Process for controlling battery authentication

• US 10,678,905 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2011
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Seethaler, Kenneth Scott, Springfield, Randall Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Steven S
• Application Number:
  US13/051,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20120239555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,371 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50, 705 55, 705 59, 713 16, 713173, 713176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/81 by operating on the power supply, e.g. enabling or disabling power-on, sleep or resume operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response

Abstract

Improved handling of couplable device recognition tasks in an electronic device such as a cell phone, smart phone, computer system, recording device or others is facilitated. Recognition of a couplable device such as a battery so as to enable exchange of power between the device and the battery or other couplable device functionality is determined by a match between one of a plurality of digital strings stored in the device and the decrypted response to an encrypted challenge derived from the one of stored strings. Control is exercised over the distribution of the encryption elements which enable the improved handling of the tasks.

Claims

1. Method comprising:

incorporating a first cryptographic element into an electronic device, wherein the first cryptographic element comprises a plurality of digitally encoded strings accessible to the electronic device and a public encryption key;

providing second cryptographic elements to be incorporated into batteries couplable to the electronic device to suppliers of the couplable batteries, wherein the second cryptographic elements comprise a private key paired to the public encryption key, each of the second cryptographic elements cooperating with the first cryptographic element and enabling the exchange of encrypted messages between the first cryptographic element and one of the second cryptographic elements;

distinguishing among a plurality of models of the second cryptographic elements using keys which differ one from another;

supplying differing models of the second cryptographic elements to differing suppliers of couplable devices, wherein the supplying of differing models of the second cryptographic elements to differing suppliers comprises providing differing second cryptographic elements based on manufacturer type;

said first cryptographic element and one of the second cryptographic elements incorporated into a battery coupled to the electronic device exchanging encrypted messages in response to an initiation of the exchange based upon the electronic device transitioning from one power state to another power state, wherein said exchanging comprises, upon each power state transition, encrypting, by the electronic device, the plurality of digitally encoded strings using the public encryption key and creating a list of challenges comprising the encrypted plurality of digitally encoded strings and responses comprising the digitally encoded strings, communicating, by the electronic device, one of the challenges to the battery coupled to the electronic device, receiving, by the electronic device, one of the challenges to the battery coupled to the electronic device wherein the response from the battery coupled to the electronic device comprises a string that has been decrypted by the battery coupled to the electronic device using the challenge and the private key of the one of the second cryptographic elements incorporated into the battery, and checking, by the electronic device, for a match between the string received from the battery coupled to the electronic device and the created responses; and

in response to a failure of a matched exchange between said first cryptographic element and said one of the second cryptographic elements, the electronic device blocking exchange of electrical power with the battery coupled to the electronic device.

2. Method according to claim 1 wherein the supplying of differing models of the second cryptographic elements to differing suppliers comprises licensing the differing suppliers of couplable devices to purchase the second cryptographic elements and transferring licensing fee payments to a party producing the electronic device.

3. Method according to claim 1 wherein the exchanging of encrypted messages is an asymmetric exchange of a challenge and response between paired keys and further comprising determining the matched exchange by the response returned to a challenge.

4. Method according to claim 1 wherein the incorporating the first cryptographic element into the electronic device further comprises configuring the electronic device to accommodate line and battery power and wherein the electronic device exchanges electrical power with a recognized battery on the occurrence of the matched exchange.

5. Method according to claim 1 wherein the providing the second cryptographic elements comprises producing semiconductor components which instantiate the one of the second cryptographic elements.

6. Method according to claim 5 wherein the supplying of differing models further comprises charging differing prices for the semiconductor components.

7. Method according to claim 1 further comprising producing semiconductor components which instantiate the one of the second cryptographic elements and wherein the electronic device is a computer system.

8. Method according to claim 7 further comprising licensing battery manufacturers and allowing access by licensed battery manufacturers to selected models of semiconductor components.

9. Method according to claim 8 wherein the allowing access comprises permitting controlled purchase of the semiconductor component from a semiconductor manufacturer.

