Mobile-device-based trust computing

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving access data from an application on a mobile device of a particular user. The access data includes authentication data associated with a shared device and a digital credential associated with the mobile device. The shared device is configured for use by at least a number users. The method also includes authenticating the access data based on a comparison of the access data with verification data stored by the verification authority; and transmitting to the shared device a digital certificate signed by the verification authority in response to the authentication. The signed digital certificate provides the particular user access to the shared device.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure generally relates to computing resources.

BACKGROUND

A mobile electronic device, such as a smartphone, tablet device, laptop computer, etc., has general computing capabilities. The mobile electronic device may execute one or more applications such as for example, communications through short-message service (SMS), communications through multimedia-messaging service (MMS), accessing e-mail, accessing Internet content, communications through a short-range wireless (e.g. infrared or BLUETOOTH), business applications, gaming, or photography using a camera integrated into the mobile electronic device. A smartphone is a particular class of mobile electronic device with telephony capabilities provided through a radio-frequency (RF) communication link whilst moving within a geographic area. The smartphone may have a touch sensor integrated with a display screen, where the touch sensor detects touch inputs and the display screen displays content. The smartphone connects to a cellular network for access to the public telephone network and Internet content.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1illustrates example interactions for an example mobile-device-based trust computing system. In the example ofFIG. 1, the example mobile-device-based trust computing system includes mobile device10, shared device4, and verification authority31. In particular embodiments, mobile device10is associated with a particular user. In particular embodiments, verification authority31may perform an authentication procedure allowing a user to access shared device4or the system that includes verification authority31through shared device4. As an example and not by way of limitation, verification authority31is a social-networking system and access to shared device4is controlled by a webpage hosted by the social-networking system. In particular embodiments, the user may perform an authentication procedure to access a service hosted by verification authority31through shared device4using mobile device10. Herein, reference to a verification authority may encompass both the authentication component and the Internet entity providing a service to the user such as for example a social-networking system, a financial institution, or a web portal, where appropriate. Alternatively, where appropriate, reference to a verification authority may encompass authentication component, but not the Internet entity hosting the authentication component.

As part of the trust-based authentication procedure, the user may receive authentication data associated with shared device4, as illustrated by interaction60inFIG. 1. In particular embodiments, an application (“app”) on mobile device10obtains the authentication data from shared device4. As an example and not by way of limitation, the application on mobile device10may capture an image of a quick-response (QR) code presented on a display of shared device4and transmit authentication data encoded in the QR code to verification authority31. As another example, the application executed on mobile device10may receive the authentication data from shared device4through a wireless protocol, such as for example, BLUETOOTH or WI-FI. As another example, the display of shared device4may present the authentication data, e.g. an alphanumeric verification code, that is manually input into mobile device10for transmission to verification authority31. In particular embodiments, the authentication data from shared device4originates from verification authority31and is provided to the application on mobile device10through shared device4.

In particular embodiments, verification authority31may authenticate mobile device10, shared device4, or any combination of shared device4and mobile devices10through the access data transmitted by the application on mobile device10, as illustrated by interaction62inFIG. 1. In particular embodiments, the access data transmitted to verification authority31includes a digital credential associated with mobile device10and the authentication data associated with shared device4that function as a signed digital certificate. As an example and not by way of limitation, the digital credential may include an authentication cookie installed on mobile device10when initially accessing verification authority31through mobile device10. The authentication cookie uniquely identifies mobile device10or the user to verification authority31.

In particular embodiments, verification authority31authenticates the access data, that includes authentication data associated with shared device4and the digital credential associated with mobile device10, transmitted by the application on mobile device10. Verification authority31may compare the access data with verification data associated with shared device4and mobile device10stored on verification authority31. As an example and not by way of limitation, the authentication manager of a social-networking system may act as the verification authority31and may compare the authentication data associated with shared device4and transmitted by mobile device10with the verification data stored on the social-networking system. As another example, the social-networking system may compare information in the authentication cookie transmitted by mobile device10with the verification data stored on the social-networking system.

