TODAY’S PATENT – MOBILE DEVICE SECURITY

The patent describes a computer-implemented method that triggers a security event when the current geolocation varies from a geolocation signature by a specified threshold. The method was invented by Harsha Ramalingam, Michael Carr, and Paul J. Walsh, and it is currently assigned to Amazon Technologies Inc. The USPTO granted the patent on July 5th, 2016.

This method determines the user’s location based on the mobile device’s location. It enables the completion of a transaction between the user and a merchant with minimal input from the user, using the mobile device’s geolocation and user identifiers. In some cases, a transaction initiated earlier is completed when the mobile device arrives at the merchant’s location. Additionally, this method facilitates sending advertisements to the mobile device based on bids from nearby merchants. Promotions may also be sent to the mobile device when a threshold number of mobile devices are located at the same merchant.