Systems and/or methods of increased privacy wireless communications

• US 8,670,493 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Odyssey Wireless, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Odyssey Wireless, Inc.
• Inventors: Karabinis, Peter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): FILE, ERIN M
• Application Number:
  US13/011,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20110123028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 375/259
• US Class Current: 375/259
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/69 Spread spectrum techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/707 using direct sequence modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7097 Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2201/70715 with application-specific features
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/00 Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/18 for wireless local area networks or WLAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/25 based on characteristics of target signal or of transmission as countermeasure against surveillance H04K3/827, e.g. using direct sequence spread spectrum or fast frequency hopping spread spectrum techniques H04B1/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/827 using characteristics of target signal or of transmission as countermeasure against jamming H04K3/25, e.g. using direct sequence spread spectrum or fast frequency hopping spread spectrum techniques H04B1/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0043 Realisations of complexity reduction techniques, e.g. use of look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/009 arrangements specific to transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0091 arrangements specific to receivers, e.g. format detection detection of data rate H04L25/0262; detection of coding rate H04L1/0046
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 23/02 adapted for orthogonal signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03834 using pulse shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03866 using scrambling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03987 Equalisation for sparse channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 : for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/185 : using make before break
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 : Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 : using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

Systems, methods and/or mobile devices are provided that enable a level of privacy/security in wireless communications to be increased responsive to a content of the wireless communications, biometric data and/or a position from which the wireless communications takes place. A plurality of communications modes is used by the system infrastructure and the plurality of mobile devices communicating therewith to increase privacy and undetectability of transmitted signals. The increased level of privacy and undetectability of signals is provided via pseudo-randomly generated signaling alphabets that are used by the mobile devices and by the system infrastructure to provide the communications. This represents a level of encryption/scrambling that is over and above the conventional encryption and/or scrambling at the bit level. Accordingly, systems, methods and/or devices providing a concatenated level of encryption/scrambling are provided.

Claims

1. A system that is configured to communicate information, the system comprising:

a first communications mode comprising a wireless communications link that is based upon radio frequency emissions; and

a second communications mode comprising a wireless communications link that is based upon radio frequency emissions and an increased level of privacy compared to the first communications mode;

wherein the system is configured to preferentially use the second communications mode to communicate the information and refrain from using the first communications mode to communicate the information responsive to a privacy level of the information being above a threshold;

wherein the system is further configured to preferentially use the first communications mode to communicate the information and refrain from using the second communications mode to communicate the information responsive to the privacy level of the information being below the threshold;

wherein the system further comprises a signaling alphabet comprising a plurality of waveforms that are orthogonal therebetween; and

wherein the second communications mode is based upon the signaling alphabet that comprises the plurality of waveforms that are orthogonal therebetween.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first communications mode comprises a first level of cyclostationarity;

and

wherein the second communications mode comprises a second level of cyclostationarity that is less than the first level of cyclostationarity of the first communications mode.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a mobile device that is configured to communicate with a base station and with an access point;

wherein the mobile device is further configured to preferentially communicate with the access point when proximate thereto and to refrain from communicating with the base station when proximate to the access point even though the mobile device is able to communicate with the base station when proximate to the access point; and

wherein the mobile device is configured to preferentially communicate with the access point when proximate thereto and to preferentially use the second communications mode to communicate therewith.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the second communications mode is based upon a user defined key and/or a network defined key;

wherein the user defined key is determined by a user of the mobile device and/or by the mobile device and differs for different mobile devices;

wherein the network defined key is determined by an element of a network that is associated with the mobile device and/or provides communications to the mobile device;

wherein the network defined key is used by a plurality of mobile devices; and

wherein the user defined key is unique to the mobile device, is used only for the communications of the mobile device and can be changed only by a user of the mobile device and/or by the mobile device by using an identification code, a user name and/or a password.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the user defined key is provided to the access point and/or to the base station by accessing a web site and providing to the web site said user defined key;

and

wherein the web site is connected to the access point and/or to the base station.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein the second communications mode is based upon the user defined key over a first time interval and is based upon the network defined key over a second time interval;

and

wherein the mobile device is further configured to hand-over communications from communications that are based upon the user defined key to communications that are based upon the network defined key and/or from communications that are based upon the network defined key to communications that are based upon the user defined key.