Verification authority31may transmit a signed digital certificate to shared device4in response to authenticating the access data, as illustrated by interaction64ofFIG. 1. The user of mobile device10is allowed to access shared device4in response to shared device4receiving the signed digital certificate from verification authority31. Access to shared device4is achieved without providing information of the user to shared device4. In particular embodiments, shared device4is a computer located at a publically accessible location such as for example, an Internet café or a public library. In other particular embodiments, shared device4is a wireless router of a publically accessible WI-FI hotspot. In particular embodiments, shared device4in turn may sign the digital certificate signed by verification authority31and transmit the digital certificate signed by both shared device4and verification authority31to the application of mobile device10for an additional level of assurance, as illustrated by interaction66ofFIG. 1. In particular embodiments, based on authentication of the user on shared device4through mobile device10, verification authority31may restore the last saved state associated with the user on a service hosted by verification authority31on shared device4. As an example and not by way of limitation, verification authority31may restore a last saved state of a web browser executed on shared device4.

In particular embodiments, verification authority31may establish a trust metric for mobile device10or shared device4. System-state or configuration information of mobile device10may be transmitted to verification authority31. As an example and not by way of limitation, mobile device10may include a trusted-platform module (TPM) that provides system-state information detailing the configuration of mobile device10and including data that indicates which applications are installed on mobile device10. Moreover, verification authority31may access an application store, such as for example GOOGLE PLAY or APP STORE, to obtain a unique signature for each application installed on mobile device10according to the system-state data. In particular embodiments, the system-state information of mobile device10may be used to provide a trust metric for mobile device10. As an example and not by way of limitation, the authentication manager of social-networking system30may compare the information provided by the TPM of mobile device10with the unique signatures of the applications installed on mobile device10. In particular embodiments, a discrepancy between the system-state information and the signatures of the applications installed on mobile device10may indicate mobile device10has been compromised. A compromised mobile device10may be denied access to a service hosted by verification authority31or to shared device4.

In particular embodiments, shared device4is registered with verification authority31. In particular embodiments, verification authority31may scan shared device4to detect the presence of viruses or malware on shared device4. Moreover, verification authority31may determine the configuration of shared device4including such as for example, the installed software and the versions of the software, operating system, or security patches, that are installed on shared device4. In particular embodiments, verification authority31may collect statistics on the effectiveness of different anti-virus software by tracking the anti-virus software installed on shared device4and other devices registered with verification authority31and the number of viruses or malware found on those devices.

Verification authority31may provide a trust-based metric on mobile device10of the user indicating the “trustworthiness” of shared device4. In particular embodiments, prior to accessing shared device4, a social-networking system acting as a verification authority31may access the social graph and action store to determine if other users in the social graph of the user of mobile device10have previously accessed shared device4. As described below, the social graph stores connections each user has with other users of a social-networking system and the action store stores actions that have been performed by the users of the social-networking system. In particular embodiments, verification authority31may transmit one or more names and/or images of other users of the social graph (e.g. as a “facepile”) who have previously accessed shared device10. In particular embodiments, verification authority31may present a trust-based metric for shared device4based on the number of other users in the social graph of the user who have previously accessed shared device4and subsequently had their account on a service hosted by verification authority31compromised. As described below, the social graph of the user may include information of connections the user has with other users of an online service. In particular embodiments, the social graph may also include information of second-order connections, thereby forming a non-extended or extended social graph based at least in part on whether the other users or nodes have direct or indirect connection respectively with the user. In particular embodiments, the trust-based metric may include data from the extended social graph of the user to include users who are not directly connected to the user of mobile device10. As an example and not by way of limitation, data from the extended social graph in cases where the amount of data available from the non-extended social graph is too small to generate a meaningful trust-based metric. As an example and not by way of limitation, verification authority31may determine an account is compromised based on whether the user reset their account password subsequent to accessing shared device10within a pre-determined period of time.

In particular embodiments, the names and/or images of users in the social graph and the trust-based metric may be displayed on the display of mobile device10and the user may decide whether to proceed with accessing shared device4. Although this disclosure describes a particular trust-based metric that includes particular elements, this disclosure contemplates a trust-based metric that includes any suitable elements, such as for example numerical or graphical data, or a natural language message. As an example and not by way of limitation, verification authority31may present a message stating “13 of your friends have used this machine without issue.” As another example, verification authority31may provide a pie chart indicating a number of users in the social graph that had an issue with their account subsequent to accessing shared device4out of the total number of users in the social graph that accessed shared device4.