10. Method according to claim 8 wherein the licensing of battery manufacturers distinguishes between battery manufacturers producing batteries for a computer system manufacturer and battery manufacturers producing batteries for sale apart from computer system sales.

11. Method according to claim 1 wherein the supplying differing models of the second cryptographic elements to differing suppliers of couplable batteries comprises:

production by a semiconductor manufacturer of a semiconductor component instantiating the one of the second cryptographic elements; and

licensing battery manufacturers and providing the licensed battery manufacturers access to the semiconductor component enabling battery and electronic device cooperation;

the licensed battery manufacturers paying to the semiconductor manufacturer licensing fees which distinguish between battery manufacturers producing batteries for an electronic device manufacturer and battery manufacturers producing batteries for sale apart from computer system sales.

12. Method comprising:

producing first and second cryptographic elements, wherein the first cryptographic element comprises a plurality of digitally encoded strings and a public encryption key and wherein each of the second cryptographic elements comprises a private key paired to the public encryption key;

incorporating the first cryptographic element into one of the electronic devices which accommodate line and battery power, wherein the public encryption key and the plurality of digitally encoded strings are accessible to a corresponding electronic device;

distributing the second cryptographic elements to battery manufacturers;

first cryptographic element and said one of the second cryptographic elements exchanging encrypted messages upon coupling of a battery manufactured by one of the battery manufacturers into said one of the electronic devices wherein the one of the second cryptographic elements is incorporated into the battery manufactured by the one of the battery manufacturers, the exchanging occurring in response to a transition of the one of the electronic devices from one power state to another power state, wherein said exchanging comprises, upon each power state transition, encrypting, by the one of the electronic devices, the plurality of digitally encoded strings using the public encryption key and creating a list of challenges comprising the encrypted plurality of digitally encoded strings and responses comprising the digitally encoded strings, communicating, by the one of the electronic devices, one of the challenges to the battery coupled to the one of the electronic devices, receiving, by the one of the electronic devices, a response from the battery coupled to the one of the electronic devices wherein the response from the battery coupled to the one of the electronic devices comprises a string that has been decrypted by the battery coupled to the one of the electronic devices using the challenge and the private key of the one of the second cryptographic elements incorporated into the battery, and checking, by the one of the electronic devices, for a match between the string received from the battery coupled to the one of the electronic devices and the created responses; and

in response to a failure of a matched exchange between said first cryptographic element and said one of the second cryptographic element, the one of the electronic devices blocking exchange of electrical power with the battery coupled to the one of the electronic devices;

wherein distributing the second cryptographic elements to battery manufacturers comprises providing differing second cryptographic elements based on manufacturer type.

13. Method according to claim 12 wherein the incorporating the first cryptographic element into the one of the electronic devices which accommodate line and battery power comprises configuring the one of the electronic devices such that a success of the matched exchange enables the one of the electronic devices to recognize a battery and exchange electrical power with the recognized battery.

14. Method according to claim 12 wherein the distributing the second cryptographic elements comprises producing semiconductor components which instantiate the one of the second cryptographic element.

15. Method according to claim 14 wherein the distributing the second cryptographic elements comprises distinguishing among a plurality of models of the semiconductor components which have sets of keys which differ one from another and supplying differing models of the semiconductor components to differing suppliers of batteries which incorporate one of the models of the semiconductor components and which couple to the one of the electronic devices.

16. Method according to claim 12 wherein the distributing comprises:

production by a semiconductor manufacturer of a semiconductor component embodying the one of the second cryptographic elements;

licensing of battery manufacturers by an electronic device manufacturer and providing licensed battery manufacturers access to the semiconductor component enabling battery and electronic device cooperation;

the licensed battery manufacturers paying to the semiconductor manufacturer licensing fees which distinguish between battery manufacturers producing batteries for an electronic device manufacturer and battery manufacturers producing batteries for sale apart from computer system sales; and

transmittal of licensing fees to the electronic device manufacturer.