Secure wake-up method, wake-up authentication code generation and updating method of a network device and a network control device in a wireless body area network

• US 8,631,254 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: INHA Industry Partnership Institute
• Original Assignee: INHA Industry Partnership Institute
• Inventors: Kwak, Kyungsup
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, TERRELL S
• Application Number:
  US12/892,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20110107075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 713/2, 713/300, 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A network device and a network control device in a Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN), and a secure wake-up method and a wake-up authentication code (WAC) generation method of the network device and the network control device are provided. The network device includes a wake-up circuit to receive a wake-up radio signal from a network control device using a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) receiver, to compare a WAC contained in the received wake-up radio signal with a WAC stored in advance, and to determine whether to wake up a main circuit unit, the network control device being contained in the WBAN; and the main circuit unit to be woken up in response to an interrupt signal from the wake-up circuit.

Claims

1. A network device contained in a Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN), the network device comprising:

a wake-up circuit to receive a wake-up radio signal from a network control device using a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) receiver, to compare a Wake-up Authentication Code (WAC) contained in the received wake-up radio signal with a WAC stored in advance, and to determine whether to wake up a main circuit unit, the network control device being contained in the WBAN; and

the main circuit unit to be woken up in response to an interrupt signal from the wake-up circuit;

wherein the main circuit unit comprises;

a communication circuit to transmit a response signal to the network control device, after the main circuit unit is woken up in response to the interrupt signal; and

a security circuit to update a counter, and to update the stored WAC based on at least one of the updated counter, an address for the security circuit, an address for the network control device, and a key shared with the network control device, in response to the interrupt signal from the wake-up circuit.

2. The network device of claim 1, wherein, after the security circuit updates the WAC, the communication circuit transmits data to the network control device, the data being sensed or monitored.

3. A network control device contained in a WBAN, the network control device comprising:

a wake-up radio signal transmitter to transmit a wake-up radio signal containing a WAC to a network device using an RFID receiver, the network device being contained in the WBAN; and

a response signal receiver to receive a response signal from the network device when a main circuit unit of the network device is woken up based on the WAC,

a security circuit to update a counter, and to update the WAC based on at least one of the updated counter, an address for the security circuit, an address for the network device, and a key shared with the network device, in response to an interrupt signal; and

wherein the interrupt signal is generated using an energy contained in the wake-up radio signal, to wake up the main circuit unit.

4. A secure wake-up method in a network device contained in a WBAN, the secure wake-up method comprising:

receiving, by a wake-up circuit of the network device, a wake-up radio signal from a network control device using an RFID receiver, the network control device being contained in the WBAN;

comparing, by the wake-up circuit, a WAC contained in the received wake-up radio signal with a WAC stored in advance, and determining whether to wake up a main circuit unit of the network device;

generating, by the wake-up circuit, an interrupt signal using an energy contained in the wake-up radio signal, and transmitting the generated interrupt signal to the main circuit unit;

transmitting, by a communication circuit of the main circuit unit, a response signal to the network control device, the main circuit unit being woken up in response to the interrupt signal;

updating, by a security circuit of the main circuit unit, a counter, and updating the stored WAC based on at least one of the updated counter, an address for the security circuit, an address for the network control device, and a key shared with the network control device, in response to the interrupt signal from the wake-up circuit; and

transmitting, by the communication circuit, data to the network control device, the data being sensed or monitored.