Determining a target transmit power of a wireless transmission according to security requirements

• US 20060223566A1
• Filed: 04/04/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Adams, Neil, Brown, Michael S., Little, Herb, Brown, Michael K., Totzke, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,477,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/281 taking into account user or data type priority

Abstract

Different target transmit powers are determined for different wireless transmissions from a wireless device, the different transmissions having different security requirements. For example, the security requirements of a particular transmission may include a security ranking of a device to which one or more frames carried by the particular transmission are addressed. In another example, the security requirements of a particular transmission may include the confidentiality of data carried by the particular transmission.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a processor;

a memory to store executable code which, when executed by said processor, determines different target transmit powers for different transmissions having different security requirements; and

a wireless transmitter to transmit said transmissions.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said security requirements for a particular transmission include a security ranking of a device to which one or more frames carried by said particular transmission are addressed.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said target transmit powers are lower for transmissions carrying frames addressed to devices having higher security rankings than for transmissions carrying frames addressed to devices having lower security rankings.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said security requirements for a particular transmission include the confidentiality of data carried by said particular transmission.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said target transmit powers are lower for transmissions carrying data of higher confidentiality than for transmissions carrying data of lower confidentiality.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless receiver,

wherein said code, when executed by said processor, increases a target transmit power for a particular transmission in the absence of a valid response from a device for which said particular transmission is intended.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless receiver,

wherein said code, when executed by said processor, prompts a user of said device to bring said device and a device for which a particular transmission is intended closer together in the absence of a valid response from said device for which said particular transmission is intended.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is a mobile device.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said device includes smart card reader functionality.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is a headset.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said wireless transmitter is compatible with the Bluetooth®

standard.

12. A method in a wireless-enabled device, the method comprising:

determining different target transmit powers for different wireless transmissions having different security requirements.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining different target transmit powers includes determining a target transmit power of a particular wireless transmission based, at least in part, on a security ranking of a device to which one or more frames carried by said particular transmission are addressed.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining different target transmit powers includes determining lower target transmit powers for transmissions carrying frames addressed to devices having higher security rankings than for transmissions carrying frames addressed to devices having lower security rankings.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein determining different target transmit powers includes determining a target transmit power of a particular wireless transmission based, at least in part, on the confidentiality of data carried by said particular transmission.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining different target transmit powers includes determining lower target transmit powers for transmissions carrying data of higher confidentiality than for transmissions carrying data of lower confidentiality.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

increasing a target transmit power of a particular transmission in the absence of a valid response to said particular transmission from a device for which said particular transmission is intended.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

prompting a user of said device to bring said device and a device for which a particular transmission is intended closer together in the absence of a valid response from said device for which said particular transmission is intended.