Personal authentication method and apparatus sensing user vicinity

Abstract

A security device restricting access to various machines, places or data, using a security device that is kept in close proximity to a portion of the body of a person and is activated by an activation station to provide access to those machines, places or data to that person only when that person is confirmed to be an authorized person, and which is automatically deactivated when it ceases to be in close proximity to that person's body.

1 . A method comprising:
 sensing whether or not a security device is in close proximity to a portion of an authorized person's body, the security device when activated to enable the authorized person access to a place, machine or information, and when deactivated results in a denial of access to a person using the security device;   receiving security data from an activation station separate from the security device, wherein the activation station is also separate from the place, machine or information to be accessed;   activating or deactivating the security device based on the security data received from the activation station and whether the security device is in close proximity to the authorized person's body; and   automatically deactivating the security device if the security device ceases to be in close proximity to the authorized person's body.   
   
   
       2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein activating the security device is permitted when the person using the security device is identified as authorized to use the security device and when the authorized person is put within close proximity to the security device within a predetermined time limit. 
   
   
       3 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein identification as an authorized person further comprises:
 reading biometric data from the person who is using the security device by a biometric reader coupled to the activation station;   verifying that the biometric data read from the person matches biometric data of an authorized person in a database coupled to the activation station; and   identifying the person as the authorized person matching the biometric data.   
   
   
       4 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein once activated, the security device remains activated when the authorized person remains in close proximity of the security device. 
   
   
       5 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 periodically checking, by a proximity sensor coupled to the security device, whether the authorized person is in close proximity to the security device.   
   
   
       6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the security data comprises information to multiple levels of access and identifies at least one of a plurality of places, machines or information to which the authorized person is to be granted access, wherein the security data also optionally identifies at least one of a plurality of places, machines or information to which the authorized person is to be denied access. 
   
   
       7 . A security device comprising:
 a proximity sensor to sense a proximity of the security device to at least a portion of a person's body;   a transceiver to transmit and receive security data, the transceiver to communicate with an activation station separate from the security device, wherein the transceiver is to receive security data to activate the security device based on authorization from the activation station, wherein activation enables the person to gain access to a place, machine or information corresponding to the authorization from the activation station, the place, machine or information being separate and separable from both the security device and the activation station, and wherein failure to receive authorization from the activation station results in the security device remaining in a deactivated state; and   a circuit to automatically deactivate the security device if at least one condition occurs, the condition selected from the group of conditions consisting of a first condition that the security device fails to be put into close proximity to the at least a portion of the person's body within a predetermined time period, and a second condition that the security device ceases to be in close proximity to the portion of the designated person's body after the predetermined time period expires,   wherein deactivation results in a denial of service to the person using the security device, and wherein when the security device is activated, the security device to send a signal to a receiver communicatively coupled to the place, machine or information to be accessed to provide authorization information.   
   
   
       8 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the signal sent by the security device to the receiver is a line-of-sight signal. 
   
   
       9 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein authorization from the activation station is granted to the security device based on information read from at least a portion of the person's body by a biometric reader at the activation station, the read biometric data to be compared to biometric data corresponding to a plurality of authorized persons stored in a database coupled to the activation station. 
   
   
       10 . A computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein that when executed on a security device, cause the security device to:
 sense whether or not the security device is in close proximity to a portion of an authorized person's body, the security device when activated to enable the authorized person access to a place, machine or information, and when deactivated results in a denial of access to a person using the security device;   receive security data from an activation station separate from the security device, wherein the activation station is also separate from the place, machine or information to be accessed;   activate or deactivate the security device based on the security data received from the activation station and whether the security device is in close proximity to the authorized person's body; and   automatically deactivate the security device if the security device ceases to be in close proximity to the authorized person's body.   
   
   
       12 . The medium as recited in  claim 10 , wherein activating the security device is permitted when the person using the security device is identified as authorized to use the security device and when the authorized person is put within close proximity to the security device within a predetermined time limit. 
   
   
       13 . The medium as recited in  claim 12 , wherein identification as an authorized person further comprises instructions to be executed at an activation station, wherein the instructions executed on a machine at an activation station cause the machine to:
 read biometric data from the person who is using the security device by a biometric reader coupled to the activation station;   verify that the biometric data read from the person matches biometric data of an authorized person in a database coupled to the activation station; and   identify the person as the authorized person matching the biometric data.   
   
   
       14 . The medium as recited in  claim 13 , wherein once activated, the security device remains activated when the authorized person remains in close proximity of the security device. 
   
   
       15 . The medium as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising instructions to:
 periodically check, by a proximity sensor coupled to the security device, whether the authorized person is in close proximity to the security device.   
   
   
       16 . The medium as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the security data comprises information to multiple levels of access and identifies at least one of a plurality of places, machines or information to which the authorized person is to be granted access, wherein the security data also optionally identifies at least one of a plurality of places, machines or information to which the authorized person is to be denied access.