions defined, in part, by a communication range of one of a proximity Short Range Communication (PSRC) device and an SRC device, wherein the PSRC device and the SRC device are configured to communicate using near field magnetic induction (NFMI), wherein at least one of the PSRC device and the SRC device include at least two antennas to provide magnetic induction diversity, and using the magnetic induction diversity to substantially reduce a variability of the dimensions of the proximity boundary; and

selecting secure data for NFMI communication on a spatially secure NFMI data link between the PSRC device and the SRC device; and

selecting non-secure data for communication on a radio frequency (RF) data link using one of a wireless local area network (WLAN) radio and a wireless wide area network (WWAN) radio.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising, selecting secure data for NFMI communication on the spatially secure NFMI data link using the SRC device and the PSRC device, wherein the secure data comprises pairing information to allow a first computing device to pair with another computing device.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising,

selecting secure data for NFMI communication on the spatially secure NFMI data link between the first SRC device and the second SRC device, wherein the secure data comprises selected point of sale (POS) information;

and

selecting non-secure data from the POS information for communication in the RF data link.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

sending selected medical information as secure data for NFMI communication on the spatially secure NFMI data link using SRC device and the PSRC device; and

sending selected medical information as non-secure data on the RF data link.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising

encrypting the non-secure data for communication on the RF data link via the WLAN or the WWAN from the first or second computing device;

and

encrypting the secure data for NFMI communication on the spatially secure NFMI data link between the SRC device and the PSRC device.