SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING DATA CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20090125984A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Innovations Limited (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qimonda AG (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Maier, Martin, Bilger, Christoph, Kho, Rex, Schramm, Achim, Kohlhase, Armin, Zinzius, Yann
• Granted Patent: US 8,543,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed, including establishing of data connections between electronic devices. One embodiment provides a method for establishing a data connection between a first and a second electronic device, wherein establishing the data connection is authorized by executing at least one action with at least one physical tool.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

defining a first electronic device and a second electronic device; and

establishing a data connection between the first and the second electronic device, wherein establishing the data connection is authorized by executing at least one action with at least one physical tool.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising where establishing the data connection between the first and the second electronic device includes establishing a data connection and exchange of data between the physical tool and one or both of the two electronic devices.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising wherein the one or more physical tools hold personal data that identifies at least one user.

4. The method of claim 3, the method further comprising:

establishing a data connection between a tool and the first electronic device;

transferring a code from the tool to the first electronic device;

establishing a data connection between the tool and the second electronic device;

transferring the code from the tool to the second electronic device; and

establishing a data connection between the first and the second electronic device, wherein establishing of the data connection is authorized by the fact that both electronic devices possess the code obtained before.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising wherein the tool creates a fresh code for each attempt to connect two electronic devices.

6. The method of claim 4, comprising wherein the tool uses the same code for all attempts to connect two electronic devices.

7. The method of claim 2, comprising permanently associating one physical tool with the first of the two electronic devices.

8. The method of claim 7, the method further comprising:

establishing a data connection between a tool and the second electronic device;

transferring a code from the tool to the second electronic device; and

establishing a data connection between the first and the second electronic device, wherein establishing of the data connection is authorized by the fact that the second electronic device possesses the code obtained before.

9. The method of claim 2, the method further comprising:

establishing a data connection between a tool and the first electronic device;

transferring a code from the first electronic device to the tool;

establishing a data connection between the tool and the second electronic device;

transferring the code from the tool to the second electronic device; and

establishing a data connection between the first and the second electronic device, wherein establishing of the data connection is authorized by the fact that both electronic devices possess the code transferred before.

10. The method of claim 2, the method further comprising:

establishing a data connection between the first tool and the first electronic device;

transferring a first code from the first tool to the first electronic device;

establishing a data connection between the first tool and the second electronic device;

transferring the first code from the first tool to the second electronic device;

establishing a data connection between the second tool and the second electronic device;

transferring a second code from the second tool to the second electronic device;

establishing a data connection between the second tool and the first electronic device;

transferring the second code from the second tool to the first electronic device; and

establishing a data connection between the first and the second electronic device, wherein establishing of the data connection is authorized by the fact that both electronic devices possess the first and second code obtained before.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising wherein the first and second codes contain data that identifies the owners of the two tools and/or the two electronic devices.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising wherein the executed action is a physical action executed by a human.

13. The method of claim 2, comprising establishing the data connection between a tool and one of the electronic devices by plugging the tool into the electronic device.

14. The method of claim 2, comprising establishing the data connection between a tool and one of the electronic devices by bringing the tool into a designated region in the vicinity of the electronic device, wherein the tool is detected by the electronic device if the tool is in the vicinity of the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 2, comprising establishing the data connection between a tool and one of the electronic devices by bringing the tool into a designated region in the vicinity of the electronic device, wherein the electronic device is detected by the tool if the tool is in the vicinity of the electronic device.

16. The method of claim 2, comprising wherein the data connection between a tool and one of the electronic devices is bidirectional.

17. The method of claim 2, comprising wherein the data connection between a tool and one of the electronic devices is unidirectional.

18. The method of claim 2, comprising wherein the data connection between a tool and one of the electronic devices uses a mechanical, optical or electrical connection.

19. The method of claim 1, comprising wherein the physical tool is a biometric feature, wherein establishing of the data connection is authorized by a scan of the biometric feature.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising wherein the biometric feature is a fingerprint.

21. The method of claim 19, comprising wherein the biometric feature is an iris pattern of an eye.

22. A system comprising:

a first electronic device;

a second electronic device; and

a physical tool, wherein establishing of a data connection between the first electronic device and the second electronic device can be authorized by execution of an action with the physical tool.

23. A system comprising:

a physical tool configured to perform an action, wherein execution of the action authorizes establishing of a data connection between a first electronic device and a second electronic device.

24. An electronic device, comprising:

The electronic device configured such that a data connection can be established between the electronic device and a second electronic device, wherein establishing of the data connection has to be authorized by execution of at least one action with at least one physical tool.