Exclusive bonding of wireless devices

• US 10,412,580 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2016
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Inventors: Glashan, Ross, Hebner, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Akintola, Olabode
• Application Number:
  US15/294,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20170289795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/223 based on the use of peer-to-peer networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A first device and a second device may establish wireless pairing, and based on that wireless pairing, establish wireless bonding. During the wireless bonding, the two devices may have multiple connections during which information is exchanged. One of the devices may also attempt to pair with a third device. The wireless bond between the first device and the second device may be broken, and a wireless bond may then be formed with the third device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sending, via a wireless communication interface of a first device, a first pairing request message, wherein the first pairing request message indicates that the first device is able to pair with other devices;

receiving, via the wireless communication interface, a first pairing response message, wherein the first pairing response message provides information to pair the first device with a second device;

establishing a first pairing between the first device and the second device based on the first pairing response message;

establishing a first wireless bond between the first device and the second device based on the first pairing, wherein during the first wireless bond the first device and the second device establish a first plurality of connections with each other without exchanging additional pairing request messages or additional pairing response messages with each other;

exchanging first information between the first device and the second device during the first wireless bond;

sending, via the wireless communication interface, a second pairing request message, wherein the second pairing request message indicates that the first device is able to pair with additional devices;

receiving, via the wireless communication interface, a second pairing response message, wherein the second pairing response message provides information to pair the first device and a third device;

establishing a second pairing between the first device and the third device based on the second pairing response message;

establishing a second wireless bond between the first device and the third device based on the second pairing, wherein during the second wireless bond the first device and the third device establish a second plurality of connections with each other without exchanging additional pairing request messages or additional pairing response messages with each other;

removing the first wireless bond based on the establishment of the second wireless bond; and

exchanging second information between the first device and the third device during the second wireless bond.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication interface comprises a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication interface and wherein the first pairing, the first wireless bond, the second pairing, and the second wireless bond are established in accordance with a BLE protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a first wireless bond between the first device and the second device based on the first pairing comprises establishing one or more long-term bonding keys to encrypt information that is exchanged between the first device and the second device during the first wireless bond.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein establishing the one or more long-term bonding keys comprises:

establishing a secure connection between the first device and the second device during the first pairing;

exchanging security information between the first device and the second device over the secure connection; and

establishing the one or more bonding keys based on the exchanged security information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the exchanged security information comprises the one or more bonding keys.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein establishing the secure connection comprises establishing one or more pairing keys for the first device and the second device, wherein the pairing keys encrypt information that is exchanged between the first device and the second device during the first pairing.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein removing the first wireless bond comprises no longer using the one or more long-term bonding keys to encrypt information between the first device and the second device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein no longer using the one or more long-term bonding keys to encrypt information between the first device and the second device comprises discarding the one or more long-term bonding keys.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the first pairing, wherein one or more of the plurality of connections during the first wireless bond occur after the first pairing is removed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein exchanging the first information comprises exchanging the first information during a first connection of the first plurality of connections, further comprising:

determining that an elapsed time since the first information was exchanged exceeds a threshold;

disconnecting the first connection based on the determining;

establishing a second connection of the first plurality of connections; and

exchanging additional information during the second connection of the first plurality of connections.

11. A wireless device, comprising:

a wireless communication interface configured to transmit a plurality of pairing request messages and receive a plurality of pairing response messages, wherein each pairing request message indicates that the wireless device is able to pair with other wireless devices, and wherein each pairing response message provides information to pair the wireless device with one of the other wireless devices;

a memory configured to store instructions;

a processing unit configured to execute the instructions to;

provide a first pairing request message of the plurality of pairing request messages to the wireless communication interface;

receive a first pairing response message of the plurality of pairing response messages from the wireless communication interface, wherein the first pairing response message is associated with a first other device of the other wireless devices;

establish a first pairing between the wireless device and the first other device based on the first pairing response message;

establish a first wireless bond between the wireless device and the first other device based on the first pairing, wherein during the first wireless bond the wireless device and the first other device establish a first plurality of connections with each other without exchanging additional pairing request messages or additional pairing response messages with each other;

exchange first information between the wireless device and the first other device via the wireless communication interface during the first wireless bond;

provide a second pairing request message of the plurality of pairing request messages to the wireless communication interface;

receive a second pairing response message of the plurality of pairing response messages from wireless communication interface, wherein the second pairing response message is associated with a second other device of the other wireless devices;

establish a second pairing between the wireless device and the second other device based on the second pairing response message;

establish a second wireless bond between the wireless device and the second other device based on the second pairing, wherein during the second wireless bond the wireless device and the second other device establish a second plurality of connections with each other without exchanging additional pairing request messages or additional pairing response messages with each other;

remove the first wireless bond based on the establishment of the second wireless bond; and

exchange second information between the wireless device and the second other device via the wireless communication interface based on the second wireless bond.

12. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication interface comprises a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication interface and wherein the first pairing, the first wireless bond, the second pairing, and the second wireless bond are established in accordance with a BLE protocol.

13. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the processing unit executes the instructions to establish one or more long-term bonding keys to encrypt information that is exchanged between the wireless device and the first other device during the first wireless bond.

14. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the processing unit executes the instructions to:

establish a secure connection between the wireless device and the first other device during the first pairing;

exchange security information between the wireless device and the first other device over the secure connection; and

establish the one or more long-term bonding keys based on the exchanged security information.

15. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the exchanged security information comprises the one or more long-term bonding keys.

16. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the processing unit executes the instructions to establish one or more pairing keys for the first device and the second device, wherein the pairing keys encrypt information that is exchanged between the first device and the second device during the first pairing.

17. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the one or more long-term bonding keys are no longer used to encrypt information between the wireless device and the first other device after the first wireless bond is removed.

18. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the processing unit executes the instructions to discard the one or more long-term bonding keys after the first wireless bond is removed.

19. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the processing unit executes the instructions to remove the first pairing, wherein one or more of the plurality of connections during the first wireless bond occur after the first pairing is removed.

20. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the processing unit executes the instructions to:

exchange the first information during a first connection of the first plurality of connections;

determine that an elapsed time since the first information was exchanged exceeds a threshold;

disconnect the first connection based on the determination;

establish a second connection of the first plurality of connections; and

exchange additional information during the second connection of the first plurality of connections.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of a first device comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by one or more processors of the first device, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

providing, to a wireless communication interface of the first device, a first pairing request message, wherein the first pairing request message indicates that the first device is able to pair with other devices;

receiving, via the wireless communication interface, a first pairing response message, wherein the first pairing response message provides information to pair the first device with a second device;

establishing a first pairing between the first device and the second device based on the first pairing response message;

establishing a first wireless bond between the first device and the second device based on the first pairing, wherein during the first wireless bond the first device and the second device establish a first plurality of connections with each other without exchanging additional pairing request messages or additional pairing response messages with each other;

exchanging first information between the first device and the second device during the first wireless bond;

sending, via the wireless communication interface, a second pairing request message, wherein the second pairing request message indicates that the first device is able to pair with additional devices;

receiving, via the wireless communication interface, a second pairing response message, wherein the second pairing response message provides information to pair the first device and a third device;

establishing a second pairing between the first device and the third device based on the second pairing response message;

establishing a second wireless bond between the first device and the third device based on the second pairing, wherein during the second wireless bond the first device and the third device establish a second plurality of connections with each other without exchanging additional pairing request messages or additional pairing response messages with each other;

removing the first wireless bond based on the establishment of the second wireless bond; and

exchanging second information between the first device and the third device during the second wireless bond.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the wireless communication interface comprises a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication interface and wherein the first pairing, the first wireless bond, the second pairing, and the second wireless bond are established in accordance with a BLE protocol.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein establishing a first wireless bond between the first device and the second device based on the first pairing comprises establishing one or more long-term bonding keys to encrypt information that is exchanged between the first device and the second device during the first wireless bond.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein establishing the one or more long-term bonding keys comprises:

establishing a secure connection between the first device and the second device during the first pairing;

exchanging security information between the first device and the second device over the secure connection; and

establishing the one or more long-term bonding keys based on the exchanged security information.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the exchanged security information comprises the one or more long-term bonding keys.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein establishing the secure connection comprises establishing one or more pairing keys for the first device and the second device, wherein the pairing keys encrypt information that is exchanged between the first device and the second device during the first pairing.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein removing the first wireless bond comprises no longer using the one or more long-term bonding keys to encrypt information between the first device and the second device.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein no longer using the one or more long-term bonding keys to encrypt information between the first device and the second device comprises discarding the one or more long-term bonding keys.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising removing the first pairing, wherein one or more of the plurality of connections during the first wireless bond occur after the first pairing is removed.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein exchanging the first information comprises:

exchanging the first information during a first connection of the first plurality of connections;

determining that an elapsed time since the first information was exchanged exceeds a threshold;

disconnecting the first connection based on the determining;

establishing a second connection of the first plurality of connections; and

exchanging additional information during the second connection of the first plurality of connections.