Systems and methods for implementing bluetooth low energy communications

• US 9,210,570 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2013
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Xie, Guoxin, Polo, Angel Arturo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lesniewski, Victor
• Application Number:
  US14/022,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20150049871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 380/270
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• 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

Systems and methods for implementing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communications are provided. In some aspects, a method includes receiving, by a first BLE device, a first advertisement packet from a second BLE device. The first advertisement packet includes a payload encrypted based on a predetermined key. The method also includes decrypting the payload of the first advertisement packet using the predetermined key. The method also includes processing, by the first BLE device, the decrypted payload. At least one of the receiving, the decrypting, or the processing is performed without a BLE connection being established between the first BLE device and the second BLE device.

Claims

1. A method for implementing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communications, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first BLE device, a first advertisement packet broadcast to a plurality of BLE devices from a second BLE device, wherein the first advertisement packet comprises a payload encrypted based on a predetermined key, the payload having two or more portions respectively associated with different BLE devices of the plurality of BLE devices;

decrypting the payload of the first advertisement packet using the predetermined key; and

processing, by the first BLE device, one or more portions of the decrypted payload associated with the first BLE device,

wherein at least one of the receiving, the decrypting, or the processing is performed without a BLE connection being established between the first BLE device and the second BLE device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first advertisement packet is received by the first BLE device according to a BLE standard.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising bonding the first BLE device with the second BLE device prior to the first advertisement packet being received by the first BLE device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein bonding the first BLE device with the second BLE device comprises sharing the predetermined key between the first BLE device and the second BLE device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the decrypted payload comprises initiating an action based on the decrypted payload.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the action comprises at least one of turning on an object, turning off the object, adjusting a setting of the object, providing information associated with the object, opening the object, closing the object, locking the object, or unlocking the object.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the object comprises at least one of a light source, a door, a window, an air conditioning system, a temperature monitoring system, an appliance, a multimedia device, a fitness device, or a medical device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by a third BLE device, the first advertisement packet from the second BLE device;

decrypting, by the third BLE device, the payload of the first advertisement packet using the predetermined key; and

processing, by the third BLE device, the decrypted payload.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising sharing the predetermined key between the first BLE device, the second BLE device, and the third BLE device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein processing, by the first BLE device, the decrypted payload comprises determining whether the decrypted payload is associated with the first BLE device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein processing, by the first BLE device, the decrypted payload comprises ignoring the decrypted payload if the decrypted payload is determined to not be associated with the first BLE device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the first BLE device, a second advertisement packet to the second BLE device, wherein the second advertisement comprises an acknowledgment encrypted based on the predetermined key.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting is performed without the BLE connection being established between the first BLE device and the second BLE device.

14. A method for implementing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communications, the method comprising:

encrypting a payload based on a predetermined key;

generating a first advertisement packet based on the encrypted payload; and

transmitting, by a first BLE device, the first advertisement packet in a broadcast to a plurality of BLE devices, the payload having two or more portions respectively associated with different BLE devices of the plurality of BLE devices,

wherein at least one of the encrypting, the generating, or the transmitting is performed without a BLE connection being established between the first BLE device and a second BLE device of the plurality of BLE devices.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising bonding the first BLE device with the second BLE device prior to the first advertisement packet being transmitted by the first BLE device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein bonding the first BLE device with the second BLE device comprises sharing the predetermined key between the first BLE device and the second BLE device.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the generated first advertisement packet comprises the encrypted payload.

18. A system for implementing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communications, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by a first BLE device, a first advertisement packet broadcast to a plurality of BLE devices from a second BLE device according to a BLE standard, wherein the first advertisement packet comprises a payload encrypted based on a predetermined key, the payload having two or more portions respectively associated with different BLE devices of the plurality of BLE devices, and wherein the predetermined key is shared between the first BLE device and the second BLE device;

decrypting the payload of the first advertisement packet using the predetermined key; and

processing, by the first BLE device, one or more portions of the decrypted payload associated with the first BLE device,

wherein at least one of the receiving, the decrypting, or the processing is configured to be performed without a BLE connection being established between the first BLE device and the second BLE device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the receiving, the decrypting, or the processing is performed before the BLE connection is established between the first BLE device and the second BLE device.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise establishing the BLE connection between the first BLE device and the second BLE device.