SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTHENTICATION BASED ON ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTIC INFORMATION

• US 20180060560A1
• Filed: 08/23/2016
• Published: 03/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Waltermann, Rod D., Kingsbury, Timothy Winthrop, Dubs, Justin Tyler, Whitesock, Christopher Aaron, Pennisi, Joseph Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,467,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083

Abstract

In one aspect, a first device includes a processor and storage accessible to the processor. The storage bears instructions executable by the processor to analyze an electrical characteristic associated with an apparatus and perform one or more actions pertaining to authentication of the apparatus based on the analysis of the electrical characteristic

Claims

1. A first device, comprising:

a processor; and

storage accessible to the processor and bearing instructions executable by the processor to;

analyze an electrical characteristic associated with an apparatus; and

perform one or more actions pertaining to authentication of the apparatus based on the analysis of the electrical characteristic.

2. The first device of claim 1, wherein the electrical characteristic is unique to the apparatus.

3. The first device of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is the first device, and wherein the electrical characteristic is analyzed based on the first device executing predetermined software code.

4. The first device of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is the first device, and wherein the electrical characteristic is analyzed based on the first device executing predetermined software code in conjunction with a predetermined electrical component on the first device.

5. The first device of claim 4, wherein the predetermined electrical component is selected from the group consisting of:

a predetermined processor, a predetermined storage area, a predetermined random access memory (RAM), a predetermined network transceiver.

6. The first device of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is the first device, wherein the first device comprises at least one of an ammeter and a voltmeter, and wherein the electrical characteristic is analyzed based on input from the at least one of ammeter and voltmeter.

7. The first device of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is the first device, and wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

use the electrical characteristic as part of authentication information for the first device and transmit the authentication information to a second device.

8. The first device of claim 7, wherein the electrical characteristic is used as a salt for generating the authentication information.

9. The first device of claim 7, wherein the electrical characteristic is used to generate a key associated with the authentication information.

10. The first device of claim 1, wherein electrical characteristic pertains to at least one of a micro-pattern and a nano-pattern generated by the apparatus.

11. The first device of claim 10, wherein the at least one of the micro-pattern and the nano-pattern comprises a frequency characteristic.

12. A method, comprising:

analyzing an electrical characteristic associated with a device; and

performing one or more actions pertaining to authentication of the device based on the analyzing of the electrical characteristic.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the device is an out-of-band cable, and wherein the method comprises analyzing the electrical characteristic along the out-of-band cable.

14. The method of claim 12, comprising:

analyzing the electrical characteristic associated with the device at least in part by analyzing an electrical pattern with which predetermined packets are received from the device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more actions pertaining to authentication of the device comprise authenticating the device based on the electrical pattern with which the predetermined packets are received from the device.

16. The method of claim 12, comprising:

executing predetermined code at the device and analyzing the electrical characteristic at a predetermined point in an electrical path.

17. The method of claim 12, comprising:

executing predetermined code at the device and analyzing the electrical characteristic along an electrical path.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more actions pertaining to authentication of the device comprise generating a key based on an electrical pattern sensed along the electrical path.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more actions pertaining to authentication of the device comprise encrypting data with the key and transmitting the encrypted data to the device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more actions pertaining to authentication of the device comprise generating a salt based on an electrical pattern sensed along the electrical path.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more actions pertaining to authentication of the device comprise altering data with the salt, hashing the altered data, and transmitting a hash of the altered data to the device.

22. A computer readable storage medium (CRSM) that is not a transitory signal, the computer readable storage medium comprising instructions executable by a processor of a first device to:

identify electrical characteristic information pertaining to a second device; and

use the electrical characteristic information to authenticate the second device.

23. The CRSM of claim 22, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

identify a first micro-pattern pertaining to data received by the second device; and

use the first micro-pattern to authenticate the second device based on the first micro-pattern matching an expected micro-pattern at least within a tolerance.