Method and system for generating a secure wireless link between a handset and base station

• US 6,754,483 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2002
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Beamish, Norman, Chan, Virginia M., Xie, Xiaohua
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Application Number:
  US10/235,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20030017820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435, 455/462-465, 455/419, 455/11.1, 455/41.2, 455/517, 455/422.1, 455/550.1, 455/551, 455/555, 455/556.1, 455/566, 455/575.1, 455/95, 455/90-- 9, 455/410-411, 455/418, 380/270, 379/56.1, 379/261, 379/56.3, 379/58-63
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/68 Circuit arrangements for preventing eavesdropping
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72502 with one base station connected to a single line
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/727 Identification code transfer arrangements

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for establishing secure wireless links between a handset and a base station in cordless telephone systems are described. A method of generating a secure wireless link between a handset and a base station includes initiating a linking procedure, generating a security code, displaying the security code at the base station, entering the security code into the handset and then establishing a radio frequency link between the handset and the base station utilizing the security code. A cordless telephone system capable of generating a secure wireless link includes both a handset and a base station. The handset includes a control circuit, a transmitter and a receiver coupled to the control circuit along with a keypad also coupled to the control circuit. The base station includes a control circuit, a code generation circuit coupled to the control circuit, a display coupled to the control circuit for displaying a code generated by the code generation circuit, and a transmitter and receiver coupled to the control circuit.

Claims

1. A method of initializing a cordless telephone system comprising a base station unit and a handset unit to provide for a secure wireless link between the handset unit and the base station unit, the method comprising:

electronically generating a security code in one of the base station unit and the handset unit, said security code enabling the handset unit to securely communicate with the base station unit;

displaying the security code at the unit that generated the security code;

entering the security code into the unit other than the unit that generated the security code; and

establishing an rf link between the two units utilizing the security code.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said generating step is initiated upon applying power to the system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said generating step is initiated upon activating an initialization button on the handset unit.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said generating step is initiated upon activating an initialization button on the base station unit.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting additional security information over the established rf link utilizing the security code.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of generating the security code further comprises generating a pseudo random number.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of generating the security code comprises selecting an entry from a table.

8. A cordless telephone system capable of generating a secure wireless link, the system comprising:

a base station, including a control circuit, a code generation circuit coupled to the control circuit, a display coupled to the control circuit for displaying a code generated by the code generation circuit, and a transmitter and receiver coupled to the control circuit; and

a handset having a control circuit, a transmitter and receiver coupled to the control circuit, and a key pad coupled to the control circuit and configured to enter the code generated by the code generation circuit into the handset, said code enabling the handset to securely communicate with the base station.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said code generation circuit includes a pseudo random number generator.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said code generation circuit includes a table of security codes.

11. A wireless communication system including at least two transceiver units, the system comprising:

a first transceiver unit having a control circuit, a security code generation circuit, a security code display coupled to the control circuit for displaying a security code generated by the code generation circuit, and a transmitter and receiver coupled to the control circuit; and

a second transceiver unit having a control circuit, a transmitter and receiver coupled to the control circuit and a security code entry apparatus, said apparatus receiving the security code generated by the code generation circuit for secure communications between the first and second transceivers.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said code generation circuit includes a pseudo random number generator.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said code generation circuit includes a lookup table of security codes.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said control circuit of said first transceiver unit comprises a microprocessor and a computer readable media storing computer executable instructions for generating a security code.