System and method for upgrading the functionality of a controlling device via a secure portable adapter device

• US 20090327727A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Black, Jeremy, Meijer, Gerben, Hayes, Patrick H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,181,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3273 for mutual authentication network architectures or network communication protocols for achieving mutual authentication in a packet data network H04L63/0869

Abstract

Secure access to a database of upgrade data is provided by storing an encryption key value in an adapter device used to interconnect a first device to be upgraded 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 adapter only once the adapter is positively authenticated by the second device through use of the encryption key value stored in the adapter device.

Claims

1. A method for using an adaptor device having an interface used to individually establish a communication coupling with both a first device and a second device and to provide secure access to a database of upgrade data, comprising:

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

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

allowing upgrade data from the database of upgrade data to be downloaded to the adaptor device via the second device only after the adaptor device is positively authenticated through use of the pre-established value stored on the adaptor device; and

placing the interface of the adaptor device into communication with the first device to thereby transfer at least a portion of downloaded upgrade data from the adaptor device to the first device.

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

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 adaptor device upgrade data appropriate for use by the adaptor device.

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

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

7. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising storing on the adaptor device 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 the interface of the adaptor device provides a wireless connection between the adaptor device and the first and second devices.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the interface of the adaptor device provides a wired connection between the adaptor device and the first and second devices.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the interface of the adaptor device comprises a USB interface.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using data stored on the adaptor device to register the adaptor device with a registration database.

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

placing the interface of the adaptor device into communication with the first device;

downloading from the first device to the adaptor device via the interface a further pre-established value stored on the first device;

placing the interface of the adaptor device into communication with the second device;

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

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

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

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the further pre-established value stored on the first device comprises an encryption key value.

17. The method as recited in claim 14, comprising using the further pre-established value stored on the first device to encrypt the upgrade data appropriate for the first device.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, comprising using data stored on the first device received at the second device via use of the adaptor device to register the first device in a registration database.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, comprising using the registration database to select upgrade data from the upgrade database for downloading to the first device via use of the adaptor device.

20. 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.

21. 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 adaptor device having an interface used to individually establish a communication coupling with both a first device and a memory in which is stored a pre-established value used to provide secure access to the database of upgrade data;

wherein the second device attempts to positively authenticate the adaptor device using the pre-established value stored on the adaptor device and allows access to the database of upgrade data via the adaptor device only after the adaptor device is positively authenticated through use of the pre-established value stored on the adaptor device and wherein the database of upgrade data comprises upgrade data appropriate for use by at least one of the adaptor device and the first device.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the second device replicates the pre-established value to thereby positively authenticate the adaptor device.

23. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein the pre-established value comprises an encryption key value.

24. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the second device functions to download into the adaptor device upgrade data appropriate for use by the adaptor device.

25. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the second device encrypts the adaptor device upgrade data using an encryption key value stored on the adaptor device.

26. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein the adaptor device upgrade data comprises a new encryption key value.

27. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the memory of the adaptor device has stored therein data used by the second device to limit access to the upgrade data stored in the database of upgrade data.

28. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the limit comprises a time dependent limit.

29. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the limit comprises an absolute limit.

30. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the interface of the adaptor device establishes a wireless connection with the first and second devices.

31. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the interface of the adaptor device establishes a wired connection with the first and second devices.

32. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the interface of the adaptor device comprises a USB interface.

33. The system as recited in claim 21, comprising a registration database associated with the second device in which is stored data read from the adaptor device.

34. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the first device has stored therein a further pre-established value, the adaptor device is used to provide the pre-established value from the first device to the second device, and 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 use by the first device to be downloaded to the adaptor device only after the first device is positively authenticated through use of the pre-established value stored on the first device.

35. The system as recited in claim 34, wherein the first device comprises a controlling device and the upgrade data appropriate for use by the first device comprises command data.

36. The system as recited in claim 34, wherein the pre-established value stored on the first device comprises an encryption key value.

37. The system as recited in claim 36, wherein the second device uses the encryption key value stored on the first device to encrypt the upgrade data appropriate for use by the first device.

38. The system as recited in claim 34, comprising a registration database associated with the second device in which is stored data received from the first device via use of the adaptor device.

39. The system as recited in claim 38, wherein the second device uses the registration database to select upgrade data from the upgrade database for downloading to the first device via use of the adaptor device.

40. The system as recited in claim 34, wherein the second device comprises a gateway device in communication with a server device by which the database of upgrade data is accessible.

41. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the memory of the adaptor device has stored therein data used by the adaptor device to limit downloads of upgrade data from the adaptor device to the first device.

42. The system as recited in claim 41, wherein the limit comprises a time dependent limit.

43. The system as recited in claim 41, wherein the limit comprises an absolute limit.