Authenticating method for short-distance radio devices and a short-distance radio device

• US 7,353,391 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Masahiko, Ikeda, Hidekazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Moise; Emmanuel L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PYZOCHA, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US09/920,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20020016153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,434 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/169, 455/410, 455/411, 726/3, 380/270
• US Class Current: 713/169
• 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 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices

Abstract

The invention provides a method for making mutual authentication between short-distance radio devices automatically or after confirmation by users, and a short-distance radio device for realizing the method. In a condition where a plurality of radio devices exist, each of the radio devices comprising a data communicating unit for performing short-distance radio communication and an authenticating unit for performing authentication of the radio device, the authenticating unit performs mutual authentication between two radio devices automatically or after confirmation by users of the radio devices when the two radio devices come closer to each other to such an extent that coverage areas of radio waves generated by the radio devices overlap with each other.

Claims

1. An authenticating method for portable radio devices, comprising data communicating means for performing radio communication over a first coverage area and authenticating means for performing authentication of said portable radio devices over a second coverage area, comprising the steps of:

switching coverage area of two or more of said portable radio devices, prior to initiating authentication between the portable radio devices, from the first coverage area to the second coverage area, the second coverage area being smaller than the first coverage area;

bringing, prior to initiating authentication between the portable radio devices, the two or more portable radio devices having the second coverage area to within a proximity of one another so that the coverage areas of the two or more portable radio devices overlap;

initiating mutual authentication by establishing communication between the two or more portable radio devices based only on the bringing of the two or more portable radio devices to within the proximity; and

performing mutual authentication between the two or more portable radio devices by said authenticating means automatically when the coverage area of the two or more portable radio devices overlap.

2. The authenticating method for the portable radio devices according to claim 1, wherein the step of performing the authentication by said authenticating means is performed in a state where a transmission output of said portable radio devices is reduced to shorten a communication distance of said portable radio devices.

3. The authenticating method for the portable radio devices according to claim 2, wherein the transmission output is reduced upon turning-on an authentication button provided on said particular one of said portable radio devices.

4. The authenticating method for the portable radio devices according to claim 1, wherein the step of performing the authentication by said authenticating means is performed in a state where reception sensitivity of said portable radio devices is reduced to shorten a communication distance of said portable radio devices.

5. The authenticating method for the portable radio devices according to claim 4, wherein the reception sensitivity is reduced upon turning-on an authentication button provided on said particular one of said portable radio devices.

6. An authenticating method for portable radio devices, comprising data communicating means for performing radio communication over a first coverage area and authenticating means for performing authentication of said portable radio devices over a second coverage area, comprising the steps of:

switching coverage area of a portable radio device, prior to initiating authentication between the portable radio devices, from the first coverage area to the second coverage area, the second coverage area being smaller than the first coverage area;

bringing, prior to initiating authentication between the portable radio devices, the two or more portable radio devices having the second coverage area to within a proximity of one another so that the coverage areas of the two or more portable radio devices overlap; and

performing mutual authentication between two or more portable radio devices by said authenticating means automatically when the coverage area of the two or more portable radio devices overlap,

wherein a transmission output of only a particular one of said portable radio devices is reduced to shorten a communication distance of said portable radio devices.

7. An authenticating method for portable radio devices, comprising data communicating means for performing radio communication over a first coverage area and authentication means for performing authentication of said portable radio devices over a second coverage area, comprising the steps of:

switching coverage area of a portable radio device, prior to initiating authentication between the portable radio devices, from the first coverage area to the second coverage area, the second coverage area being smaller than the first coverage area;

bringing, prior to initiating authentication between the portable radio devices, the two or more portable radio devices having the second coverage area to within a proximity of one another so that the coverage areas of the two or more portable radio devices overlap; and

performing mutual authentication between the two or more portable radio devices by said authenticating means automatically when the coverage area of the two or more portable radio devices overlap,

wherein a reception sensitivity of only a particular one of said portable radio devices is reduced to shorten a communication distance of said portable radio devices.

8. A portable radio device comprising:

data communicating means for performing radio communication over a first coverage areas;

authenticating means for performing authentication over a second coverage area of said portable radio device; and

switching means for switching the coverage area of said portable radio device, prior to initiating authentication between the portable radio devices, from said first coverage area to said second coverage area, said second coverage area being smaller than said first coverage area;

wherein said authenticating means of said portable radio device initiates mutual authentication between two or more portable radio devices based only on the bringing of the two or more portable radio devices to within a proximity such that the coverage areas of the two or more portable radio devices overlap; and

wherein said authenticating means of said portable radio device performs mutual authentication between the two or more portable radio devices automatically when the two or more portable radio devices are brought in proximity to one another so that the second coverage areas overlap.

9. The portable radio device according to claim 8, wherein said authenticating means performs the authentication in a state where a transmission output of said plurality of portable radio devices is reduced to shorten a communication distance of said portable radio devices.

10. The portable radio device according to claim 9, wherein the transmission output is reduced upon turning-on an authentication button provided on said particular one of said portable radio devices.

11. The portable radio device according to claim 8, wherein said authenticating means performs the authentication in a state where reception sensitivity of said portable radio devices is reduced to shorten a communication distance of said portable radio devices.

12. The portable radio device according to claim 11, wherein the reception sensitivity is reduced upon turning-on an authentication button provided on said particular one of said portable radio devices.

13. A portable radio device comprising:

data communicating means for performing radio communication over a first coverage area;

authenticating means for performing authentication over a second coverage area of said portable radio device; and

switching means for switching the coverage area of said portable radio device, prior to initiating authentication between the portable radio devices, from said first coverage area to said second coverage area, said second coverage area being smaller than said first coverage area;

wherein said authenticating means of said portable radio device performs, in a condition where a plurality of portable radio devices exist, mutual authentication between two or more portable radio devices automatically when the two or more portable radio devices are brought in proximity to one another so that the second coverage areas overlap, and

wherein a transmission output of only a particular one of said portable radio devices is reduced to shorten communication distance of said portable radio devices.

14. A portable radio device comprising:

data communicating means for performing radio communication over a first coverage area;

authenticating means for performing authentication over a second coverage area of said portable radio device; and

switching means for switching the coverage area of said portable radio device, prior to initiating authentication between the portable radio devices, from said first coverage area to said second coverage area, said second coverage area being smaller than said first coverage area;

wherein said authenticating means performs, in a condition where a plurality of portable radio devices exist, mutual authentication between two or more portable radio devices automatically when the two or more portable radio devices are brought in proximity to one another so that the second coverage areas overlap, and

wherein a reception sensitivity of only a particular one of said portable radio devices is reduced to shorten communication distance of said portable radio devices.

15. An authenticating method for mobile radio devices, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of mobile radio devices, each of said plurality of mobile radio devices comprising data communicating means for performing radio communication and authenticating means for performing authentication of said mobile radio devices;

reducing, prior to initiating authentication, the coverage areas of the mobile radio devices;

initiating mutual authentication by establishing communication between two or more radio devices based only on the bringing of the two or more radio devices to within a proximity such that the coverage areas of radio waves generated by the two or more mobile radio devices overlap; and

performing mutual authentication between two or more mobile radio devices by said authenticating means automatically when the two or more mobile radio devices come sufficiently closer to each other that coverage areas of radio waves generated by the two or more mobile radio devices overlap.