Code-based communication connection management

• US 20080104394A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Pering, Trevor A., Want, Roy, Sharp, Richard, Epp, Edward C., Light, John J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,041,951 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2755 by optical scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 Graphical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

In some embodiments, an electronic apparatus comprises a communication interface, an input/output interface, a processor, and logic to collect, in the electronic apparatus, a first identifier associated with a first communication device and second identifier associated with a second communication device, logic to establish a communication connection between the electronic apparatus and the first communication device, and logic to initiate, in the electronic apparatus, a connection request for a communication connection between the first communication device and the second communication device. Other embodiments may be described.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

collecting, in an electronic device, a first identifier associated with a first communication device and second identifier associated with a second communication device;

establishing a communication connection between the electronic device and the first communication device; and

initiating, in the electronic device, a connection request for a communication connection between the first communication device and the second communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting, in an electronic device, a first identifier associated with a first communication device and second identifier associated with a second communication device comprises:

obtaining a first symbol from the first communication device and a second symbol from the second communication device;

decoding the first symbol to obtain the first identifier; and

decoding the second symbol to obtain the second identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein obtaining a first symbol from the first communication device and a second symbol from the second communication device comprises:

photographing, with the electronic device, a first optical tag associated with the first communication device;

photographing, with the electronic device, a second optical tag associated with the second communication device;

decoding the first optical tag to obtain the first identifier; and

decoding the second optical tag to obtain the second identifier.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein obtaining a first symbol from the first communication device and a second symbol from the second communication device comprises:

entering into the electronic device a first character sequence associated with the first communication device;

entering into the electronic device a second character sequence associated with the second communication device;

decoding the first character sequence to obtain the first identifier; and

decoding the second character-sequence to obtain the second identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a communication connection between the first communication device and the second communication device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising terminating the communication connection between the electronic device and the first communication device.

7. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a communication interface;

an input/output interface;

a processor;

logic to collect, in the electronic apparatus, a first identifier associated with a first communication device and second identifier associated with a second communication device;

logic to establish a communication connection between the electronic apparatus and the first communication device; and

logic to initiate, in the electronic apparatus, a connection request for a communication connection between the first communication device and the second communication device.

8. The electronic apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

logic to obtain a first symbol from the first communication device and a second symbol from the second communication device;

logic to decode the first symbol to obtain the first identifier; and

logic to decode the second symbol to obtain the second identifier.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a camera to photograph a first optical tag associated with the first communication device and a second optical tag associated with the second communication device;

logic to decode the first optical tag to obtain the first identifier; and

logic to decode the second optical tag to obtain the second identifier.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a keypad for entering into the electronic device a first character sequence associated with the first communication device and a second character sequence associated with the second communication device;

logic to decode the first character sequence to obtain the first identifier; and

logic to decode the second character sequence to obtain the second identifier.

11. The electronic apparatus of claim 7, further comprising logic to terminate the communication connection between the electronic device and the first communication device.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving, in an electronic device, a symbol from a first communication device; and

using the symbol to establish a communication connection between the first communication device and a second communication device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving, in the electronic device, a symbol from the second communication device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the symbol from the first communication device comprises a code that identifies a network address of the second communication device;

the symbol from the second communication device comprises a code that identifies a network address of the third communication device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein using the symbol to establish a communication connection between the first communication device and a second communication device comprises:

establishing a communication connection between the electronic device and the first communication device; and

initiating, from the electronic device, a request for the first communication device to establish a communication connection with the second communication device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising severing the communication connection between the electronic device,and the first communication device.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the symbol from the first communication device comprises an authentication code transmitted from the second communication device to the first communication device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein using the symbol to establish a communication connection between the first communication device and a second communication device comprises:

decoding the symbol to obtain the authentication code; and

comparing the authentication code to an authentication code associated with the third communication device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising assigning a trusted status to the second communication device when, the authentication code from the second communication device matches the authentication code associated with the first communication device.

20. A method comprising:

receiving, in an untrusted communication device, a symbol from a trusted communication device;

presenting the symbol via an input/output interface;

obtaining the symbol at the trusted communication device; and

using the symbol to authenticate the untrusted communication device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving, in an untrusted communication device, a symbol from a trusted communication device comprises:

establishing a communication link between the trusted communication device and the untrusted communication device; and

accessing a publicly available resource on the trusted communication device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein

the publicly available resource comprises the symbol;

and

accessing the publicly available resource comprises obtaining the symbol from the trusted communication device.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein:

presenting the symbol via an input/output interface comprises displaying the symbol on a monitor; and

obtaining the symbol at the trusted communication device comprises taking a photograph of the symbol on the monitor.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein using the symbol to authenticate the untrusted communication device comprises:

decoding the symbol to obtain a code; and

comparing the code to a code used by the trusted communication device to generate the symbol.