System and method for automatic setup of a network device with secure network transmission of setup parameters using a standard remote control

• US 7,916,869 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2005
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bennett, Richard T., Xu, Shugong
• Primary Examiner(s): Korzuch; William R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vaughan; Michael R
• Application Number:
  US11/217,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20070050615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,035 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 380/262
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215

Abstract

A system and method allows a user to automatically configure a new device on a local area network (LAN) by pressing a sequence of buttons on a conventional remote control (RC) while pointing the infrared (IR) transmitter of the RC at the new device. The button-sequence includes an arbitrary button-sequence selected by the user, or a pre-established button-sequence stored in an existing network member device, such as the network controller, and displayed to the user. The button-sequence represents a cipher key for an encryption/decryption algorithm. The network member device uses the cipher key to encrypt a configuration message that includes a shared network security key and transmit it over the network. The encrypted configuration message is received by the new device and decrypted using the same cipher key. The decrypted network configuration parameters, including the shared network security key, enable the new device to automatically associate with the network and communicate in a secure manner using the shared network security key.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting an encrypted LAN configuration message within a local area network (LAN) to a device to enable the device to transmit and receive encrypted communications within the LAN, the system comprising:

a first infrared (IR) remote control having a button-pad configured to enable a user to generate an arbitrary button-sequence to thereby transmit a digital code corresponding to said arbitrary button-sequence via IR outside the LAN;

a LAN comprising;

a LAN member device comprising a first processor, first memory coupled to the processor, a shared LAN security key stored in the first memory configured to insure all transmissions within the LAN are encrypted, and a first computer program configured to encrypt, using a cipher key, a LAN configuration message transmitted within the LAN, wherein the encrypted LAN configuration message includes said shared LAN security key; and

a nonmember device associated with the LAN for unencrypted communication prior to transmission of the encrypted configuration message including said shared LAN security key by the member device, the nonmember device comprising an IR receiver configured to receive said digital code from said first IR remote control outside the LAN, a second processor configured to generate said cipher key from said digital code, second memory coupled to the second processor configured to store said cipher key, and a second computer program responsive to said cipher key configured to decrypt the encrypted LAN configuration message including said shared LAN security key transmitted within the LAN by the member device; and

a second IR remote control having a button-pad for enabling the user to generate the same button-sequence as generated at the first IR remote control to thereby transmit the same digital code via IR outside the LAN as transmitted by the first IR remote control, wherein the LAN member device includes an IR receiver configured to receive said digital code from said second IR remote control via IR outside the LAN, and wherein said first processor in the LAN member device generates the same cipher key from said digital code as generated by the nonmember device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the button pad on the first IR remote control includes a button for causing a start-setup command to be transmitted via IR outside the LAN to the nonmember device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the LAN is a powerline communications (PLC) network.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the LAN is a wireless local area network (WLAN), wherein the member device and the nonmember device each includes a wireless transceiver, wherein the encrypted network configuration message including said shared network security key is broadcast within the WLAN by the member device, and wherein said shared network security key is selected from a Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) key and a Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) key.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the cipher key is stored in the first memory of the LAN member device and wherein the first computer program includes instructions for deleting the cipher key from the first memory after the LAN configuration message has been encrypted.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the cipher key is stored in the second memory of the nonmember device and wherein the second computer program includes instructions for deleting the cipher key from the second memory after the LAN configuration message has been decrypted.

7. A method for setting up an electronic device on a local area network (LAN) that has a network member device containing network setup parameters including a shared network security key, the method comprising:

readying the electronic device, via unencrypted network transmission, for receipt of encrypted network setup parameters including a shared network security key to be used for all subsequent encrypted network transmission;

pressing an arbitrary sequence of buttons on a first infrared (IR) remote control to thereby transmit a digital code corresponding to said arbitrary sequence of buttons to the electronic device via infrared (IR) transmission outside the network;

generating in the electronic device a cipher key from the digital code;

storing the cipher key in the electronic device;

pressing the same sequence of buttons on a second infrared (IR) remote as on the first IR remote control to thereby transmit said same digital code to the network member device via infrared (IR) transmission outside the network;

generating in the network member device the same cipher key from said same digital code as generated in the electronic device;

encrypting the network setup parameters including said shared network security key in the network member device using said same cipher key as the encryption key;

transmitting within the network from the network member device the encrypted network setup parameters including said shared network security key;

receiving in the electronic device the encrypted network setup parameters, including the shared network security key, via transmission within the network;

decrypting the encrypted network setup parameters, including the shared network security key, in the electronic device using the stored cipher key; and

thereafter using the decrypted shared network security key in the electronic device for encrypted transmission within the network without use of the stored cipher key.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the LAN is a wireless local area network (WLAN).

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising, prior to transmitting said digital code to the electronic device, transmitting a start-setup command from the first IR remote control to the electronic device via infrared (IR) transmission outside the network.