7. The system according to claim 4, wherein the mobile device is further configured to communicate with the access point and/or base station using the second communications mode and the user defined key responsive to a first orientation of the mobile device relative to another device that is also communicating with the access point and/or base station concurrently and co-frequency with said mobile device;

and

wherein the mobile device is further configured to communicate with the access point and/or base station using the second communications mode and the network defined key responsive to a second orientation of the mobile device relative to said another device that is also communicating with the access point and/or base station concurrently and co-frequency with said mobile device.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a mobile device

wherein the mobile device is configured to use a first element of a signaling alphabet to communicate with the base station and to refrain from using a second element of said signaling alphabet that is being used by at least one other device to communicate with the base station, responsive to a first orientation of the mobile device relative to the at least one other device;

and

wherein the mobile device is further configured to use the first element and the second element of said signaling alphabet to communicate with the base station while said first element and said second element are also being used by the at least one other device to communicate with the base station, responsive to a second orientation of the mobile device relative to the at least one other device.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the mobile device is further configured to communicate with the access point and/or base station using the second communications mode based upon a user defined key;

wherein the user defined key is provided to the access point and/or base station by accessing a web site and providing to the web site said user defined key; and

wherein the web site is connected to the access point and/or to the base station.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the second communications mode is based upon a user defined key over a first time interval and is based upon a network defined key over a second time interval;

and

wherein the mobile device is further configured to hand-over communications from communications that are based upon the user defined key to communications that are based upon the network defined key and/or from communications that are based upon the network defined key to communications that are based upon the user defined key.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a mobile device that is configured to communicate with a base station and with an access point;

wherein the mobile device is configured to communicate with the base station using the second communications mode and a network defined key responsive to a first orientation between the mobile device and another device; and

wherein the mobile device is further configured to communicate with the base station using the second communications mode and a user defined key responsive to a second orientation between the mobile device and said another device.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the user defined key is provided to the access point and/or base station by accessing a web site and providing to the web site said user defined key;

and

wherein the web site is connected to the access point and to the base station.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the second communications mode is based upon the user defined key over a first time interval and is based upon the network defined key over a second time interval;

and

wherein the mobile device is further configured to hand-over communications from communications that are based upon the user defined key to communications that are based upon the network defined key and/or from communications that are based upon the network defined key to communications that are based upon the user defined key.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a base station that is configured to communicate with a first device and with a second device concurrently and co-frequency therebetween;

wherein the base station is configured to use a first element of a signaling alphabet to communicate with the first device and to refrain from using a second element of the signaling alphabet to communicate with the first device while said second element is being used by the base station to communicate with the second device, responsive to a first orientation of the first device relative to the second device; and

wherein the base station is further configured to use the first element and the second element of the signaling alphabet to communicate with said first device while said first element and said second element are also being used by the base station to communicate with said second device, responsive to a second orientation of the first device relative to the second device.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the second orientation between the first device and the second device allows an antenna of the base station, comprising a plurality of elements, to form a first antenna pattern and use the first antenna pattern to communicate with the first device and to also form a second antenna pattern and use the second antenna pattern to communicate with the second device;

wherein a gain of the first antenna pattern in a direction associated with the first device is greater than a gain of the first antenna pattern in a direction associated with the second device; and

wherein a gain of the second antenna pattern in a direction associated with the second device is greater than a gain of the second antenna pattern in a direction associated with the first device.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of elements comprises a first plurality of vertically disposed elements and/or a second plurality of horizontally disposed elements and wherein responsive to said second orientation the system uses antenna pattern discrimination between the first and second antenna patterns to reduce interference between the communications of the first and second devices;

and

wherein responsive to said first orientation the system uses element discrimination between different elements of the signaling alphabet to reduce interference between the communications of the first and second devices.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a base station that is configured to communicate with a first device using the second communications mode and to communicate with a second device also using the second communications mode;

wherein the base station is further configured to communicate with the first device and with the second device concurrently and co-frequency therebetween;

wherein the base station is configured to communicate with the first device and with the second device using a network defined key responsive to a first orientation between the first device and the second device; and

