Remotely granting access to a smart environment

• US 20040172396A1
• Filed: 04/21/2004
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Arnberg, Tommy, Vanska, Marko
• Granted Patent: US 7,493,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/9
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00412 the transmitted data signal being encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A method and system for providing selective access to appliances by terminals in a smart environment is provided. Each terminal and appliance is assigned a unique identification code (UID). Appliances and terminals wirelessly transmit their UID and receive UIDs transmitted by other appliances and terminals. Upon receiving a terminal'"'"'s UID, an appliance queries a database to determine whether the terminal is authorized to control that appliance based on authorization information stored in the database. An owner may be notified if a terminal without authorization attempts to control an appliance or enters the environment. When a previously unauthorized user, local to the environment, desires access to the smart environment while the owner(s) is away from the environment, a request may be securely transmitted to an owner at his or her remote location. The owner may grant access to one or more appliances, and securely transmit the authorization back to the local user. Upon receipt of the authorization, the local user may control the appliance(s).

Claims

1. A method of remotely granting access to appliances in a smart environment, comprising the steps of:

(i) a controlling terminal receiving access information from an appliance;

(ii) the controlling terminal sending an access request to an administrator terminal, based in part on the access information; and

(iii) the controlling terminal receiving access authorization from the administrator terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein communications between said appliance, said controlling terminal, and said administrator terminal use public key, private key encryption.

2. The method of step 1, further comprising the steps of:

(iv) the controlling terminal sending the access authorization to the appliance;

(v) the controlling terminal sending a control command to the appliance; and

(vi) the appliance performing the requested control command.

3. The method of step 1, further comprising the step of updating a central database with the access authorization.

4. The method of step 1, wherein the access information comprises an authorization template specific to the appliance.

5. The method of step 1, wherein the access information comprises contact information for the administrator terminal.

7. A method of verifying a recipient of a set of access rights using public key, private key encryption, comprising the steps of:

(i) a first terminal hashing data corresponding to a definition of access rights associated with a second terminal;

(ii) the first terminal encrypting the hash created in step (i) and the second terminal'"'"'s public key, using the first terminal'"'"'s private key;

(iii) an appliance receiving the encrypted hash and public key with the data corresponding to the definition of access rights;

(iv) the appliance decrypting, using the first terminal'"'"'s public key, the received encrypted hash and public key;

(v) comparing the decrypted public key to a trusted copy of the second terminal'"'"'s public key, and

(vi) the appliance hashing the data; and

(vii) comparing the hash of step (vi) with the decrypted hash of step (iv).

8. A method of remotely granting access to an appliance, comprising the steps of:

(i) prohibiting access to an appliance by a controlling terminal;

(ii) sending an access request originating from the controlling terminal to an administrator terminal through a network;

(iii) a server receiving an authorization for access from said administrator terminal, wherein said authorization comprises modified access rights for the controlling terminal;

(iv) updating a central authorization database in the server with information from said modified access rights;

(v) synchronizing a remote authorization database in the controlling terminal with the central authorization database;

(vi) sending authorization information in the remote authorization database to the appliance; and

(vii) granting control of the appliance by the controlling terminal based on the authorization information.

9. A method of remotely granting access to appliances, comprising the steps of:

(i) prohibiting access to an appliance by a controlling terminal;

(ii) the controlling terminal sending an access request to an administrator terminal through a network;

(iii) the controlling terminal receiving an authorization for access from the administrator terminal, wherein the authorization comprises access right information corresponding to the controlling terminal;

(iv) sending the access rights to the appliance;

(v) granting control of the appliance to the controlling terminal; and

(vi) synchronizing the access rights with a central authorization database.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein communications between the controlling terminal, the administrator terminal, and the appliance use public key, private key encryption.

11. A method of remotely granting access to an appliance, comprising the steps of:

(i) prohibiting access to an appliance by a controlling terminal;

(ii) the controlling terminal sending an access request to an administrator terminal through a network;

(iii) a server receiving an authorization for access from said administrator terminal, wherein said authorization comprises access rights information corresponding to the controlling terminal;

(iv) updating a central authorization database in the server with the access rights information;

(v) synchronizing a remote authorization database with the central authorization database;

(vi) sending authorization information in the remote authorization database to the appliance; and

(vii) granting the controlling terminal control of the appliance based on the authorization information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein communications between the controlling terminal, administrator terminal, and appliance use public key, private key encryption.

13. A device for use in a smart environment, comprising:

a processing unit;

a transceiver;

a memory comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the device to perform the steps of;

(i) sending a first control request to an appliance;

(ii) receiving an authorization template from the appliance;

(iii) sending an authorization request to an administrator terminal;

(iv) receiving authorization rights from the administrator terminal;

(v) sending a second control request to the appliance, wherein the second control request comprises the received authorization rights and a control command.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein communications between the device and the appliance and the administrator terminal use public key, private key encryption.

15. An appliance for use in a smart environment, comprising:

a transceiver;

a processing unit;

a memory comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the appliance to perform the steps of;

(i) receiving a first control request from a control terminal;

(ii) sending an authorization ticket to the control terminal;

(iii) receiving authorization information from the control terminal, wherein the authorization information comprises authentication information and a modified authorization ticket comprising authorization rights;

(iv) using the authentication information to verify that the authorization rights were granted by an administrator terminal to the control terminal;

(v) receiving a control command from the control terminal; and

(vi) when the authorization rights were granted by the administrator terminal, performing the received control command.

16. The appliance of claim 15, wherein communications between the appliance and the control terminal use public key, private key encryption.

17. The appliance of claim 15, wherein step (iv) comprises the steps of:

a. decrypting an encrypted public key, using an administrator terminal'"'"'s public key, and

b. comparing the decrypted public key to a trusted copy of the control terminal'"'"'s public key.

18. A method of granting access rights to a terminal, comprising the steps of:

(i) a user terminal receiving a definition of rights from an appliance;

(ii) the user terminal sending the definition of rights to an administrator terminal;

(iii) the administrator terminal modifying the definition of rights to include access rights associated with the user terminal;

(iv) the administrator terminal sending the modified definition of rights to the user terminal;

(v) the user terminal sending the modified definition of rights to the appliance;

(vi) the user terminal sending a control command to the appliance; and

(vii) the appliance executing the control command.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the communications between the administrator terminal, the user terminal, and the appliance use public key, private key encryption.