Communication System And Communication Device

• US 20080020707A1
• Filed: 06/27/2005
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Morita, Tadshi, Takayama, Yoshihisa
• Granted Patent: US 8,068,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/045 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14
• 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 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0825 using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0838 Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these network architectures or network communication protocols for key exchange in a packet data network H04L63/061
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

A communication apparatus capable of easily identifying a communication partner and securely sharing a session key between the communication apparatus and the communication partner even if the communication apparatus has a processing power that is not so high includes a short-range active communication unit 101 transmitting an inquiry signal to a short-range external communication apparatus by electromagnetic waves and waiting for a response to the inquiry signal; a long-range communication unit 104 capable of communication by the electromagnetic waves in a range wider than the communication area of the short-range active communication means; a switching unit 111 switching to either the short-range active communication unit or the long-range communication unit; and an asymmetric key generator 102 generating a pair of an encryption key and a decryption key corresponding to the encryption key. The communication apparatus is characterized by using the decryption key to decrypt an encrypted session key transmitted from the external communication apparatus and transmitting to the external communication apparatus a communication switching request signal to request the switching to the long-range communication unit and communication by using the long-range communication unit.

Claims

1. A communication system including a plurality of communication apparatuses,

wherein a first communication apparatus includes:

short-range active communication means for transmitting an inquiry signal to a short-range external communication apparatus by electromagnetic waves and waiting for a response to the inquiry signal;

long-range communication means capable of communication by the electromagnetic waves in a range wider than the communication area of the short-range active communication means;

switching means for switching to either the short-range active communication means or the long-range communication means; and

asymmetric key generating means for generating a pair. of an encryption key and a decryption key corresponding to the encryption key, the encryption key and the decryption key in the pair being asymmetric to each other,

wherein a second communication apparatus includes;

short-range passive communication means for receiving the inquiry signal from a short-range external communication apparatus and transmitting a response signal in response to the inquiry signal;

long-range communication means capable of communication by the electromagnetic waves in a range wider than the communication area of the short-range passive communication means;

switching means for switching to either the short-range passive communication means or the long-range communication means;

session key generating means for generating a random number and using the generated random number to generate a session key; and

encrypting means for encrypting the session key,

wherein the second communication apparatus uses the encryption key transmitted from the first communication apparatus to encrypt the session key into an encrypted session key and transmits the encrypted session key to the first communication apparatus, and

wherein the first communication apparatus uses the decryption key to decrypt the encrypted session key into the session key and transmits to the second communication apparatus a communication switching request signal to request the switching to the long-range communication means and communication by using the long-range communication means.

2. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the short-range active communication means transmits identification information allocated to the short-range active communication means to the short-range passive communication means along with the encryption key, and

wherein the short-range passive communication means transmits identification information allocated to the short-range passive communication means to the short-range active communication means along with the encrypted session key to provide the identification information of the communication partner to the long-range communication means provided in the first and second communication apparatuses.

3. A communication apparatus comprising:

short-range active communication means for transmitting an inquiry signal to a short-range external communication apparatus by electromagnetic waves and waiting for a response to the inquiry signal;

long-range communication means capable of communication by the electromagnetic waves in a range wider than the communication area of the short-range active communication means;

switching means for switching to either the short-range active communication means or the long-range communication means; and

asymmetric key generating means for generating a pair of an encryption key and a decryption key corresponding to the encryption key, the encryption key and the decryption key in the pair being asymmetric to each other,

wherein the communication apparatus uses the decryption key to decrypt an encrypted session key transmitted from the external communication apparatus and transmits to the external communication apparatus a communication switching request signal to request the switching to the long-range communication means and communication by using the long-range communication means.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the short-range active communication means transmits identification information allocated to the short-range active communication means to the external communication apparatus along with the encryption key, and

wherein the short-range active communication means receives identification information allocated to the external communication apparatus from the external communication apparatus along with the encrypted session key to provide the identification information of the communication partner to the long-range communication means provided in the communication apparatus and the external communication apparatus.

5. A communication apparatus comprising:

short-range passive communication means for receiving an inquiry signal from a short-range external communication apparatus and transmitting a response signal in response to the inquiry signal;

long-range communication means capable of communication by electromagnetic waves in a range wider than the communication area of the short-range passive communication means;

switching means for switching to either the short-range passive communication means or the long-range communication means;

session key generating means for generating a random number and using the generated random number to generate a session key; and

encrypting means for encrypting the session key,

wherein the communication apparatus uses an encryption key transmitted from the external communication apparatus to encrypt the session key into an encrypted session key and transmits the encrypted session key to the communication apparatus, and the communication apparatus receives from the external communication apparatus a communication switching request signal to request the switching to the long-range communication means and communication by using the long-range communication means.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the short-range passive communication means receives identification information allocated to the external communication apparatus along with the encryption key, and

wherein the short-range passive communication means transmits identification information allocated to the short-range passive communication means to the external communication apparatus along with the encrypted session key to provide the identification information of the communication partner to the long-range communication means provided in the communication apparatus and the external communication apparatus.