Methods and apparatus for power source authentication

• US 20070143864A1
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Paul, Christopher, Cordes, Kevin, Cabana, Joe
• Application Number:
  US11/303,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20070143864A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/36
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4221 with battery type recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A power source management system disposed within a device is configured to communicate with a power source and perform an authentication procedure to determine whether the power source is an approved power source. The authentication procedure may involve the use of a challenge-response procedure using keys resident in the device and the power source. If it is determined that the power source is not an approved power source, the power source management system prevents use of or disables certain functionality of the device.

Claims

1. A method of preventing the use of an inappropriate power source in conjunction with a device, said method comprising the steps of:

performing an authentication procedure wherein the device determines whether the power source is an approved power source;

reducing a functionality of the device in the event that said authentication procedure determines that the power source is not an approved power source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of reducing said functionality includes disabling operation of the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of reducing said functionality includes limiting operation of the device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said authentication procedure includes a challenge-response procedure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said challenge-response procedure includes the steps of:

generating, at the device, a random number;

transmitting said random number to the power source;

encrypting, at the power source, said random number to produce a first encrypted value;

encrypting, at the device, said random number to produce a second encrypted value;

transmitting said first encrypted value to the device;

comparing, at the device, said first and second encrypted values.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said first encrypted value is encrypted based on a key resident within said power source.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said second encrypted value is encrypted based on a key resident within said device.

8. A power source management system disposed within a device, said power source management system configured to communicate with a power source and perform an authentication procedure wherein the power source management system determines whether said power source is an approved power source and prevents full operation of said device in the event that said authentication procedure determines that the power source is not an approved power source.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said authentication procedure includes a challenge-response procedure.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said challenge-response procedure includes the steps of:

generating a random number;

transmitting said random number to said power source;

receiving, from said power source, a first encrypted value;

encrypting said random number to produce a second encrypted value; and

comparing said first and second encrypted values.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said second encrypted value is based on a key resident within said device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said power source management system is disposed within a CPU of said device.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said power source management system is disposed within a power management processor that is external to a CPU of said device.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the power source management system communicates with an external encryption IC.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said external encryption IC monitors communication from said power source to said power source management system.

16. A power source comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to said processor;

a communication link coupled to said processor, wherein said processor is configured to receive a challenge number via said communication link, encrypt said challenge number utilizing a key resident in said memory to form a response, and transmit said response via said communication link.