Pairing of wireless devices using a wired medium

• US 20080070501A1
• Filed: 08/30/2006
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Wyld, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 7,913,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• 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 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

Techniques that facilitate pairing of wireless devices with other wireless devices are disclosed. According to one aspect, a pair of wireless devices can be paired for wireless data exchange using an available wired link. Advantageously, the wired link can be used to transport a pin code from one of the wireless devices to the other. Consequently, pairing of the wireless devices can be completed without necessitating user entry of a pin code so long as the wired link is available.

Claims

1. A method for pairing a host device with a wireless device, said method comprising:

detecting a wired data link between the host device and the wireless device;

establishing a wireless data link between the host device and the wireless device;

retrieving a pin code internal to the host device;

sending the pin code to the wireless device over the wired data link;

receiving authentication data from the wireless device;

authenticating the wireless device based on the received authentication data; and

completing pairing of the host device with the wireless device when the wireless device has been authenticated.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said completing pairing comprises:

generating one or more keys when the wireless device has been authenticated; and

sending at least one of the one or more keys from the host device to the wireless device when the pairing is successful.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said receiving of the authentication data is over the wireless data link.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said sending of the at least one of the one or more keys is over the wireless data link.

5. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said sending of the at least one of the one or more keys is over the wired data link.

6. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the one or more keys include a link key or a key derived from the link key.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving of the authentication data is over the wired data link.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving at least one key from the wireless device when the pairing is successful.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said authenticating operates to authenticate the received authentication data based on the pin code.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the host device operates at least one application program that makes use of a user interface, and

wherein said method further comprises:

intercepting, prior to said sending, the pin code via the application program or the user interface.

11. A method as recited in claim 1,

wherein the host device operates at least one application program,

wherein the host device also include a wireless module that participates in at least pairing and data transfer, and

wherein the at least one application program interacts with the wireless module during pairing or data transfer.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the host device includes an output device, and

wherein said method further comprises:

presenting, after said receiving, the pin code on the output device.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the pin code is presented using a pin code notification screen.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wired data link is provided over a cable.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wired data link is provided over a wired medium that physically provides one or more electrical connections.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wired data link is provided via a peripheral bus.

17. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the peripheral bus is a USB or Firewire bus.

18. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless data link is over a local wireless network in accordance with the Bluetooth protocol.

19. A host computing device with support for a wired data link and a wireless data link, said device comprising:

a connection manager configured to detect a wired data link between the host computing device and a wireless device;

a wireless transceiver for transferring data between the host computing device and the wireless device over a wireless data link,

a pairing manager operatively connected to said peripheral bus driver and said wireless transceiver, said pairing manager manages pairing of the host computing device and the wireless device, and said pairing manager operable to;

(i) retrieve a pin code internal to the host computing device, (ii) send the pin code to the wireless device over the wired data link, (iii) receive authentication data from the wireless device, and (iv) authenticate the wireless device based on the received authentication data.

20. A host computing device as recited in claim 19, wherein the received authentication data is dependent on the pin code that was sent to the wireless device over the wired data link.

21. A host computing device as recited in claim 19, wherein said pairing manager is further operable to (v) generate one or more keys when the wireless device has been authenticated, and (vi) send at least one of the one or more keys from the host device to the wireless device when the pairing is successful.

22. A host computing device as recited in claim 19, wherein said connection manager comprises a peripheral bus driver for detecting the wired data link between the host computing device and the wireless device.

23. A host computing device as recited in claim 19, wherein said host computing device is a personal computer.

24. A method for pairing a wireless device with a host device, said method comprising:

detecting a wired data link between the host device and the wireless device;

detecting a wireless data link between the host device and the wireless device;

receiving a pin code over the wired data link from the host device;

generating authentication data at the wireless device based on the pin code;

sending the authentication data from the wireless device to the host device; and

subsequently completing pairing of the wireless device with the host device when authentication is successful.

25. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein said sending of the authentication data is over the wireless data link.

26. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein said receiving of the at least one key is over the wireless data link.

27. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein said receiving of the at least one key is over the wired data link.

28. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein said sending of the authentication data is over the wired data link.

29. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein the wireless data link is provided by a Bluetooth network.

30. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein the authentication data includes at least a key.

31. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein said completing pairing comprises:

receiving at least one key from the host device when authentication is successful.

32. A method as recited in claim 31, wherein said completing pairing further comprises:

generating one or more keys at the wireless device; and

sending at least one of the one or more keys from the wireless device to the host device as part of a pairing operation when the pairing is successful.

33. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein the at least one of the one or more keys is a link key.

34. A computer readable medium including at least computer program code for pairing a first wireless device with a second wireless device, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for detecting a wired data link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device;

computer program code for detecting a wireless data link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device;

computer program code for receiving, at the second wireless device, a code over the wired data link from the first wireless device; and

performing pairing operations to pair the first wireless device and the second wireless device based on the code received over the wired data link.

35. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the code is a pin code.

36. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 35, wherein said performing of the pairing operations includes at least:

computer program code for generating authentication data at the second wireless device based on the pin code;

computer program code for sending the authentication data from the second wireless device to the first wireless device; and

computer program code for subsequently completing pairing of the second wireless device with the first wireless device when authentication is successful.

37. An electronic device having wireless capabilities, wherein the improvement comprises operating said electronic device such that pairing of said electronic device to another electronic device having wireless capabilities includes electrically sending a code over a physical connection between said electronic device and the another electronic device.