wherein the base station is further configured to communicate with the first device using a first user defined key and to communicate with the second device using a second user defined key responsive to a second orientation between the first device and the second device.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the second orientation between the first device and the second device allows an antenna of the base station, comprising a plurality of elements, to form a first antenna pattern and use the first antenna pattern to communicate with the first device and to also form a second antenna pattern and use the second antenna pattern to communicate with the second device;

wherein a gain of the first antenna pattern in a direction associated with the first device is greater than a gain of the first antenna pattern in a direction associated with the second device; and

wherein a gain of the second antenna pattern in a direction associated with the second device is greater than a gain of the second antenna pattern in a direction associated with the first device.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of elements comprises a first plurality of vertically disposed elements and/or a second plurality of horizontally disposed elements;

wherein responsive to said second orientation the system uses antenna pattern discrimination between the first and second antenna patterns to reduce interference between the communications of the first and second devices; and

wherein responsive to said first orientation the system uses element discrimination between different elements of the signaling alphabet to reduce interference between the communications of the first and second devices.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises an access point that is configured to preferentially communicate with a first device and is further configured to preferentially use the second communications mode to communicate with the first device responsive to an identity of the first device even though said first device is within a service area of a base station and is capable of communicating with the base station;

and

wherein the access point is further configured to deny service to a second device responsive to an identity of the second device.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the access point is configured to communicate with the first device by using only the second communications mode.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein said identity of the first device is specified to the access point by accessing a web site and providing to the web site an indication of the identity of the first device and wherein the web site is connected to the access point.

23. The system according to claim 20, wherein the second communications mode is based upon a user defined key and wherein the user defined key is specified to the access point by accessing a web site and providing to the web site said user defined key and wherein the web site is connected to the access point.

24. The system according to claim 20, wherein the second communications mode is based upon a user defined key over a first time interval and is based upon a network defined key over a second time interval;

and

wherein the access point is further configured to hand-over communications from communications that are based upon the user defined key to communications that are based upon the network defined key and/or from communications that are based upon the network defined key to communications that are based upon the user defined key.

25. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is further configured to:

receive an identity from a device;

authenticate the device responsive to the received identity;

receive a key from the device following the reception of the identity and following the authentication; and

establish communications with the device using the second communications mode responsive to having received the key from the device;

wherein the system is configured to provide the key responsive to having received the identity from the device and having authenticated the device.

26. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is further configured to:

receive an identity from a device;

authenticate the device responsive to the received identity;

transmit a notification; and

establish communications with the device using the second communications mode responsive to having received the identity from the device, having authenticated the device and having transmitted the notification.

27. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second communications mode is used responsive to a velocity, acceleration and/or biometric data.

28. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is further configured to use the first communications mode and to use the second communications mode simultaneously therebetween to communicate the information responsive to the information comprising first and second components that are associated with respective first and second privacy levels that are above and below the threshold, respectively.

29. A method of communicating information, the method comprising:

configuring a first communications mode comprising a wireless communications link that is based upon radio frequency emissions;

configuring a second communications mode comprising a wireless communications link that is based upon radio frequency emissions and an increased level of privacy relative to the first communications mode;

using the second communications mode to communicate the information and refraining from using the first communications mode to communicate the information responsive to a privacy level of the information being above a threshold;

using the first communications mode to communicate the information and refraining from using the second communications mode to communicate the information responsive to the privacy level of the information being below the threshold; and

using a signaling alphabet comprising a plurality of waveforms that are orthogonal therebetween to communicate information via the second communications mode.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the first communications mode comprises a first level of cyclostationarity;

and

wherein the second communications mode comprises a second level of cyclostationarity that is less than the first level of cyclostationarity of the first communications mode.

31. The method according to claim 29, further comprising:

preferentially communicating between a mobile device and an access point when the mobile device is proximate to the access point and refraining from communicating between the mobile device and a base station when the mobile device is proximate to the access point even though the mobile device is able to communicate with the base station when proximate to the access point; and

preferentially using the second communications mode during said preferentially communicating.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein a user defined key is unique to the mobile device, is used only for the communications of the mobile device and can be changed only by a user of the mobile device, and/or by the mobile device, who is aware of an identification code, a user name and/or a password.

33. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

providing the user defined key to the access point and/or to the base station by accessing a web site and providing to the web site said user defined key; and

connecting the web site to the access point and/or to the base station.

34. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

basing the second communications mode upon the user defined key over a first time interval and basing the second communications mode upon a network defined key over a second time interval; and

configuring the mobile device to hand-over communications from communications that are based upon the user defined key to communications that are based upon the network defined key and/or from communications that are based upon the network defined key to communications that are based upon the user defined key.

35. The method according to claim 31, further comprising:

communicating between the mobile device and the access point and/or communicating between the mobile device and the base station using the second communications mode and a user defined key responsive to a first orientation of the mobile device relative to another device that is also communicating with the access point and/or base station concurrently and co-frequency with said mobile device; and

communicating between the mobile device and the access point and/or communicating between the mobile device and the base station using the second communications mode and a network defined key responsive to a second orientation of the mobile device relative to said another device that is also communicating with the access point and/or base station concurrently and co-frequency with said mobile device.

36. The method according to claim 29, wherein a mobile device is configured to communicate with a base station and with an access point the method further comprising;

using by the mobile device a first element of a signaling alphabet to communicate with the base station and refraining from using a second element of said signaling alphabet that is being used by at least one other device to communicate with the base station, responsive to a first orientation of the mobile device relative to the at least one other device; and

using by the mobile device the first element and the second element of said signaling alphabet to communicate with the base station while said first element and said second element are also being used by the at least one other device to communicate with the base station, responsive to a second orientation of the mobile device relative to the at least one other device.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the mobile device is further configured to communicate with the access point and/or base station using the second communications mode based upon a user defined key, the method further comprising:

providing to the access point and/or base station the user defined key by accessing a web site and providing to the web site said user defined key; and

connecting the web site to the access point and/or to the base station.

38. The method according to claim 36, further comprising:

basing the second communications mode upon a user defined key over a first time interval and basing the second communications mode upon a network defined key over a second time interval; and

configuring the mobile device to hand-over communications from communications that are based upon the user defined key to communications that are based upon the network defined key and/or from communications that are based upon the network defined key to communications that are based upon the user defined key.

39. The method according to claim 29, wherein a mobile device is configured to communicate with a base station and with an access point, the method further comprising:

configuring the mobile device to communicate with the base station using the second communications mode and a network defined key responsive to a first orientation between the mobile device and another device; and

configuring the mobile device to communicate with the base station using the second communications mode and a user defined key responsive to a second orientation between the mobile device and said another device.

40. The method according to claim 39, further comprising:

providing the user defined key to the access point and/or base station by accessing a web site and providing to the web site said user defined key; and

connecting the web site to the access point and/or to the base station.

41. The method according to claim 39, further comprising:

basing the second communications mode upon the user defined key over a first time interval and basing the second communications mode upon the network defined key over a second time interval; and

configuring the mobile device to hand-over communications from communications that are based upon the user defined key to communications that are based upon the network defined key and/or from communications that are based upon the network defined key to communications that are based upon the user defined key.

42. The method according to claim 29, wherein a base station is configured to communicate with a first transceiver and with a second transceiver concurrently and co-frequency therebetween;

the method further comprising;

configuring the base station to use a first element of a signaling alphabet to communicate with the first transceiver and to refrain from using a second element of the signaling alphabet to communicate with the first transceiver while said second element is being used by the base station to communicate with the second transceiver, responsive to a first orientation of the first transceiver relative to the second transceiver; and

configuring the base station to use the first element and the second element of the signaling alphabet to communicate with said first transceiver while said first element and said second element are also being used by the base station to communicate with said second transceiver, responsive to a second orientation of the first transceiver relative to the second transceiver.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the second orientation between the first transceiver and the second transceiver allows an antenna of the base station, comprising a plurality of elements, to form a first antenna pattern and use the first antenna pattern to communicate with the first transceiver and to also form a second antenna pattern and use the second antenna pattern to communicate with the second transceiver;

wherein a gain of the first antenna pattern in a direction associated with the first transceiver is greater than a gain of the first antenna pattern in a direction associated with the second transceiver; and

wherein a gain of the second antenna pattern in a direction associated with the second transceiver is greater than a gain of the second antenna pattern in a direction associated with the first transceiver.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the plurality of elements comprises a first plurality of vertically disposed elements and/or a second plurality of horizontally disposed elements, the method further comprising:

using antenna pattern discrimination between the first and second antenna patterns to reduce interference between the communications of the first and second transceivers responsive to said second orientation; and

using element discrimination between different elements of the signaling alphabet to reduce interference between the communications of the first and second transceivers responsive to said first orientation.

