System and method for securely pairing a wireless peripheral to a host

• US 8,542,834 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2007
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Motion Computing Incorporated (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Ashenbrenner, Robert, Feikis, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAKHIA, VIRAL S
• Application Number:
  US11/836,303
• Time in Patent Office: 2,238 Days
• Field of Search: 380/270, 380/277, 455/414, 726/2, 713/151
• US Class Current: 380/270
• 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: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• 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

Abstract

A device, system, and method are provided for simply and securely pairing a wireless peripheral device with a host device or system. The device, claim, and method and other peripheral devices provide for improved simplification and security of the pairing process involved with establishing a secure wireless connection between a peripheral device and a host. Simplification is improved because actions required by the user to complete the pairing process are minimized, and security is improved because of a greatly increased ability on the part of the user to ensure that pairing process is conducted in a secure environment. The pairing may be applicable to any number of host devices and peripheral devices. The host device may be a desktop computer, notebook computer, tablet computer, or similar device, and the peripheral device may be a keyboard, mouse, game controller, or personal digital assistant (PDA).

Claims

1. A peripheral device, comprising:

a storage medium for maintaining a private encryption key;

a first antenna for transmitting the private encryption key from the peripheral device to a host device across a first channel, wherein the first channel comprises a near field transmission path having a range less than 20 centimeters in ambient air; and

a second antenna, distinct from the first antenna, for subsequently transmitting encrypted information configured to be decrypted by the private encryption key from the peripheral device to the host device across a second channel, distinct from the first channel, wherein the second channel comprises a relatively far field transmission path having a range greater than 20 centimeters in ambient air, and wherein the second channel is configured to transmit the encrypted information according to a wireless communication technology selected from a group consisting of Bluetooth, WiFi, WiMax and Ultra Wide Band (UWB).

2. The peripheral device as recited in claim 1, wherein the private encryption key comprises a radio frequency identification tag.

3. The peripheral device as recited in claim 1, wherein the private encryption key transmission is initiated manually.

4. The peripheral device as recited in claim 1, wherein the private encryption key transmission is initiated automatically.

5. The peripheral device recited in claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is selected from a group consisting of wireless keyboards, mice, microphones, cameras, personal digital assistants (PDAs), joysticks/gaming controllers, and computers.

6. A communication system, comprising:

a peripheral device comprising;

a storage medium for maintaining a private encryption key; and

an antenna for transmitting the private encryption key across a short communication channel having a range less than 20 centimeters in ambient air;

a host device comprising;

a storage medium for maintaining one or more trusted keys;

a reader configured for (i) receiving the private encryption key sent from the peripheral device across the short communication channel, and (ii) subsequently receiving encrypted information sent from the peripheral device across a long communication channel, which is distinct from the short communication channel wherein a range of the long communication channel is greater than 20 centimeters in ambient air; and

wherein the long communication channel is selected from a group consisting of Bluetooth, WiFi, WiMax and Ultra Wide Band (UWB) and optical wireless communication technologies; and

a decryption engine configured to decrypt the encrypted information via the private encryption key if the private encryption key transmitted across the short communication channel matches one of the one or more trusted keys.

7. The communication system as recited in claim 6, wherein the short communication channel is configured to transmit signals less than or equal to 0 dBm.

8. The communication system as recited in claim 6, wherein the long communication channel is configured to transmit signals greater than or equal to 0 dBm.

9. The communication system as recited in claim 6, wherein the reader comprises a first reader for receiving the private encryption key across the short communication channel and a second reader for receiving the encrypted information across the long communication channel.

10. The communication system as recited in claim 9, wherein the decryption engine is coupled between an execution unit and the first and second readers for receiving the private encryption key and decrypting the encrypted information via use of the private encryption key prior to sending the decrypted information to the execution unit.

11. The communication system as recited in claim 9, further comprising an encryption engine coupled between the execution unit, the first reader and the second reader for sending the private encryption key received from the first reader along with information received from the execution unit over the long communication channel via the second reader.

12. The communication system as recited in claim 6, wherein the host device further comprises an execution unit comprises a processor for executing an instruction set.

13. The communication system as recited in claim 6, wherein the peripheral device is selected from a group consisting of wireless keyboards, mice, microphones, cameras, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and computers.

14. The communication system as recited in claim 6, wherein the host device is selected from a group consisting of personal computers, laptop computers, and tablet computers.

15. The communication system as recited in claim 6, wherein the host device further comprises memory for containing an execution program that, upon execution, transmits and receives the encrypted information, along with a corresponding said private encryption key.

16. A method for establishing a secure channel of wireless communication, comprising:

maintaining a list of one or more trusted keys;

receiving a private encryption key transmitted from a peripheral device across a near field wireless communication channel;

comparing the private encryption key transmitted across the near field wireless communication channel to the list of trusted keys, wherein if the private encryption key matches one of the trusted keys the method further comprises;

subsequently receiving encrypted information transmitted from the peripheral device across a far field wireless communication channel, which is separate and apart from the near field wireless communication channel and selected from a group consisting of Bluetooth, WiFi, WiMax and Ultra Wide Band (UWB), infrared and optical wireless communication technologies;

decrypting the encrypted information using the private encryption key; and

executing upon the decrypted information.