Method of, and system for, transferring secure data

• US 6,369,693 B1
• Filed: 08/07/1995
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Gibson, Rodney W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US08/512,239
• Time in Patent Office: 2,437 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.34, 340/825.31, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 348/723, 348/725, 348/729, 348/734, 348/5.5, 380/24, 235/379, 235/380, 359/142, 359/145, 359/148, 455/151.1, 455/151.2, 455/151.4
• US Class Current: 340/5.8
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/61 Password, biometric
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0025 in a remote control unit remote control tuning in general H03J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/205 with control bus for exchanging commands between units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

A method of transferring secure data in a remote control system including a remote controller (12) and an apparatus (10) which is operable in response to commands relayed by way of the remote controller. The apparatus has a receiver (38) for receiving transmissions from the remote controller (12), the information from the transmissions being stored in a storage device (42). The remote controller has a transmitter (26), a memory (22) for storing secure data and commands and a keypad (24). The transmitter (26) is controlled so that in response to a user wishing to transfer secure data to the user apparatus (10), it transmits this data at a power level lower than that which is normally used for sending other commands. The link between the remote controller (12) and the user apparatus (10) may be wireless or infra-red.

Claims

1. A method of transferring secure data between a remote controller and a user apparatus in a secure manner, the remote controller having means for storing the secure data, transmitting means, and means for controlling the output power of the transmitting means to have at least a low output power level and a high output power level, the user apparatus having receiving means and means to store secure data received by said receiving means, wherein the remote controller transmits operational commands for effecting operation of the user apparatus across an air interface using a communications link while said controlling means controls said transmitting means to transmit at said high output power level, characterized in that said method comprises the steps:

storing said secure data in said storing means in said remote controller;

placing the remote controller in a position closer to the user apparatus than a position used when said remote controller is transmitting said operational commands; and

transmitting said secure data across said air interface using said communications link from said remote controller to said user apparatus using said transmitting means at said low output power level, wherein a personal identification number (PIN) is stored in the remote controller, characterized in that the method further comprises the steps;

a user entering the PIN into the remote controller;

comparing the entered PIN with the PIN stored in the remote controller; and

enabling the transmitting means only if the entered PIN corresponds to the stored PIN.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the user apparatus comprises transmitting means and the remote controller comprises receiving means allowing data communication to the remote controller by the communication link.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, for use in a system having at least two pieces of user apparatus, characterized in that the remote controller receives data from one piece of apparatus and transfers said data to at least another piece of the at least two pieces of user apparatus.

4. A remote control system comprising a remote controller and a user apparatus;

the remote controller including means for storing secure data, means for storing operational commands for effecting operation of the user apparatus, transmitting means, means for controlling the output power of the transmitting means to have at least a low output power level and at least a high output power level, and a keypad, and the user apparatus having means for storing secure data, wherein the controlling means, in response to appropriate actuation of the keypad, causes the transmitting means to transmit the secure data only at the low output power level and to transmit the commands only at the high output power level,

characterized in that the remote controller has means for storing a PIN number and the user apparatus has means for storing the PIN number when received as part of the transaction for transferring the secure data.

11. A system as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the user apparatus comprises transmitting means and the remote controller comprises receiving means, allowing data communication to the remote controller by the user apparatus.

5. A remote control system comprising a remote controller and a user apparatus;

the remote controller including means for storing secure data, means for storing operational commands for effecting operation of the user apparatus, transmitting means, means for controlling the output power of the transmitting means to have at least a low output power level and at least a high output power level, and a keypad; and

the user apparatus having means for storing secure data, wherein the controlling means, in response to appropriate actuation of the keypad, causes the transmitting means to transmit the secure data only at the low output power level and to transmit the commands only at the high output power level,

characterized in that the user apparatus comprises transmitting means and the remote controller comprises receiving means, allowing data communication to the remote controller by the user apparatus.

6. A method of transferring secure data between a remote controller and a user apparatus in a secure manner, the remote controller having means for storing the secure data, transmitting means, and means for controlling the output power of the transmitting means to have at least a low output power level and a high output power level, the user apparatus having receiving means and means to store secure data received by said receiving means, wherein the remote controller transmits operational commands for effecting operation of the user apparatus across an air interface using a communications link while said controlling means controls said transmitting means to transmit at said high output power level, characterized in that said method comprises the steps:

storing said secure data in said storing means in said remote controller;

placing the remote controller in a position closer to the user apparatus than a position used when said remote controller is transmitting said operational commands; and

transmitting said secure data across said air interface using said communications link from said remote controller to said user apparatus using said transmitting means at said low output power level,

wherein said method further comprises the steps;

generating a pseudo-random code in the remote controller;

encoding the secure data using the pseudo-random code;

transmitting the encoded secure data from the remote controller to the user apparatus;

generating the same pseudo-random code in the user apparatus;

decoding the received encoded secure data using said pseudo-random code generated in the user apparatus; and

changing the pseudo-random code in both the remote controller and the user apparatus after each transmission in accordance with a predetermined algorithm, and wherein a personal identification number (PIN) is stored in the remote controller, characterized in that the method further comprises the steps;

a user entering the PIN into the remote controller;

comparing the entered PIN with the PIN stored in the remote controller; and

enabling the transmitting means only if the entered PIN corresponds to the stored PIN.

