Sensor derived authentication for establishing peer-to-peer networks

• US 8,837,716 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2009
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Andrus, David C., Kearney, Philip F., Zimmermann, Christopher B., Franklin, Jeremy C., Sharpe, Nathaniel S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chea, Philip
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOLLY, KENDALL LYNN
• Application Number:
  US12/364,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20100199092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,052 Days
• Field of Search: 713/171, 380/44, 380/270
• US Class Current: 380/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/061 applying further key derivation, e.g. deriving traffic keys from a pair-wise master key
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0838 Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these network architectures or network communication protocols for key exchange in a packet data network H04L63/061
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0844 with user authentication or key authentication, e.g. ElGamal, MTI, MQV-Menezes-Qu-Vanstone protocol or Diffie-Hellman protocols using implicitly-certified keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/037 of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Methods, systems and devices for generating an authentication key are provided. Two or more communications devices can generate an authentication key by monitoring a physical stimulus that is experienced by both devices (e.g., a common physical stimulus). Each device can then use an identical, predetermined algorithm to generate a common authentication key based on the stimulus. The devices can use the common authentication key to establish a secure network.

Claims

1. A method for forming a secure network between a portable electronic device and a partner electronic device, the method comprising:

at the portable electronic device;

providing an electrical signal to an exciter included in the portable electronic device, wherein the exciter includes;

a first mechanism for providing a first type of physical stimulus, and a second mechanism for providing a second type of physical stimulus, wherein the first mechanism and the second mechanism do not provide the same type of physical stimuli;

producing, by way of the exciter, physical stimuli that are based on the electrical signal;

generating an authentication key that corresponds to the physical stimuli; and

using the authentication key to form a secure network between the portable electronic device and the partner electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device generates the authentication key using a predetermined algorithm that is also known to the partner electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, before providing the electrical signal to the exciter, the portable electronic device sends a communication to the partner electronic device for coordinating sensors in the portable electronic device and the partner electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication key is generated based on a combination of temporal and non-temporal properties of the physical stimulus, wherein a temporal property is based on time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mechanism and second mechanism configured for producing a combination of different physical stimuli is selected from a group that includes:

a thermal stimulus, an electromagnetic stimulus, a mechanical stimulus, a chemical stimulus, an optical stimulus, and an acoustic stimulus.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the physical stimulus is a combination of physical stimuli, and the authentication key corresponds to the combination of physical stimuli.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein authentication key corresponds to a combination of different physical stimuli produced by the exciter.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein authentication key corresponds to a frequency composition of a set of physical stimuli.

9. A first communication device configured to generate an authentication key to form a secure network with a second communications device, the first communications device comprising:

an exciter that includes;

a first mechanism for providing a first type of physical stimulus, and a second mechanism for providing a second type of physical stimulus, wherein the first mechanism and the second mechanism do not provide the same type of physical stimuli;

control circuitry electrically coupled to the exciter and configured to generate an authentication key that corresponds to a first combination of different type of physical stimuli provided by the first and second mechanism; and

wireless communications circuitry electrically coupled to the control circuitry and configured to form a secure network with the second communications device using the authentication key.

10. The first communication device of claim 9, wherein the exciter is configured to, in addition to generating the first combination of different physical stimuli from the first mechanism and second mechanism, provide audio to a user of the first communications device during normal operation of the first communications device.

11. The first communication device of claim 9, further comprising:

a sensor electrically coupled to the control circuitry and configured to detect a second combination of different physical stimuli generated by a second exciter included in the second communications device.

12. A method for generating authentication key to form a secure network between a first device and a second device, the method comprising:

at the second device;

receiving a communication from the first device for coordinating sensors of the first device and second device;

receiving a combination of different types of physical stimuli provided by a first mechanism and a second mechanism of an exciter in the first device, wherein the first mechanism and the second mechanism do not provide the same type of physical stimuli;

monitoring a sensor output in the second device while receiving the combination of different types of physical stimuli;

measuring characteristic values of the sensor output in the second device corresponding to the combination of different types of physical stimuli;

generating an authentication key in the second device based on the measured characteristic value; and

forming a secure network between the first device and the second device using the authentication key.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the authentication key comprises providing the measured characteristic value as an input to a deterministic algorithm.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the secure network is based on a plurality of authentication keys generated by the second device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the measured characteristic value is based on a combination of a temporal and a non-temporal property of the sensor output, wherein temporal properties are based on time.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the first device further comprises:

a sensor coupled to the control circuitry in the first device and configured to detect the additional physical stimuli generated by the exciter in the second device.

17. A system for forming a secure network between a first device and a second device, the system comprising:

a first device comprising a control circuitry coupled to an exciter, wherein the exciter includes;

a first mechanism for providing a first type of physical stimuli, and

a second mechanism for providing a second type of physical stimuli, wherein the first mechanism and the second mechanism do not provide the same type of physical stimuli; and

a second device comprising;

sensors configured to detect a combination of different physical stimuli provided by the first mechanism and second mechanism of the first device, and generate a sensor output based on the combination of different physical stimuli;

a control circuitry coupled to the sensors and configured to measure a combination of characteristic values of sensor outputs and generate an authentication key based on the measured combination of characteristic values; and

wireless communications circuitry coupled to the control circuitry and configured to form a secure network with the first device based on the authentication key.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first device further comprises:

control circuitry coupled to the exciter and configured to generate an authentication key in the first device based on a combination of a temporal and a non-temporal of the combination of different physical stimuli; and

wireless communications circuitry coupled to the control circuitry in the first device and configured to participate in the secure network using the authentication key in the first device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the control circuitry in the first device is further configured to generate the authentication key in the first device using a deterministic algorithm; and

the control circuitry in the second device is further configured to generate the authentication key in the second device using the same deterministic algorithm.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the authentication key in the first device is equivalent to the authentication key in the second device.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the first device further comprises an indicator for providing a progress of providing both the first type of physical stimuli and the second type of stimuli.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the exciter is configured to generate a physical stimulus comprising at least one of a vibration, light, and sound.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the first device and the second device possess similar components such that the two are interchangeable.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein a first characteristic value is measured based on the first type of stimuli and a second characteristic value is measured based on the second type of stimuli, and the first characteristic value and the second characteristic value are different characteristic values selected from a group that includes:

a duration of the physical stimuli, a magnitude of the physical stimuli, a frequency composition of the physical stimuli, a time at which the physical stimuli occurs, a global positioning system information, a slope of a sensor output, a percentage of a peak of physical stimuli, and an average value of physical stimuli.