SECURE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN DEVICES

• US 20130185559A1
• Filed: 01/18/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Inventors: MOREL, Shawn, MONICA, Diogo, MONTI, Eric, WEN, Sam, McCAULEY, Nathan
• Granted Patent: US 8,880,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/353 Payments by cards read by M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/081 applying self-generating credentials, e.g. instead of receiving credentials from an authority or from another peer, the credentials are generated at the entity itself cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords H04L9/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• 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 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method of establishing secure communication between a first mobile computing device and a second mobile computing device includes generating a first self-signed key at the first mobile computing device, pairing the first device with a second device, the pairing including receiving user input of a passcode and after receiving the user input sending the first public key to the second mobile computing device and receiving a second public key from the second mobile computing device, storing the second public key in a database of trusted devices, the database of trusted devices being stored in the first mobile computing device, receiving in the first mobile computing device a list of mobile computing devices connected to a mobile network, matching the list of mobile computing device against the database of trusted devices, and establishing secure communication between the first mobile computing device and the second mobile computing device.

Claims

1. A method of establishing secure communication between a first mobile computing device and a second mobile computing device, comprising:

generating a first self-signed key at the first mobile computing device, the first self-signed key including a first public key and a first private key;

pairing the first device with a second device, the pairing including receiving user input of a passcode and after receiving the user input sending the first public key to the second mobile computing device and receiving a second public key from the second mobile computing device;

storing the second public key in a database of trusted devices, the database of trusted devices being stored in the first mobile computing device;

receiving in the first mobile computing device a list of mobile computing devices connected to a mobile network;

matching the list of mobile computing device against the database of trusted devices; and

establishing secure communication between the first mobile computing device and the second mobile computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of mobile computing devices includes a list of services associated with the devices, and matching includes selecting a complementary service from the list of services.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile network comprises a Wi-Fi hot spot.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the mobile network comprises a Wi-Fi hot spot.

4. A computer program product to perform a method of providing personalized content, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer readable media, comprising instructions for causing a processor to:

generate a first self-signed key at the first mobile computing device, the first self-signed key including a first public key and a first private key;

pair the first device with a second device, the pairing including receiving user input of a passcode and after receiving the user input send the first public key to the second mobile computing device and receive a second public key from the second mobile computing device;

store the second public key in a database of trusted devices, the database of trusted devices being stored in the first mobile computing device;

receive in the first mobile computing device a list of mobile computing devices connected to a mobile network;

match the list of mobile computing device against the database of trusted devices; and

establish secure communication between the first mobile computing device and the second mobile computing device.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the list of mobile computing devices includes a list of services associated with the devices, and matching includes selecting a complementary service from the list of services.

7. A method of establishing secure communication between a first mobile computing device and a second mobile computing device, comprising:

connecting the first mobile computing device to a Wi-Fi hot spot;

receiving in the first mobile computing device a list of mobile computing devices connected to the Wi-Fi hot spot;

receiving in the first mobile computing device user input selecting the second mobile computing device;

sending a request via the Wi-Fi hot spot to the second mobile computing device requesting pairing;

receiving user input in the first mobile device entering a pairing code;

sending the pairing code to the second mobile device via the Wi-Fi hot spot;

receiving indication from the second mobile computing device that the first mobile computing device and the second mobile communication device are paired; and

establishing secure communication between the first mobile computing device and the second mobile computing device.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising sending a name for the first mobile computing device from the first mobile computing device to the Wi-Fi hot spot.

9. The method of claim 7, comprising generating a first key for the first mobile computing device prior to establishing secure communication, and establishing secure communication includes sending the first key to the second mobile computing device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein establishing secure communication includes receiving a second key from the second mobile computing device.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the first mobile device, second mobile device and Wi-Fi hot spot are in a vehicle.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the first mobile device, second mobile device and Wi-Fi hot spot are in a restaurant.

13. A method of establishing secure communication between a first mobile computing device and a second mobile computing device, comprising:

connecting the second mobile computing device to a Wi-Fi hot spot;

receiving in the second mobile computing device a list of mobile computing devices connected to the Wi-Fi hot spot;

receiving in the first mobile computing device user input selecting the second mobile computing device;

receiving a request via the Wi-Fi hot spot from the first mobile computing device requesting pairing;

displaying a pairing code on a display of the second mobile computing device;

receiving the pairing code from the first mobile device via the Wi-Fi hot spot; and

sending an indication to the first mobile computing device that the first mobile device and the second mobile communication device are paired.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising sending a name for the second mobile computing device from the first mobile computing device to the Wi-Fi hot spot.

15. The method of claim 13, comprising generating a second key for second first mobile computing device prior to establishing secure communication, and establishing secure communication includes sending the second key to the first mobile computing device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein establishing secure communication includes receiving a first key from the first mobile computing device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the first mobile device, second mobile device and Wi-Fi hot spot are in a vehicle.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the first mobile device, second mobile device and Wi-Fi hot spot are in a restaurant.

19. A method of establishing secure communication between a first mobile computing device and a second mobile computing device, comprising:

connecting the first mobile computing device to a Wi-Fi hot spot;

receiving in the first mobile computing device a list of mobile computing devices connected to the Wi-Fi hot spot;

identifying in the list at least one device having complementary capabilities to the first mobile computing device, the at least one device including the second mobile computing device;

exchanging identity codes with the second mobile computing device via the Wi-Fi hot spot;

determining whether a received identity code from the second mobile computing device matches a stored identity code;

sending an indication to the second mobile computing device that the received identity code matches a stored identity code for the second mobile computing device;

receiving an indication from the second mobile computing device that a sent identity code matches a stored identity code for the first mobile computing device; and

establishing secure communication between the first mobile computing device and the second mobile computing device.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising sending a name for the first mobile computing device from the first mobile computing device to the Wi-Fi hot spot.

21. The method of claim 19, comprising generating a first key for the first mobile computing device prior to establishing secure communication, and establishing secure communication includes sending the first key to the second mobile computing device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein establishing secure communication includes receiving a second key from the second mobile computing device.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein generating the first key is performed before exchanging identity codes.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the identity code comprises a TLS certificate.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the first mobile device, second mobile device and Wi-Fi hot spot are in a vehicle.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the first mobile device, second mobile device and Wi-Fi hot spot are in a restaurant.

27. The method of claim 19, sending first capability data for the first mobile device to the Wi-Fi hot spot, receiving second capability data of the second mobile device from the Wi-Fi hot spot, and comparing the first capability data to the second capability data to determine compatibility.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first capability data and the second capability data comprise software version numbers.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein exchanging the identity codes is performed after comparing the first capability data to the second capability data.