Secure identification method between two radiofredquency network appliances

• US 20030200434A1
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gemalto SA (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Gemalto SA (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Arnoux, Christophe
• Granted Patent: US 7,370,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/171
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/727 Identification code transfer arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for accessing radio-frequency networks known as BLUETOOTH. The access to an apparatus is obtained via a network apparatus by selecting one of the two appliances as master-apparatus (10) and the other as slave-apparatus (12), and by initialising on the master-apparatus (10) an automatic identification procedure consisting essentially in placing the appliances (10, 12) in immediate proximity and in transmitting very short range signals to be exclusively received by the slave-apparatus (12). Then it consists in initialising a standard connection procedure and if it is successful, an identification key is generated which is used for subsequent exchanges in normal operating conditions.

Claims

1. A process for secure recognition between two units (10, 12) of a radiofrequency network, characterised in that it comprises the following steps, consisting in:

(a) switching on the two units (10, 12)

(b) selecting one (10) of the two units as the master unit and the other (12) as the slave unit,

(c) moving the two units (10, 12) to the immediate proximity of one another

(d) launching on the master unit (10) an automatic secure recognition process consisting in;

(d1) transmitting signals according to a radiation pattern in such a way that the signals are only received by the slave unit (12),

(d2) launching a standard connection process to the radiofrequency network and, in the case of successful connection to the radiofrequency network,

(d3) generating a recognition key with the intention of making subsequent exchanges secure,

(d4) re-transmitting signals according to the normal radiation pattern, and

(e) placing the two units (10, 12) at a distance from each other for operation at a normal distance.

2. A process according to claim 1, characterised in that steps (d1) and (d2) are repeated in the event of failure of step (d2), connection to the radiofrequency network.

3. A process according to claim 2, characterised in that steps (d1) and (d2) are repeated at least once with a radiation pattern of greater range.

4. A process according to claim 3, characterised in that the radiation pattern of greater range are obtained by increasing the power applied to the antenna of the master unit.

5. A process according to claim 3, characterised by the radiation pattern of greater range are obtained by modifying the tuning of the antenna of the master unit.

6. A process according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the radiation pattern of the antenna of the master unit has a privileged direction of radiation (36).

7. A process according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the step (d3) is replaced by a step (d′

3) which is implemented by the slave unit.

8. A process according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the method reverts to step (b) by selecting the slave unit as the master unit, in the case of failure of operation (d2), connection to the radiofrequency network.

9. A master unit for implementing the method according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 8 and comprising a transmitter-receiver connected to a transmission-reception antenna (34) so as to realise a transmission-reception device, characterised in that the transmission-reception device comprises means for modifying the range of the radiation pattern of the antenna, so as to have an initial range corresponding to normal operation and at least one range smaller than the first one, to implement the method according to the invention.

10. A master unit according to claim 9, characterised in that the means of modifying the range of the radiation pattern of the antenna, comprise means to modify the power applied to the antenna.

11. A master unit according to claim 9, characterised in that the means of modifying the range of the radiation pattern of the antenna, comprise means to modify the tuning of the antenna circuit.

12. A master unit according to one of the preceding claims 9 to 11, characterised in that the transmission-reception antenna has a privileged direction of transmission. (36).