Secure wireless LAN device and associated methods

• US 7,440,572 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2001
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stingray IP Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dellmo, Russell, Bergman, James, Hall, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIA, SYED
• Application Number:
  US09/760,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20020094087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,835 Days
• Field of Search: 380/270
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A secure wireless LAN device includes a housing, a wireless transceiver carried by the housing, a medium access controller (MAC) carried by the housing, and a cryptography circuit carried by the housing and connected to the MAC and the wireless transceiver. The cryptography circuit may encrypt both address and data information for transmission, and decrypt both address and data information upon reception. Accordingly, a higher level of security may be provided. The cryptography circuit may implement an algorithm and use a key to provide a predetermined security level, such as up to Type 1 security, although lower levels may also be implemented. Of course, the secure wireless LAN device may be used with other LAN devices, such as user stations and/or access points, in any of a number of different LAN configurations. The MAC may implement a predetermined wireless LAN MAC protocol. For example, the LAN MAC protocol may be based upon the IEEE 802.11 standard. The device may also include at least one connector carried by the housing for connecting the MAC to at least one of a LAN station and a LAN access point. This connector may be a PCMCIA connector, for example.

Claims

1. A secure wireless local area network (LAN) device comprising:

a housing;

a wireless transceiver carried by said housing;

a medium access controller (MAC) carried by said housing; and

a cryptography circuit carried by said housing and connected to said MAC and said wireless transceiver for encrypting both address and data information for transmission by at least adding a plurality of encrypting bits to both the address and the data information, and for decrypting both the address and the data information upon reception.

2. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 1 wherein said MAC implements a predetermined wireless LAN MAC protocol.

3. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 2 wherein said predetermined wireless LAN MAC protocol is based upon the IEEE 802.11 standard.

4. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one connector carried by said housing for connecting said MAC to at least one of a LAN station and a LAN access point.

5. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 4 wherein said at least one connector comprises a PCMCIA connector.

6. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 1 wherein said cryptography circuit implements an algorithm and uses a key to provide a predetermined security level.

7. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 1 wherein said cryptography circuit comprises a protection circuit to protect against transmission of unencrypted data.

8. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 1 wherein said cryptography circuit comprises:

a cryptography processor; and

a control and gateway circuit connecting said cryptography processor to said MAC and said wireless transceiver.

9. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 8 wherein said cryptography processor adds a plurality of encrypting bits to be transmitted over an extended time;

and wherein said control and gateway circuit controls said transmitter to operate for the extended time.

10. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 8 wherein said control and gateway circuit comprises a programmable gate array.

11. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 8 wherein said cryptography circuit further comprises a serial-to-parallel converter connected between said MAC and said cryptography processor.

12. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 1 wherein said wireless transceiver comprises:

a baseband processor;

a modem connected to said baseband processor; and

a radio frequency transmitter and receiver connected to said modem.

13. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one antenna carried by said housing and connected to said wireless transceiver.

14. A secure wireless local area network (LAN) device comprising:

a housing;

a wireless transceiver carried by said housing and comprising a baseband processor;

a medium access controller (MAC) carried by said housing for implementing a predetermined wireless LAN MAC protocol; and

a cryptography circuit carried by said housing and connected to said MAC and said baseband processor for encrypting both address and data information for transmission, and for decrypting both address and data information upon reception.

15. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 14 wherein said predetermined wireless LAN MAC protocol is based upon the IEEE 802.11 standard.

16. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 14 further comprising at least one connector carried by said housing for connecting said MAC to at least one of a LAN station and a LAN access point.

17. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 16 wherein said at least one connector comprises a PCMCIA connector.

18. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 14 wherein said cryptography circuit implements an algorithm and uses a key to provide a predetermined security level.

19. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 14 wherein said cryptography circuit comprises a protection circuit to protect against transmission of unencrypted data.

20. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 14 wherein said cryptography circuit comprises:

a cryptography processor; and

a control and gateway circuit connecting said cryptography circuit to said MAC and said wireless transceiver.

21. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 20 wherein said cryptography processor adds a plurality of encrypting bits to be transmitted over an extended time;

and wherein said control and gateway circuit controls said transmitter to operate for the extended time.

22. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 20 wherein said control and gateway circuit comprises a programmable gate array.

23. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 20 wherein said cryptography circuit further comprises a serial-to-parallel converter connected between said MAC and said cryptography processor.

24. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 14 wherein said wireless transceiver further comprises:

a modem connected to said baseband processor; and

a radio frequency transmitter and receiver connected to said modem.

25. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 14 further comprising at least one antenna carried by said housing and connected to said wireless transceiver.

26. A secure wireless local area network (LAN) device comprising:

a housing;

a wireless transceiver carried by said housing and comprising a baseband processor;

a medium access controller (MAC) carried by said housing;

a cryptography circuit carried by said housing and connected to said MAC and said baseband processor for encrypting both address and data information for transmission, and for decrypting both address and data information upon reception; and

at least one connector carried by said housing for connecting said MAC to at least one of a LAN station and a LAN access point.

27. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 26 wherein said at least one connector comprises a PCMCIA connector.

28. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 26 wherein said MAC implements a predetermined wireless LAN MAC protocol.

29. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 28 wherein said predetermined wireless LAN MAC protocol is based upon the IEEE 802.11 standard.

30. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 26 wherein said cryptography circuit implements an algorithm and uses a key to provide a predetermined security level.

31. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 26 wherein said cryptography circuit comprises a protection circuit to protect against transmission of unencrypted data.

32. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 26 wherein said cryptography circuit comprises:

a cryptography processor; and

a control and gateway circuit connecting said cryptography processor to said MAC and said wireless transceiver.

33. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 32 wherein said cryptography processor adds a plurality of encrypting bits to be transmitted over an extended time;

and wherein said control and gateway circuit controls said transmitter to operate for the extended time.

34. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 32 wherein said control and gateway circuit comprises a programmable gate array.

35. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 32 wherein said cryptography circuit further comprises a serial-to-parallel converter connected between said MAC and said cryptography processor.

36. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 26 wherein said wireless transceiver comprises:

a baseband processor;

a modem connected to said baseband processor; and

a radio frequency transmitter and receiver connected to said modem.

37. A secure wireless LAN device according to claim 26 further comprising at least one antenna carried by said housing and connected to said wireless transceiver.

38. A secure wireless local area network (LAN) system comprising:

a plurality of LAN devices;

a respective secure wireless LAN device connected to each of said plurality of LAN devices, each secure wireless LAN device comprising

a housing,

a wireless transceiver carried by said housing,

a medium access controller (MAC) carried by said housing, and

a cryptography circuit carried by said housing and connected to said MAC and said wireless transceiver for encrypting both address and data information for transmission, and for decrypting both address and data information upon reception.

39. A secure wireless LAN system according to claim 38 wherein said MAC implements a predetermined wireless LAN MAC protocol.

40. A secure wireless LAN system according to claim 39 wherein said predetermined wireless LAN MAC protocol is based upon the IEEE 802.11 standard.

41. A secure wireless LAN system according to claim 38 wherein said cryptography circuit implements an algorithm and uses a key to provide a predetermined security level.

42. A secure wireless LAN system according to claim 38 wherein said cryptography circuit comprises:

a cryptography processor; and

a control and gateway circuit connecting said cryptography processor to said MAC and said wireless transceiver.

43. A secure wireless LAN system according to claim 38 wherein said wireless transceiver comprises:

a baseband processor;

a modem connected to said baseband processor; and

a radio frequency transmitter and receiver connected to said modem.

44. A secure wireless LAN system according to claim 38 wherein said plurality of LAN devices comprises a plurality of user stations.

45. A secure wireless LAN system according to claim 38 wherein said plurality of LAN devices comprises at least one user station and at least one access point.

46. A secure wireless LAN system according to claim 38 wherein said plurality of LAN devices comprises a plurality of access points.

47. A method for providing a secure wireless local area network (LAN) comprising:

equipping a plurality of LAN devices with respective secure wireless LAN devices, each comprising a housing, a wireless transceiver carried by the housing, and a medium access controller (MAC) carried by the housing; and

providing a cryptography circuit carried by the housing and cooperating with the MAC and the wireless transceiver for encrypting both address and data information for transmission, and for decrypting both address and data information upon reception.

48. A method according to claim 47 wherein the MAC implements a predetermined wireless LAN MAC protocol.

49. A method according to claim 48 wherein the predetermined wireless LAN MAC protocol is based upon the IEEE 802.11 standard.

50. A method according to claim 47 further comprising providing at least one connector carried by the housing for connecting the MAC to at least one of a LAN station and a LAN access point.

51. A method according to claim 50 wherein the at least one connector comprises a PCMCIA connector.

52. A method according to claim 47 wherein the cryptography circuit implements an algorithm and uses a key to provide a predetermined security level.

53. A method according to claim 47 wherein the cryptography circuit comprises a protection circuit to protect against transmission of unencrypted data.

54. A method according to claim 47 wherein the cryptography circuit comprises:

a cryptography processor; and

a control and gateway circuit connecting the cryptography processor to the MAC and the wireless transceiver.

55. A method according to claim 54 wherein the cryptography processor adds a plurality of encrypting bits to be transmitted over an extended time;

and wherein the control and gateway circuit controls the transmitter to operate for the extended time.

56. A method according to claim 54 wherein the control and gateway circuit comprises a programmable gate array.

57. A method according to claim 54 wherein the cryptography circuit further comprises a serial-to-parallel converter connected between the MAC and the cryptography processor.

58. A method according to claim 47 wherein the wireless transceiver comprises:

a baseband processor;

a modem connected to the baseband processor; and

a radio frequency transmitter and receiver connected to the modem.

59. A method according to claim 47 further comprising at least one antenna carried by the housing and connected to the wireless transceiver.