FIG. 2illustrates an example method for mobile-device-based trust computing. The method may start at step100, where a verification authority receives access data from an application on a mobile device of a user. The access data may include authentication data associated with a shared device and a digital credential associated with the mobile device. At step102, the verification authority authenticates the access data based on a comparison of the access data with verification data stored by the verification authority. In particular embodiments, the digital credential associated with the mobile device may be an authentication cookie installed on the mobile device. In other particular embodiments, the authentication data associated with the shared device is encoded in a QR code generated by the verification authority and displayed on a display of the shared device. At step104, the verification authority signs and transmits the signed digital certificate to the shared device in response to the authentication, at which point the method may end. The signed digital certificate provides the user access to the shared device. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular steps of the method ofFIG. 2as occurring in a particular order, this disclosure contemplates any suitable steps of the method ofFIG. 2occurring in any suitable order. Moreover, although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular components carrying out particular steps of the method ofFIG. 2, this disclosure contemplates any suitable combination of any suitable components carrying out any suitable steps of the method ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 3illustrates an example method for determining a trust metric for a shared device by a verification authority. The method may start at step150, where a verification authority receives data uniquely identifying a particular user to the verification authority and a request to access a shared device. As described above, the shared device is configured for use by multiple users. At step152, the verification authority accesses a social graph of the particular user to determine whether one or more users in the social graph have previously accessed the shared device. At step154, the verification authority transmits information indicating which of the users in the social graph have previously accessed the shared device on a display of the mobile device, at which point the method may end. In particular embodiments, the information transmitted by the verification authority may be one or more names and/or images of other users of the social graph who have previously accessed shared device. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular steps of the method ofFIG. 3as occurring in a particular order, this disclosure contemplates any suitable steps of the method ofFIG. 3occurring in any suitable order. Moreover, although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular components carrying out particular steps of the method ofFIG. 3, this disclosure contemplates any suitable combination of any suitable components carrying out any suitable steps of the method ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 4illustrates an example method for presenting on a mobile device trust-based information for a particular shared device. The method may start at step200, where an application on a mobile device of a particular user transmits data uniquely identifying the particular user to a verification authority and a request to access a shared device. In particular embodiments, the shared device is located at an Internet café or a public library. At step202, the application on the mobile device presents on a display information from the verification authority indicating which users in a social graph of the particular user have previously accessed the shared device, at which point the method may end. As described above, the verification authority may access the social graph of the particular user to determine whether the users in the social graph have previously accessed the shared device. In particular embodiments, the trust-based metric may indicate a number of the users in the social graph that had an account compromised subsequent to accessing the shared device. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular steps of the method ofFIG. 4as occurring in a particular order, this disclosure contemplates any suitable steps of the method ofFIG. 4occurring in any suitable order. Moreover, although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular components carrying out particular steps of the method ofFIG. 4, this disclosure contemplates any suitable combination of any suitable components carrying out any suitable steps of the method ofFIG. 4.

FIG. 5illustrates an example social-networking system. In particular embodiments, authentication manager42in conjunction with one or more external applications46A-B or platform applications50A-B of social-networking system30may act as the verification authority31described above. In other particular embodiments, the verification authority may access data stored in social graph36and action store38. In the example ofFIG. 5, a social-networking system30and an external server32are coupled through a network34. Network34generally represents a network or collection of networks (such as for example the Internet, a corporate intranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local-area network (LAN), a wireless local-area network (WLAN), a cellular network, a wide-area network (WAN), a metropolitan-area network (MAN), or a combination of two or more such networks) over which social-networking system30or external server32may communicate with shared device4and mobile device10.

A user may interact with social-networking system30using shared device4in conjunction with mobile device10. Shared device4and mobile device10may communicate with social-networking system30via an application such as a web browser or native application executed on processor of shared device4and mobile device10. As an example and not by way of limitation, interactions between shared device10and social-networking system30may include viewing profiles of other users of social-networking system30, contributing and interacting with media items, joining groups, listing and confirming attendance at events, checking in at locations, liking certain pages, creating pages, and performing other tasks that facilitate social interaction. In particular embodiments, shared device4may be a publically accessible computing resource, such as for example a shared computer at an Internet café or public library, and mobile device10may be a smartphone, as described above. In other particular embodiments, shared device4may be a virtualized computing resource or a WI-FI or other wireless access point in addition to or instead of a shared computer. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular interactions between particular devices and the example social-networking system, this disclosure contemplates any suitable interactions between any suitable devices and any suitable system.

