METHODS FOR CREATING SECRET KEYS USING RADIO AND DEVICE MOTION AND DEVICES THEREOF

• US 20130236007A1
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Digital LOBE LLC
• Original Assignee: Digital LOBE LLC
• Inventors: Munro, James F., Hammond, Peter M.
• Application Number:
  US13/782,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20130236007A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/44
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0872 using geo-location information, e.g. location data, time, relative position or proximity to other entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation

Abstract

A method and system for generating one or more keys includes obtaining at two or more devices data based on movement of at least one of the devices with the respect to the other device. An RF signal sent from each of the one or more of the devices to the other devices is used to generate data that changes in accordance with the movement of the one or more devices. At least one key is generated based on the obtained data at each of the devices for use in securing communications between the devices. The key at each of the devices is substantially the same.

Claims

1. A method for independently generating one or more keys at two or more devices, the method comprising:

transmitting a signal from the two or more devices;

receiving at each device a signal transmitted from the other one or more different devices;

processing the received signal at each device to obtain data based on movement of at least one of the devices with the respect to the other device;

and generating one or more keys based on the obtained data at each of the devices for use in securing communications between the devices, wherein the one or more keys at each of the devices is substantially the same.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the obtaining the data further comprises obtaining the data in response to movement of at least one of the devices with the respect to the other device during one or more passes between the devices.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the obtaining the data further comprises obtaining the data during two or more passes between the devices.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the obtained data comprises one of phase and phase-velocity measurements.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frequency of the transmitted signal is unknown.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the frequency of the transmitted signal is unknown but less than a maximum frequency.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the transmitted signals from the two or more devices are interleaved in time.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising providing a frequency generating system in each of the one or more devices.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the transmitted signals from the two or more devices are substantially the same, wherein any frequency differences are caused by tolerances of the one or more of the frequency generating systems.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the transmitted signal of one device is of a substantially different frequency than the frequency of the transmission of the other devices.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the obtained data comprises phase measurements

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein further determining if the range of phase measurements are greater than a threshold, wherein the generating the key generates when the range of phase measurements are greater than the threshold.

13. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the phase determining is made with a Discrete Fourier Transform.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the Discrete Fourier Transform is a Fast Fourier Transform.

15. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the phase determining is made with a curve-fitting algorithm.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the curve-fitting algorithm is a non-linear regression algorithm.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the non-linear regression algorithm is a Gauss-Newton algorithm.

18. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the phase determining is made with a centroid determining algorithm.

19. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the phase determining is made with a zero-crossing determining algorithm.

20. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising determining if the obtained data is less than a data threshold for the generating the one or more keys, wherein the obtaining the data obtains additional data if the obtained data is less than the data threshold.

21. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising averaging one or more portions of the obtained data, wherein the generating the one or more keys is based on the averaged portions of the obtained data.

22. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising filtering the obtained data before the generating the one or more keys.

23. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising providing a local oscillator.

24. The method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the processing the received signal further comprises heterodyning the received signal with a signal from the local oscillator.

25. The method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the received signals and the local oscillator signal are substantially the same, wherein any frequency differences between the signals are caused by one or more of the tolerances of the one or more of the frequency generating systems and the tolerance of the frequency of the local oscillator.

26. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the generating the one or more keys further comprises:

converting the obtained data into a plurality of binary numbers; and

selecting at least one bit from at least a portion of the binary numbers to generate the one or more keys.

27. The method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the selecting further comprises:

determining a first set of least significant bits in the binary numbers with noise below a noise threshold;

determining a second set of most significant bits in the binary numbers which are not measurably random; and

determining a third set of one or more bits in each of the binary numbers which are measurably random based on the determination of the first set of least significant bits in the binary numbers with noise below a noise threshold and the second set of most significant bits in the binary numbers which are not measurably random, wherein the selecting at least one bit is selected from the determined third set.

28. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising identifying a presence of one of the devices with respect to another one of the devices, wherein the obtaining the data further comprises obtaining the data when the identifying signals the presence of one of the devices with respect to another one of the devices.

29. The method as set forth in claim 28 further comprising determining if there is adequate signal strength for the obtaining the data, wherein the obtaining the data further comprises obtaining the data when the signal strength is determined to be adequate.

30. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising synchronizing the devices before the obtaining the data.

31. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising one or more antennae at one or more of the one or more devices.

32. The method as set forth in claim 31 further comprising two or more antennae at one or more of the one or more devices.

33. The method as set forth in claim 32 wherein any two of the two or more antenna at one or more of the one or more devices are separated by a distance greater than the wavelength of the transmitted signal.

34. The method as set forth in claim 31 wherein the antenna are in motion during the key generation.

35. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the movement of the one or more devices is performed mechanically.

36. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the movement of the one or more devices is performed electro-mechanically.

37. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processing is executed in software.

38. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processing is executed in digital hardware.

39. The method as set forth in claim 38 wherein the digital hardware is one or more of an FPGA, CPLD, or ASIC.

61. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising providing a local oscillator.

62. The system as set forth in claim 61 further comprises a multiplier that heterodynes the received signal with a signal from the local oscillator.

63. The system as set forth in claim 61 wherein the received signals and the local oscillator signal are substantially the same, wherein any frequency differences between the signals are caused by one or more of the tolerances of the one or more of the frequency generating systems and the tolerance of the frequency of the local oscillator.

