METHOD OF SECURELY PAIRING DEVICES WITH AN ACCESS POINT FOR AN IP-BASED WIRELESS NETWORK

• US 20100235621A1
• Filed: 03/10/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Kemery, Michael C., Winkler, David B., Brock, Yaro P., Chugh, Jasdeep S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,484,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/153
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A wireless access point and method of using a wireless access point to allow a user to use a pre-determined security key provided with the access point or a personal security key that is provided by the user. The access point is purchased with a pre-determined security key. A user of the access point may press a pairing button on the access point to automatically pair other devices with the access point using the pre-determined security key. A label with a passphrase that corresponds to the pre-determined security key is provided with the access point, allowing the user to manually enter the passphrase into devices that cannot automatically pair with the access point. The wireless access point also has a “security on/off” button. When the user presses the security on/off button, the access point may cease use of the pre-determined security key in favor of a personal security key.

Claims

1. A wireless router that is suitable for use as an access point to an IP-based wireless telecommunications network by a remote device, the wireless router comprising:

a communication component for wirelessly communicating Internet Protocol (IP) formatted data with a remote device, the remote device being capable of transmitting and receiving communications via a wireless connection;

a security component coupled to the communication component for encrypting the IP-formatted data in accordance with a security key;

a first key storage area containing a pre-determined security key that is selected by a manufacturer of the wireless router;

a second key storage area containing a user-selected security key that is received from a user;

a first control that allows a user to select whether the pre-determined security key or the user-selected security key is used as the security key to encrypt the IP-formatted data by the security component; and

a second control that when enabled, causes the selected security key to be transmitted to the remote device so that the remote device may pair with the wireless router and communicate with the wireless router in a secure fashion.

2. The wireless router of claim 1, wherein the first and second controls are push button switches.

3. The wireless router of claim 1, wherein the security component disables the encryption before transmitting the selected security key to the remote device.

4. The wireless router of claim 3, wherein the security component re-enables the encryption after transmitting the selected security key to the remote device.

5. The wireless router of claim 1, further comprising a display that displays when the selected security key has been successfully transmitted to the remote device.

6. The wireless router of claim 1, wherein the selected security key is a WPA or WPA2 key.

7. The wireless router of claim 1, wherein the user-selected security key is received from a computer that is coupled to the wireless router.

8. The wireless router of claim 1, wherein the first key storage area and the second key storage area are within a common storage area.

9. The wireless router of claim 1, wherein upon operating the first control a first time, the pre-determined security key is disabled from use, and, upon operating the first control a second time, the user-selected security key is enabled for use.

10. The wireless router of claim 1, wherein upon operating the first control a first time, the pre-determined security key is disabled from use and the user-selected security key is enabled for use.

11. The wireless router of claim 1, further comprising a third control that enables the user to enter the user-selected security key.

12. The wireless router of claim 10, wherein the third control is a rotary dial.

13. A wireless router solution that facilitates the installation and pairing of a wireless router to create an access point to an IP-based wireless telecommunications network, the wireless router solution comprising:

a wireless router comprising;

a communication component for wirelessly communicating Internet Protocol (IP) formatted data with a remote device, the remote device being capable of transmitting and receiving communications via a wireless connection;

a security component coupled to the communication component for encrypting the IP-formatted data in accordance with a security key;

a first key storage area containing a pre-determined security key that is selected by a manufacturer of the wireless router;

a second key storage area which is suitable for storing a user-selected security key that is received from a user; and

a control that allows a user to select whether the pre-determined security key or the user-selected security key is used as the security key to encrypt the IP-formatted data by the security component; and

a label associated with the wireless router that contains a passphrase that corresponds to the pre-determined security key stored in the first key storage area, the passphrase allowing the pre-determined security key to be generated by the remote device when the passphrase is used in a key derivation function that is executed by the remote device.

14. The wireless router of claim 13, wherein the control is a pushbutton.

15. The wireless router of claim 13, wherein the label is affixed to the wireless router.

16. The wireless router of claim 15, wherein the label is removable from the wireless router.

17. The wireless router of claim 13, wherein the label is affixed to a set of instructions associated with the wireless router.

18. The wireless router of claim 13, wherein the label is affixed to packaging associated with the wireless router.

19. The wireless router of claim 13, wherein the label comprises a first portion containing the passphrase and a removable second portion that covers the first portion and prevents access to the passphrase until the second portion is removed.

20. The wireless router of claim 13, wherein the pre-determined security key is a WPA or WPA2 key.

21. A method in a wireless router of switching between a pre-determined security key and a user-specified security key for use in encrypting communications between the wireless router and remote devices, the method comprising:

retrieving a pre-determined security key that is stored in a first storage area;

using the retrieved pre-determined security key to encrypt Internet Protocol (IP) formatted data for communication with one or more remote devices via a wireless communication link;

receiving a user-selected security string from a user;

using the received user-selected security string to generate and store a user-selected security key in a second storage area;

detecting the operation of a hardware control on the wireless router by a user to disable use of the pre-determined security key; and

upon detecting the operation of the hardware control by the user, using the user-selected security key to encrypt IP-formatted data for communication with one or more remote devices via the wireless communication link.

22. The method of claim 21, where the pre-determined security key is selected by a manufacturer of the wireless router.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein using the received user-selected security string to generate a user-selected security key comprises using the received user-selected security string in a key derivation function to generate the user-selected security key.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first and second storage areas are within a common storage area.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the user-selected security string is a passphrase.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the hardware control is a push button switch.

27. The wireless router of claim 26, wherein detecting the operation of a hardware control comprises detecting two operations of the push button switch.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising sending a command to a display to cause the display to indicate whether the pre-determined security key is being used by the wireless router or whether the user-selected security key is being used by the wireless router.

29. The wireless router of claim 21, wherein the pre-selected security key and the user-selected security key are WPA or WPA2 keys.

30. The wireless router of claim 21, wherein the user-selected security string is received from a user computer that is coupled to the wireless router.