Method and apparatus for enhancing security in a wireless network using distance measurement techniques
First Claim
1. A method for establishing a secure wireless connection between a first wireless device and a second wireless device, said method comprising:
- measuring a radio-frequency communications delay between said second wireless device and at least one other wireless device;
computing an indication of physical location of said second wireless device with respect to said at least one other wireless device;
determining whether or not said indication of physical location indicates that connection between said first wireless device and said second wireless device is desirable by comparing said indication of physical location to a predetermined security perimeter, and if said indication of physical location is outside of said predetermined security perimeter, second determining whether or not said second wireless device is a known device; and
in response to determining that said connection is desirable, initiating said secure wireless connection between said first wireless device and said second wireless device, and wherein said initiating is performed only in response to determining that said second wireless device is a known device when said indication of physical location is outside of said predetermined security perimeter.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for enhancing security in a wireless network using distance measurement techniques provides an additional layer of security and privacy in wireless communications. A distance measurement or location-finding is performed between two devices by transmitting and receiving one or more signals and computing a distance between the two devices or a location of a connecting device. The resulting computed distance or location is used to determine whether or not to permit pairing, secure connection or secure transactions between the two devices. The computed distance or location can be further used in combination with a signal strength measurement to link to locate and measure nearby devices first, reducing the time required to initialize network communications. Management software may be enhanced to facilitate connecting to desired devices by providing an indication of computed distance or location of each device, and a list may be generated in order of proximity, further facilitating connection to the desired devices. Set-up of wireless networks may automated by using a short distance to facilitate connection between nodes.
216 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for establishing a secure wireless connection between a first wireless device and a second wireless device, said method comprising:
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measuring a radio-frequency communications delay between said second wireless device and at least one other wireless device; computing an indication of physical location of said second wireless device with respect to said at least one other wireless device; determining whether or not said indication of physical location indicates that connection between said first wireless device and said second wireless device is desirable by comparing said indication of physical location to a predetermined security perimeter, and if said indication of physical location is outside of said predetermined security perimeter, second determining whether or not said second wireless device is a known device; and in response to determining that said connection is desirable, initiating said secure wireless connection between said first wireless device and said second wireless device, and wherein said initiating is performed only in response to determining that said second wireless device is a known device when said indication of physical location is outside of said predetermined security perimeter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for establishing a secure wireless connection between a first wireless device and a second wireless device, said method comprising:
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measuring a radiofrequency communications delay between said second wireless device and at least one other wireless device; computing an indication of physical location of said second wireless device with respect to said at least one other wireless device; providing a display of said indication of physical location of said second wireless device to a user; determining whether or not said indication of physical location indicates that connection between said first wireless device and said second wireless device is desirable; and in response to determining that said connection is desirable and further in response to receiving a user input confirming that connection to said second wireless device is desirable, initiating said secure wireless connection between said first wireless device and said second wireless device.
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18. A method for establishing a secure wireless connection between a first wireless device and multiple other second wireless devices, said method comprising:
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measuring a radiofrequency communications delay between said multiple other wireless devices and at least one other third wireless device; determining signal strengths of signals received from said second wireless devices; computing indications of physical location of said second wireless devices with respect to said at least one other third wireless device; determining whether or not said indication of physical location indicates that connection between said first wireless device and said second wireless devices is desirable; and in response to determining that said connection is desirable, initiating said secure wireless connection between said first wireless device and said second wireless devices, and wherein said measuring and computing are performed in order of decreasing signal strength, whereby a time of said initiating is reduced for said multiple devices.
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19. A method for establishing a secure wireless connection between a first wireless device and multiple other second wireless devices, said method comprising:
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measuring a radiofrequency communications delay between said multiple other wireless devices and at least one other third wireless device; computing indications of physical location of said second wireless devices with respect to said at least one other third wireless device; determining whether or not said indication of physical location indicates that connection between said first wireless device and said second wireless devices is desirable; and in response to determining that said connection is desirable, initiating said secure wireless connection between said first wireless device and said second wireless devices; and providing a list of said multiple second wireless devices to a user, said list including said computed indications of physical location, whereby said user may view a number of said multiple second wireless devices and their corresponding physical location indications. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A method for establishing a secure wireless connection between a first wireless device and a second wireless device, said method comprising:
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measuring a radiofrequency communications delay between said second wireless device and at least one other wireless device; computing an indication of physical location of said second wireless device with respect to said at least one other wireless device; determining whether or not said indication of physical location indicates that connection between said first wireless device and said second wireless device is desirable by comparing said indication of physical location to a predetermined security perimeter, and if said indication of physical location is outside of said predetermined security perimeter, second determining whether or not said second wireless device is of a type within a set of predetermined types; and in response to determining that said connection is desirable, initiating said secure wireless connection between said first wireless device and said second wireless, and wherein said initiating is performed only in response to determining that said second wireless device is of a type within said set.
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22. A wireless network comprising:
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a first wireless communications device; at least one other wireless communications device, including a measurement sub-system for measuring a radio-frequency delay between said at least one other wireless device and a connecting wireless device; a processing subsystem for computing an indication of a physical location of said connecting wireless device in conformity with said measured delay; and a security subsystem for determining whether or not a connection between said first wireless device and said connecting wireless device is desirable in conformity with said indication of physical location, and wherein said security subsystem further includes means for providing a display of said indication of physical location of said connecting wireless device to a user. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A wireless network comprising:
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a first wireless communications device; at least one other wireless communications device, including a measurement sub-system for measuring a radio-frequency delay between said at least one other wireless device and a connecting wireless device; a processing sub-system for computing an indication of a physical location of said connecting wireless device in conformity with said measured delay; and a security subsystem for determining whether or not a connection between said first wireless device and said connecting wireless device is desirable in conformity with said indication of physical location, wherein said first wireless device further comprises a signal strength measuring circuit coupled to said measurement subsystem for measuring a signal strength of signals received from multiple wireless devices, and wherein said measurement subsystem measures said multiple wireless devices in order of decreasing signal strength, whereby connection time is reduced for said multiple devices.
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Specification