Method and system for authorizing network transactions based on radio frequency (RF) characterization of a device's location

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a network device, a radio frequency (RF) characterization of one or more signals detected by a communication device;

comparing, at said network device, said RF characterization of said one or more signals with one or more previously approved RF characterizations of said one or more signals to determine a match result; and

determining, at said network device, whether to approve said communication device to perform a network transaction based on said match result.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a first request at said network device to approve said communication device from a web server that is processing said network transaction between said web server and said communication device;

transmitting a second request from said network device to said communication device for said RF characterization of said one or more signals; and

transmitting said determination whether to approve said communication device to perform said network transaction to said web server;

wherein said receiving of said RF characterization of said one or more signals further comprises receiving signal information from a plurality of receivers within said communication device, said RF characterization being based on said signal information.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said comparing further comprises retrieving said one or more previously approved RF characterizations of said one or more signals from said network device or a remote server communicatively coupled to said network device.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said receiving of said RF characterization of said one or more signals further comprises receiving a quantity of RF sources detected and identified by said communication device, said RF characterization indicating said quantity.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said receiving of said RF characterization of said one or more signals further comprises receiving signal strengths of signals received from RF sources detected and identified by said communication device, said RF characterization indicating said signal strengths.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said determining further comprises approving said network transaction when each of said signal strengths of said signals is within a range of signal strengths, wherein said range is previously set by a user of said communication device based on at least one of:

a level of variability of said RF sources at various locations of said communication device;

a reliability of said RF sources; and

a type of said network transaction.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said receiving of said RF characterization of said one or more signals further comprises receiving an error rate of signals received from RF sources detected and identified by said communication device, said RF characterization indicating said error rate.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said determining further comprises determining whether to approve said communication device to perform said network transaction based or preferences established for said communication device or a user of said communication device.

9. A network device, comprising:

a characterization database configured to store one or more approved radio frequency (RF) characterizations of one or more signals for detected by a communication device; and

a processor configured to:

receive an RF characterization of said one or more signals detected by said communication device;

compare said RF characterization of said one or more signals with said one or more approved RE characterizations of said one or more signals to determine a match result; and

determine whether to approve said communication device to perform a network transaction based on said match result.

10. The network device according to claim 9 , wherein said RF characterization of said one or more signals is based on information from a plurality of receivers within said communication device.

11. The network device according to claim 9 , wherein said one or more approved RF characterizations of said one or more signals are additionally stored in a remote server communicatively coupled to said network device.

12. The network device according to claim 9 , wherein said RF characterization of said one or more signals indicates a number of RF sources detected and identified by said communication device.

13. The network device according to claim 9 , wherein said RF characterization of said one or more signals indicates signal strengths of signals received from RF sources detected and identified by said communication device.

14. The network device according to claim 13 , wherein said processor is further configured to approve said network transaction when each of said signal strengths of said signals is within a range of signal strengths, wherein said range is previously set by a user of said communication device based on at least one of:

a level of variability of said RF sources at various locations of said communication device;

a reliability of said RF sources; and

a type of said network transaction.

15. The network device according to claim 9 , wherein said RF characterization of said one or more signals indicates an error rate of signals received from RF sources detected and identified by said communication device.

16. The network device according to claim 9 , wherein said processor is configured to determine whether to approve said communication device to perform said network transaction based on preferences established for said communication device or a user of said communication device.

17. A method, comprising:

generating, at a communication device, a characterization of one or more signals detected by said communication device;

transmitting said characterization of said one or more signals from said communication device to a network device that has received a request to approve said communication device to perform a network transaction; and

receiving, at said communication device, a determination from said network device whether to approve said communication device, said determination being based on a comparison between said characterization of said one or more signals and one or more previously approved characterizations of said one or more signals at said network device.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said generating further comprises:

detecting and identifying one or more sources of said one or more signals; and

wherein said transmitting further comprises:

transmitting said characterization of said one or more signals via at least one of said one or more detected and identified sources.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said detecting and identifying comprises:

detecting and identifying said one or more sources with corresponding transceivers in a specified order based on at least one of:

a level of accuracy of each of said transceivers, beginning with a transceiver with a higher level of accuracy from among said transceivers;

a likelihood of each of said transceivers to detect one of said one or more signals, beginning with a transceiver with a higher likelihood from among said transceivers;

an energy efficiency of each of said transceivers, beginning with a transceiver with a higher energy efficiency from among said transceivers; and

a speed of acquiring one of said one or more signals beginning with a transceiver with a higher speed of acquiring from among said transceivers.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein said generating further comprises generating one or more signal strengths for said one or more signals.