METHODS FOR AUTHENTICATION USING NEAR-FIELD

• US 20110238995A1
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: BLANCO, ALEJANDRO G., BOERGER, MARK, PRESTON, JOHN B., HANNA, GEORGE S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,850,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/173
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

Authentication methods are used to authenticate, a device1 having an ESN1 (electronic serial number), a device2 having an ESN2, and/or a user of the devices. In one implementation, device1 receives the ESN2 in a near-field signal; derives an authentication result as a function of the ESN1 and ESN2; and sends the authentication result to an authenticator device to use in completing authentication. Authentication is confirmed when the device1 authentication result matches an authentication result independently generated by the authenticator device, which is provisioned with the ESN1 and ESN2. In a second implementation, device1 generates a RAND1 (random number) and sends the RAND1 to device2 over a near-filed link. An authenticator device confirms authentication upon receiving the same RAND1 from both device1 and device2.

Claims

1. A method of authentication using a near-field signal, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first device of a user having a first electronic serial number, a second electronic serial number from a second device of the user, wherein the second electronic serial number is received in a near-field signal;

deriving, by the first device, an authentication result as a function of at least one of the first or second electronic serial numbers; and

sending the authentication result to an authenticator device to use in authenticating at least one of the first device, the second device, or the user of the first and second devices.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a random number, wherein the authentication result is further a function of the random number; and

sending the random number to the authenticator device to use along with the authentication result in authenticating the at least one of the first device, the second device, or the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein deriving the authentication result comprises:

generating an authentication key by applying a function to at least a portion of the first and second electronic serial numbers and a secret key stored in the first device and the authenticator device; and

deriving the authentication result using the authentication key.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication result is sent in response to an authentication demand sent to the first device from the authenticator device, wherein the authentication demand is one of:

responsive to a registration request sent to the authenticator device from the first device;

or unsolicited by the first device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second electronic serial numbers are provisioned in the authenticator device to enable the authenticator device to generate and send to the first device an authentication response that indicates a status of authenticating that at least one of the first device, the second device or the user, wherein the authentication response indicates a successful authentication when the authentication result matches a second authentication result independently generated by the authenticator device applying the same function to the provisioned first and second electronic serial numbers as was applied by the first device, otherwise, the authentication response indicates a failed authentication.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticating is for at least one of access to a network or access to a service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the near-field signal comprises a substantially magnetic non-propagating radio signal.

8. A method of authentication using a near-field link, the method comprising:

a first device of a user performing;

generating a random number;

sending the random number to a second device of the user over a near-field link; and

sending the random number to an authenticator device, wherein at least one of the first device, the second device, or the user of the first and second devices is authenticated upon the authenticator device receiving the same random number from both the first and second devices.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

the second device performing;

receiving the random number over the near-field link from the first device; and

sending the random number to the authenticator device to complete authentication of the at least one of the first device, the second device, or the user.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the authentication is for at least one of access to a network or access to a service.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the near-field link is used for communicating a substantially magnetic non-propagating radio signal used to carry the random number.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the random number is sent in response to an authentication demand sent to the first device from the authenticator device, wherein the authentication demand is one of:

responsive to a registration request sent to the authenticator device from the first device;

or unsolicited by the first device.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving an indication of failed authentication upon the authenticator device receiving the random number from the first device and a different random number from another device coupled to the first device.

14. A method of authentication using near-field, the method comprising:

a first device of a user having a first electronic serial number, performing;

receiving an authentication demand from an authenticator device;

receiving, from a second device of the user, a second electronic serial number that is communicated using near-field apparatus in the first and second devices;

deriving an authentication result as a function of at least one of the first or second electronic serial numbers;

sending the authentication result to the authenticator device, wherein the first and second electronic serial numbers are provisioned in the authenticator device to enable generation of an authentication response based on the authentication result; and

receiving the authentication response from the authenticator device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second electronic serial number is communicated in a substantially magnetic non-propagating radio signal generated by the near-field apparatus.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

the first device performing;

storing an electronic serial number, for a device other than the first device, which was last received using the near field apparatus of the first device;

receiving a subsequent authentication demand from the authenticator device;

deriving a subsequent authentication result as a function of the first electronic serial number and the stored electronic serial number;

sending the subsequent authentication result to the authenticator device; and

receiving a subsequent authentication response from the authenticator device,

wherein the subsequent authentication response indicates a successful authentication when the stored electronic serial number is the second electronic serial number,

wherein the subsequent authentication response indicates a failed authentication when the stored electronic serial number is other than the second electronic serial number.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

storing the second electronic serial number upon receiving it from the second device;

receiving, from a third device, a third electronic serial number that is communicated using near-field apparatus in the first and third devices; and

replacing the second electronic serial number with the third electronic serial number, which is used to derive the subsequent authentication result that indicates failed authentication.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the authentication response comprises:

receiving a positive authentication response when the authentication result matches a second authentication result independently generated by the authenticator device applying the same function to the provisioned first and second electronic serial numbers as was applied by the first device, otherwise receiving a negative authentication response.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the authentication demand is one of:

responsive to a registration request sent to the authenticator device from the first device or initiated by the authenticator device.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the authentication response indicates at least one of:

authentication of at least one of the first device or the second device for access to a network;

or

authentication of the user for access to a service.