Wireless Pairing of Personal Health Device with a Computing Device

• US 20140281547A1
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trividia Health, Inc. (Sinocare, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nipro Diagnostics, Inc.
• Inventors: Modzelewski, Brent E., Leone, Steven V.
• Granted Patent: US 9,762,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/171
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• 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 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• 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 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data

Abstract

Systems and methods for the wireless pairing of a personal health device (PHD) (e.g., blood glucose monitor) with a computing device (e.g., smartphone) are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the PHD communicates a private key to the computing device via a first communication medium (e.g., light signal, audio signal, pattern). The PHD receives from the computing device via a second wireless communication medium (e.g., Bluetooth® or WiFi) pairing information including the private key. The PHD can then establish a secure communication channel with the computing device by pairing the PHD to the computing device.

Claims

1. A personal health device comprising:

a processor;

a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising;

transmitting logic executed by the processor for communicating, to a computing device via a first communication medium, a private key;

receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving, from the computing device via a second wireless communication medium, pairing information comprising the private key; and

pairing logic executed by the processor for pairing the personal health device to the computing device.

2. The personal health device of claim 1, wherein the transmitting logic for communicating, to the computing device via the first communication medium, the private key further comprises transmitting logic executed by the processor for transmitting, to the computing device, an optical signal comprising the private key.

3. The personal health device of claim 1, wherein the transmitting logic for communicating, to the computing device via the first communication medium, the private key further comprises transmitting logic executed by the processor for transmitting, to the computing device, an audio signal comprising the private key.

4. The personal health device of claim 1, wherein the transmitting logic for communicating, to the computing device via the first communication medium, the private key further comprises displaying logic executed by the processor for displaying a pattern, on a display device, comprising the private key.

5. The personal health device of claim 1, wherein the transmitting logic for communicating, to the computing device via the first communication medium, the private key further comprises transmitting logic executed by the processor for transmitting, to the computing device over a wired communication link, the private key.

6. The personal health device of claim 1, wherein the pairing logic further comprises key changing logic executed by the processor for changing the private key.

7. The personal health device of claim 1, further comprising generating logic executed by the processor for generating the private key.

8. The personal health device of claim 1, further comprising a barcode for communication to the computing device via the first communication medium.

9. The personal health device of claim 1, further comprising pairing initiation logic executed by the processor for configuring the personal health device to be in a mode to initiate pairing.

10. The personal health device of claim 1, wherein the personal health device does not comprise a near field communication (NFC) chip.

11. The personal health device of claim 1, further comprising an embedded RFID tag for communicating the private key to the computing device via the first communication medium using near field communication.

12. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a personal health device to a computing device via a first communication medium, a private key;

receiving, by the personal health device from the computing device via a second wireless communication medium, pairing information comprising the private key; and

pairing, by the personal health device, the personal health device to the computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting, by the personal health device to the computing device via the first communication medium, the private key further comprises transmitting, by the personal health device to the computing device, an optical signal comprising the private key.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting, by the personal health device to the computing device via the first communication medium, the private key further comprises transmitting, by the personal health device to the computing device, an audio signal comprising the private key.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting, by the personal health device to the computing device via the first communication medium, the private key further comprises displaying, by the personal health device for capturing by the computing device, a pattern comprising the private key.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting, by the personal health device to the computing device via the first communication medium, the private key further comprises transmitting, by the personal health device to the computing device over a wired communication link, the private key.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the pairing the personal health device to the computing device further comprises changing the private key.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating, by the personal health device, the private key.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting, by the personal health device to the computing device via the first communication medium, the private key further comprises enabling capture of a barcode on the personal health device by the computing device.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising configuring the personal health device to be in a mode to initiate pairing.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting, by the personal health device to the computing device via the first communication medium, a private key further comprises transmitting an embedded RFID tag to the computing device using near field communication.

22. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device from a personal health device via a first communication medium, a private key;

transmitting, by the computing device to the personal health device via a second wireless communication medium, pairing information comprising the private key; and

establishing, by the computing device with the personal health device, a pairing between the personal health device and the computing device over the second communication medium.