PROTECTING AGAINST COUNTERFEIT ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20090100502A1
• Filed: 10/14/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: II-VI Delaware, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Finisar Corporation (II-VI Incorporated)
• Inventors: Li, Hui
• Granted Patent: US 9,148,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention includes a method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device. The method includes transmitting a first data string from the first device to the second device and receiving a second data string at the first device from the second device. The method also includes generating a third data string using an alteration key at the first device and comparing the third data string and either the first data string or the second data string. The method further includes authenticating the second device if the compared data strings match.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device comprising:

transmitting a first data string from the first device to the second device;

receiving a second data string at the first device from the second device, wherein the second data string is an altered copy of the first data string;

generating a third data string using an alteration key at the first device, wherein the third data string is an altered copy of the first data string;

comparing the third data string and the second data string; and

authenticating the second device if the third data string and the second data string match.

2. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device according to claim 1, wherein the first device includes a transceiver.

3. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device according to claim 1, wherein the second device includes a transceiver.

4. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device according to claim 1, wherein generating a third data string using an alteration key at the first device includes encrypting or decrypting the first data string using an encryption key.

5. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device according to claim 1, wherein the first data string includes a random data string or a pseudo-random data string.

6. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device according to claim 1, further comprising generating the data string at the first device.

7. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device according to claim 1, further comprising taking corrective action if the second device is not authenticated.

8. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device according to claim 7, wherein taking corrective action includes sending an alert or withholding power from the second device.

9. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing a second alteration key to the second device; and

generating the second data string at the second device by using the second alteration key to alter the first data string.

10. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device according to claim 9, wherein providing the second alteration key to the second device includes having the alteration key programmed into the second device.

11. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device comprising:

providing a first data string to the first device;

generating a second data string using an alteration key at the first device, wherein the second data string is an altered copy of the first data string;

transmitting the second data string from the first device to the second device;

receiving a third data string at the first device from the second device, wherein the third data string is an altered copy of the second data string;

comparing the first data string and the third data string; and

authenticating the second device if the first data string and the third data string match.

12. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device according to claim 11, wherein the second device includes a transceiver.

13. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device according to claim 11, wherein providing a first data string to the first device includes generating the first data string at the first device.

14. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device according to claim 11, wherein the first data string includes a random data string or a pseudo-random data string.

15. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device according to claim 11, wherein creating an altered copy includes encrypting or decrypting.

16. A first device to be connected to a second device comprising:

a transmit module for transmitting signals to the second device;

a receive module for receiving signals from the first device;

a data string generator, wherein the data string generator creates a data string;

an alteration key;

an alteration module, wherein the alteration module creates an altered data string by implementing the alteration key to alter the data string; and

a comparison module for authenticating the second device by comparing data strings.

17. A first device to be connected to a second device according to claim 16, wherein the second device is a transceiver.

18. A first device to be connected to a second device according to claim 16, wherein the alteration key is programmed into a processor, PLD, ASIC or FPGA.

19. A first device to be connected to a second device according to claim 18, wherein the processor, PLD, ASIC or FPGA is read protected.

20. A first device to be connected to a second device according to claim 16, wherein the alteration key is an encryption key.