Communication device, method for establishing a communication connection and method for using a communication connection

• US 8,204,230 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2007
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Schmidt, Andreas, Schwagmann, Norbert, Luft, Achim, Benkert, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, NATHAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US11/745,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20080279158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,869 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/436, 370/254, 370/337, 370/310, 709/223, 709/209, 702/204, 380277-283
• US Class Current: 380/278
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

A communication device including a communication connection establishing circuit configured to establish an ad hoc network communication connection between the communication device, a second communication device and a third communication device, a generating circuit configured to generate encryption parameters to be used by the second communication device and the third communication device for encrypting and decrypting data transmitted between the second communication device and the third communication device via the communication connection when the first communication device has left the communication connection, a signaling circuit configured to signal the encryption parameters to the second communication device and the third communication device, and a disconnection circuit configured to remove the communication device from the communication connection.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a communication connection establishing circuit configured to establish a first ad hoc network communication connection between the communication device and a second communication device and configured to establish a second ad hoc network communication connection between the communication device and a third communication device;

a generating circuit configured to generate encryption parameters that are used in both a first piconet, the first piconet comprising the communication device, the second communication device and the third communication device, while the communication device is the master device of the first piconet, and in a second piconet, the second piconet comprising the second communication device and the third communication device, after the communication device has disconnected from the first piconet, wherein the generated encryption parameters used in the first piconet are to be used by the second communication device and the third communication device for encrypting and decrypting data transmitted between the second communication device and the third communication device in the second piconet via the communication connection when the communication device has left the first piconet;

a signaling circuit configured to signal the encryption parameters to the second communication device via the first ad hoc network communication connection and to the third communication device via the second ad hoc network communication connection; and

a disconnection circuit configured to release the first ad hoc network communication connection and the second ad hoc network communication connection.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, configured to control the usage of a physical channel used for the communication connection and further comprising:

a selecting circuit configured to select the second communication device or the third communication device as controller of the physical channel;

a requesting circuit configured to request the selected communication device to control the physical channel; and

a handover circuit configured to hand over the control of the physical channel to the selected communication device.

3. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein the disconnection circuit releases the first ad hoc network communication connection and the second ad hoc network communication connection when the communication device has received an acknowledgement from the selected communication device that the selected communication device has taken over control of the physical channel.

4. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device, the second communication device, and the third communication device are Bluetooth devices and the communication connection is a Bluetooth connection.

5. The communication device according to claim 4, wherein the encryption parameters comprise a master key generated by the communication device.

6. The communication device according to claim 4, configured to be master for the communication connection and further comprising:

a selecting circuit configured to select the second communication device or the third communication device as new master for the communication connection;

a requesting circuit configured to request the selected communication device to be the new master for the communication connection; and

a handover circuit configured to hand over the master role for the communication connection to the selected communication device.

7. The communication device according to claim 6, wherein the disconnection circuit is configured to release the first ad hoc network communication connection and the second ad hoc network communication connection when the communication device has received an acknowledgement from the selected communication device that the selected communication device has taken over the master role for the communication connection.

8. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein at least one communication device is a mobile communication device.

9. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication via the first ad hoc network communication connection is carried out in accordance with a first link key, and wherein the communication via the second ad hoc network communication connection is carried out in accordance with a second link key being different from the first link key.

10. A method for establishing a communication connection, comprising:

establishing a first ad hoc network communication connection between a first communication device and a second communication device and establishing a second ad hoc network communication connection between the communication device and a third communication device;

generating encryption parameters that are used in both a first piconet, the first piconet comprising the communication device, the second communication device and the third communication device, while the communication device is the master device of the first piconet, and in a second piconet, the second piconet comprising the second communication device and the third communication device, after the communication device has disconnected from the first piconet, wherein the generated encryption parameters used in the first piconet are to be used by the second communication device and the third communication device for encrypting and decrypting data transmitted between the second communication device and the third communication device in the second piconet via the communication connection when the first communication device has left the first piconet;

signaling the encryption parameters to the second communication device via the first ad hoc network communication connection and to the third communication device via the second ad hoc network communication connection; and

releasing the first ad hoc network communication connection and the second ad hoc network communication connection.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the communication via the first ad hoc network communication connection is carried out in accordance with a first link key, and wherein the communication via the second ad hoc network communication connection is carried out in accordance with a second link key being different from the first link key.

12. A communication device comprising:

a communication connection establishing circuit configured to establish an ad hoc network communication connection between the communication device, a second communication device and a third communication device;

a receiving circuit configured to receive encryption parameters that are used in both a first piconet, the first piconet comprising the communication device, the second communication device and the third communication device, while the communication device is the master device of the first piconet, and in a second piconet, the second piconet comprising the communication device and the second communication device, after the third communication device has disconnected from the first piconet, wherein the generated encryption parameters used in the second piconet are to be used by the communication device and the second communication device for encrypting and decrypting data transmitted between the communication device and the second communication device in the second piconet via the communication connection when the third communication device has left the first piconet, and configured to receive a request to control the physical channel of the communication connection wherein the communication device is configured to take over the control of the physical channel of the communication connection in response to the request; and

an encrypting/decrypting circuit configured to encrypt data to be sent to the second communication device via the communication connection using the encryption parameters and to decrypt data received from the second communication device via the communication connection using the encryption parameters when the third communication device has left the first piconet, and the communication device has taken over the control of the physical channel of the communication connection.

13. The communication device according to claim 12, further comprising a transmitting circuit configured to transmit an acknowledgement to the third communication device for acknowledging that the communication device has taken over the control of the physical channel.

14. The communication device according to claim 12, wherein the communication device, the second communication device, and the third communication device are Bluetooth devices and the communication connection is a Bluetooth connection.

15. The communication device according to claim 14, wherein the encryption parameters comprise a master key generated by the third communication device.

16. The communication device according to claim 14, wherein the receiving circuit is further configured to receive a request to take over the master role for the communication connection and the communication device is configured to take over the master role for the communication connection.

17. The communication device according to claim 16, further comprising a transmitting circuit configured to transmit an acknowledgement to the third communication device for acknowledging that the communication device has taken over the master role for the communication connection.

18. A method for using a communication connection comprising:

establishing an ad hoc network communication connection between a first communication device, a second communication device and a third communication device;

receiving, from the third communication device, encryption parameters that are used in both a first piconet, the first piconet comprising the communication device, the second communication device and the third communication device, while the communication device is the master device of the first piconet, and in a second piconet, the second piconet comprising the communication device and the second communication device, after the third communication device has disconnected from the first piconet, wherein the generated encryption parameters used in the second piconet are to be used by the first communication device and the second communication device for encrypting and decrypting data transmitted between the communication device and the second communication device in the second piconet via the communication connection when the third communication device has left the first piconet;

receiving, by the communication device, a request to control the physical channel of the communication connection;

taking over the control of the physical channel of the communication connection, by the communication device, in response to the request;

encrypting data to be sent to the second communication device via the communication connection using the encryption parameters when the third communication device has left the communication connection; and

decrypting data received from the second communication device via the communication connection using the encryption parameters when the third communication device has left the communication connection and control of the physical channel of the communication connection has been taken over.