Social-networking system30includes components used to store information about users and objects represented in the social networking environment and relationships among the users and objects. The social-networking system30may include components enabling interactions with shared device4or mobile device10, as described below. Components of social-networking system30may be hosted on one or more servers. This disclosure contemplates any suitable servers, such as servers that are internal to social-networking system30or external servers32. As an example and not by way of limitation, one or more servers may each include one or more advertising servers, applications servers, catalog servers, communications servers, database servers, exchange servers, fax servers, file servers, game servers, home servers, mail servers, message servers, news servers, name or domain-name servers (DNS), print servers, proxy servers, sound servers, standalone servers, web servers, or web-feed servers. In particular embodiments, a server includes hardware, software, or both for providing the functionality of the server. As an example and not by way of limitation, a server that operates as a web server may be capable of hosting websites containing web pages or elements of web pages and include appropriate hardware, software, or both for doing so. In particular embodiments, a web server may host Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) or other suitable files or dynamically create or constitute files for web pages on request. In response to a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or other request from shared device4or mobile device10, the web server may communicate one or more such files to mobile device10. As another example, a server that operates as a database server may be capable of providing an interface for interacting with one or more data stores (such as, for example, action store38described below). Where appropriate, a server may include one or more servers; be unitary or distributed; span multiple locations; span multiple machines; span multiple datacenters; or reside in a cloud, which may include one or more cloud components in one or more networks.

A social graph36of social-networking system30stores the connections each user has with other users of social-networking system30. In particular embodiments, social graph36may also store second-order connections. The connections may thus be direct or indirect. As an example and not by way of limitation, if user A is a first-order connection of user B but not of user C, and B is a first-order connection of C, then C is a second-order connection of A on social graph36. An action store38stores actions that have been performed by the users of social-networking system30, along with an indication of the time associated with those actions and references to any objects related to the actions. Action store38may store statistics for specified categories of actions. As an example and not by way of limitation, for a given user, action store38may contain a number of stories posted in 30 days by a user, a number of photos posted by the user in 30 days, or a number of distinct users that received comments of the user within the past 30 days. For a given connection between two users, user A and user B, action store38may contain actions such as the number of profile page views from user A to user B, the number of photo page views from user A to user B, and the number of times user A and user B were tagged in the same photo, and these actions may be associated with a timestamp or may be filtered by a cutoff (e.g., 24 hours, 90 days, etc.). The actions recorded in action store38may be farmed actions, which are performed by a user in response to the social-networking system30providing suggested choices of actions to the user.

A predictor module40is responsible for computing a set predictor functions that predict whether a user will perform a set of corresponding actions. Each predictor function may be representative of a user's interest in a particular action associated with the predictor function. The historical activity of a user may be used as a signal of a user's future interest in the same activity. In particular embodiments, the predictor function is generated using a machine-learned algorithm, that is trained using a user's historical activity associated with an action. Predictor module40thus provides a predictor function for each of a set of actions, where a predictor function may take as an input the a user's historical activity and then outputs a measure of the likelihood that the user will engage in the corresponding activity.

An authentication manager42may allow users to log into social-networking system30from mobile device10or shared device4through an application supporting social-networking system30. An application programming interface (API)44works in conjunction with authentication manager40to validate users via external applications46A-B stored on external server32. In particular embodiments, authentication manager42in conjunction with API44may periodically verify account information of the user.

An affinity module48provides a measure of affinity based on input data about the user from the social-networking system30using the predictor functions. Various processes may request a measure of affinity from affinity module48. As an example and not by way of limitation, the processes may include basic social-networking system functionality, such as for example newsfeed algorithms, advertising-targeting algorithms, or friend-suggestion algorithms. Other processes that request measures of affinity may be executed by one or more platform applications50A-B, which are applications that operate within the social-networking system30but may be provided by third parties other than an operator of the social-networking system30. Platform applications50A-B may include social games, messaging services, or any suitable application that uses the social platform provided by social-networking system30.

In particular embodiments, the processes requesting a measure of affinity for a user may include one or more external applications46A-B executed on external server32. External applications46A-B may interact with the social-networking system30via API44. External applications46A-B can perform various operations supported by the API44, such as enabling users to send each other messages or SMS messages through social-networking system30or showing advertisements routed through social-networking system30. Herein, reference to SMS messages encompasses messages in text and other forms of content, such as for example, images or links to web content. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular social-networking system having a particular configuration of particular components, this disclosure contemplates a social-networking system having any suitable configuration of any suitable components.

