Patent ID: 8447273

Claim:
A mobile user-aware security device comprising: a hand holdable form factor housing, a processor within the housing, memory within the housing coupled to the processor, the memory comprising program storage, and rule storage, the rule storage containing multiple rules, the rules collectively specifying (i) information to be obtained via sensors under a specified security level, (ii) specific sensors to be used to obtain the information, (iii) what would constitute proper authentication for use of the mobile user-aware security device to interact with an external device, and (iv) what should be provided to the external device to authenticate the user to the external device; communication protocol controls which are used to negotiate with the external device what particular communication protocol is to be used to interact with the external device; at least one communication interface within the housing; at least one biometric sensor coupled to the housing; at least one location awareness sensor coupled to the housing; the program storage containing first computer programming which, when executed by the processor, will allow the user-aware security device to communicate with the external device; the program storage further containing second computer programming which, when executed by the processor, will analyze biometric information obtained via the at least one biometric sensor in accordance with at least one of the rules in the rule storage and determine whether a match exists between the biometric information and corresponding, user-specific, biometric information and return an identity result; the program storage further containing third programming which, when executed by the processor, will allow the user-aware security device to, in accordance with at least one of the rules in the rule storage, analyze location/situation information obtained via the at least one location awareness sensor and generate location security awareness result information; and the program storage further containing fourth programming which, when executed by the processor, will apply at least one rule from the rule storage, to a combination of the identity result and location security awareness result information to determine whether authentication is positive and, thus, interaction with the external device should occur via the communication interface.