BLUETOOTH DEVICE AS SECURITY ACCESS KEY

• US 20140237229A1
• Filed: 04/28/2014
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: ROSENBLATT, Michael
• Application Number:
  US14/263,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20140237229A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/159
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

This application is directed to a system for remotely directing a host device to perform an operation using a key. The key may include a communications circuitry for transmitting data, for example a key identifier or an instruction to perform an operation, within a personal area network created by the communications circuitry. When a host device is within the personal area network, the key may transmit data received by a transceiver on the host device. In response to receiving the data, the host device may perform an operation (e.g., an authentication operation). In some embodiments, the key may transmit data identifying an operation for the host device to perform. In some embodiments, the host device may store in memory key identification information and an associated operation which may be retrieved when the key is brought in proximity of the host device.

Claims

1. A method for directing a host device to execute at least one instruction received from an electronic key having limited available processing resources and a limited memory, the method comprising:

at the electronic key;

initiating a communication channel with the host device;

establishing an identity of the host device;

in response to establishing the identity of the host device;

retrieving the at least one instruction from the memory, wherein the at least one instruction corresponds to the identity of the host device; and

sending the at least one instruction to the host device to be executed by the host device upon receipt of the at least one instruction by the host device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication channel is implemented by way of a personal area network that is established between the electronic key and the host device using a short range communications protocol.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the short range communications protocol is one of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Nordic, high frequency transmission, short-range radio circuitry and infrared.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the limited memory stores, for each host device of a plurality of host devices:

identification information for the host device, and

at least one instruction associated with the host device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of host devices includes the host device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting the at least one instruction prior to sending the at least one instruction to the host device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one instruction is identified in response to a determination that host device is known to the electronic key, and the determination involves comparing identification information provided by the host device with identification information associated with known host devices stored in the limited memory of the electronic key.

8. A method for directing a host device to perform an operation, the method comprising:

at the host device;

in response to a determination that the host device is within a personal area network created by an electronic key;

communicating host identification information to the electronic key;

receiving authentication information from the electronic key;

authenticating the electronic key based on the authentication information;

in response to a determination that the electronic key is authenticated;

identifying one or more operations to perform on the host device, wherein said identifying comprises receiving an instruction from the electronic key that identifies the one or more operations, the instruction is based on the host identification information, and the instruction is retrieved from a memory of the electronic key; and

performing the identified one or more operations on the host device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

in response to a determination that the host device is no longer within the personal area network;

ceasing to perform the identified one or more operations.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the authentication information includes key identification information that identifies the electronic key, and authenticating the electronic key is performed in response to a determination that the key identification information is known to the host device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the memory of the electronic key stores:

host identification information associated with a plurality of host devices that includes the host device, and

at least one instruction for each host device of the plurality of host devices.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the authentication information is previously associated with the host device identification information and stored in the memory of the electronic key.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the identified one or more operations comprises logging in a user associated with the electronic key.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the identified one or more operations comprises loading a user profile provided by the electronic key.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the identified one or more operations comprises transferring a user file from the electronic key to the host device.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the identified one or more operations comprises causing the host device or a component of the host device to move from a first position or state to a second position or state.

17. A system for directing a host device to perform an operation, the system comprising:

an electronic key comprising communications circuitry configured to;

broadcast information associated with the electronic key to notify a host device of a personal area network established within a proximity of the electronic key; and

the host device, wherein the hose device comprises a processor configured to;

communicate host identification information to the electronic key,

receive authentication information from the electronic key,

authenticate the electronic key based on the authentication information, and

in response to a determination that the electronic key is authenticated;

identify one or more operations to perform on the host device,

receive an instruction from the electronic key identifying the one or more operations, wherein the instruction is retrieved from a memory of the electronic key, and the instruction is based on the host identification information, and

perform the identified one or more operations on the host device.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a plurality of electronic keys that each create a personal area network in which the host device is present, wherein the plurality of electronic keys includes the electronic key, and the host device selects the electronic key in response to determining that the electronic key is broadcasting with a highest signal strength in comparison to the other electronic keys included in the plurality of electronic keys.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a plurality of electronic keys that each create a personal area network in which the host device is present, wherein the plurality of electronic keys includes the electronic key, and the host device selects the electronic key in response to determining that the host device has previously communicated with the electronic key.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the memory of the electronic key stores, for each host device of a plurality of host devices that includes the host device:

identification information associated with the host device, and

at least one instruction associated with the host device.