Method and apparatus for secured communication between bluetooth® devices

• US 7,860,456 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2007
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Sang-Don
• Primary Examiner(s): Yun; Eugene
• Application Number:
  US11/704,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20070202806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/461, 455/551, 370/465
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• 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 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Provided is a method and apparatus for secured communication between Bluetooth devices. A temporary Bluetooth Device Address (BD_ADDR) is generated and set if a Bluetooth communication request is generated in a secured mode and Bluetooth communication is performed using the temporary BD_ADDR; when the Bluetooth communication is terminated, the temporary BD_ADDR is released and eliminated and a default BD_ADDR is set. Thus, it is possible to prevent another Bluetooth device from performing the Bluetooth communication without a bonding process, thereby enabling secured communication.

Claims

1. A method for secured communication between Bluetooth devices, the method comprising:

generating and setting a first temporary Bluetooth Device Address (BD_ADDR), if a detection request for adjacent Bluetooth devices is requested from a user in a secured mode;

broadcasting an inquiry message including the first temporary BD_ADDR;

performing Bluetooth communication with a Bluetooth device selected by the user from among Bluetooth devices corresponding to a received inquiry response message using the first temporary BD_ADDR; and

releasing and eliminating the first temporary BD_ADDR and setting a default BD_ADDR, when the Bluetooth communication is terminated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting an inquiry scan mode in the secured mode;

upon receiving an inquiry message from a Bluetooth device, generating and setting a second temporary BD_ADDR and sending an inquiry response message including the second temporary BD_ADDR;

upon receiving a page request from the Bluetooth device, performing a Bluetooth communication using the second temporary BD_ADDR; and

releasing and eliminating the second temporary BD_ADDR and setting the default BD ADDR when the Bluetooth communication is terminated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, if a plurality of Bluetooth devices perform Bluetooth communications with the Bluetooth device using the first temporary BD_ADDR, the first temporary BD_ADDR is released and eliminated and the default BD_ADDR is set after all the Bluetooth communications with the plurality of Bluetooth devices are terminated.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein, if a plurality of Bluetooth devices perform Bluetooth communications with the Bluetooth device using the second temporary BD_ADDR, the second temporary BD_ADDR is released and eliminated and the default BD_ADDR is set after all the Bluetooth communications with the plurality of Bluetooth devices are terminated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the default BD_ADDR is a unique address assigned to the Bluetooth device.

6. An apparatus for secured communication between Bluetooth devices, the apparatus comprising:

a Bluetooth module for performing a Bluetooth communication using a set Bluetooth Device Address (BD_ADDR); and

a controller for generating and setting a temporary BD_ADDR if a Bluetooth communication request is generated in a secured mode, and releasing and eliminating the temporary BD_ADDR and setting a default BD_ADDR when the Bluetooth communication is terminated,

wherein the controller generates and sets a first temporary BD_ADDR, if a detection request for adjacent Bluetooth devices is requested from a user in the secured mode, and releases and eliminates the first temporary BD_ADDR and sets the default BD_ADDR, when the Bluetooth communication is terminated, and

wherein the Bluetooth module broadcasts an inquiry message including the first temporary BD_ADDR and performs the Bluetooth communication with a Bluetooth device selected by the user from among Bluetooth devices corresponding to a received inquiry response message using the first temporary BD_ADDR.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller generates and sets a second temporary BD_ADDR, if a detection request for adjacent Bluetooth devices is requested from the user in the secured mode, and releases and eliminates the second temporary BD_ADDR and sets the default BD_ADDR, when the Bluetooth communication is terminated, and

wherein the Bluetooth module broadcasts an inquiry message including the second temporary BD_ADDR and performs the Bluetooth communication with a Bluetooth device selected by the user from among Bluetooth devices corresponding to a received inquiry response message using the second temporary BD_ADDR.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein if a plurality of Bluetooth devices perform Bluetooth communications with the Bluetooth device using the first temporary BD_ADDR, the controller releases and eliminates the first temporary BD_ADDR and sets the default BD_ADDR after all the Bluetooth communications with the plurality of Bluetooth devices are terminated.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein if a plurality of Bluetooth devices perform Bluetooth communications with the Bluetooth device using the second temporary BD_ADDR, the controller releases and eliminates the second temporary BD_ADDR and sets the default BD_ADDR after all the Bluetooth communications with the plurality of Bluetooth devices are terminated.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the default BD_ADDR is a unique address assigned to the Bluetooth device.