Method and devices for pairing within a group of wireless devices

• US 9,445,449 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2013
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Dees, Walter, Bernsen, Johannes Arnoldus Cornelis
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US14/423,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20150230280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 455/39, 455 411- 413
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• 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 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

System for wireless communication comprises a group of wireless devices (110,120,130,140) that include at least one wireless host device (100) securely connected based on first secret data (240) shared by the group. A second secure connection is set-up between a portable wireless device (200) and a wireless host device based on second secret data (250). At least one of the wireless devices is instructed to apply a third secret data for setting up a direct wireless secure connection with the portable wireless device (200). Also the portable wireless device is instructed via the second secure connection to apply the third secret data for setting up the direct secure connections with the wireless devices based on the third secret data. Finally a respective direct wireless secure connection is set-up between the second device and a respective wireless device based on the third secret data. Advantageously latency is reduced in a secure wireless docking system.

Claims

1. A system for wireless communication comprising:

a group of wireless devices and a portable device, each wireless device of the group and the portable device comprising a radio transceiver for wirelessly exchanging data;

wherein,

a first wireless device of the group accommodating a first host function and a second wireless device of the group accommodating a second host function, the first and second wireless devices being the same wireless device or different wireless devices;

the group sharing first secret data and configured for wireless communication with the first wireless device accommodating the first host function via respective first secure connections based on the first secret data;

the portable device comprising a device communication processor configured for

setting up a second secure connection with the second wireless device accommodating the second host function using a pairing procedure based on second secret data different from the first secret data,

receiving a second instruction via the second secure connection, and

setting up, according to the second instruction, a respective direct wireless secure connection with at least one wireless device of the group using a respective pairing procedure based on third secret data, the third secret data differing from the first secret data;

the second wireless device accommodating the second host function comprising a host communication processor configured for

setting up the second secure connection with the portable device using the pairing procedure based on the second secret data,

transferring to the at least one wireless device via the first secure connection a first instruction to apply the third secret data for setting up a direct wireless secure connection with the portable device, and

transferring to the portable device via the second secure connection a second instruction to apply the third secret data for setting up the direct wireless secure connection with the at least one wireless device based on the third secret data; and

the at least one wireless device comprising a communication processor configured for

receiving the first instruction via the first secure connection, and

setting up, according to the first instruction, the respective direct wireless secure connection with the portable device using a respective pairing procedure based on the third secret data.

2. A portable device for wireless communication in a system including a group of wireless devices and the portable device, each wireless device of the group and the portable device configured for wirelessly exchanging data, and the group sharing first secret data and configured for wireless communication with a first wireless device of the group via respective first secure connections based on the first secret data, the portable device comprising:

a radio transceiver for wirelessly exchanging data; and

a device communication processor configured for

setting up a second secure connection with a second wireless device of the group accommodating a host function by using a pairing procedure based on second secret data different from the first secret data;

receiving an instruction via the second secure connection; and

setting up, according to the instruction, a respective direct wireless secure connection with at least one wireless device of the group using a respective pairing procedure based on third secret data, the third secret data differing from the first secret data.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the device communication processor is further configured for one or more of:

controlling communication via the respective direct wireless connection as a group owner;

or

setting up respective different direct wireless secure connections with respective wireless devices of respective different subsets using a respective pairing procedure based on respective different third secret data, or

generating the third secret data and transferring the third secret data to the second wireless device accommodating the host function.

4. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the device communication processor is configured for one or more of:

disconnecting the second secure connection before initiating setting up the respective direct wireless secure connection with the at least one wireless device;

or

providing a persistent grouping, and accordingly for, after disconnecting the respective direct wireless secure connection based on said third secret data, setting up a further respective direct wireless secure connection based again on said third secret data, or

using the second secret data or the third secret data acquired during earlier pairing when, after disconnecting the respective direct wireless secure connection based on said third secret data, reconnecting with the at least one wireless device for setting up a respective direct wireless secure connection.

5. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the second secure connection comprises a Wi-Fi Direct P2P connection, or

the respective direct wireless secure connection comprises a Wi-Fi Direct Peer to Peer connection, or

the respective direct wireless secure connection comprises a Tunneled Direct Link Setup connection, or

the pairing procedure comprises a Wi-Fi Protected Access procedure or a Wi-Fi Simple Configuration procedure.

6. A host device for wireless communication in a system including a group of wireless devices and a portable device, each wireless device of the group and the portable device configured for wirelessly exchanging data, and the group sharing first secret data and configured for wireless communication with a first wireless device of the group via respective first secure connections based on the first secret data, the host device comprising:

a radio transceiver for wirelessly exchanging data; and

a host communication processor configured for accommodating a host function by

setting up a second secure connection with the portable device using a pairing procedure based on second secret data different from the first secret data,

transferring to at least one wireless device of the group via the first secure connection a first instruction to apply third secret data for setting up a direct wireless secure connection with the portable device, the third secret data different from the first secret data, and

transferring to the portable device via the second secure connection a second instruction to apply the third secret data for setting up the direct wireless secure connection with the at least one wireless device of the group based on the third secret data.

7. The host device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the host communication processor is configured for one or more of:

generating the third secret data, or

generating a respective, different set of the third secret data for respective, different instances of the portable device, or

generating a respective, different set of the third secret data when the portable device, after having disconnected the second secure connection, is setting up the second secure connection a respective, further time, or

generating a respective, different set of the third secret data for a respective, different subset of the wireless devices, or

generating the third secret data based on, or equal to, the second secret data.

8. The host device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the host communication processor is configured for one or more of:

assigning a limited lifetime to the third secret data, or

assigning a lifetime to the third secret data depending on an authorization level of the device.

9. The host device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the host communication processor is configured for:

transferring a third instruction to the at least one wireless device for disconnecting the first secure connection before setting up the direct wireless secure connection to the portable device.

10. The host device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the host device is a wireless docking host or a wireless docking station.

11. A wireless device for wireless communication in a system including a group of wireless devices and a portable device, each wireless device of the group and the portable device configured for wirelessly exchanging data, and the group sharing first secret data and configured for wireless communication with a first wireless device of the group via respective first secure connections based on the first secret data and a second wireless device setting up a second secure connection with the portable device using a pairing procedure based on the second secret data, the wireless device comprising:

a radio transceiver for wirelessly exchanging data; and

a communication processor configured for

receiving a first instruction via the first secure connection, the first instruction to apply third secret data for setting up a direct wireless secure connection with the portable device, and

setting up, according to the first instruction, the direct wireless secure connection with the portable device using a pairing procedure based on the third secret data.

12. The wireless device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the communication processor is configured for:

initiating the setting up of the direct wireless secure connection to the portable device.

13. The wireless device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the communication processor is configured for one or more of:

disconnecting the first secure connection before setting up the direct wireless secure connection to the portable device, or

restoring the respective first secure connection after disconnecting the respective direct wireless secure connection to the portable device.

14. A method of wireless communication in a system including a group of wireless devices and a portable device, each wireless device of the group and the portable device configured for wirelessly exchanging data, and the group sharing first secret data and configured for wireless communication with a first wireless device of the group via respective first secure connections based on the first secret data, the method comprising

setting up a second secure connection between the portable device and a second wireless device of the group accommodating a second host function using a pairing procedure based on second secret data different from the first secret data;

transferring to at least one wireless device of the group via the first secure connection a first instruction to apply a third secret data for setting up a direct wireless secure connection with the portable device, the third secret data differing from the first secret data, and

transferring to the portable device via the second secure connection a second instruction to apply the third secret data for setting up the direct wireless secure connection with the at least one wireless device based on the third secret data;

setting up a respective direct wireless secure connection between the portable device and the at least one wireless device using a respective pairing procedure based on the third secret data.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a program operative to cause a processor to perform the method as claimed in claim 14.