Apparatus and method for wireless device set-up and authentication using audio authentication_information

• US 20030172271A1
• Filed: 03/05/2002
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Silvester, Kelan C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,254,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/170
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

An apparatus and method for wireless device set-up and authentication using voice stream identification information are described. The method includes the detection of a wireless device within communication range of a host device. Once detected, the device is authenticated according to requested device identification information. However, when authentication of the detected device fails, audio authentication initialization information is requested from the detected device. As a result, the detected device is authenticated based on the requested audio authentication initialization information. In one embodiment, the audio authentication initialization information refers to a voice stream device identification code assigned to the detected device during authentication set-up by a user of the detected device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a wireless device within communication range of a host device;

authenticating the detected device according to requested device identification information of the detected wireless device;

when the detected device fails authentication, requesting audio authentication initialization information from the detected device; and

authenticating the detected device based on the requested audio authentication initialization information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to detecting the wireless device, the method further comprises:

receiving an audio device authentication set-up request from a user of a wireless device;

requesting audio device identification information for the detected device; and

storing the received audio device identification information as an authentication initialization token for the detected wireless device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing the authentication initialization token within the detected wireless device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein storing further comprises:

compressing the received audio device identification information; and

generating a hash value of the compressed audio device identification information to form the authentication initialization token of the wireless device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the wireless device further comprises:

polling a surrounding area of the host device for audio sources within a predetermined distance of the host device; and

when an audio source is detected, initiating an authentication handshake with an audio source device of the detected audio source.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the detected device according to requested device identification information further comprises:

requesting the device identification information from the detected wireless device;

comparing the requested device identification information with stored device authentication information within the host device;

when matching device authentication information is found, establishing an audio link with the detected wireless device; and

otherwise, initiating a request for audio authentication initialization information of the detected wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the detected device based on the requested audio authentication information further comprises:

receiving audio device identification information as the requested audio authentication information;

compressing the received audio device identification information;

generating a hash value of the compressed audio device identification information to form a requested device authentication initialization token;

comparing the requested device authentication initialization token to one or more stored device authentication tokens; and

when a matching stored authentication token is detected, storing the requested device identification information of the detected wireless device as a device authentication token.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the detected device based on the requested audio authentication information further comprises:

receiving an audio authentication token as the requested audio authentication information of the detected wireless device;

comparing the received audio authentication token to one or more stored audio authentication tokens;

when a matching stored audio authentication token is detected, establishing an audio link with the detected wireless device; and

storing the requested device identification information as a device authentication token of the detected wireless device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

otherwise, requesting manual authorization from a user of the host device to authenticate the detected wireless device;

when the user provides manual authentication authorization, storing the requested device identification information as a device authentication token of the detected wireless device; and

establishing an audio link between the detected wireless device and the host device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the device according to requested device identification information further comprises:

requesting the device identification information from the detected wireless device; and

receiving one of an authentication key and a device identification code and a device personal identification number from the detected wireless device as the requested device identification information.

11. A computer readable storage medium including program instructions that direct a computer to function in a specified manner when executed by a processor, the program instructions comprising:

detecting a wireless device within communication range of a host device;

authenticating the detected device according to requested device identification information of the detected wireless device;

when the detected device fails authentication, requesting audio authentication initialization information from the detected device; and

authenticating the detected device based on the requested audio authentication initialization information.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein prior to detecting the wireless device, the method further comprises:

receiving an audio device authentication set-up request from a user of a wireless device;

requesting audio device identification information for the detected device; and

storing the received audio device identification information as an authentication initialization token for the detected wireless device.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising:

storing the authentication initialization token within the detected wireless device.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein storing further comprises:

compressing the received audio device identification information; and

generating a hash value of the compressed audio device identification information to form the authentication initialization token of the wireless device.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein detecting the wireless device further comprises:

polling a surrounding area of the host device for audio sources within a predetermined distance of the host device; and

when an audio source is detected, initiating an authentication handshake with an audio source device of the detected audio source.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein authenticating the detected device according to the requested device identification information further comprises:

requesting the device identification information from the detected wireless device;

comparing the requested device identification information with stored device authentication information within the host device;

when matching device identification information is found, establishing an audio link with the detected wireless device; and

otherwise, initiating a request for audio authentication initialization information of the detected wireless device.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein authenticating the detected device based on the requested audio authentication information further comprises:

receiving an audio device identification information as the requested audio identification information;

compressing the received audio identification information;

generating a hash value of the compressed audio device identification information to form a requested device authentication initialization token;

comparing the requested device authentication initialization token to one or more stored device authentication initialization tokens; and

when a matching device authentication initialization token is detected, storing the requested device identification information as a device authentication token of the detected wireless device.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein authenticating the detected device based on the requested audio authentication information further comprises:

receiving an audio authentication token as the requested audio identification information of the detected wireless device;

comparing the received audio authentication token to one or more stored audio authentication tokens;

when a matching stored audio authentication token is detected, establishing an audio link with the detected wireless device; and

storing the requested device identification information as a device authentication token of the detected wireless devices.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising:

otherwise, requesting manual authorization from a user of the host device to authenticate the detected wireless device;

when the user provides manual authentication authorization, storing the requested device identification information of the detected wireless device; and

establishing an audio link between the detected wireless device and the host device.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein authenticating the device according to requested device identification information further comprises:

requesting the device identification information from the detected wireless device; and

receiving one of an authentication device key and a device identification code and a device personal identification number from the detected wireless device as the requested identification information.