45. The method according to claim 29, wherein a base station is configured to communicate with a first transceiver using the second communications mode and to communicate with a second transceiver also using the second communications mode;

the method further comprising;

configuring the base station to communicate with the first transceiver and with the second transceiver concurrently and co-frequency therebetween;

configuring the base station to communicate with the first transceiver and with the second transceiver using a network defined key responsive to a first orientation between the first transceiver and the second transceiver; and

configuring the base station to communicate with the first transceiver using a first user defined key and to communicate with the second transceiver using a second user defined key responsive to a second orientation between the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the second orientation between the first transceiver and the second transceiver allows an antenna of the base station, comprising a plurality of elements, to form a first antenna pattern and use the first antenna pattern to communicate with the first transceiver and to also form a second antenna pattern and use the second antenna pattern to communicate with the second transceiver;

wherein a gain of the first antenna pattern in a direction associated with the first transceiver is greater than a gain of the first antenna pattern in a direction associated with the second transceiver; and

wherein a gain of the second antenna pattern in a direction associated with the second transceiver is greater than a gain of the second antenna pattern in a direction associated with the first transceiver.

47. The method according to claim 46, wherein the plurality of elements comprises a first plurality of vertically disposed elements and/or a second plurality of horizontally disposed elements, the method further comprising:

using antenna pattern discrimination between the first and second antenna patterns to reduce interference between the communications of the first and second transceivers responsive to said second orientation; and

using element discrimination between different elements of a signaling alphabet to reduce interference between the communications of the first and second transceivers responsive to said first orientation.

48. The method according to claim 29, wherein the method further comprising:

configuring an access point to preferentially communicate with a first transceiver by preferentially using the second communications mode, responsive to an identity of the first transceiver even though said first transceiver is within a service area of a base station and is capable of communicating with the base station; and

configuring the access point to deny service to a second transceiver responsive to an identity of the second transceiver.

49. The method according to claim 48, further comprising:

configuring the access point to communicate with the first transceiver by using only the second communications mode.

50. The method according to claim 48, further comprising:

specifying an indication of the identity of the first transceiver to the access point by accessing a web site and providing to the web site the indication of the identity of the first transceiver; and

connecting the web site to the access point.

51. The method according to claim 48, wherein the second communications mode is based upon a user defined key, the method further comprising:

specifying the user defined key to the access point by accessing a web site and providing to the web site said user defined key; and

connecting the web site to the access point.

52. The method according to claim 48, further comprising:

basing the second communications mode upon a user defined key over a first time interval and basing the second communications mode upon a network defined key over a second time interval; and

configuring the access point to hand-over communications from communications that are based upon the user defined key to communications that are based upon the network defined key and/or from communications that are based upon the network defined key to communications that are based upon the user defined key.

53. The method according to claim 29, further comprising:

receiving an identity from a device;

authenticating the device responsive to the received identity;

receiving a key from the device following the reception of the identity and following the authentication; and

establishing communications with the device using the second communications mode responsive to having received the key from the device;

wherein prior to said receiving a key, the method further comprises;

providing the key responsive to having received the identity from the device and having authenticated the device.

54. The method according to claim 29, further comprising:

receiving an identity from a device;

authenticating the device responsive to the received identity;

transmitting a notification; and

establishing communications with the device using the second communications mode responsive to having received the identity from the device, having authenticated the device and having transmitted the notification.

55. The method according to claim 29, further comprising:

communicating information over a forward link using a network defined key; and

communicating information over a return link using a user defined key.

56. The method according to claim 29, further comprising:

using the second communications mode responsive to a velocity, acceleration and/or biometric data.

57. The method according to claim 29, further comprising:

using the first communications mode and using the second communications mode simultaneously therebetween to communicate data responsive to the data comprising first and second components that are associated with respective first and second privacy levels that are above and below the threshold, respectively.