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

• US 7,477,913 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2005
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hai V
• Application Number:
  US11/097,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20060223566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/522, 455/67.11
• 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 a target transmit power for a wireless transmission based, at least in part, on a security ranking of a device to which one or more frames carried by said wireless transmission are addressed; and

a wireless transmitter to transmit said wireless transmission.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said target transmit power is lower for a wireless transmission carrying one or more frames addressed to a device having a higher security ranking than for a wireless transmission carrying one or more frames addressed to a device having a lower security ranking.

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

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

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

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said wireless transmitter is compatible with a Bluetooth standard.

7. A device comprising:

a processor;

a memory to store executable code which, when executed by said processor, determines a target transmit power for a wireless transmission the based, at least in part, on confidentiality of encrypted data carried by said wireless transmission; and

a wireless transmitter to transmit said wireless transmission.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said target transmit power is lower for a wireless transmission carrying encrypted data of higher confidentiality than for a wireless transmission carrying encrypted data of lower confidentiality.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein said device includes smart card reader functionality.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein said device is a headset.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein said wireless transmitter is compatible with a Bluetooth standard.

9. The device of 7, wherein said device is a mobile device.

13. A device comprising:

a processor;

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

a wireless transmitter to transmit said different wireless transmissions; and

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

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said device is a mobile device.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein said device includes smart card reader functionality.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein said device is a headset.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein said wireless transmitter is compatible with a Bluetooth standard.

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

determining a target transmit power of a wireless transmission based, at least in part, on a security ranking of a device to which one or more frames carried by said wireless transmission are addressed; and

transmitting said wireless transmission.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining said target transmit power of said wireless transmission includes determining a lower target transmit power for a wireless transmission carrying one or more frames addressed to a device having a higher security ranking than for a wireless transmission carrying one or more frames addressed to a device having a lower security ranking.

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

determining a target transmit power of a wireless transmission based, at least in part, on confidentiality of encrypted data carried by said wireless transmission; and

transmitting said wireless transmission.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein determining said target transmit power of said wireless transmission includes determining a lower target transmit power for a wireless transmission carrying encrypted data of higher confidentiality than for a wireless transmission carrying encrypted data of lower confidentiality.

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

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

transmitting said different wireless transmissions; and

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