Home gateway for executing a function of a security protocol and a method thereof

• US 7,440,465 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2002
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Sang-do
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang; Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hashem; Lisa
• Application Number:
  US10/320,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20030128695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,135 Days
• Field of Search: 370/467, 370/401, 370/352, 380/282, 380/285, 379/100.08, 379/88.25, 709/225, 709/229, 709/237, 726/11, 726/12, 726/15, 713/150
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A communication connecting apparatus that is able to execute a function of a security protocol for home devices that lack the ability to process a security protocol. The communication connecting apparatus, according to the present invention, comprises a protocol detector for detecting a key exchange protocol in a packet received from an external device, a list storage unit for storing a list of devices for executing a certification procedure, and an agent unit for executing a certification procedure by transmitting a certification signal to the external device when a device corresponding to the key exchange unit exists in a device list. By this method, security can be assured not only outside but also inside of the home network in transceiving data between a device connected to the home network and the remote client.

Claims

1. A communication connecting apparatus which is connected between a dummy device not having a security protocol function and a device having the security protocol function in a home network, the apparatus comprising:

a protocol detector for detecting a key exchange protocol in a packet received from an external device of the home network;

a list storage unit for storing a list of dummy devices, for executing a certification procedure; and

an agent unit for determining that an internal device is an internal dummy device when the internal device corresponding to the key exchange protocol exists in the list, and executing the certification procedure by sending a certification signal to the external device.

2. The communication connecting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a key storage unit for storing a session key for forming a communication path between the internal dummy device and the external device, wherein the agent unit connects the internal dummy device and the external device by retrieving the session key corresponding to the key exchange protocol and transmitting the session key to the internal dummy device.

3. The communication connecting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the key storage unit further stores a private key provided to the internal device, the agent unit retrieves the private key corresponding to the key exchange protocol and sends the private key to the external device, and the external device identifies the internal device by the received private key.

4. The communication connecting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the key storage unit further stores a public key provided to the internal device, the agent unit transmits the public key to the external device when the internal device corresponding to the key exchange protocol does not exist in the list, and the external device identifies the internal device by the received public key.

9. The communication connecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said internal devices are end nodes, said end nodes not being servers, home gateways, and forwarding agents.

10. The communication connecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said internal devices are client devices.

5. A communication connecting method of a communication connecting apparatus which is connected between a dummy device not having a security protocol function and a device having the security protocol function in a home network, the communication connecting apparatus comprising a protocol detector, a list storage unit, and an agent unit, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting, by the protocol detector, a key exchange protocol in a packet received from an external device of the home network;

searching a list of internal dummy devices for executing a certification procedure based on the key exchange protocol detected by the protocol detector, and

determining, by the protocol detector, that an internal device is an internal dummy device when the internal dummy device corresponding to they key exchange protocol exists in a list storage unit, and executing, by the agent unit, the certification procedure by sending a certification signal to the external device.

6. The communication connecting method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

generating one or more session keys for forming a communication path between the internal dummy device and the external device by the protocol detector; and

selecting, by the agent unit, one of said one or more session keys corresponding to the key exchange protocol, and transmitting said one of said one or more session keys to the internal dummy device,

wherein the internal dummy device is connected to the external device through a communication path according to the session key received.

7. The communication connecting method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

generating, by the protocol detector, one or more unique private keys; and

selecting, by the agent unit, one of said one or more unique private keys corresponding to the key exchange protocol and transmitting said one of said one or more unique private keys to the external device,

wherein the external device identifies the internal device by the received said one of said one or more private keys.

8. The communication connecting method of claim 5, wherein the communication connecting apparatus further comprises a key storage unit, and said method further comprising the steps of:

storing one or more public keys by the key storage unit; and

determining, by the protocol detector, that an internal device is an internal dummy device when the internal dummy device corresponding to the key exchange protocol does not exist in a list, and transmitting, by the agent unit, one of said one or more public keys to the external device,

wherein the external device identifies the internal device by said one of said one or more public keys received.

11. The communication connecting method according to claim 5, wherein said internal devices are end nodes, said end nodes not being servers, home gateways, and forwarding agents.

12. The communication connecting method according to claim 5, wherein said internal devices are client devices.