System and method for upgrading the functionality of a controlling device in a secure manner

• US 20080235406A1
• Filed: 03/23/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Hayes, Patrick H., Meijer, Gerben
• Granted Patent: US 8,166,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control

Abstract

Secure access to a database of upgrade data is provided by storing an encryption key value in a cable used to interconnect a first device and a second device that is associated with the database of upgrade data. The second device allows access to the database of upgrade data via the cable only when the cable is first positively authenticated by the second device through use of the encryption key value stored in the cable.

Claims

1. A method for using an interconnection cable adapted to interconnect a first device and a second device to provide secure access to a database of upgrade data, comprising:

placing the interconnection cable into communication with the second device through which the database of upgrade data is accessible;

attempting to positively authenticate the interconnection cable at the second device using a pre-established value stored on the interconnection cable; and

allowing access to the database of upgrade data via the second device and the interconnection cable only after the interconnection cable is positively authenticated through use of the pre-established value stored on the interconnection cable.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising replicating the pre-established value at the second device to thereby positively authenticate the interconnection cable.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the pre-established value comprises an encryption key value.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising accessing the database of upgrade data to download into the interconnection cable upgrade data appropriate for the interconnection cable.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, comprising encrypting the interconnection cable upgrade data using an encryption key value stored on the interconnection cable.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the interconnection cable upgrade data comprises a new encryption key value.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising storing on the interconnection cable data used to limit access to the upgrade data stored in the database of upgrade data.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the limit comprises a time dependent limit.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the limit comprises an absolute limit.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein placing the interconnection cable into communication with the second device comprises establishing a wired connection between the interconnection cable and the second device.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein placing the interconnection cable into communication with the second device comprises establishing a wireless connection between the interconnection cable and the second device.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using data stored on the interconnection cable to register the interconnection cable with a registration database.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising:

placing the interconnection cable into communication with the first device;

attempting to positively authenticate the first device at the second device using a further pre-established value stored on the first device; and

allowing upgrade data appropriate for the first device to be provided to the first device from the database of upgrade data via the second device and the interconnection cable only after the first device is positively authenticated through use of the further pre-established value stored on the first device.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the first device comprises a controlling device and the upgrade data appropriate for the first device comprises command data.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the further pre-established value stored on the first device comprises an encryption key value.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, comprising using the further pre-established value stored on the first device to encrypt the upgrade data appropriate for the first device.

17. The method as recited in claim 13, comprising using data stored on the first device to register the first device in a registration database.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, comprising using the registration database to select upgrade data from the upgrade database for downloading to the first device.

19. The method as recited in claim 13, comprising accessing the database of upgrade data to download into the interconnection cable upgrade data appropriate for the interconnection cable.

20. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein placing the interconnection cable into communication with the first device comprises establishing a wired connection between the interconnection cable and the first device.

21. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein placing the interconnection cable into communication with the first device comprises establishing a wireless connection between the interconnection cable and the first device.

22. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second device comprises a gateway device in communication with a server device by which the database of upgrade data is accessible.

23. A system for providing secure access to a database of upgrade data, comprising:

a first device;

a second device through which the database of upgrade data is accessible; and

an interconnection cable for placing the first device into communication with the second device having stored thereon a pre-established value;

wherein the second device attempts to positively authenticate the interconnection cable using the pre-established value stored on the interconnection cable and allows access to the database of upgrade data via the interconnection cable only after the interconnection cable is positively authenticated through use of the pre-established value stored on the interconnection cable.

24. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the second device replicates the pre-established value to thereby positively authenticate the interconnection cable.

25. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the pre-established value comprises an encryption key value.

26. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the second device functions to download into the interconnection cable upgrade data appropriate for the interconnection cable.

27. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the second device encrypts the interconnection cable upgrade data using an encryption key value stored on the interconnection cable.

28. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the interconnection cable upgrade data comprises a new encryption key value.

29. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the interconnection cable has stored therein data used by the second device to limit access to the upgrade data stored in the database of upgrade data.

30. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein the limit comprises a time dependent limit.

31. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein the limit comprises an absolute limit.

32. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the interconnection cable comprises a first connector used to establish a wired connection between the interconnection cable and the second device.

33. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the interconnection cable comprises a first connector used to establish a wireless connection between the interconnection cable and the second device.

34. The system as recited in claim 23, comprising a registration database associated with the second device in which is stored data read from the interconnection cable.

35. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the first device has stored therein a further pre-established value and wherein the second device attempts to positively authenticate the first device using the pre-established value stored on the first device and allows upgrade data appropriate for the first device to be provided to the first device from the database of upgrade data via the interconnection cable only after the first device is positively authenticated through use of the pre-established value stored on the first device.

36. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the first device comprises a controlling device and the upgrade data appropriate for the first device comprises command data.

37. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the pre-established value stored on the first device comprises an encryption key value.

38. The system as recited in claim 37, wherein the second device uses the encryption key value stored on the first device to encrypt the upgrade data appropriate for the first device.

39. The system as recited in claim 35, comprising a registration database associated with the second device in which is stored data read from the first device.

40. The system as recited in claim 39, wherein the second device uses the registration database to select upgrade data from the upgrade database for downloading to the first device.

41. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the interconnection cable comprises a first connector used to establish a wireless connection between the interconnection cable and the first device.

42. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the interconnection cable comprises a first connector used to establish a wired connection between the interconnection cable and the first device

43. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the second device comprises a gateway device in communication with a server device by which the database of upgrade data is accessible.

44. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the interconnection cable has interface conversion programming.

45. The system as recited in claim 44, wherein the interface conversion programming allows for communication across both a USB interface and a simple serial interface.

46. An interconnection cable for placing a first device into communication with a second device, the interconnection cable comprising:

a first interface for placing the interconnection cable into communication with the first device;

a second interface for placing the interconnection cable into communication with the second device;

a microprocessor having associated programming for providing communications protocol conversion between the first interface and the second interface; and

a memory storing a pre-established value which is to be provided to the second device via the second interface to thereby positively authenticate the interconnection cable with the second device.

47. The interconnection cable as recited in claim 46, wherein the pre-established value comprises a value that is to be replicated at the second device.

48. The interconnection cable as recited in claim 46, wherein the pre-established value comprises an encryption key value.

49. The interconnection cable as recited in claim 46, wherein the first interface comprises a wireless interface.

50. The interconnection cable as recited in claim 46, wherein the first interface comprises a wired interface.

51. The interconnection cable as recited in claim 46, wherein the second interface comprises a wireless interface.

52. The interconnection cable as recited in claim 46, wherein the second interface comprises a wired interface.

53. The interconnection cable as recited in claim 46, wherein the first interface comprises a simple serial interface and the second interface comprises a USB interface.

54. The interconnection cable as recited in claim 46, wherein a unique serial number for the interconnection cable is stored within the memory.

55. The interconnection cable as recited in claim 46, wherein a limit value is stored within the memory, the limit value being used to limit access to upgrade data provided by the second device via the interconnection cable.

56. The interconnection cable as recited in claim 55, wherein the limit comprises a time dependent limit.

57. The interconnection cable as recited in claim 55, wherein the limit comprises an absolute limit.