Authentication and authorization in a wearable ensemble

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016174071-A1
Application number	US-201414568915-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 12, 2014
Priority date	Dec 12, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Various systems and methods for authentication and authorization in a wearable ensemble are described herein. A system for authenticating a wearable device includes an access module to access a second wearable device from a first wearable device, the first and second wearable devices being worn by a wearer and the first wearable device being a trusted device to the wearer, a measurement module to measure a distance from the first wearable device to the second wearable device, and an authentication module to authenticate the second wearable device when the distance is within a threshold range of an initialized distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for authenticating a wearable device, the system comprising:
an access module to access a second wearable device from a first wearable device, the first and second wearable devices being worn by a wearer and the first wearable device being a trusted device to the wearer; a measurement module to measure a distance from the first wearable device to the second wearable device; and an authentication module to authenticate the second wearable device when the distance is within a threshold range of an initialized distance.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein to access the second wearable device from the first wearable device, the access module is to:
access the second wearable device with a short-range wireless telemetry protocol.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein to access the second wearable device from the first wearable device, the access module is to:
access the second wearable device with a body-coupled communication protocol.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein to measure the distance from the first wearable device to the second wearable device, the measurement module is to:
transmit a signal from the second wearable device to the first wearable device; measure a signal strength of the signal; and calculate the distance from the signal strength.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein to measure the distance from the first wearable device to the second wearable device, the measurement module is to:
transmit an initial data packet from the first wearable device to the second wearable device; receive a response data packet from the second wearable device at the first wearable device; measure a round-trip time from based on the transmit time of the initial data packet and the receipt time of the response data packet; and calculate the distance based on the round-trip time.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein to authenticate the second wearable device, the authentication module is to:
transmit a secure key from the first wearable device to the second wearable device.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold range comprises a percentage of the initialized distance.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an initialization module to set initialized distance by:
prompting the wearer of the first and second wearable devices to assume a position;
measuring a distance between the first and second devices while the wearer is in the position; and
setting the initialized distance as the distance between the first and second device.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a verification module to verify the second wearable device is associated with the first wearable device before authenticating the second wearable device.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein to verify the second wearable device is associated with the first wearable device, the verification module is to:
prompt the wearer to perform an action; determine that the wearer performed the action; and verify the second wearable device being associated with the first wearable device based on the determining that the wearer performed the action.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the action comprises moving the second wearable device in a specific manner.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the action comprises moving the second wearable device from a first location on the wearer's body to a second location on the wearer's body.

13 . A method of authenticating a wearable device, the method comprising:
accessing a second wearable device from a first wearable device, the first and second wearable devices being worn by a wearer and the first wearable device being a trusted device to the wearer; measuring a distance from the first wearable device to the second wearable device; and authenticating the second wearable device when the distance is within a threshold range of an initialized distance.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein accessing the second wearable device from the first wearable device comprises:
accessing the second wearable device with a short-range wireless telemetry protocol.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein accessing the second wearable device from the first wearable device comprises:
accessing the second wearable device with a body-coupled communication protocol.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein measuring the distance from the first wearable device to the second wearable device comprises:
transmitting a signal from the second wearable device to the first wearable device; measuring a signal strength of the signal; and calculating the distance from the signal strength.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein measuring the distance from the first wearable device to the second wearable device comprises:
transmitting an initial data packet from the first wearable device to the second wearable device; receiving a response data packet from the second wearable device at the first wearable device; measuring a round-trip time from based on the transmit time of the initial data packet and the receipt time of the response data packet; and calculating the distance based on the round-trip time.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein authenticating the second wearable device comprises:
transmitting a secure key from the first wearable device to the second wearable device.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the threshold range comprises a percentage of the initialized distance.

20 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the initialized distance is set by:
prompting the wearer of the first and second wearable devices to assume a position; measuring a distance between the first and second devices while the wearer is in the position; and setting the initialized distance as the distance between the first and second device.

21 . At least one machine-readable medium including instructions, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:
access a second wearable device from a first wearable device, the first and second wearable devices being worn by a wearer and the first wearable device being a trusted device to the wearer; measure a distance from the first wearable device to the second wearable device; and authenticate the second wearable device when the distance is within a threshold range of an initialized distance.

22 . The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 21 , further comprising instructions to verify the second wearable device is associated with the first wearable device before authenticating the second wearable device.

23 . The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the instructions to verify the second wearable device is associated with the first wearable device comprise instructions to:
prompt the wearer to perform an action; determine that the wearer performed the action; and verify the second wearable device being associated with the first wearable device based on the determining that the wearer performed the action.

24 . The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the action comprises moving the second wearable device in a specific manner.

25 . The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 24 , wherein the action comprises moving the second wearable device from a first location on the wearer's body to a second location on the wearer's body.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Weast John Charles

Classifications

• H04W4/008

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W12/06 Primary

  Authentication · CPC title

• H04W12/64

  using geofenced areas · CPC title

• H04W12/33

  using wearable devices, e.g. using a smartwatch or smart-glasses · CPC title

• H04W12/50

  Secure pairing of devices · CPC title