System for transmitting a data signal in a network, method, mobile transmitting device and network device

• US 9,681,293 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2014
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Schwager, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ambaye, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US14/488,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20150003611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 380270, 380328, 380338
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/00 Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field H04B10/00, H04B15/00 take precedence
• 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 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/00 Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/047 without using a trusted network node as an anchor

Abstract

A system for transmitting a data signal is provided, comprising a plurality of network devices; a network connecting the plurality of network devices based on at least a first communication carrier, wherein the first communication carrier is a wired communication carrier; a network key generator configured to generate a network key; a mobile transmitting device configured to transmit the network key to at least one of the plurality of network devices on a second communication carrier, wherein the second communication carrier is a wireless carrier, and wherein the network devices are configured to communicate with the other network devices based on a link encryption key based on the network key. A corresponding method, a mobile transmitting device and a network device are provided as well.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting a data signal, comprising:

a plurality of network devices, including a first fixed network device and a second fixed network device;

a network connecting the plurality of network devices based on at least a first communication carrier, the first communication carrier being a wired communication carrier;

a network key generator configured to generate a network key; and

a mobile transmitting device, different from the plurality of network devices, configured to transmit the network key to the first fixed network device and the second fixed network device of the plurality of network devices on a second communication carrier, the second communication carrier being a near-field communication carrier,

wherein the first and second fixed network devices are configured to communicate with each other via the wired communication carrier based on a link encryption key based on the network key, and

wherein the mobile transmitting device is configured to provide a selection to a user regarding whether the network key is to be generated anew by the mobile transmitting device, received from a third fixed network device of the plurality of network devices, different from the first and second fixed network devices, or retrieved from memory of the mobile transmitting device,

wherein the network is based on a third communication carrier, the system further comprising;

a link encryption generator configured to generate a further link encryption key for the third communication carrier based on the network key, and

wherein the network devices are configured to transmit the data signal between the network devices on the third communication carrier based on the further link encryption key.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first communication carrier is a power line communication (PLC) carrier.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile transmitting device is configured to receive the network key from another mobile transmitting device via the near-field communication carrier.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein, responsive to said mobile transmitting device receiving the network key from said another mobile transmitting device via the near-field communication carrier, said mobile transmitting device and said another transmitting mobile device arbitrate which one of said mobile transmitting devices will retain the network key.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile transmitting device is configured to receive the network key from the third fixed network device of the plurality of network devices via the near-field communication carrier.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile transmitting device includes the link encryption key and is configured to communicate with the first and second fixed network devices via the wired communication carrier based on the link encryption key.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the link encryption key is generated in each of the first and second fixed network devices.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the network key generator is in the mobile transmitting device.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the network is a meshed home network.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the near-field communication carrier has a range of five centimeters or less.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the link encryption key is different from the network key.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first fixed network device and the second fixed network device is a multiple-in multiple-out (MIMO) power line communication (PLC) device.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile transmitting device is not communicable with the first and second fixed network devices via the wired communication carrier.

13. A method for transmitting a data signal in a network including a plurality of network devices, including a first fixed network device and a second fixed network device, based on at least a first communication carrier, the first communication carrier being a wired communication carrier, the method comprising:

providing a selection, at a mobile transmitting device, which is different from the plurality of network devices, whether a network key is to be generated anew by the mobile transmitting device, received from a third fixed network device of the plurality of network devices, different from the first and second fixed network devices, or retrieved from memory of the mobile transmitting device;

after said providing the selection, transmitting the network key from the mobile transmitting device to the first fixed network device and the second fixed network device of the plurality of network devices on a second communication carrier, the second communication carrier being a near-field communication carrier; and

transmitting the data signal between the first and second fixed network devices on the first communication carrier based on a link encryption key that is based on the network key,

wherein the network is based on a third communication carrier, the method further comprising;

generating a further link encryption key for the third communication carrier based on the network key; and

transmitting the data signal between the network devices on the third communication carrier based on the further link encryption key.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first communication carrier is a power line communication carrier, a digital-subscriber-line carrier, a coaxial line carrier, and Ethernet carrier, or a twisted-pair line carrier.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein said transmitting the network key is performed using circuitry of the mobile transmitting device.

16. A mobile transmitting device for transmitting a network key for communicating between a plurality of network devices, including a first stationary network device and a second stationary network device, using a link encryption key based on the network key, and using a first communication carrier, the first communication carrier being a wired communication carrier, the mobile transmitting device comprising:

memory to store the network key;

circuitry configured to select whether the network key is to be generated anew by the mobile transmitting device, received from a third stationary network device of the plurality of network devices, different from the first and second stationary network devices, or retrieved from the memory of the mobile transmitting device; and

interface circuitry configured to transmit the network key to the first stationary network device and the second stationary network device using a second communication carrier, the second communication carrier being a near-field communication carrier,

wherein the network key is to provide the link encryption key for communicating between the first stationary network device and the second stationary network device using the first communication carrier, which is the wired communication carrier.

17. A stationary network device for transmitting a data signal on a network based on a first communication carrier and a link encryption key to at least another stationary network device, the first communication carrier being a wired communication carrier, the stationary network device comprising:

interface circuitry of the stationary network device configured to receive a network key based on a second communication carrier, the second communication carrier being a near-field communication carrier; and

a link encryption key generator of the stationary network device configured to generate the link encryption key based on the network key,

wherein the network key is to provide the link encryption key for communicating between the stationary network device and the at least another stationary network device using the first communication carrier, which is the wired communication carrier, and

wherein the network key is received from a mobile transmitting device based on the second communication carrier, and based on a user selection at the mobile transmitting device regarding whether the network key is to be generated anew by the mobile transmitting device, received from yet another stationary network device, different from the stationary network device and the at least another stationary network device, or retrieved from memory of the mobile transmitting device.

18. A system for transmitting data, comprising:

a plurality of network devices, including a first immobile network device and a second immobile network device;

a network connecting the plurality of network devices based on at least two communication carriers, the at least two communication carriers being wireless communication carriers;

a network key generator configured to generate a network key; and

a mobile transmitting device, different from the plurality of network devices, configured to transmit the network key to the first immobile network device and the second immobile network device of the plurality of network devices on a further communication carrier, the further communication carrier being a near-field communication carrier,

wherein the first and second immobile network devices are configured to communicate with each other via the at least two communication carriers based on respective link encryption keys of the first and second network devices based on the network key, and

wherein the mobile transmitting device is configured to select whether the network key is to be generated anew by the mobile transmitting device, received from a third immobile network device of the plurality of network devices, different from the first and second immobile network devices, or retrieved from memory of the mobile transmitting device,

wherein the network is based on a third communication carrier, the system further comprising;

a link encryption generator configured to generate a further link encryption key for the third communication carrier based on the network key, and

wherein the network devices are configured to transmit the data signal between the network devices on the third communication carrier based on the further link encryption key.