Portable smart card reader having secure wireless communications capability

• US 20060236117A1
• Filed: 04/04/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Leung, Chris K.C., Little, Herb, Lazaridis, Mihal, Rose, Scott D., Totzke, Scott, Boomhour, Benjamin W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,562,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/01 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0841 involving Diffie-Hellman or related key agreement protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0877 using additional device, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard, USB or hardware security module [HSM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0471 Key exchange

Abstract

A reader device includes a housing for receiving a smart card, a processor in electronic communication with an integrated circuit chip of the smart card when the smart card is received in the housing, a wireless communications device in electronic communication with the processor for enabling the reader device to transmit first encrypted information wirelessly and to receive second encrypted information wirelessly, and a memory in electronic communication with the processor that includes one or more routines executable by the processor. The one or more routines include a cryptographic module adapted to encrypt first information to create the first encrypted information and decrypt the second encrypted information to obtain second information. In addition, a communication system that includes the reader device and a computing device, wherein the reader device and computing device are able to wirelessly exchange information in a secure manner.

Claims

1. A reader device for a smart card, comprising:

a housing, said housing receiving said smart card;

a processor, said processor being in electronic communication with an integrated circuit chip of said smart card when said smart card is received in said housing;

a wireless communications device in electronic communication with said processor for enabling the reader device to transmit first encrypted information wirelessly and to receive second encrypted information wirelessly; and

a memory in electronic communication with said processor, said memory having one or more routines executable by said processor, said one or more routines including a cryptographic module adapted to encrypt first information to create said first encrypted information and decrypt said second encrypted information to obtain second information.

2. The reader device according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communications device comprises a Bluetooth radio, and wherein said first encrypted information is transmitted and said second encrypted information is received using the Bluetooth wireless communications protocol.

3. The reader device according to claim 1, wherein said cryptographic module is adapted to generate a session key and use said session key to encrypt message information to create encrypted message information, wherein said memory stores a shared secret key, said shared secret key being known to at least one computing device, and wherein said cryptographic module is adapted to use said shared secret key to encrypt said session key to create an encrypted session key, said first encrypted information comprising said encrypted message information and said encrypted session key.

4. The reader device according to claim 3, wherein said cryptographic module is adapted to encrypt said message information and said session key using one or more FIPS-140-2 or its successor approved encryption algorithms.

5. The reader device according to claim 1, wherein said cryptographic module is adapted to encrypt said first information to create said first encrypted information using one or more FIPS-140-2 or its successor approved encryption algorithms.

6. The reader device according to claim 1, wherein said housing includes a channel for receiving and holding said smart card.

7. The reader device according to claim 6, wherein a portion of a face of said smart card is visible when said smart card is received in said channel.

8. The reader device according to claim 1, wherein said housing includes one or more attachment mechanisms for attaching said reader device to the clothing or the body of a user of said reader device.

9. The reader device according to claim 8, wherein said one or more attachment mechanisms comprise a loop portion for receiving a lanyard.

10. The reader device according to claim 8, wherein said one or more attachment mechanisms comprise first and second arm portions for receiving and holding a strap.

11. The reader device according to claim 1, said housing having one or more contacts in electronic communication with said processor, said one or more contacts being in electronic communication with one or more second contacts provided on said smart card when said smart card is received in said housing, said one or more second contacts being in electronic communication with said integrated circuit chip.

12. A communication system, comprising:

a smart card having an integrated circuit chip;

a reader device including;

a housing, said housing receiving said smart card;

a first processor, said first processor being in electronic communication with said integrated circuit chip when said smart card is received in said housing;

a first wireless communications device in electronic communication with said first processor; and

a first memory in electronic communication with said first processor, said first memory having one or more first routines executable by said first processor, said one or more first routines including a first cryptographic module; and

a computing device including;

a second processor;

a second wireless communications device in electronic communication with said second processor; and

a second memory in electronic communication with said second processor, said second memory having one or more second routines executable by said second processor, said one or more second routines including a second cryptographic module;

wherein said first wireless communications device wirelessly transmits first encrypted information to said second wireless communications device and wirelessly receives second encrypted information transmitted by said second wireless communications device, wherein first information is encrypted by said first cryptographic module to create said first encrypted information and second information is encrypted by said second cryptographic module to create said second encrypted information, and wherein said first cryptographic module is adapted to decrypt said second encrypted information to obtain said second information and said second cryptographic module is adapted to decrypt said first encrypted information to obtain said first information.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said first and second wireless communications devices each comprise a Bluetooth radio, and wherein said first and second encrypted information are transmitted using the Bluetooth wireless communications protocol.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said first memory and said second memory each store a shared secret key, wherein said first cryptographic module is adapted to generate a first session key and use said first session key to encrypt first message information to create first encrypted message information, wherein said first cryptographic module is adapted to use said shared secret key to encrypt said first session key to create a first encrypted session key, said first encrypted information comprising said first encrypted message information and said first encrypted session key, wherein said second cryptographic module is adapted to generate a second session key and use said second session key to encrypt second message information to create second encrypted message information, and wherein said second cryptographic module is adapted to use said shared secret key to encrypt said second session key to create a second encrypted session key, said second encrypted information comprising said second encrypted message information and said second encrypted session key.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein said second information includes a digest of an email message, wherein said integrated circuit chip stores a private key, wherein said integrated circuit chip is adapted to encrypt said digest using said private key to create a digital signature, and wherein said first information includes said digital signature.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein said second information includes a password for said smart card.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein said integrated circuit chip stores a private key, wherein said second information includes an encrypted email message, said encrypted email message having been created by encrypting an email message with a public key that corresponds to said private key, wherein said integrated circuit chip is adapted to decrypt said encrypted email message using said private key to obtain said email message, and wherein said first information includes said email message.

18. The system according to claim 12, said housing having one or more contacts in electronic communication with said first processor, said one or more contacts being in electronic communication with one or more second contacts provided on said smart card when said smart card is received in said housing, said one or more second contacts being in electronic communication with said integrated circuit chip.