Communication system and communication device

• US 8,068,784 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2005
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Morita, Tadashi, Takayama, Yoshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): AYOTUNDE, AYODEJI O
• Application Number:
  US11/597,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20080020707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,346 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/045 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0825 using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0838 Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these network architectures or network communication protocols for key exchange in a packet data network H04L63/061
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

A communication apparatus includes a short-range communication unit and a long-range communication unit that communicates via electromagnetic waves in a range wider than a communication area of the short-range communication unit. The communication apparatus further includes a session key generating unit that generates a random number and uses the random number to generate a session key. In addition, the communication apparatus includes an encrypting unit that encrypts the session key. The communication apparatus uses an encryption key transmitted from an external communication apparatus to encrypt the session key into an encrypted session key, transmits the encrypted session key to the external communication apparatus, and receives from the external communication apparatus a communication switching request signal to request a switching from a short-range communication by the short-range communication unit to a long-range communication, with the session key, the long-range communication unit.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a first communication apparatus including

first short-range communication means for transmitting an inquiry signal to a short-range external communication apparatus via electromagnetic waves and waiting for a response to the inquiry signal;

first long-range communication means for communicating via electromagnetic waves in a range wider than a communication area of the first short-range communication means;

first switching means for switching to the first short-range communication means or the first long-range communication means; and

asymmetric key generating means for generating an encryption key and a decryption key corresponding to the encryption key, the encryption key and the decryption key being asymmetric to each other, and

a second communication apparatus including

second short-range communication means for receiving the inquiry signal from a short-range external communication apparatus and transmitting a response signal in response to the inquiry signal;

second long-range communication means for communicating via electromagnetic waves in a range wider than a communication area of the second short-range communication means;

second switching means for switching to the second short-range communication means or the second long-range communication means;

session key generating means for generating a random number and using the random number to generate a session key; and

encrypting means for encrypting the session key, wherein

the second communication apparatus uses the encryption key transmitted from the first communication apparatus to encrypt the session key into an encrypted session key and transmits the encrypted session key to the first communication apparatus, and

the first communication apparatus uses the decryption key to decrypt the encrypted session key into the session key and transmits to the second communication apparatus a communication switching request signal to request a switching from a short-range communication by the first and second short-range communication means to a long-range communication, with the session key, by the first and second long-range communication means of the first and second communication apparatuses.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the first short-range communication means transmits first identification information allocated to the first short-range communication means to the second short-range communication means along with the encryption key, and the second short-range communication means transmits second identification information allocated to the second short-range communication means to the first short-range communication means along with the encrypted session key to provide identification information of communication partners to the first and second long-range communication means of the first and second communication apparatuses.

7. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the response signal represents a reflection by the second communication apparatus of a predetermined percentage of the electromagnetic waves produced by the first short-range communication means to the first communication apparatus.

8. The communication system according to claim 7, wherein the first communication apparatus determines the second communication apparatus is within a range for the short-range communication based on a detection of a predetermined percentage variation in the electromagnetic waves generated by the first short-range communication means.

9. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the first communication apparatus transmits the communication switching request signal in response to a receipt of the session key from the second communication apparatus.

10. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the second switching means switches to the long-range communication by the second long-range communication means in response to a receipt of the communication switching request signal from the first communication apparatus.

11. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the second communication apparatus transmits a request response signal to the first communication apparatus in response to a receipt of the communication switching request signal from the first communication apparatus.

12. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein the first switching means switches to the long-range communication by the first long-range communication means in response to a receipt of the request response signal from the second communication apparatus.

13. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first identification information must be received by the first communication apparatus and the second identification information must be received by the second communication apparatus before switching to the first and second long-range communication means.

3. A communication apparatus, comprising:

short-range communication means for transmitting an inquiry signal to a short-range external communication apparatus via electromagnetic waves and waiting for a response to the inquiry signal;

long-range communication means for communicating via electromagnetic waves in a range wider than a communication area of the short-range communication means;

switching means for switching to the short-range communication means or the long-range communication means; and

asymmetric key generating means for generating an encryption key and a decryption key corresponding to the encryption key, the encryption key and the decryption key being asymmetric to each other, wherein

the communication apparatus uses the decryption key to decrypt an encrypted session key transmitted from an external communication apparatus and transmits to the external communication apparatus a communication switching request signal to request a switching from a short-range communication by the short-range communication means to a long-range communication, with the session key, by the long-range communication means.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the short-range communication means transmits first identification information allocated to the short-range communication means to the external communication apparatus along with the encryption key, and receives second identification information allocated to the external communication apparatus from the external communication apparatus along with the encrypted session key to provide identification information of communication partners to the external communication apparatus and the long-range communication means of the communication apparatus.

5. A communication apparatus, comprising:

short-range communication means for receiving an inquiry signal from a short-range external communication apparatus and transmitting a response signal in response to the inquiry signal;

long-range communication means for communicating via electromagnetic waves in a range wider than a communication area of the short-range communication means;

switching means for switching to the short-range communication means or the long-range communication means;

session key generating means for generating a random number and using the random number to generate a session key; and

encrypting means for encrypting the session key, wherein

the communication apparatus uses an encryption key transmitted from an external communication apparatus to encrypt the session key into an encrypted session key, transmits the encrypted session key to the external communication apparatus, and receives from the external communication apparatus a communication switching request signal to request a switching from a short-range communication by the short-range communication means to a long-range communication, with the session key, by the long-range communication means.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the short-range communication means receives first identification information allocated to the external communication apparatus along with the encryption key, and transmits second identification information allocated to the short-range communication means to the external communication apparatus along with the encrypted session key to provide identification information of communication partners to the external communication apparatus and the long-range communication means of the communication apparatus.

14. A communication apparatus, comprising:

a short-range communication unit configured to receive an inquiry signal from a short-range external communication apparatus and to transmit a response signal in response to the inquiry signal;

a long-range communication unit configured to communicate via electromagnetic waves in a range wider than a communication area of the short-range communication unit;

a switching unit configured to switch to the short-range communication unit or the long-range communication unit;

a session key generating unit configured to generate a random number and to use the random number to generate a session key; and

an encrypting unit configured to encrypt the session key, wherein

the communication apparatus uses an encryption key transmitted from an external communication apparatus to encrypt the session key into an encrypted session key, transmits the encrypted session key to the external communication apparatus, and receives from the external communication apparatus a communication switching request signal to request a switching from a short-range communication by the short-range communication unit to a long-range communication, with the session key, the long-range communication unit.