Distributed Access Control and Authentication

• US 20080148369A1
• Filed: 12/15/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aaron, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,160,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00396 starting with prompting the keyless data carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

Presented are apparatus and method for distributed authentication and control of an electronic security device. The method includes prompting an authority for access to an ESS and providing a response package by the authority, wherein the response package comprises a first hash value combining challenge data and a pass code for the ESS. Upon receipt of the response package, the first hash value and a second hash value generated by the by the ESS may be prepared and if the first hash value and the second hash values match, the ESS may be unlocked.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

a radio frequency transceiver, capable of communicating wirelessly with a telecommunications network;

a secondary transceiver capable of wirelessly communicating with an electronic security system;

a memory device; and

a processor in communication with the memory device, the RF transceiver and the secondary receiver, the processor being capable of generating a first concatenated hash combining challenge data transmitted from the electronic security system and a pass code for the electronic security system, wherein the hash is transmitted via the secondary transceiver to the electronic security system whereby the electronic security system is unlocked.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the electronic security system comprises:

a lock transceiver;

a lock memory device; and

a processor in communication with the lock transceiver and the lock memory device, the processor capable of generating the challenge data, generating a second concatenated hash using the challenge data and the pass code and comparing the first concatenated hash and the second concatenated hash.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein the lock memory device contains the pass code for the electronic security system.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication device is in communication with a master wireless communication device via the telecommunications network, the master communications device containing the pass code for the electronic security system.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the secondary transceiver and the lock transceiver are each capable of intercommunication using a short range radio standard including at least one of Bluetooth®

, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Wireless USB (WUSB), Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11), Zigbee (IEEE 802.15.4), WiMAX. WiBro, infrared, near-field magnetics and HiperLAN standards.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the secondary transceiver and the lock transceiver are capable of intercommunication optically.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the challenge data is a one-time randomly chosen data string.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the master wireless communication device computes the first concatenated hash and provides the first concatenated hash to the wireless communication device upon receiving the challenge data auto-transmitted by the electronic security system via the wireless communication device.

9. A method for distributed authentication comprising:

prompting an authority for access to an electronic security system;

receiving a first hash value combining challenge data and a pass code for the electronic security system from the authority;

comparing the first hash value and a second hash value generated by the electronic security system; and

,

if the first hash value and the second hash values match, unlocking the electronic security system.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing the first hash value by the authority to a proximate wireless communication device; and

auto-transmitting the first hash value to the electronic security device by the proximate wireless communication device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

electronically prompting the electronic security system with a wireless unlock message transmitted by the proximate wireless communication device; and

receiving an unlock message response from the electronic security system by the proximate wireless communication device including challenge data and electronic security system owner contact data.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

auto-transmitting the unlock message response from the proximate wireless communication device to the authority based on the electronic security system owner contact data.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the challenge data transmitted by the proximate wireless communication device remains valid for a single use.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein prompting the electronic security system and receiving an unlock message response are conducted by a short range radio format including at least one of Bluetooth®

, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Wireless USB (WUSB), Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11), WiMAX. WiBro, infrared, near-field magnetics and HiperLAN standards.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein communication between the proximate wireless communication device and the authority is accomplished by a cellular telecommunications system.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the challenge data transmitted by the proximate wireless communication device remains valid for a specified time period.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic security device and the proximate wireless communication device are capable of intercommunication optically.

18. A computer readable medium containing instructions to:

receive a response package from an authority, wherein the response package comprises a first hash value;

generate a second hash value concatenating challenge data and a pass code for an electronic security system

compare the first hash value and the second hash value; and

,

if the first hash value and the second hash values match, unlock the electronic security system.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further containing instructions to:

receive an unlock prompt from a proximate wireless communication device; and

in response to the unlock prompt, transmit a response to the proximate wireless communication device including the challenge data and electronic security system owner contact data.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the authority is a hierarchical structure wherein each subordinate level of the hierarchical structure possesses pass codes to fewer electronic security systems than the next senior wireless communication device.