21. A method comprising:

receiving, by a wireless device, a communications connection request from a host device;

when a request for audio authentication initialization information is received from the host device, providing audio authentication initialization information to the host device; and

once the audio authentication initialization information is authenticated by the host device, establishing an audio link between the wireless device and the host device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving the communications connection request further comprises:

receiving a request for device identification information of the wireless device;

providing the requested device identification information to the host device; and

when the requested device identification information of the wireless device is not authenticated by the host device, receiving a request for audio authentication initialization information of the detected wireless device.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein providing audio authentication initialization information to the host device further comprises:

requesting audio authentication initialization information from a user of the wireless device;

receiving audio device identification information from the user as the authentication initialization information; and

providing the audio device identification information to the host device as the requested audio authentication initialization information.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

selecting a stored audio authentication initialization token; and

transmitting the audio authentication initialization token to the host device.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein prior to receiving the connection request, the method further comprises:

receiving a device authentication set-up request from a user of the wireless device;

requesting, from the user, audio device identification information as audio authentication initialization information of the wireless device; and

once the audio device identification information is received from the user, storing the voice audio device identification information as an audio authentication initialization token of the wireless device.

26. A computer readable storage medium including program instructions that direct a computer to function in a specified manner when executed by a processor, the program instructions comprising:

receiving, by a wireless device, a connection request from a host device;

when a request for audio authentication initialization information is received from the host device, providing audio authentication initialization information to the host device; and

once the audio authentication initialization information is authenticated by the host device, establishing an audio link between the wireless device and the host device.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein receiving the communications connection request further comprises:

receiving a request for device identification information of the wireless device;

providing the requested device identification to the host device; and

when the requested authentication information of the wireless device;

is not authenticated by the host device, receiving a request for audio authentication initialization information of the detected wireless device.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein providing audio authentication initialization information to the host device further comprises:

requesting audio authentication initialization information from a user of the wireless device;

receiving audio device identification information from the user as the authentication initialization information of the detected wireless device; and

providing the audio device identification information to the host device as the requested audio authentication initialization information.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 27, further comprising:

selecting a stored audio authentication initialization token; and

transmitting the audio authentication initialization token to the host device.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein prior to receiving the connection request, the method further comprises:

receiving a device initialization request from a user of the wireless device;

requesting, from the user, audio device identification information as audio authentication initialization identification information of the wireless device; and

once the audio device identification information of the wireless device is received, storing the audio device identification information as an authentication initialization token of the wireless device.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

an authentication unit to authenticate wireless devices detected within communications range of the apparatus using audio authentication initialization information of the detected wireless device;

a communications interface coupled to the authentication unit, the communications interface to establish audio links with authenticated wireless devices, request device identification information as well as audio device authentication initialization information from detected wireless devices; and

a storage device coupled to the authentication unit, containing an audio authentication initialization token as well as an authentication key for each wireless device initialized by the apparatus.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

a device initialization unit to request audio device identification information in response to a device authentication set-up request from a user of a wireless device and store the received audio device identification information as an authentication initialization token of the wireless device.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the authentication unit compares a received audio authentication initialization token to one or more stored audio authentication initialization tokens, establishes an audio link with a detected wireless device when a matching stored audio authentication initialization token is detected, and stores requested device identification information of the detected wireless device as an authentication key.

34. A system comprising:

a host device; and

one or more wireless devices, each wireless device including;

a processor having circuitry to execute instruction; and

a storage device having a sequence of instructions stored therein, which when executed by the processor causes the processor to;

request an audio authentication initialization information from a user of the wireless device in response to an audio authentication initialization request from the host device;

receive an audio device identification from the user; and

provide an audio device identification to the host device as the requested audio authentication initialization information.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the host device further comprises:

an authentication unit to authenticate wireless devices detected within communications range of the host device using audio authentication information of the detected wireless devices;

a communications interface coupled to the authentication unit, the communications interface to establish audio links with authenticated wireless devices, request device identification information as well as audio authentication initialization information from detected wireless devices; and

a storage device coupled to the authenticating unit, containing an audio authentication initialization tokens as well as device identification information for each wireless device initialized by the host device.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the host device further comprises:

a device initialization unit to request an audio device identification in response to a device authentication set-up request from a user of a wireless device and store received audio device identification information as an authentication initialization token for the wireless device.