METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTHORIZING A COMMUNICATION INTERFACE

• US 20080196086A1
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Boyden, David C., Shintani, Peter R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,156,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method and system for authorizing a communication interface between a first and second module comprises detecting a coupling between a first module and a second module, certifying a first pairing certificate is valid between the first module and the second module, and issuing a first operating certificate and storing the first operating certificate on at least one of the first module and the second module.

Claims

1. A method for authorizing a communication interface comprising:

detecting a coupling between a first module and a second module;

certifying a first pairing certificate is valid between the first module and the second module; and

issuing a first operating certificate and storing the first operating certificate on at least one of the first module and the second module.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying the first pairing certificate after storing a predetermined number of operating certificates.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

confirming the first operating certificate is valid between the first module and the second module; and

allowing paired communication between the first module and the second module.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

allowing paired communication between the first module and the second module a predetermined number of times.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a subsequent coupling between the first module and the second module including detecting a subsequent attempt to establish communication;

confirming the first operating certificate is valid between the first module and the second module; and

allowing paired communication between the first module and the second module.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

denying communication between the first module and the second module after failing to certify the first pairing certificate between the first module and the second module.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a coupling between a third module and at least one of the first module and the second module, wherein the first module and the second module are coupled;

certifying a second pairing certificate is valid between the third module and the at least one of the first module and the second module; and

issuing a second operating certificate and storing the second operating certificate on at least one of the first module, the second module and the third module.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

allowing paired communication between the third module and the at least one of the first module and the second module.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

restoring the first pairing certificate after having been modified.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a communication interface configured to detect a coupling with a host device;

a storage device coupled to the communication interface, the storage device configured to store a pairing certificate;

the communication interface further configured to submit the pairing certificate upon detecting an initial coupling with the host device; and

the communication interface further configured to receive an operating certificate, store the operating certificate in the storage device, and allow paired communication.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

the storage device configured to modify the pairing certificate after storing the operating certificate.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

the communication interface configured to submit the operating certificate upon detecting a subsequent coupling with the host device including detecting a subsequent attempt to establish communication.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

the communication interface configured to allow paired communication after receiving confirmation from the host device that the operating certificate is valid.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

the communication interface configured to submit the pairing certificate to a predetermined number of separate host devices.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a communication interface configured to detect a coupling of a coupling device;

a certifying module coupled to the communication interface, the certifying module configured to certify a pairing certificate received from the coupling device;

the certifying module further configured to issue an operating certificate to the coupling device after having certified the pairing certificate; and

the certifying module further configured to authorize the communication interface to allow paired communication with the coupling device after having issued the operating certificate.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

the certifying module configured to deny paired communication between the coupling device and the host device after having failed to certify the pairing certificate.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

the certifying module configured to certify the pairing certificate is one among a list comprising one or more pairing certificate corresponding to a pre-approved coupling device.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

the certifying module configured to access a wide area network.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

the certifying module configured to access a wide area network to certify the pairing certificate is listed in a database of pre-approved modules with which the host device can authorize a communication interface.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

the communication interface configured to require the coupling device to modify the pairing certificate after issuing the operating certificate to the coupling device.