EHF secure communication device

• US 9,426,660 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Keyssa, Inc.
• Inventors: McCormack, Gary Davis, Kyles, Ian A.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAHIM, MONJUR
• Application Number:
  US14/135,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20140281534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 713/168
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3128 the substrate having spherical bumps for external connection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]

Abstract

A communication device employs a contactless secure communication interface to transmit and receive data with a computing device using close proximity extremely high frequency (EHF) communication. The communication device and the computing device periodically initiate a discovery operation mode, whereby the devices periodically transmit identifying information about the respective devices and listen for identifying information from the other device. Upon completion of the discovery mode operation, the devices enter a link-training operation mode and exchange capability information about the respective devices. During transport mode operation the communication device employs methods to manage access to data stored on the communication device by encrypting the data using one or a combination of training information or capability information as a basis for generating an encryption key.

Claims

1. A data communication device comprising:

a communication interface unit comprising;

a transmitter unit configured to transmit data using close proximity extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic energy to a computing device over a first transmission path

a receiver unit configured to receive data from the computing device over a second transmission path; and

an interface control circuit coupled to the transmitter unit and the receiver unit, and configured to;

detect training information—

from an EHF transmission transmitted by the computing device,

evaluate one or more attributes of the detected training and the detected capability information,

determine whether to establish a communication link over the first and the second paths with the computing device based on the evaluation,

calculating a round-trip propagation time of training information transmitted along a communication path beginning from the communication device, through the receiving device, and returning to the communication device,

generating an encryption key based at least in part on the calculated round-trip propagation time of the training information, and

encrypt information exchanged between the communication interface unit and the computing device using the encryption key.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the interface control unit is further configured to transmit communication device capability information and receive computing device capability information responsive to a determination to establish the communication link with the computing device.

3. The communication device of claim 2, wherein communication device capability information comprises at least one of transport mode and authentication information.

4. The communication device of claim 2, wherein the interface control unit is further configured to:

compare the communication device capability information against the received computing device capability information;

determine a capability match based on the comparison; and

permit the computing device to access information accessible be the communication device responsive to a determined capability match.

5. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the communication interface unit is disposed on a first planar surface of the communication device and a storage medium included in the communication device is disposed on a second planar surface of the communication device, the communication device further comprising a sealing layer covering the communication interface unit and the data storage medium.

6. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the sealing layer is composed of an electrically non-conductive material.

7. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the sealing layer is composed of an electrically conductive material.

8. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the first planar surface of the communication device and the second planar surface of the communication device are the same surface of the communication device.

9. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising an inductive coil and a power interface circuit.

10. A method of regulating access to information located on a communication device, the method comprising:

generating, by an extremely high frequency (EHF) transmitting device included in the communication device, training information, the training information specifying a data pattern used by a receiving device to select receiving device settings to exchange information over a transmission path, the training information indicating a signal propagation time, the signal propagation time representing a measure of time that it takes for an EHF transmission transmitted by the transmitting device to the receiving device to be received by the transmitting device from the receiving device over the transmission path;

receiving from the receiving device a training completion message indicating that the training information was received by the receiving device; and

generating an encryption key using one or more attributes of the training information, the one or more attributes of the training information including at least the signal propagation time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein an attribute of the training information comprises an indication of proximity of the transmitting device to the receiving device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein an attribute of the training information comprises an indication change in a transmission property of a transmitter side of a transducer included in the transmitting device caused by the receiving device.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising encrypting information exchanged between the transmitting device and the receiving device using the encryption key.

14. A method of regulating access to information located on a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving from an extremely high frequency (EHF) transmitting device training information, the training information specifying a data pattern used by a receiving device to select receiving device settings to exchange information with the transmitting device over a transmission path, the training information indicating a signal propagation time, the signal propagation time representing a measure of time that it takes for an EHF transmission transmitted by the receiving device to the transmitting device to be received by the receiving device from the transmitting device over the transmission path;

sending by the receiving device a training completion message indicating that the training information was received by the receiving device; and

generating an encryption key using one or more attributes of the training information, the one or more attributes of the training information including at least the signal propagation time.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein an attribute of the training information comprises an indication of proximity of the receiving device to the transmitting device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein an attribute of the training information comprises an indication change in a transmission property of a transmitter side of a transducer included in the receiving device caused by the transmitting device.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising encrypting information exchanged between the receiving device and the transmitting device using the encryption key.