Position authentication

Abstract

A method performed under control of an electronic device may include receiving at least one signal from at least one anchor point; calculating a location of the electronic device based at least in part on the at least one received signal; generating a position proof based at least in part on the at least one received signal; and in response to receiving a position proof request from a server, transmitting the position proof to the server, when the position proof corresponds to the position proof request.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method performed under control of an electronic device, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the electronic device, at least one signal from at least one anchor point, wherein the at least one signal includes an authentication value that is valid for a specific period of time and then changes after the specific period of time;   generating, by the electronic device, a position proof that is based at least in part on the authentication value included in the received at least one signal; and   transmitting, by the electronic device, the position proof to a server.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein transmitting the position proof includes transmitting the position proof in response to receiving a position proof request that corresponds to the position proof and that is transmitted by the server. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein generating the position proof that is based at least in part on the authentication value includes generating the position proof from a random number that changes after the specific period of time. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein generating the position proof includes hashing the authentication value and a device identifier (ID) of the electronic device. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein generating the position proof includes performing a cryptographic function based on the authentication value and a device identifier (ID) of the electronic device. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 storing, by the electronic device in a storage device, the generated position proof; and   storing, by the electronic device in the storage device, a time in which the at least one signal is received by the electronic device.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising determining, by the electronic device, that the position proof corresponds to the received position proof request by:
 determining that the time stored in the storage device corresponds to designated time information included in the position proof request transmitted by the server.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein:
 receiving the at least one signal from the at least one anchor point includes receiving multiple signals from corresponding multiple anchor points, wherein the multiple signals include respective authentication values, and   generating the position proof includes generating the position proof from the respective authentication values of the multiple signals.   
     
     
         29 . A system, comprising:
 at least one anchor point configured to transmit at least one signal, wherein the at least one signal includes an authentication value that is valid for a specific period of time and then changes after the specific period of time; and   a server configured to communicate with the at least one anchor point and with an electronic device, wherein the server is configured to:
 receive a position proof from the electronic device; and 
 authenticate a position of the electronic device, in response to the received position proof having information that corresponds to the authentication value transmitted by the at least one anchor point. 
   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the server is configured to:
 receive the authentication value from the at least one anchor point;   transmit a position proof request to the electronic device;   receive the position proof from the electronic device in response to the transmitted position proof request; and   authenticate the position of the electronic device in response to a correspondence between the received authentication value and the information in the received position proof.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein:
 the server is configured to include designated time information in the transmitted position proof request, and   the server is configured to authenticate the position of the electronic device in response to the position proof including therein a time:
 that the at least one signal is received by the electronic device, and 
 that corresponds to the designated time information included in the position proof request. 
   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the server is configured to receive the authentication value from the at least one anchor point over a secure channel. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the at least one anchor point is disposed in a pico-cell or femto-cell. 
     
     
         34 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a communication device configured to receive at least one signal from at least one anchor point, wherein the at least one signal includes an authentication value that is valid for a specific period of time and then changes after the specific period of time; and   a processor coupled to the communication device and configured to:
 generate a position proof that is based at least in part on the authentication value included in the received at least one signal; and 
 control the communication device to transmit the position proof to a server to authenticate a position of the electronic device. 
   
     
     
         35 . The electronic device of  claim 34 , wherein the processor is configured to control the communication device to transmit the position proof to the server, in response to a position proof request that corresponds to the position proof and that is received from the server. 
     
     
         36 . The electronic device of  claim 34 , wherein the processor is configured to generate the position proof from a random number that changes after the specific period of time. 
     
     
         37 . The electronic device of  claim 34 , wherein the processor is configured to generate the position proof from a cryptographic function based on the authentication value and a device identifier (ID) of the electronic device. 
     
     
         38 . The electronic device of  claim 35 , further comprising a storage device coupled to the processor and to the communication device, wherein the storage device is configured to:
 store the generated position proof; and   store a time in which the at least one signal is received by the electronic device.   
     
     
         39 . The electronic device of  claim 38 , wherein to determine that the position proof request corresponds to the stored position proof, the processor is configured to determine that the time stored in the storage device corresponds to designated time information included in the position proof request received from the server. 
     
     
         40 . The electronic device of  claim 34 , wherein:
 the communication device is configured to receive multiple signals from corresponding multiple anchor points, wherein the multiple signals include respective authentication values, and   the processor is configured to generate the position proof from the respective authentication values of the multiple signals.   
     
     
         41 . The electronic device of  claim 34 , wherein the electronic device includes an internet of things (IoT) device, a cellular phone, a laptop, or a smart car. 
     
     
         42 . The electronic device of  claim 34 , further comprising a storage device coupled to the processor and to the communication device, wherein storage device include a position proof code stored therein, and wherein the processor is configured generate the position proof by execution of the position proof code.