40. A system for independently generating one or more keys at two or more devices, the system comprises:

a transmitting for transmitting a signal from the two or more devices;

a receiver at each device for receiving a signal transmitted from the other one or more different devices;

a data acquisition system at each of two or more devices, each of the data acquisition systems obtains data from the receiver based on movement of at least one of the devices with the respect to the other device; and

a key generation system that generates one or more keys based on the obtained data from each of the data acquisition systems for use in securing communications between the devices, wherein the one or more keys at each of the devices are substantially the same.

41. The system as set forth in claim 40 wherein each of the data acquisition systems obtains the data in response to movement of at least one of the devices with the respect to the other device during one or more passes between the devices.

42. The system as set forth in claim 40 wherein each of the data acquisition systems obtains the data during two or more passes between the devices.

43. The system as set forth in claim 40 wherein the obtained data comprises one of phase velocity and phase acceleration measurements.

44. The system as set forth in claim 40 wherein the frequency of the transmitted signal is unknown.

45. The system as set forth in claim 44 wherein the frequency of the transmitted signal is unknown but less than a maximum frequency.

46. The system as set forth in claim 40 wherein the transmitted signals from the two or more devices are interleaved in time.

47. The system as set forth in claim 40 further comprising a frequency generating system in each of the one or more devices.

48. The system as set forth in claim 47 wherein the transmitted signals from the two or more devices are substantially the same, wherein any frequency differences are caused by tolerances of the one or more of the frequency generating systems.

49. The system as set forth in claim 40 wherein the transmitted signal of one device is of a substantially different frequency than the frequency of the transmission of the other devices.

50. The system as set forth in claim 40 wherein the obtained data comprises phase measurements.

51. The system as set forth in claim 50 wherein the phase determining is made with a Discrete Fourier Transform.

52. The system as set forth in claim 51 wherein the Discrete Fourier Transform is a Fast Fourier Transform.

53. The system as set forth in claim 50 wherein the phase determining is made with a curve-fitting algorithm.

54. The system as set forth in claim 53 wherein the curve-fitting algorithm is a non-linear regression algorithm.

55. The system as set forth in claim 54 wherein the non-linear regression algorithm is a Gauss-Newton algorithm.

56. The method as set forth in claim 50 wherein the phase determining is made with a centroid determining algorithm.

57. The method as set forth in claim 50 wherein the phase determining is made with a zero-crossing determining algorithm.

58. The system as set forth in claim 40 wherein each of the data acquisition systems determine if the obtained data is less than a data threshold for generating the one or more keys, wherein each of the data acquisition systems obtains additional data if the obtained data is less than the data threshold.

59. The system as set forth in claim 40 further comprising an averaging system that averages one or more portions of the obtained data, wherein the key generation system generates the one or more keys based on the averaged portions of the obtained data.

60. The system as set forth in claim 40 further comprising a filtering system that filters the obtained data before the key generation system generates the one or more keys.

64. The system as set forth in claim 40 wherein the key generation system further comprises:

a binary conversion system that converts the obtained data into a plurality of binary numbers; and

a selection system that selects at least one bit from at least a portion of the binary numbers to generate the one or more keys.

65. The system as set forth in claim 64 wherein the selection system further comprises:

a first determination system that determines a first set of least significant bits in the binary numbers with noise below a noise threshold;

a second determination system that determines a second set of most significant bits in the binary numbers which are not measurably random; and

a third determination system that determines a third set of one or more bits in each of the binary numbers which are measurably random based on the determination of the first set of least significant bits in the binary numbers with noise below a noise threshold and the second set of most significant bits in the binary numbers which are not measurably random, wherein the selection system selects at least one bit is selected from the determined third set.

66. The system as set forth in claim 40 further comprising an identification system that identifies a presence of one of the devices with respect to another one of the devices, wherein each of the data acquisition systems obtains the data when the identification system identifies the presence of one of the devices with respect to another one of the devices.

67. The system as set forth in claim 40 further comprising a signal determination system that determines if there is adequate signal strength for the obtaining the data, wherein each of the data acquisition systems obtains the data when the signal strength is determined to be adequate.

68. The system as set forth in claim 40 further comprising one or more antennae at one or more of the one or more devices.

69. The system as set forth in claim 68 further comprising two or more antennae at one or more of the one or more devices.

70. The system as set forth in claim 69 wherein any two of the two or more antenna at one or more of the one or more devices are separated by a distance greater than the wavelength of the transmitted signal.

71. The system as set forth in claim 69 wherein the antenna are in motion during the key generation.

72. The system as set forth in claim 40 further comprising a mechanical system for causing the motion of the one or more devices.

73. The system as set forth in claim 40 further comprising an electro-mechanical system for causing the motion of the one or more devices.

74. The system as set forth in claim 40 further comprising digital hardware wherein the processing is executed with the digital hardware.

75. The system as set forth in claim 74 wherein the digital hardware is one or more of an FPGA, CPLD, or ASIC.

76. The system as set forth in claim 40 further comprising a synchronization system that synchronizing the systems before each of the data acquisition systems obtains the data.

77. The system as set forth in claim 40 further comprising a conversion system that converts the obtained data into one or more converted parameters, wherein the key generation system generates the one or more keys based on the one or more converted parameters.