FIG. 6illustrates an example mobile device. This disclosure contemplates mobile device10taking any suitable physical form. As example and not by way of limitation, mobile device10may be a single-board computer system (SBC) (such as, for example, a computer-on-module (COM) or system-on-module (SOM)), a laptop or notebook computer system, a mobile telephone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a tablet computer system, or a combination of two or more of these. In particular embodiments, mobile device10may have a touch screen12as an input component. In the example ofFIG. 5, touch screen12is incorporated on a front surface of mobile device10. In the case of capacitive touch sensors, there may be two types of electrodes: transmitting and receiving. These electrodes may be connected to a controller designed to drive the transmitting electrodes with electrical pulses and measure the changes in capacitance from the receiving electrodes caused by a touch or proximity input. In the example ofFIG. 6, one or more antennae14A-B may be incorporated into one or more sides of mobile device10. Antennae14A-B are components that convert electric current into radio waves, and vice versa. During transmission of signals, a transmitter applies an oscillating radio frequency (RF) electric current to terminals of antenna14A-B, and antenna14A-B radiates the energy of the applied the current as electromagnetic (EM) waves. During reception of signals, antennae14A-B convert the power of an incoming EM wave into a voltage at the terminals of antennae14A-B. The voltage may be transmitted to a receiver for amplification.

FIG. 7illustrates example internal components of an example mobile device. Where appropriate, one or more mobile devices10may perform without substantial spatial or temporal limitation one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein. As an example and not by way of limitation, one or more mobile devices10may perform in real time or in batch mode one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein. In particular embodiments, one or more mobile devices10performs one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein. In particular embodiments, one or more mobile devices10provides functionality described or illustrated herein. In particular embodiments, software running on one or more mobile devices10performs one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein or provides functionality described or illustrated herein. Particular embodiments include one or more portions of one or more mobile devices10.

In particular embodiments, mobile device10includes a processor16, memory18, storage22, an input/output (I/O) interface24, a communication component20, and a bus26. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular mobile device having a particular number of particular components in a particular arrangement, this disclosure contemplates any suitable mobile device having any suitable number of any suitable components in any suitable arrangement. In particular embodiments, processor16includes hardware for executing instructions, such as those making up a computer program or application. As an example and not by way of limitation, to execute instructions, processor16may retrieve (or fetch) the instructions from an internal register, an internal cache, memory18, or storage22; decode and execute them; and then write one or more results to an internal register, an internal cache, memory18, or storage22.

In particular embodiments, processor16may include one or more internal caches for data, instructions, or addresses. This disclosure contemplates processor16including any suitable number of any suitable internal caches, where appropriate. As an example and not by way of limitation, processor16may include one or more instruction caches, one or more data caches, and one or more translation lookaside buffers (TLBs). Instructions in the instruction caches may be copies of instructions in memory18or storage22, and the instruction caches may speed up retrieval of those instructions by processor16. Data in the data caches may be copies of data in memory18or storage22for instructions executing at processor16to operate on; the results of previous instructions executed at processor16for access by subsequent instructions executing at processor16or for writing to memory18or storage22; or other suitable data. The data caches may speed up read or write operations by processor16. The TLBs may speed up virtual-address translation for processor16. In particular embodiments, processor16may include one or more internal registers for data, instructions, or addresses. This disclosure contemplates a processor16including any suitable number of any suitable internal registers, where appropriate. Where appropriate, processor16may include one or more arithmetic logic units (ALUs); be a multi-core processor; or include one or more processors. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular processor, this disclosure contemplates any suitable processor.

In particular embodiments, software executed by processor16may include an operating system (OS). The OS may include a kernel or any number of device drivers corresponding to one or more hardware components of mobile device10. As an example and not by limitation, if mobile device10is a smartphone, then the OS may be a mobile operating system, such as for example, WINDOWS Phone, ANDROID, SYMBIAN, IOS, or BADA. In particular embodiments, one or more software applications may be executed on mobile device10. In particular embodiments, the applications may be native applications installed and residing on mobile device10. As an example and not by way of limitation, an application (e.g. GOOGLE MAPS) may display a map on a touch screen, search for addresses and businesses, or provide directions to a geographic location; a second application may provide remote access to email; a third application (i.e. a web browser) may enable the device user to browse and search the Internet; a fourth application may control a camera to take photos or record videos; and a fifth application may allow the device user to receive and initiate voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or cellular network calls. The software applications may have a user interface (UI) and may implement one or more specific functionalities. The software applications may include one or more software modules implementing the specific functionalities. The executable code of the software applications may be stored in memory18or storage22of mobile device10.

