Methods and apparatus for non-contact radio frequency detection and automatic establishment of corresponding communication channel

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for establishing secure communications are disclosed. An identifier is received from a personal object such as a ring. This identifier is received, for example, through a non-contact near field communication. The identifier is recognized and associated to a mobile terminal device of a user, the mobile terminal device being separate from the object. A secure communication channel is established based upon recognition of the identifier of the personal object that is associated with the mobile terminal device.

1 . A method for establishing secure communications at a location of a services access point, the method comprising:
 receiving, at the services access point, a unique identifier of a user-wearable object over a wireless connection, the wireless connection comprising a short range wireless communication channel between the user-wearable object and the services access point, the user-wearable object being paired to a mobile terminal device;   recognizing the unique identifier and the pairing of the user-wearable object to the mobile terminal device; and   establishing a secure communication channel in association with receiving the unique identifier to further a purchasing transaction, the secure communication channel being separate from the short range wireless communication channel used to receive the unique identifier of the user-wearable object, wherein financial information for a purchasing transaction is communicated after receiving the unique identifier, the financial information being communicated with additional resources external to the location of the services access point to complete the purchasing transaction.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the short range wireless communication channel comprises a near field communication. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 communicating with the mobile terminal device using a wireless communication channel separate from the short range wireless communication channel following recognition of the unique identifier.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending a query to the mobile terminal device after receiving the unique identifier over the short range communication channel; and   receiving a passcode from the mobile terminal device in response to the query prior to proceeding with communicating the financial information for the purchasing transaction.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pairing of the user-wearable object to the mobile terminal device is registered according to a pairing identifier. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 sending a pairing identifier query to the mobile terminal device; and   establishing the secure communication channel only when the mobile terminal device returns the predetermined pairing identifier in response to the pairing identifier query.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the services access point comprises a point of sale terminal. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the user-wearable object comprises one of a ring or a watch. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program code for establishing secure communications at a location of a services access point, program code being executable by a processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, at the services access point, a unique identifier of a user-wearable object over a wireless connection, the wireless connection comprising a short range wireless communication channel between the user-wearable object and the services access point, the user-wearable object being paired to a mobile terminal device;   recognizing the unique identifier and the pairing of the user-wearable object to the mobile terminal device; and   establishing a secure communication channel in association with receiving the unique identifier to further a purchasing transaction, the secure communication channel being separate from the short range wireless communication channel used to receive the unique identifier of the user-wearable object, wherein financial information for a purchasing transaction is communicated after receiving the unique identifier, the financial information being communicated with additional resources external to the location of the services access point to complete the purchasing transaction.   
     
     
         10 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 9 , wherein the short range wireless communication channel comprises a near field communication. 
     
     
         11 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 communicating with the mobile terminal device using a wireless communication channel separate from the short range wireless communication channel following recognition of the unique identifier.   
     
     
         12 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 sending a query to the mobile terminal device after receiving the unique identifier over the short range communication channel; and   receiving a passcode from the mobile terminal device in response to the query prior to proceeding with communicating the financial information for the purchasing transaction.   
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 9 , wherein the pairing of the user-wearable object to the mobile terminal device is registered according to a pairing identifier. 
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 sending a pairing identifier query to the mobile terminal device; and   establishing the secure communication channel only when the mobile terminal device returns the predetermined pairing identifier in response to the pairing identifier query.   
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 9 , wherein the services access point comprises a point of sale terminal. 
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 9 , wherein the user-wearable object comprises one of a ring or a watch. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for establishing secure communications at a location of a services access point, apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory, the memory storing program code executable by the processor to perform operations comprising:   receiving, at the services access point, a unique identifier of a user-wearable object over a wireless connection, the wireless connection comprising a short range wireless communication channel between the user-wearable object and the services access point, the user-wearable object being paired to a mobile terminal device;   recognizing the unique identifier and the pairing of the user-wearable object to the mobile terminal device; and   establishing a secure communication channel in association with receiving the unique identifier to further a purchasing transaction, the secure communication channel being separate from the short range wireless communication channel used to receive the unique identifier of the user-wearable object, wherein financial information for a purchasing transaction is communicated after receiving the unique identifier, the financial information being communicated with additional resources external to the location of the services access point to complete the purchasing transaction.