Controlling functions of a user device utilizing an environment map

• US 9,913,071 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2017
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sensoriant, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sensoriant, Inc.
• Inventors: Naqvi, Shamim A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US15/680,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20170353816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 200 Days
• Field of Search: 4554323, 4555501, 455418, 705 1435
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/34 using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• 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 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 : Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group

Abstract

A system and method is provided for using information broadcast by devices and resources in the immediate vicinity of a mobile device, or by sensors located within the mobile device itself, to ascertain and make a determination of the immediate environment and state of the mobile device. This determination may be used to control and manage the actions that the device is asked to carry out by or on behalf of the user.

Claims

1. A method for controlling access to a functionality of a user device, the method comprising:

receiving a capabilities list (CL) from one or more external resources available to and in proximity with the user device, each CL specifying one or more attributes of the respective external resource from which it is received;

storing each of the received CLs in a resource registry associated with the user device;

dynamically updating the resource registry with one or more updated CLs;

determining an environment map for the user device, the environment map comprising resource environment information obtained from the resource registry;

matching access policies of the user device with the environment map to dynamically assign a profile to the user device; and

controlling access to the functionality of the user device based on the profile assigned to the user device,

wherein controlling access to the functionality of the user device includes limiting a communication functionality of the user device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more external resources include a mobile resource connected to the user device via a wireless network and configured to deliver content received from the user device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment map further comprises physical environment information obtained from one or more sensors.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the physical environment information comprises gravity information.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more sensors are located within the user device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the access policies comprise a determination that the user device is in a pre-defined context.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the pre-defined context is an automobile.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more attributes include a resource type, and the determination is made based on the resource type being an automobile type.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication functionality is text messaging.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein limiting a communication functionality includes disabling delivery of messages to a user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein limiting a communication functionality includes preventing display of content on a display of the user device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein limiting a communication functionality includes displaying a warning message on a display of the user device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein limiting a communication functionality includes preventing access to mobile applications running on the user device.

14. A user device comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed on the processor, perform the steps of;

receiving a capabilities list (CL) from one or more external resources available to and in proximity with the user device, each CL specifying one or more attributes of the respective external resource from which it is received;

storing each of the received CLs in a resource registry associated with the user device;

dynamically updating the resource registry with one or more updated CLs;

determining an environment map for the user device, the environment map comprising resource environment information obtained from the resource registry;

matching access policies of the user device with the environment map to dynamically assign a profile to the user device; and

controlling access to the functionality of the user device based on the profile assigned to the user device,

wherein controlling access to the functionality of the user device includes limiting a communication functionality of the user device.

15. The user device of claim 14, wherein the one or more external resources include a mobile resource connected to the user device via a wireless network and configured to deliver content received from the user device.

16. The user device of claim 14, wherein the environment map further comprises physical environment information obtained from one or more sensors.

17. The user device of claim 16, wherein the physical environment information comprises gravity information.

18. The user device of claim 16, wherein the one or more sensors are located within the user device.

19. The user device of claim 14, wherein the access policies comprise a determination that the user device is in a pre-defined context.

20. The user device of claim 19, wherein the pre-defined context is an automobile.

21. The user device of claim 19, wherein the one or more attributes include a resource type, and the determination is made based on the resource type being an automobile type.

22. The user device of claim 14, wherein the communication functionality is text messaging.

23. The user device of claim 14, wherein limiting a communication functionality includes disabling delivery of messages to a user.

24. The user device of claim 14, wherein limiting a communication functionality includes preventing display of content on a display of the user device.

25. The user device of claim 14, wherein limiting a communication functionality includes displaying a warning message on a display of the user device.

26. The user device of claim 14, wherein limiting a communication functionality includes preventing access to mobile applications running on the user device.

27. A user device comprising:

a resource registry storing capabilities lists (CLs) received from one or more external resources available to and in proximity with the user device, each CL specifying one or more attributes of the respective external resource from which it is received;

an environment map comprising resource environment information obtained from the resource registry; and

a recognition unit matching access policies of the user device with the environment map to dynamically assign a profile to the user device, and controlling access to a functionality of the user device based on the profile assigned to the user device,

wherein controlling access to the functionality of the user device includes limiting a communication functionality of the user device.

28. The user device of claim 27, wherein the one or more external resources include a mobile resource connected to the user device via a wireless network and configured to deliver content received from the user device.

29. The user device of claim 27, wherein the access policies comprise a determination that the user device is in a pre-defined context.

30. The user device of claim 29, wherein the pre-defined context is an automobile.