Proximity boundary based communication

• US 9,838,082 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2015
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• 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:
  US14/841,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20160066143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 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

Technology is described for proximity based communications. A proximity boundary can be defined with dimensions defined, in part, by a communication range of one of a first Short Range Communication (SRC) device and a second SRC device. The first SRC device and the second SRC device can be configured to communicate using near field magnetic induction (NFMI). A proximity signal can be communicated 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. A security permission can be provided to enable selected data to be communicated from one or more of the first SRC device and the second SRC device using NFMI when the proximity signal is detected between the first SRC device and the second SRC device.

Claims

1. A method for proximity based communications, comprising:

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

communicating a 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

providing a security permission to enable selected data to be communicated from one or more of the first SRC device and the second SRC device using NFMI when the proximity signal is detected between the first SRC device and the second SRC device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity signal includes information to indicate the security permission for one or more of the first SRC device and the second SRC device to communicate the selected data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the security permission is provided for one or more of the first SRC device and the second SRC device to communicate the selected data:

while at least one of the first SRC device and the second SRC device are within the proximity boundary;

or

after receiving the proximity signal irrespective of location of the first SRC device or the second SRC device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the security permission in an encrypted format.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the security permission further enables the selected data to be communicated:

from one or more of the first SRC device or the second SRC device to another computing device;

from the first SRC device to the second SRC device;

or

from the second SRC device to the first SRC device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the security permission in an unencrypted format when the proximity signal is communicated substantially only in the proximity boundary.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining a size of the proximity boundary based on at least one of:

a transmit power of the first SRC device or the second SRC device, a receive sensitivity of the first SRC device or the second SRC device, or an antenna alignment of the first SRC device or the second SRC device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the proximity signal in the proximity boundary as an NFMI signal using a first NFMI transceiver associated with the first SRC device and a second NFMI transceiver associated with the second SRC device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the security permission to enable selected data to be transmitted or received from one or more of the first SRC device and the second SRC device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the selected data using a first NFMI transceiver associated with the first SRC device and a second NFMI transceiver associated with the second SRC device, wherein the selected data is communicated using the first and second NFMI transceivers to maintain spatial security of the selected data within the proximity boundary.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first SRC device and the second SRC device are coupled to mobile computing devices.

12. A proximity based communications system, comprising:

a proximity Short Range Communication (PSRC) device including a first near field magnetic induction (NFMI) transceiver, the PSRC device in a substantially fixed position and coupled to a first computing device;

a SRC device including a second NFMI transceiver, the SRC device coupled to a second computing device, wherein at least one of the PSRC device and the SRC device includes at least two antennas to provide magnetic induction diversity, wherein a proximity boundary with dimensions is defined, in part, by a communication range of one or more of the PSRC device or the SRC device;

a proximity signal module, coupled to the PSRC device, configured to communicate a proximity signal to the SRC device within the proximity boundary to indicate that the PSRC device and the SRC device are located within the proximity boundary; and

a security permission module, coupled to the PSRC device, operable to provide a security permission to the SRC device using NFMI when the proximity signal is detected between the PSRC device and the SRC device, the security permission enabling the SRC device to communicate selected data from within the proximity boundary.

13. The proximity based communications system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the PSRC device or the SRC device is configured to communicate the selected data that comprises pairing information to allow at least one of the first computing device or the second computing device to pair with another computing device.

14. The proximity based communications system of claim 13, wherein the pairing information enables the first computing device or the second computing device to pair with another computing device via one of:

NFMI, Bluetooth or a radio frequency (RF) communication standard.

15. The proximity based communications system of claim 12, wherein the proximity signal module is configured to broadcast the proximity signal for detection at the SRC device.

16. The proximity based communications system of claim 12, wherein the security permission module is configured to:

provide the security permission in an encrypted format;

or

provide the security permission in an unencrypted format since the proximity signal is communicated substantially only in the proximity boundary.

17. The proximity based communications system of claim 12, wherein the security permission further enables:

the PSRC device to communicate the selected data to the SRC device within the proximity boundary;

or

the SRC device to communicate the selected data to another computing device from within the proximity boundary.

18. A method for proximity based 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 a 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

broadcasting a proximity signal from the PSRC device to the SRC device using NFMI to indicate that the PSRC device and the SRC device are located within the proximity boundary, wherein the proximity signal includes a security permission for the SRC device to communicate selected data.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising defining a size of the proximity boundary based on at least one of:

a transmit power of the PSRC device or the SRC device, a receive sensitivity of the PSRC device or the SRC device, or an antenna alignment of the PSRC device or the SRC device.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising terminating a communication of the selected data when the SRC device exits the proximity boundary.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising broadcasting the proximity signal in the proximity boundary as an NFMI signal using a first NFMI transceiver associated with the PSRC device, wherein the proximity signal is detected using a second NFMI transceiver associated with the SRC device.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the security permission is provided for the SRC device to communicate the selected data for at least one of:

a selected time period;

at a selected time period;

while at least one of the PSRC device and the SRC device are within the proximity boundary;

or

after receiving the proximity signal irrespective of location of the PSRC device or the SRC device.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the PSRC device is coupled to a computing device in a substantially fixed position and the SRC device is coupled to a mobile computing device.