Method and system for distributing data within a group of mobile units

• US 8,150,372 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Orlassino, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US11/864,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20090088133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/445, 455/456.5, 455/514, 455/557, 455/456.1, 455/437, 455/41.2, 455/550.1, 455/434, 455/425, 370/328, 370/337, 370/335, 370/254, 370/329, 370/331, 370/341, 370/345, 725/110, 710/316, 709/219
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

Described is a method for writing data onto a storage device from a wireless access point (“AP”), providing the data to a master mobile unit (“MMU”), authenticating an identity of the MMU at the AP and transmitting the data from the MMU to at least one other mobile unit (“MU”). Also described is a device having a connector coupling a storage device to the device, the storage device including data received from a network device and a transceiver communicating with the network device to authenticate the device, wherein when the device is authenticated, the transceiver further transmits the data to at least a first mobile unit (“MU”).

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

writing data onto a storage device from a wireless access point (“

AP”

) when the storage device is coupled to the AP;

providing the data to a master mobile unit (“

MMU”

) when the storage device is coupled to the MMU;

authenticating an identity of the MMU at the AP based on the data provided to the MMU;

transmitting the data from the MMU to at least one other mobile unit (“

MU”

);

authenticating an identity of the at least one other MU at the AP based on the data provided to the at least one other MU;

providing, to the MMU and the at least one other MU, access to a communications network via the AP based on the authentication of the MMU and the at least one other MU at the AP;

transmitting a periodic beacon signal from the MMU and the at least one other MU to the AP;

disassociating one of the MMU and the at least one other MU if the one of the MMU and the at least one other MU fails to transmit the periodic beacon signal to the AP within a predetermined period of time, thereby denying access to the communications network to the one of the MMU and the at least one other MU; and

transmitting a security alert if the one of the disassociated MMU and the at least one other disassociated MU attempt to initiate communication with the AP.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein transmitting the data includes one of data-synchronization and data-replication between the MMU and the at least one other MU.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication between the MMU and the at least one other MU is one of a wireless communication and a wired communication.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data from the AP is one of data for a software upgrade, data for modifying a system configuration, encrypted security data, business operation data, and data for updating device drivers.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the encrypted security data is one of a key information and a certificate information.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the storage device is one of a non-removable memory within the MMU, a primary memory attached to the MMU via a bus, a universal serial bus (“

USB”

) mass storage device (e.g., a memory stick), a secure digital (“

SD”

) card, a mini SD card, a flash memory card, a smart media card, a Personal Computer Memory Card Industry Association card (“

PCMCIA card”

), and a subscriber identity module (“

SIM”

) card.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the MMU has a plurality of slots for receiving the at least one other MU.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating a further identity of the at least one other MU at the AP; and

providing the MMU and the at least one other MU with access to a wireless local area network (“

WLAN”

) from the AP.

9. A device, comprising:

a connector coupling a storage device to the device, the storage device including data received from a network device previously coupled to the storage device, the data for authenticating an identity of the device at the network device; and

a transceiver communicating with the network device to authenticate the device based on the data, wherein the device is provided access to a communications network via the network device when the device is authenticated, the transceiver further transmits the data to at least a first mobile unit (“

MU”

),

wherein the network device authenticates an identity of the first MU based on the data provided to the first MU and provides the first MU access to the communications network based on the authentication of the first MU,

wherein the device and the first MU transmit a periodic beacon signal to the network device and the network device disassociates one of the device and the first MU if the one of the device and the first MU fails to transmit the periodic beacon signal to the network device within a predetermined period of time, thereby denying access to the communications network to the one of the device and the first MU, and

wherein the network device transmits a security alert if the one of the disassociated device and the disassociated first MU attempt to initiate communication with the network device.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the data transmitted from the transceiver includes one of data synchronization and data-replication between the MMU and the at least one other MU.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the network device is one of an access point (“

AP”

) and a further MU.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein the communication between the device and the first MU is one of a wireless communication and a wired communication.

13. The device according to claim 9, wherein the data received from the network device is one of data for a software upgrade, data for modifying a system configuration, encrypted security data, business operation data, and data for updating device drivers.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the encrypted security data is one of a key information and a certificate information.

15. The device according to claim 9, wherein the storage device is one of a non-removable memory within the MMU, a primary memory attached to the MMU via a bus, a universal serial bus (“

USB”

) mass storage device (e.g., a memory stick), a secure digital (“

SD”

) card, a mini SD card, a flash memory card, a smart media card, a Personal Computer Memory Card Industry Association card (“

PCMCIA card”

), and a subscriber identity module (“

SIM”

) card.

16. The device according to claim 9, wherein the device has a plurality of slots for receiving at least the first MU.

17. A method, comprising:

writing data onto a storage device from a first MU when the storage device is coupled to the first MU, the first MU having a wireless access to a communications network;

providing the data from the first MU to a second MU when the storage device is coupled to the second MU;

authenticating the identity of the second MU at the first MU based on the data provided to the second MU;

transmitting the data from one of the first MU and the second MU to at least one further MU over the wireless network;

authenticating the identity of the at least one further MU at the first MU based on the data provided to the at least one further MU; and

providing, to the second MU and the at least one further MU, the wireless access to the communications network via the first MU based on authentication of the second MU and the at least one further MU at the first MU;

transmitting a periodic beacon signal from the second MU and the at least one further MU to the first MU;

disassociating one of the second MU and the at least one further MU if the one of the second MU and the at least one further MU fails to transmit the periodic beacon signal to the first MU within a predetermined period of time, thereby denying access to the communications network to the one of the second MU and the at least one further MU; and

transmitting a security alert if the one of the disassociated second MU and the at least one disassociated further MU attempt to initiate communication with the first MU.