Accessing secure areas based on identification via personal device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9734643-B2
Application number	US-201414327895-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2014
Priority date	Jul 10, 2014
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods for using proximity positioning systems to determine a location of a user, identify the user and provide additional services and/or functionality to the user based on the determined location and/or identity are presented. In some examples, a low-power radio signal emitted from a location beacon may be received or detected by a personal computing device. The location of the beacon, and the device detecting the signal, may be determined. The location information, as well as a unique identifier associated with the personal computing device, may be used to identify a user associated with the personal computing device and the location of the user. This information may be used to provide additional services and/or functionality to the user. For instance, the location and identity information may be used to provide the user with access to secure areas within a location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a location determination and user identification system operating in a personal computing device having at least one processor, data associated with a signal from a location beacon, the signal being a low-power radio signal emitted from a location beacon at a banking center of a financial institution;
determining, by the location determination and user identification system operating in the personal computing device, a location of the personal computing device based on the received data associated with the signal emitted from the location beacon, wherein the location of the personal computing device is within a predefined proximity of a location of the location beacon;
identifying, by the location determination and user identification system, a unique identifier associated with the personal computing device within the predefined proximity of the location of the location beacon, the unique identifier including an international mobile station equipment identity (IMEI) of the personal computing device;
based on the unique identifier associated with the personal computing device within the predefined proximity of the location of the location beacon, identifying a user associated with the personal computing device within the predefined proximity of the location of the location beacon;
determining, by the location determination and user identification system, whether the identified user is entitled to access a secure area within the banking center;
responsive to determining that the user is entitled to access to the secure area, providing access to the secure area within the banking center to the user based on the identification of the user associated with the personal computing device, the access being provided for a predetermined amount of time;
determining whether the user has accessed the secure area within the predetermined amount of time; and
responsive to determining that the user has not accessed the secure area within the predetermined amount of time, canceling the provided access.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including, responsive to determining that the user is entitled to access to the secure area, requesting additional authenticating information from the user prior to providing access to the secure area.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the requested additional authenticating information includes at least one of: a personal identification number (PIN) of the user and biometric data of the user.

4. The method of claim 2 , further including:
receiving the requested additional authenticating information;
determining, based on the received additional authenticating information, whether the user is authorized to access the secure area; and
responsive to determining that the user is authorized to access the secure area, providing access to the secure area within the banking center to the user.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein receiving the requested additional authenticating information includes receiving, by the location determination and user identification system, the requested additional authenticating information from the personal computing device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing access to the secure area includes generating a notification of access being permitted and transmitting the generated notification to the personal computing device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further including generating, by the location determination and user identification system, a diagram of the secure area and transmitting the generated diagram to the personal computing device.

8. The method of claim 1 , further including:
generating, by the location determination and user identification system, an electronic record of the provided access to the secure area.

9. The method of claim 1 , further including:
responsive to determining that the user is not entitled to access to the secure area, requesting additional identifying information from the user.

10. An apparatus, comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory storing instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the apparatus to:
receive data associated with a signal from a location beacon, the signal being a low-power radio signal emitted from a location beacon at a banking center of a financial institution;
determine a location of a personal computing device of a user based on the received data associated with the signal emitted from the location beacon, wherein the location of the personal computing device is within a predefined proximity of a location of the location beacon;
identify a unique identifier associated with the personal computing device within the predefined proximity of the location of the location beacon, the unique identifier including an international mobile station equipment identity (IMEI) of the personal computing device;
based on the unique identifier associated with the personal computing device within the predefined proximity of the location of the location beacon, identify a user associated with the personal computing device within the predefined proximity of the location of the location beacon;
determine whether the identified user is entitled to access a secure area within the banking center;
responsive to determining that the user is entitled to access to the secure area, provide access to the secure area within the banking center to the user based on the identification of the user associated with the personal computing device, the access being provided for a predetermined amount of time;
determine whether the user has accessed the secure area within the predetermined amount of time; and
responsive to determining that the user has not accessed the secure area within the predetermined amount of time, canceling the provided access.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further including, instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to:
responsive to determining that the user is entitled to access to the secure area, request additional authenticating information from the user prior to providing access to the secure area.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the requested additional authenticating information includes at least one of: a personal identification number (PIN) of the user and biometric data of the user.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , further including instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to:
receive the requested additional authenticating information;
determine, based on the received additional authenticating information, whether the user is authorized to access the secure area; and
responsive to determining that the user is authorized to access the secure area, provide access to the secure area within the banking center to the user.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein receiving the requested additional authenticating information includes receiving the requested additional authenticating information from the personal computing device.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein providing access to the secure area includes generating a notification of access being permitted and transmitting the generated notification to the personal computing device.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , further including instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to:
generate an electronic record of the provided access to the secure area.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 , further including instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to:
responsive to determining that the user is not entitled to access to the secure area, request additional i

Assignees

• Bank Of America

Inventors

• Hanson Carrie Anne
• Grigg David M
• Stittsworth Kim

Classifications

• G07C9/22 Primary

  in combination with an identity check of the pass holder · CPC title

• G07C9/23 Primary

  by means of a password · CPC title

• G07C9/25

  using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition · CPC title

• G07C9/28

  the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence · CPC title

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title