Network and domain-creating method thereof

• US 8,056,117 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2006
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Bae-eun, Huh, Mi-suk, Sung, Maeng-hee
• Primary Examiner(s): Arani; Taghi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahman; Mohammad L.
• Application Number:
  US11/350,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20070177737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,097 Days
• Field of Search: 713/188, 713153-154, 713155-159, 713168-174, 713182-186, 709/229, 709/249, 709/389, 709/226, 726 22- 25, 726 26- 33, 726/2, 726/18, 380 28- 30, 380255-283, 380/233, 345/169
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/062 applying encryption of the keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution using key encryption key H04L9/0822
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities

Abstract

A network capable of communicating with foreign networks and having a plurality of devices capable of mutually communicating with one another and a domain setup method thereof. The network includes at least one main remote controller for, out of the devices, setting up authorization to use the respective devices belonging to at least one main domain having at least one of the devices; and at least one subsidiary remote controller for receiving authentication for authorization to use the respective device belonging to a domain having the respective devices authorized to at least one user by the respective main remote controllers. Thus, the present network enables each user to efficiently administer whether to use the home devices as well as enables the home devices authorized to each user to be set up in one domain in order to keep security and privacy from foreign domains.

Claims

1. A network system capable of communicating with foreign networks and having a plurality of devices capable of mutually communicating with one another, comprising:

at least one main remote controller which sets up authorization to use respective devices belonging to at least one main domain having at least one of the respective devices; and

at least one subsidiary remote controller which receives authentication for authorization to use at least one of the respective devices belonging to said at least one main domain having the respective devices authorized to at least one user by respective main remote controllers,

wherein at least one of the at least one main remote controller and the subsidiary remote controller both sets up authorization to use the respective devices belonging to said at least one domain and receives the authentication for authorization to use said at least one of the respective devices belonging to said at least one domain and is one of the plurality of devices capable of mutually communicating with one another,

wherein a domain key is created to be commonly used for communications with the respective devices in the domain, and

wherein the domain key is sent to the respective devices and shared with the respective devices.

2. The network system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the respective main and subsidiary remote controllers mutually share information on a unique public key for identifying the respective main and subsidiary remote controllers.

3. The network system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the respective main remote controllers send to the respective subsidiary remote controllers information on authorization for individual users to use the respective devices.

4. The network system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the respective main remote controllers send to said at least one of the respective devices information containing a public key of said at least one of the respective subsidiary remote controllers authorized to use said at least one of the respective devices.

5. The network system as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one of the respective subsidiary remote controllers comprises an authentication-requesting unit which sends respective authorized devices the information containing another public key of said at least one of the respective subsidiary remote controllers and requests for authentication for the authorization.

6. The network system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the authentication-requesting unit sends the respective authorized devices said another public key of the at least one respective subsidiary remote controllers.

7. The network system as claimed in claim 6, wherein, if the authentication-requesting unit requests for the authentication, the respective authorized devices compare the public key of the at least one respective subsidiary remote controllers sent from the respective main remote controllers to another public key sent from the at least one of the respective subsidiary remote controllers, and decides whether to authenticate the at least one of the respective subsidiary remote controllers.

8. The network system as claimed in claim 7, wherein, if authenticated, the respective authorized devices create a secret key to share with the at least one respective subsidiary remote controllers, and sends the secret key to the at least one respective subsidiary remote controllers.

9. The network system as claimed in claim 8, wherein, if the secret key is completely shared with the respective authorized devices, the at least one respective subsidiary remote controllers create a domain key for communications with the respective authorized devices in the domain, encrypt the domain key by using the secret key of the respective authorized devices, and send the encrypted domain key to the respective authorized devices.

10. The network system as claimed in claim 9, wherein, if the secret key from the at least one respective subsidiary remote controllers is created in the respective authorized devices, the respective authorized devices perform a command from the at least one of the respective subsidiary remote controllers, using the domain key, upon communications with the at least one of the subsidiary remote controllers.

11. A user domain setup method for a network capable of communicating with foreign networks and having a plurality of devices capable of mutually communicating with one another, comprising:

setting up at least one main domain having at least one of the plurality of devices;

setting up authorization for at least one user to use at least one of the plurality of devices belonging to the main domain;

authenticating authorization for the authorized user to use the respective authorized devices;

setting up in one domain the respective devices authorized and authenticated to the user;

creating a domain key to be commonly used upon communications with the respective devices in the domain; and

sending the domain key to the respective devices and sharing the domain key with the respective devices,

wherein at least one of a main remote controller and a subsidiary remote controller both sets up authorization to use the respective devices belonging to said at least one domain and receives the authentication for authorization to use said at least one of the respective devices belonging to said at least one domain, and is one of the plurality of devices capable of mutually communicating with one another.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising mutually sharing with respective main controllers information on a unique public key for identifying respective subsidiary remote controllers, wherein at least one main remote controller sets up the authorization to use the respective devices in the main domain and at least one of subsidiary remote controllers controls operations of the respective devices in the domain.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising , by the respective main remote controllers, sending the respective subsidiary remote controllers information on the authorization for individual users to use the respective devices.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising, by the respective main remote controllers, sending the respective devices information containing a public key of the respective subsidiary remote controllers authorized to use the respective devices.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the operation of authenticating the authorization for use comprises sending the respective authorized devices the public key of the respective subsidiary remote controllers and requesting the authentication for the authorization for use.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the operation of authenticating the authorization for use further comprises allowing the authentication to at least one of the respective subsidiary remote controllers, if the public key of the at least one respective subsidiary remote controllers sent from the main remote controller is consistent with another public key sent from the at least one respective subsidiary remote controllers in the respective devices.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the operation of allowing the authentication further comprises:

creating a secret key for sharing with the at least one of the respective subsidiary remote controllers; and

sending the created secret key to the at least one of the respective subsidiary remote controllers.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the operation of sharing the domain key further comprises:

sending an encrypted domain key from the at least one of the respective subsidiary remote controllers to at least one of the respective devices;

checking whether the domain key is the domain key sent from the at least one respective subsidiary remote controllers; and

storing the domain key if the domain key is determined to have been sent from the at least one respective subsidiary remote controllers as a result of the check.