METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROXIMITY BASED PAIRING OF MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20100278345A1
• Filed: 05/04/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Champeaux, Philippe, Tribble, Guy L., Alsina, Thomas Matthieu
• Application Number:
  US12/435,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20100278345A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/283
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method and an apparatus that establish a first communication channel or pair with a target device in proximity to a source device are described. A pairing message is sent to the target device in proximity to the source device over the first communication channel from the source device. A secret and an identifier associated with an application are included in the pairing message. In response to receiving the secret back from the target device for a second communication channel, pairing data of the application are sent to the target device over the second communication channel.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

establishing, at a source device, a first communication channel with a target device in proximity to the source device;

sending a pairing message from the source device to the target device in proximity to the source device over the first communication channel, the pairing message including a secret and an identifier associated with an application; and

in response to receiving the secret back from the target device for a second communication channel, sending pairing data of the application to the target device over the second communication channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishment of the first communication channel occurs when the target device is in proximity to the location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication channel is based on an Infrared connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the pairing message comprises:

detecting presence of the target device in proximity to the source device; and

in response to detection of the target device, displaying a user interface indicating whether to send the pairing message.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

formatting the pairing message according to a setting, the setting being configured with the identifier associated with the application.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the setting is configured with the secret.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the secret includes a token, further comprising:

generating the token via a random number generator.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the secret includes a key representing a trace of physical movements, further comprising:

recording the trace of physical movements into a record; and

generating the key from the recorded trace.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the record stores physical movements continuously recorded for the source device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the pairing data further comprises:

verifying the secret received from the target device; and

establishing the second communication channel if the secret is successfully verified.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the secret includes an URL (Universal Resource Locator) indicating a location of the pairing data associated with the application.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the application is a social networking application and wherein the pairing data includes a user profile.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the second communication channel is based on a Wi-Fi (wireless Ethernet network) network connection and wherein the secret includes an IP (Internet Protocol) address.

14. A computer implemented method, comprising:

establishing, at a target device, a first communication channel with a source device in proximity to the target device;

in response to receiving a pairing message from the source device over the first communication channel, launching an application identified by the pairing message;

establishing a second communication channel from the application to a remote device according to the pairing message; and

retrieving pairing data for the application from the remote device over the second communication channel.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first communication channel is based on a short range radio frequency network.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the launching of the application comprises:

extracting an identifier and a secret from the pairing message; and

determining if the application identified by the identifier is available, wherein the application is launched with the secret if the application is available.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the determination is based on a configuration configured with the identifier identifying the application.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the configuration includes an indication associated with the identifier, the indication indicating whether the application is available and wherein the establishment of the first communication channel comprises:

sending a reply message for the pairing message according to the indication over the first communication channel.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the remote device is the source device, wherein the second communication channel is based on a local wireless network and wherein the secret includes a network address of the source device in the local wireless network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the secret includes a password and wherein the second communication channel is based on validity of the password within the local wireless network.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the local wireless network is based on Bluetooth protocol.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein retrieving the pairing data comprises:

sending the secret to the remote device over the second communication channel.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the remote device is a web server, wherein the second communication channel is based on Internet network and wherein the secret includes an URL (Universal Resource Locator) associated with the web server.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the secret includes a password and wherein the application establishes a session with the web server based on the password.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the pairing data is a multimedia data associated with the source device.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein the source device is a stationed device installed at a fixed location.

27. The method of claim 14, wherein the pairing data includes a first representation of a first trace of physical movements, the method further comprising:

recording a second trace of simultaneous physical movements with the first trace of physical movements;

generating a second representation of the second trace of simultaneous physical movements; and

matching the first representation with the second representation, wherein the establishment of the second communication channel is based on successful match of the first and second representation.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the match of the first and second representations of physical movements comprises:

determining a cross-correlation between the first and second representations;

identifying one or more peaks from the cross-correlations; and

determining if at least one of the peaks satisfy a condition with a reference value, wherein the first and second representations match if at least one of the peaks satisfy the condition.

29. A computer implemented method, comprising:

establishing, at a source device, a first communication channel with a target device in proximity to the source device;

sending a pairing message from the source device to the target device in proximity to the source device over the first communication channel, the pairing message identifying an application;

in response to receiving a request from the target device for a second communication channel, verifying the target device and the source device are paired according to the request;

sending pairing data of the application to the target device over the second communication channel if the verification is successful.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the request includes verification data, wherein the source device includes a trace of physical movements, and wherein the verification comprises:

retrieving the trace of physical movements from a record, wherein the record stories physical movements of the source device continuously; and

matching the verification data with the trace of physical movements.

31. A computer implemented method, comprising:

establishing, at a source device, a first communication channel with a target device in proximity to the source device;

sending a pairing message from the source device to the target device in proximity to the source device over the first communication channel, the pairing message identifying an application;

in response to receiving a request from the target device for a second communication channel, verifying the target device and the source device are paired according to the verification data;

sending pairing data of the application to the target device over the second communication channel if the verification is successful.

32. A machine-readable storage medium having instructions, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

establishing a first communication channel with a target device in proximity to a source device;

sending a pairing message from the source device to the target device in proximity to the source device over the first communication channel, the pairing message including a secret and an identifier associated with an application; and

in response to receiving the secret back from the target device for a second communication channel, sending pairing data of the application to the target device over the second communication channel.

33. An apparatus, comprising:

a sensor logic to detect a target device in proximity to the apparatus;

a memory storing executable instructions;

a processor coupled to the sensor logic and the memory, the processor executing the executable instructions from the memory to perform a method comprising;

establishing a first communication channel with a target device;

sending a pairing message to the target device in proximity to the apparatus over the first communication channel, the pairing message including a secret and an identifier associated with an application; and

in response to receiving the secret back from the target device for a second communication channel, sending pairing data of the application to the target device over the second communication channel.

34. A machine-readable storage medium having instructions, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

establishing a first communication channel with a source device in proximity to the source device;

in response to receiving a pairing message from the source device over the first communication channel, launching an application identified by the paring message;

establishing a second communication channel from the application to a remote device according to the pairing message; and

retrieving pairing data for the application from the remote device over the second communication channel.

35. An apparatus, comprising:

a sensor logic to detect a source device in a proximity to the apparatus;

a memory storing executable instructions;

a processor coupled to the sensor logic and the memory, the processor executing the executable instructions from the memory to perform a method comprising;

establishing a first communication channel with a source device in proximity to the source device;

in response to receiving a pairing message from the source device over the first communication channel, launching an application identified by the paring message;

establishing a second communication channel from the application to a remote device according to the pairing message; and

retrieving pairing data for the application from the remote device over the second communication channel.