Automatic data encryption and access control based on bluetooth device proximity

• US 7,756,478 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2008
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Eisenbach, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TUAN
• Application Number:
  US12/330,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20090093215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/410, 455/411, 455/412, 455/73, 380/201, 380/247, 380/268, 380/270, 380/255, 380/277, 380/278
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• 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 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/08 Key distribution or management, e.g. generation, sharing or updating, of cryptographic keys or passwords network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting key management in a packet data network H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system for using Bluetooth devices to secure sensitive data on other Bluetooth devices is described. A Bluetooth device is paired with a “trusted” Bluetooth device. When contact with the trusted device is lost, designated sensitive data on the secured Bluetooth device is automatically encrypted. When contact is restored, the data is automatically decrypted. In an alternate embodiment, a secured device can be associated with multiple trusted devices, and the secured device designate different sensitive data for each trusted device. In this way, multiple users can share a common, “public” Bluetooth device without concern that the other users will access their sensitive data on the device when the device is not being used by that user.

Claims

1. A method of securing a Bluetooth device, comprising:

pairing two Bluetooth devices;

designating at least one of the paired Bluetooth devices as a trusted device for the other, a secured device;

designating at least a portion of the data storage on the secured device as sensitive data;

detecting when the trusted device is no longer in proximity with the secured device;

encrypting the sensitive data if the trusted device is no longer in proximity with the secured device as determined by at least a Bluetooth protocol used by the secured device; and

decrypting said sensitive data if the trusted device is detected as being in proximity with the secured device as determined by at least the Bluetooth protocol used by the secured device.

2. A wireless communications device that supports Bluetooth communications, comprising:

a radio integrated circuit that includes a Bluetooth radio; and

a baseband integrated circuit operatively coupled to the radio integrated circuit that includes a Bluetooth baseband processor,

wherein at least one of the baseband integrated circuit and the radio integrated circuit performs at least the following;

pairing the wireless communications device with a Bluetooth device,

designating the wireless communications device as a secured device and the Bluetooth device as a trusted device for the secure device,

designating at least a portion of a data storage of the secured device as sensitive data,

detecting when the trusted device is no longer in proximity with the secured device by using a wireless communications protocol used by the secured device,

encrypting the sensitive data if the trusted device is no longer in proximity with the secured device, and

decrypting the sensitive data if the trusted device is detected as being in proximity with the secured device.

3. The wireless communications device according to claim 2, wherein the baseband integrated circuit comprises a voice codec.

4. The wireless communications device according to claim 2, wherein the baseband integrated circuit comprises a processor core.

5. The wireless communications device according to claim 4, wherein the processor core runs software.

6. The wireless communications device according to claim 4, wherein the baseband integrated circuit comprises ROM or RAM.

7. The wireless communications device according to claim 2, wherein the wireless communications device is a cellular phone.

8. The wireless communications device according to claim 6, wherein the wireless communications device is a cellular phone.

9. The wireless communications device according to claim 2, wherein the wireless communications device is a laptop computer or a desktop computer.

10. The wireless communications device according to claim 6, wherein the wireless communications device is a laptop computer or a desktop computer.

11. The wireless communications device according to claim 2, wherein the wireless communications device supports phone and GPS services.

12. The wireless communications device according to claim 6, wherein the wireless communications device supports phone and GPS services.

13. The wireless communications device according to claim 2, wherein the trusted device comprises at least one of:

a cellular phone, a desktop computer and a Bluetooth key device.

14. The wireless communications device according to claim 2, wherein the wireless communications protocol comprises a Bluetooth protocol.

15. The wireless communications device according to claim 2, wherein the radio integrated circuit and the baseband integrated circuit are part of a Bluetooth chip.

16. The wireless communications device according to claim 2, wherein the secured device is locked if the trusted device is no longer in proximity with the trusted device.

17. The wireless communications device according to claim 2, wherein the secured device is paired with more than one trusted device.

18. The wireless communications device according to claim 2, wherein the secured device is also a second trusted device.

19. The wireless communications device according to claim 2, wherein the trusted device is also a second secured device.

20. The wireless communications device according to claim 2, wherein the trusted device is a key fob.

21. The wireless communications device according to claim 2, wherein the secured device designates different sensitive data for each of a plurality of trusted devices.