System and method for secure PIN exchange

• US 20070165863A1
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Moosavi, Vahid
• Granted Patent: US 8,024,811 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/283
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0819 Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent

Abstract

A system and method for wirelessly exchanging an encryption key between a first device and a second device. The system generally includes: a transmitter, provided to the first device, for transmitting a signal that is strong enough to transmit over a predetermined distance while having a strength that decreases exponentially with distance, for example a magnetic field signal; a receiver, for example a Hall effect switch, provided to the second device, for receiving the signal; and a controller for determining when the first device and the second device are within the predetermined distance and controlling the transmitter to transmit the encryption key based on the determination.

Claims

1. A method for wirelessly exchanging an encryption key between a first device and a second device, the method comprising:

bringing the first device and the second device within a predetermined distance of each other;

transmitting the encryption key from the first device using a signal that is strong enough to transmit over the predetermined distance while having a strength that decreases exponentially with distance; and

receiving the encryption key at the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises modulating a magnetic field.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the modulation comprises frequency modulation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is less than approximately five centimeters.

5. A system for wirelessly exchanging an encryption key between a first device and a second device, the system comprising:

a transmitter, provided to the first device, for transmitting a signal that is strong enough to transmit over a predetermined distance while having a strength that decreases exponentially with distance;

a receiver, provided to the second device, for receiving the signal; and

a controller for determining when the first device and the second device are within the predetermined distance of each other and controlling the transmitter to transmit the encryption key based on the determination.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller determines that the first device and the second device are within the predetermined distance based on input from a user.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the predetermined distance is less than approximately five centimeters.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the signal comprises a magnetic field signal.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the transmitter is an electromagnetic coil, the signal comprises modulating a magnetic field and the receiver comprises a Hall effect switch.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the modulation comprises frequency modulation.

11. A system for wirelessly transmitting an encryption key, the system comprising:

a transmitter, provided to a first device, for transmitting a signal comprising the encryption key, wherein the signal is strong enough to transmit over a predetermined distance while having a strength that decreases exponentially with distance; and

a controller, provided to the first device, for determining when the first device and a second device are within the predetermined distance of each other and for controlling the transmitter to transmit the encryption key signal based on the determination.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller determines that the first device and the second device are within the predetermined distance based on input from a user.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the predetermined distance is less than approximately five centimeters.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the transmitter is an electromagnetic coil and the signal comprises modulating a magnetic field.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the modulation comprises frequency modulation.

16. A system for wirelessly receiving an encryption key, the system comprising:

a receiver, provided to a first device, for receiving a signal that is strong enough to transmit over a predetermined distance while having a strength that decreases exponentially with distance;

a processor, provided to the second device, for determining when the first device and a second device are within the predetermined distance and controlling the receiver to receive a signal comprising the encryption key based on the determination.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller determines that the first device and the second device are within the predetermined distance based on input from a user.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the predetermined distance is less than approximately five centimeters.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the signal comprises modulating a magnetic field and the receiver senses modulations in the local magnetic field.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the receiver comprises a Hall effect switch.