Hybrid device having a personal digital key and receiver-decoder circuit and methods of use

• US 8,171,528 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proxense, LLC
• Original Assignee: Proxense, LLC
• Inventors: Brown, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, David Y
• Application Number:
  US12/329,329
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 726/3
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2145 Inheriting rights or properties, e.g., propagation of permissions or restrictions within a hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• 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 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 Continuous authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A hybrid device includes a personal digital key (PDK) and a receiver-decoder circuit (RDC). The PDK and RDC of the hybrid device are coupled for communication with each other. In one embodiment, the hybrid device also provides a physical interconnect for connecting to other devices to send and receive control signals and data, and receive power. The hybrid device operates in one of several modes including, PDK only, RDC only, or PDK and RDC. This allows a variety of system configurations for mixed operation including: PDK/RDC, RDC/RDC or PDK/PDK. The present invention also includes a number of system configurations for use of the hybrid device including: use of the hybrid device in a cell phone; simultaneous use of the PDK and the RDC functionality of hybrid device; use of multiple links of hybrid device to generate an authorization signal, use of multiple PDK links to the hybrid device to generate an authorization signal; and use of the hybrid device for authorization inheritance.

Claims

1. A hybrid device for use in a proximity system, the hybrid device comprising:

a first personal digital key (PDK) for storing information and capable of communicating wirelessly, the PDK for linking with at least one external receiver-decoder circuit (RDC); and

a receiver-decoder circuit (RDC) for linking with at least one external PDKs, the RDC capable of communicating wirelessly with the external PDK, the RDC coupled to the PDK by a first signal line and coupled for communication with the first PDK, the RDC coupled to a second signal line for communicating and enabling an external device.

2. The hybrid device of claim 1 further comprising a second PDK.

3. The hybrid device of claim 1 further comprising a second RDC.

4. The hybrid device of claim 1, wherein the PDK is capable of communicating with a second external RDC at the same the RDC communicates with a second external PDK.

5. The hybrid device of claim 1, wherein the external device is a cell phone.

6. The hybrid device of claim 1, wherein the hybrid device has a form factor of a SIM card.

7. The hybrid device of claim 1, wherein the RDC receives power via the second signal line.

8. The hybrid device of claim 1, wherein the PDK is coupled to the second signal line and receives power via the second signal line.

9. The hybrid device of claim 1, comprising storage for service inheritance information.

10. The hybrid device of claim 1, comprising storage for feature inheritance information.

11. The hybrid device of claim 1, comprising storage for personality inheritance information.

12. A method of using a hybrid device having an receiver-decoder circuit (RDC) and a personal digital key (PDK) to control access to a system, the method comprising:

creating a first wireless link between the receiver-decoder circuit of the hybrid device and an external personal digital key (PDK);

receiving a first authorization signal at the RDC via the first wireless link from the PDK;

enabling a second wireless link between the PDK of the hybrid device and an external RDC;

generating an enablement signal with the RDC; and

sending the enablement signal to the system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the system is a cell phone.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the external PDK is adapted to receive and couple with a SIM card.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the hybrid device has a PDK electrically coupled to the RDC, and the method comprises:

sending the enablement signal from the RDC of the hybrid device to the PDK of the hybrid device;

creating a second wireless link between the PDK and an external RDC; and

sending the enablement signal from the PDK of the hybrid device to the external RDC using the second wireless link.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the hybrid device has a PDK electrically coupled to the RDC, and the method comprises:

creating a second wireless link between the PDK and an external RDC;

receiving a second authorization signal at the PDK via the second wireless link from the external RDC;

sending the second authorization signal from the PDK of the hybrid device to the RDC of the hybrid device; and

wherein the enablement signal is generated only if the first and second authorization signals are received by the RDC.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the RDC is coupled to a signal line, and the enablement signal is output on the signal line.

18. The method of claim 12 comprising:

creating a second wireless link between the RDC of the hybrid device and an second external PDK;

receiving a second authorization signal at the RDC via the second wireless link from the second external PDK; and

wherein the enablement signal is generated only if the first and second authorization signals are received by the RDC.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the RDC is coupled to a signal line, and the enablement signal is output on the signal line.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the hybrid device has a PDK electrically coupled to the RDC, and the method comprises:

sending the enablement signal from the RDC of the hybrid device to the PDK of the hybrid device;

creating a second wireless link between the PDK of the hybrid device and an external RDC; and

sending the enablement signal from the PDK of the hybrid device to the external RDC using the second wireless link.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the PDK modifies the enablement signal to produce a modified enablement signal, and the modified enablement signal is sent to the external RDC.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the first authorization signal includes service inheritance information.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the first authorization signal includes feature inheritance information.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the first authorization signal includes personality inheritance information.

25. The method of claim 12 comprising:

receiving a signal from the external PDK that the receiver-decoder circuit of the hybrid device obtain inheritance information from a second external PDK;

creating a second wireless link between the receiver-decoder circuit of the hybrid device and the second external PDK;

receiving the inheritance information from the second external PDK.