Communication protocol and method for authenticating a system

• US 20070028104A1
• Filed: 08/01/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Spitaels, James, Cohen, Daniel, Smith, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,660,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/170
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/76 Proxy, i.e. using intermediary entity to perform cryptographic operations network architectures or network communication protocols using hop-by-hop encryption H04L63/0464
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response

Abstract

One aspect relates to a communication protocol for communicating between one or more entities, such as devices, hosts or any other system capable of communicating over a network. A protocol is provided that allows communication between entities without a priori knowledge of the communication protocol. In such a protocol, for example, information describing a data structure of the communication protocol is transferred between communicating entities. Further, an authentication protocol is provided for providing bidirectional authentication between communicating entities. In one specific example, the entities include a master device and a slave device coupled by a serial link. In another specific example, the communication protocol may be used for performing unbalanced transmission between communicating entities.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a system, the method comprising acts of:

providing access to a public memory area including a first portion; and

providing access to a private memory area based on a key determined based on the first portion of the public memory area.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of determining, based on the first portion of the public memory area, a value of the key.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the act of determining further comprises an act of calculating a checksum of the first portion of the public memory area.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the act of calculating further comprises an act of initializing the checksum with a value of the first portion of the public memory area.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of providing access to the public memory area includes an act of sending, by a master, contents of the public memory area to a slave.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising an act of storing, by the slave, the contents of the public memory area in a memory of the slave.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the act of sending the contents of the public memory area is performed in response to receiving a request from the slave.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising an act of determining a value of the key using at least one portion of the contents of the public memory area.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising an act of initializing a starting value of the key to the at least one portion.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one portion is indicative of a model number of the master.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one portion is indicative of a date of manufacture of the master.

12. The method according to claim 7, further comprising an act of translating, by the slave, an access request received from an entity to the request sent to the master.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising an act of determining, by the slave, whether the entity is authorized to access the master.