ACCESSORY AUTHENTICATION FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20110061113A1
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Adler, Mitchell, Fadell, Anthony M., Rubinstein, Jonathan Jake, Dorogusker, Jesse L., Archibald, John Wesley
• Granted Patent: US 8,161,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user

Abstract

Improved techniques to control utilization of accessory devices with electronic devices are disclosed. The improved techniques can use cryptographic approaches to authenticate electronic devices, namely, electronic devices that interconnect and communicate with one another. One aspect pertains to techniques for authenticating an electronic device, such as an accessory device. Another aspect pertains to provisioning software features (e.g., functions) by or for an electronic device (e.g., a host device). Different electronic devices can, for example, be provisioned differently depending on different degrees or levels of authentication, or depending on manufacturer or product basis. Still another aspect pertains to using an accessory (or adapter) to convert a peripheral device (e.g., USB device) into a host device (e.g., USB host). The improved techniques are particularly well suited for electronic devices, such as media devices, that can receive accessory devices. One example of a media device is a media player, such as a hand-held media player (e.g., music player), that can present (e.g., play) media items (or media assets).

Claims

1. An accessory device for a portable electronic device, comprising:

an input/output port for interacting with the portable electronic device;

an authentication controller, operatively connected to said input/output port, for performing authentication operations; and

accessory circuitry configured to access a limited set of functions of the portable electronic device through the input/output port in response to a failed authentication and the accessory circuitry being configured to access a full set of functions of the portable electronic device through the input/output port in response to a successful authentication, wherein the limited set of functions includes fewer functions than the full set of functions, and wherein the limited set of functions includes at least one function.

2. The accessory device as recited in claim 1, wherein at least said authentication controller is included within a single integrated circuit chip.

3. The accessory device as recited in claim 1 further comprising an authentication algorithm, wherein the authentication operations are performed using the authentication algorithm.

4. The accessory device as recited in claim 3, wherein the authentication controller and the authentication algorithm are included within a single integrated circuit chip.

5. The accessory device as recited in claim 1 further comprising an authentication key associated with said accessory device, wherein the authentication operations are performed using the authentication key.

6. The accessory device as recited in claim 5, wherein the authentication controller and the authentication key are included within a single integrated circuit chip.

7. The accessory device as recited in claim 1, wherein said accessory device further comprises a device identifier associated with said accessory device, wherein the authentication operations are performed using the device identifier.

8. The accessory device as recited in claim 1, wherein said accessory device is a peripheral adapter, and

wherein the accessory circuitry includes at least a voltage booster to receive a first voltage level and to output a second voltage level, the first voltage level is received from said portable electronic device when said accessory device is connected to said portable electronic device, and the second voltage level is output when said accessory device has been authenticated by said portable electronic device.

9. A method for authorizing an accessory device for use with an electronic device, the method being performed by the accessory device, said method comprising:

(a) receiving a random number from the electronic device;

(b) encrypting the random number using at least a private cryptographic key provided within the accessory device, thereby producing an encrypted value;

(c) performing authentication operations by sending the encrypted value to the electronic device through an input/output port; and

(d) subsequent to act (c), accessing a limited set of authorized functions at the electronic device in response to a failed authentication result and accessing a full set of authorized functions at the electronic device in response to a successful authentication result, wherein the limited set of authorized functions includes fewer functions than the full set of functions, and wherein the limited set of authorized functions includes at least one function.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein act (b) further comprises sending a device identifier to the electronic device through the input/output port.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising receiving an indication from the electronic device that the accessory device is authenticated.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the indication received from the electronic device indicates which functions of the electronic device are included in the set of features accessible by the accessory device.

13. An accessory device comprising:

communication means for communicating with a portable media player;

authentication means for authenticating the accessory device with the portable media player through the communication means; and

operation means for executing a limited set of functions at the portable media player through the communication means, wherein the functions within the limited set of functions are authorized based on a failed authentication performed by the authentication means and for executing a full set of functions at the portable media player through the communication means, wherein the functions within the full set of functions are authorized based on a successful authentication performed by the authentication means, wherein the limited set of functions includes at least one function.

14. The accessory device according to claim 13, wherein the authentication means encrypts a random number received from the portable media player using a private key provided within the accessory device and transmits the encrypted value to the portable media player through the communication means.

22. The accessory device according to claim 13, further comprising a voltage booster to receive a first voltage level and to output a second voltage level through the communication means, the first voltage level is received when said accessory device is connected with a portable electronic device, and the second voltage level is output when said accessory device has been authenticated by said portable electronic device.

15. An accessory device comprising:

a device identifier;

communication means for communicating with a portable media player;

authentication means for authenticating the accessory device with the portable media player; and

operation means for executing a limited set of functions at the portable media player through the communication means in the event the authentication fails, wherein the functions within the limited set of functions depend at least on the device identifier, and for executing a full set of functions at the portable media player through the communication means in the event the authentication succeeds, wherein the functions within the full set of functions depend at least on the device identifier, and wherein the limited set of functions includes at least one function.

16. The accessory device according to claim 15, wherein authentication encrypts a random number received from the portable media player using a private key provided within the accessory device and transmits the encrypted value to the portable media player through the communication means.

17. The accessory device according to claim 15, wherein the device identifier is communicated to the portable media player through the communications means.

18. The accessory device according to claim 15, wherein said authentication means includes at least one of an authentication key, an authentication algorithm or an authentication controller.

19. The accessory device according to claim 15, wherein said authentication means comprises a single integrated circuit chip.

20. The accessory device according to claim 15, further comprising a voltage booster to receive a first voltage level and to output a second voltage level through the communication means, the first voltage level is received when said accessory device is connected with a portable electronic device, and the second voltage level is output when said accessory device has been authenticated by said portable electronic device.

21. The accessory device according to claim 55, wherein said authentication means includes at least one of an authentication key, an authentication algorithm or an authentication controller.

23. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with program code for controlling operation of a electronic device, the program code including:

program code for receiving a random number from the electronic device;

program code for creating a encrypted valued by encrypting the random number;

program code for performing authentication operations by sending the encrypted value and a device identifier to the electronic device; and

program code for accessing a limited set of authorized functions at the electronic device in response to a failed authentication result and accessing a full set of authorized functions at the electronic device in response to a successful authentication result subsequent to sending the encrypted value and device identifier, wherein the limited set of functions includes at least one function.

24. The computer program product recited in claim 23, wherein the program code for encrypting the random number includes using at least a private cryptographic key provided within an accessory device, thereby producing an encrypted value.

25. The computer program product recited in claim 23, further comprising program code for operating the accessory device with the electronic device in a limited manner when the accessory device is not authorized by the electronic device.

26. The computer program product recited in claim 23, further program code for receiving an indication from the electronic device that the accessory device is authenticated.

27. The computer program product recited in claim 26, wherein the indication received from the electronic device indicates which functions of the electronic device are included in the set of features accessible by the accessory device.