In particular embodiments, memory18includes main memory for storing instructions for processor16to execute or data for processor16to operate on. As an example and not by way of limitation, mobile device10may load instructions from storage22or another source (such as, for example, another mobile device10) to memory18. Processor16may then load the instructions from memory18to an internal register or internal cache. To execute the instructions, processor16may retrieve the instructions from the internal register or internal cache and decode them. During or after execution of the instructions, processor16may write one or more results (which may be intermediate or final results) to the internal register or internal cache. Processor16may then write one or more of those results to memory18. In particular embodiments, processor16executes only instructions in one or more internal registers or internal caches or in memory18(as opposed to storage22or elsewhere) and operates only on data in one or more internal registers or internal caches or in memory18(as opposed to storage22or elsewhere).

One or more memory buses (which may each include an address bus and a data bus) may couple processor16to memory18. Bus26may include one or more memory buses, as described below. In particular embodiments, one or more memory management units (MMUs) reside between processor16and memory18and facilitate accesses to memory18requested by processor16. In particular embodiments, memory18includes random-access memory (RAM). This RAM may be volatile memory, where appropriate Where appropriate, this RAM may be dynamic RAM (DRAM) or static RAM (SRAM). Moreover, where appropriate, this RAM may be single-ported or multi-ported RAM. This disclosure contemplates any suitable RAM. Memory18may include one or more memories, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular memory, this disclosure contemplates any suitable memory.

In particular embodiments, storage22includes mass storage for data or instructions. As an example and not by way of limitation, storage22may include a hard-disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive, flash memory, or a combination of two or more of these. Storage22may include removable or non-removable (or fixed) media, where appropriate. Storage22may be internal or external to mobile device10, where appropriate. In particular embodiments, storage22is non-volatile, solid-state memory. In particular embodiments, storage22includes read-only memory (ROM). Where appropriate, this ROM may be mask-programmed ROM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), electrically alterable ROM (EAROM), or flash memory or a combination of two or more of these. This disclosure contemplates mass storage22taking any suitable physical form. Storage22may include one or more storage control units facilitating communication between processor16and storage22, where appropriate. Where appropriate, storage22may include one or more storages22. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular storage, this disclosure contemplates any suitable storage.

In particular embodiments, I/O interface24includes hardware, software, or both providing one or more interfaces for communication between mobile device10and one or more I/O devices. Mobile device10may include one or more of these I/O devices, where appropriate. One or more of these I/O devices may enable communication between a user and mobile device10. As an example and not by way of limitation, an I/O device may include a keyboard, keypad, one or more sensors, touch screen, microphone, monitor, mouse, printer, scanner, speaker, digital still camera, stylus, trackball, video camera, another suitable I/O device or a combination of two or more of these. This disclosure contemplates any suitable I/O devices and any suitable I/O interfaces24for them. Where appropriate, I/O interface24may include one or more device or software drivers enabling processor16to drive one or more of these I/O devices. I/O interface24may include one or more I/O interfaces24, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular I/O interface, this disclosure contemplates any suitable I/O interface.

In particular embodiments, communication component20includes hardware, software, or both providing one or more interfaces for communication (such as, for example, packet-based communication) between mobile device10and one or more other mobile devices10or one or more networks. As an example and not by way of limitation, communication component20may include a network interface controller (NIC) or network adapter for communicating with an Ethernet or other wire-based network or a wireless NIC (WNIC), wireless adapter for communicating with a wireless network, such as for example a WI-FI network or modem for communicating with a cellular network, such third generation mobile telecommunications (3G), or Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. This disclosure contemplates any suitable network and any suitable communication component20for it. As an example and not by way of limitation, mobile device10may communicate with an ad hoc network, a personal area network (PAN), a LAN, a WAN, a MAN, or one or more portions of the Internet or a combination of two or more of these. One or more portions of one or more of these networks may be wired or wireless. As another example, mobile device10may communicate with a wireless PAN (WPAN) (such as, for example, a BLUETOOTH WPAN), a WI-FI network, a WI-MAX network, a cellular telephone network (such as, for example, a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), 3G, or LTE network), or other suitable wireless network or a combination of two or more of these. Mobile device10may include any suitable communication component for any of these networks, where appropriate. Communication component20may include one or more communication components, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular communication component, this disclosure contemplates any suitable communication component.

In particular embodiments, bus26includes hardware, software, or both coupling components of mobile device10to each other. As an example and not by way of limitation, bus26may include a graphics bus, an Enhanced Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, a front-side bus (FSB), a HYPERTRANSPORT (HT) interconnect, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, an INFINIBAND interconnect, a low-pin-count (LPC) bus, a memory bus, a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association local (VLB) bus, or another suitable bus or a combination of two or more of these. Bus26may include one or more buses26, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular bus, this disclosure contemplates any suitable bus or interconnect.