Systems, devices, and methods for authentication in an analyte monitoring environment

• US 9,544,313 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Love, Michael R., Sloan, Mark, Berman, Glenn, Crouther, Nathan, Porat, Gil
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehedi, Morshed
• Application Number:
  US14/574,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20150207796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0266 for monitoring or limiting apparatus function
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1451 for interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14865 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1495 Calibrating or testing of in-vivo probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7495 using a reader or scanner device, e.g. barcode scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/58 Random or pseudo-random number generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 Graphical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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, devices, and methods are provided that allow the authentication of devices within analyte monitoring systems. The analyte monitoring systems can be in vivo systems and can include a sensor control device with a sensor and accompanying circuitry, as well as a reader device for communicating with the sensor control device. The analyte monitoring systems can interface with a trusted computer system located at a remote site. Numerous techniques of authentication are disclosed that can enable the detection of counterfeit components, such as a counterfeit sensor control device.

Claims

1. A method of authentication in an in vivo analyte monitoring system, comprising:

receiving, by a reader device, an identifier from a sensor control device over a local wireless communication path, wherein the sensor control device comprises a sensor and analyte monitoring circuitry, and wherein the sensor is adapted to be inserted into a body of a user;

verifying, at the reader device, that the identifier is in the proper format or does not belong to a class of sensor control devices that are not for operation with the reader device;

sending the identifier from the reader device over an internet to a trusted computer system having a stored registration database; and

receiving, by the reader device, an authentication result from the trusted computer system over the internet, wherein the authentication result indicates whether the sensor control device is or is not authorized to operate with the reader device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending an identification request from the reader device over the local wireless communication path to the sensor control device, wherein the sensor control device sends the identifier to the reader device in response to receipt of the identification request.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the trusted computer system, authenticity of the identifier by reference to a stored registration database.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, if the identifier is in the stored registration database, determining if the identifier is associated with an unused device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the registration database comprises one or more compilations of used and unused identifiers.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising updating the registration database by associating the identifier with a used device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication result authorizes the reader device to operate with the sensor control device if the identifier is associated with an unused device, and wherein the authentication result does not authorize the reader device to operate with the sensor control device if the identifier is associated with a device that has already been used or is counterfeit.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, if the authentication result does not authorize the reader device to operate with the sensor control device, the method further comprises ceasing communication, by the reader device, with the sensor control device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein, if the authentication result does not authorize the reader device to operate with the sensor control device, the method further comprises displaying a message on a display of the reader device indicating that the sensor control device is not authorized for use.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the reader device communicates with the sensor control device over the local wireless communication path using a near field communication (NFC) protocol.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the reader device communicates with the sensor control device over the local wireless communication path using a radio frequency identification (RFID) protocol.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the reader device communicates with the sensor control device over the local wireless communication path using either a Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy protocol.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is a sensor identification (ID) number stored in a memory of the sensor.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the reader device is a smart phone.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the reader device comprises location determining hardware capable of determining a current location of the reader device, and the method further comprises sending the identifier and the current location of the reader device over the internet to the trusted computer system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the authentication result authorizes the reader device to operate with the sensor control device if the identifier is indicative of an unused device and the identifier is authorized for use in the current location, and wherein the authentication result does not authorize the reader device to operate with the sensor control device if the identifier is indicative of a device that has already been used or the identifier is not authorized for use in the current location.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising, if the identifier is not authorized for use in the current location, displaying a message on a display of the reader device indicating that the sensor control device is not authorized for use in the current location.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if the authentication result permits operation of the reader device with the sensor control device and if the sensor has been inserted into the body of the user, then:

reading, with the reader device, information indicative of an analyte level of the user from the sensor control device; and

displaying the analyte level on a display of the reader device.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the reader device, at least one calibration parameter from the sensor control device, and

comparing, at the reader device, the received at least one calibration parameter with at least one digitally signed calibration parameter stored on the reader device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication result is generated at the trusted computer system.