Battery pack authentication for a mobile device

• US 20070123316A1
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Little, Herbert
• Granted Patent: US 7,667,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/573
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Various embodiments are described herein for a mobile communication device that authenticates a smart battery prior to use. The mobile device includes a main processor and a device memory. The device memory stores first and second portions of security information used for authentication. The smart battery includes a battery processor and a battery memory. The battery memory stores a third portion of security information used for authentication. The main processor sends an authentication request including the first portion of security information to the battery processor, and the battery processor generates a response based on the first and third portions of security information and sends the generated response to the main processor. The smart battery is authenticated if the generated response matches the second portion of security information.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device comprising:

a main processor for controlling the operation of the mobile communication device;

a device memory coupled to the main processor, the device memory being adapted for storing first and second portions of security information used for authentication; and

,

a smart battery coupled to the main processor, the smart battery being adapted to provide supply power to the mobile device, the smart battery comprising;

a battery processor for controlling the operation of the smart battery and communicating with the main processor; and

a battery memory coupled to the battery processor, the battery memory being adapted for storing information including a third portion of security information used for authentication,

wherein, the main processor is configured to send an authentication request including the first portion of security information to the battery processor, and the battery processor is configured to generate a response based on the first and third portions of security information and send the generated response to the main processor, wherein the smart battery is authenticated if the generated response matches the second portion of security information.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the first and second portions of security information are different than the third portion of security information.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the first portion of security information includes a pre-computed challenge, the second portion of information includes a corresponding pre-computed response generated by operating on the pre-computed challenge with a cryptographic method and a private key, and the third portion of information includes the cryptographic method and the private key, wherein the cryptographic method and the private key are only stored in the smart battery.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 3, wherein after the authentication request is made by the main processor, the battery processor is configured to generate a response based on the pre-computed challenge, the private key and the cryptographic method, wherein the smart battery is authenticated if the generated response matches the corresponding pre-computed response stored on the device memory.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the first and second portions of security information stored in the device memory are unique compared to first and second portions of security information stored on other similar mobile communication devices.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein if the smart battery fails authentication, the main processor is configured to allow charging of the smart battery up to a minimum charge capacity if there is an under-voltage condition.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein if the smart battery fails authentication, the main processor is configured to allow the mobile device to continue operating for a limited time duration and not to allow charging of the smart battery.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein several sets of first and second portions of security information are stored on the device memory and the main processor is configured to perform authentication on the smart battery using one or more of the several sets of first and second portions of security information.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the main processor and the smart battery are coupled via a data line with a maximum data rate of approximately 300 bits per second.

10. A method for authenticating a smart battery for use with a mobile communication device that includes a main processor, a device memory and the smart battery including a battery processor and a battery memory, wherein the method comprises:

storing first and second portions of security information used for authentication on the device memory;

storing a third portion of security information used for authentication on the battery memory;

sending an authentication request and the first portion of security information from the main processor to the smart battery;

generating a response at the smart battery based on the first and third portions of security information and sending the generated response to the main processor; and

comparing the generated response with the second portion of security information at the main processor and authenticating the smart battery if the generated response matches the second portion of security information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first portion of security information includes a pre-computed challenge, the second portion of information includes a corresponding pre-computed response generated by operating on the pre-computed challenge with a cryptographic method and a private key, and the third portion of information includes the cryptographic method and the private key.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein in the case of non-authentication, the method comprises repeating authentication several times to ensure that non-authentication is not due to a data transmission error for data transmission between the main processor and the battery processor.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the method comprises storing unique first and second portions of security information in the device memory in comparison to first and second portions of security information stored on other similar mobile communication devices.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein if the smart battery fails authentication, then the method comprises allowing charging of the smart battery up to a minimum charge capacity if there is an under-voltage condition.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein if the smart battery fails authentication, then the method comprises allowing operation of the mobile communication device to continue for a limited time duration and not allowing charging of the smart battery.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the method comprises storing several sets of first and second portions of security information on the device memory and performing authentication on the smart battery using one or more of the several sets of first and second portions of security information.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the method comprises coupling the main processor and the smart battery with a data line having a maximum data rate of approximately 300 bits per second.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the method comprises preventing charging of the smart battery if authentication fails.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the method comprises encrypting the pre-computed challenge.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the method comprises generating a random number for the pre-computed challenge.

21. A method of manufacturing a smart battery for use with a mobile communication device, wherein the method comprises:

specifying communication and security protocols for the smart battery for permitting the mobile communication device to communicate with and authenticate the smart battery;

assembling the smart battery;

implementing the security and communication protocols on the smart battery including storing a private key and a cryptographic method on secure memory only within the smart battery;

storing challenge and response pairs that correspond to the private key and the cryptographic method on the mobile device; and

testing the security and communication protocols between the mobile communication and the smart battery.