Method and apparatus that facilitates a wearable identity manager

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9826400-B2
Application number	US-201414444620-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2014
Priority date	Apr 4, 2014
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

Various aspects directed towards a wearable identity manager system are disclosed. In a first aspect, an association status between a user and a wearable identity manager device is ascertained based on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn by the user, and motion data associated with a movement of the wearable identity manager device is monitored. Authentication data, which includes the motion data, is then transmitted based on the association status. In another aspect, an association status between a user and a wearable identity manager device is again determined based on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn by the user. Here, however, the wearable identity manager device is paired with a pairing device, and authentication data is transmitted to the pairing device based on the association status to facilitate a user authentication via the pairing device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wearable identity manager device, comprising:
a memory; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to:
determine an association status between a user and the wearable identity manager device based in part on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn;
pair the wearable identity manager device with a pairing device, wherein the pairing device is configured as a relay device between the wearable identity manager device and an external device based on whether the wearable identity manager device is continuously worn, and wherein the wearable identity manager device is configured to unpair from the pairing device in response to a discontinuity of the wearable identity manager device being worn; and
transmit authentication data from the wearable identity manager device to the external device via the pairing device based on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn, wherein the authentication data is data used to determine a user authentication.

2. The wearable identity manager device of claim 1 , the processor further configured to:
monitor and collect motion data associated with a movement of the wearable identity manager device, wherein the authentication data includes the collected motion data, and wherein the collected motion data is configured to facilitate a pairing of the wearable identity manager device with the pairing device.

3. The wearable identity manager device of claim 2 , wherein the motion data comprises a path traversed by the wearable identity manager device.

4. The wearable identity manager device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to associate the wearable identity manager device with the user via an association procedure, wherein the association status is based on an outcome of the association procedure.

5. The wearable identity manager device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve sensor data from at least one of a gyro, a global positioning system (GPS) device, a touch-sensitive sensor, or a microphone, and wherein the authentication data further comprises the sensor data.

6. The wearable identity manager device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to infer whether the wearable identity manager device is worn based on data retrieved from at least one of a clasp sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a pulse sensor, a motion sensor, or a stretch sensor.

7. The wearable identity manager device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive an authentication request;
provide a credential; and
transmit the credential based on the authentication request.

8. The wearable identity manager device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to
receive an authentication request;
ascertain a security level associated with the authentication request; and
transmit the authentication data based on the security level.

9. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having one or more instructions stored thereon, which when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to:
ascertain an association status between a user and a wearable identity manager device, wherein the association status is ascertained based in part on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn;
pair the wearable identity manager device with a pairing device, wherein the pairing device is configured as a relay device between the wearable identity manager device and an external device based on whether the wearable identity manager device is continuously worn, and wherein the wearable identity manager device is configured to unpair from the pairing device in response to a discontinuity of the wearable identity manager device being worn; and
transmit authentication data from the wearable identity manager device to the external device via the pairing device based on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn, wherein the authentication data is data used to determine a user authentication.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , the one or more instructions further comprising instructions to cause the at least one processor to:
monitor and collect motion data associated with a movement of the wearable identity manager device, wherein the authentication data includes the collected motion data, and wherein the collected motion data is configured to facilitate a pairing of the wearable identity manager device with the pairing device.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , the one or more instructions further comprising instructions to cause the at least one processor to associate the wearable identity manager device with the user via an association procedure, wherein the association status is based on an outcome of the association procedure.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the association procedure comprises matching a locally stored password with a password received from an associating device.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the association procedure comprises matching an associating movement of the wearable identity manager device with received data corresponding to a movement of an associating device.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , the one or more instructions further comprising instructions to cause the at least one processor to:
receive an authentication request; and
provide a credential based on at least one of a user action or an execution context extrapolated from the authentication request.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , the one or more instructions further comprising instructions to cause the at least one processor to:
receive an authentication request;
ascertain a security level associated with the authentication request; and
provide the authentication data based on the security level.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the security level is ascertained according to at least one of a user preference setting, an execution context, or one or more historical execution contexts.

17. A method to facilitate a wireless communication, comprising:
determining an association status between a user and a wearable identity manager device, wherein the determining comprises determining whether the wearable identity manager device is worn;
pairing the wearable identity manager device with a pairing device, wherein the pairing device is configured as a relay device between the wearable identity manager device and an external device based on whether the wearable identity manager device is continuously worn, and wherein the wearable identity manager device is configured to unpair from the pairing device in response to a discontinuity of the wearable identity manager device being worn; and
transmitting authentication data from the wearable identity manager device to the external device via the pairing device based on whether the wearable identity manager device is worn, wherein the authentication data is data used to determine a user authentication.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising monitoring motion data associated with a movement of the wearable identity manager device, wherein the authentication data includes the motion data, and wherein the motion data is configured to facilitate a pairing of the wearable identity manager device with the pairing device.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Jakobsson Bjorn Markus

Classifications

• G06F3/0346

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title

• G06F21/32 Primary

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

• A61B5/681

  Wristwatch-type devices · CPC title

• H04L9/3231

  Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861) · CPC title

• A61B5/1116

  Determining posture transitions · CPC title