7. A method of transferring secure data between a remote controller and a user apparatus in a secure manner, the remote controller having means for storing the secure data, transmitting means, and means for controlling the output power of the transmitting means to have at least a low output power level and a high output power level, the user apparatus having receiving means and means to store secure data received by said receiving means, wherein the remote controller transmits operational commands for effecting operation of the user apparatus across an air interface using a communications link while said controlling means controls said transmitting means to transmit at said high output power level, characterized in that said method comprises the steps:

storing said secure data in said storing means in said remote controller;

placing the remote controller in a position closer to the user apparatus than a position used when said remote controller is transmitting said operational commands; and

transmitting said secure data across said air interface using said communications link from said remote controller to said user apparatus using said transmitting means at said low output power level,

wherein said communications link is radio signals, and wherein a personal identification number (PIN) is stored in the remote controller,

characterized in that the method further comprises the steps;

a user entering the PIN into the remote controller;

comparing the entered PIN with the PIN stored in the remote controller; and

enabling the transmitting means only if the entered PIN corresponds to the stored PIN.

8. A method of transferring secure data between a remote controller and a user apparatus in a secure manner, the remote controller having means for storing the secure data, transmitting means, and means for controlling the output power of the transmitting means to have at least a low output power level and a high output power level, the user apparatus having receiving means and means to store secure data received by said receiving means, wherein the remote controller transmits operational commands for effecting operation of the user apparatus across an air interface using a communications link while said controlling means controls said transmitting means to transmit at said high output power level, characterized in that said method comprises the steps:

storing said secure data in said storing means in said remote controller;

placing the remote controller in a position closer to the user apparatus than a position used when said remote controller is transmitting said operational commands; and

transmitting said secure data across said air interface using said communications link from said remote controller to said user apparatus using said transmitting means at said low output power level,

wherein said method further comprises the steps;

generating a pseudo-random code in the remote controller;

encoding the secure data using the pseudo-random code;

transmitting the encoded secure data from the remote controller to the user apparatus;

generating the same pseudo-random code in the user apparatus;

decoding the received encoded secure data using said pseudo-random code generated in the user apparatus; and

changing the pseudo-random code in both the remote controller and the user apparatus after each transmission in accordance with a predetermined algorithm,

wherein said communication link is radio signals, and wherein a personal identification number (PIN) is stored in the remote controller,

characterized in that the method further comprises the steps;

a user entering the PIN into the remote controller;

comparing the entered PIN with the PIN stored in the remote controller; and

enabling the transmitting means only if the entered PIN corresponds to the stored PIN.

9. A remote control system comprising a remote controller and a user apparatus;

the remote controller including means for storing secure data, means for storing operational commands for effecting operation of the user apparatus, transmitting means, means for controlling the output power of the transmitting means to have at least a low output power level and at least a high output power level, and a keypad; and

the user apparatus having means for storing secure data, wherein the controlling means, in response to appropriate actuation of the keypad, causes the transmitting means to transmit the secure data only at the low output power level and to transmit the commands only at the high output power level, characterized in that the transmitting and receiving means are radio transmitting and receiving means, and the remote controller has means for storing a PIN number, and the user apparatus has means for storing the PIN number when received as part of the transaction for transferring the secure data.

12. A system as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the user apparatus comprises transmitting means and the remote controller comprises receiving means, allowing data communication to the remote controller by the user apparatus.

10. A remote control system comprising a remote controller and a user apparatus;

the remote controller including means for storing secure data, means for storing operational commands for effecting operation of the user apparatus, transmitting means, means for controlling the output power of the transmitting means to have at least a low output power level and at least a high output power level, and a keypad; and

the user apparatus having means for storing secure data, wherein the controlling means, in response to appropriate actuation of the keypad, causes the transmitting means to transmit the secure data only at the low output power level and to transmit the commands only at the high output power level, characterized in that the transmitting and receiving means are radio transmitting and receiving means, and the user apparatus comprises transmitting means and the remote controller comprises receiving means, allowing data communication to the remote controller by the user apparatus.

13. A method of transferring secure data between a remote controller and a user apparatus in a secure manner, the remote controller having means for storing the secure data, transmitting means, and means for controlling the output power of the transmitting means to have at least a low output power level and a high output power level, the user apparatus having receiving means and means to store secure data received by said receiving means, wherein the remote controller transmits operational commands for effecting operation of the user apparatus across an air interface using a communications link while said controlling means controls said transmitting means to transmit at said high output power level, wherein said method comprises the steps:

storing said secure data in said storing means in said remote controller;

placing the remote controller in a position closer to the user apparatus than a position used when said remote controller is transmitting said operational commands; and

transmitting said secure data across said air interface using said communications link from said remote controller to said user apparatus using said transmitting means at said low output power level,

characterized in that said method further comprises the steps;

generating a pseudo-random code in the remote controller;

encoding the secure data using the pseudo-random code;

transmitting the encoded secure data from the remote controller to the user apparatus;

generating the same pseudo-random code in the user apparatus;

decoding the received encoded secure data using said pseudo-random code generated in the user apparatus; and

changing the pseudo-random code in both the remote controller and the user apparatus after each transmission in accordance with a predetermined algorithm.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the communication link is radio signals.