Accessory authentication for electronic devices

• US 8,763,079 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rubinstein, Jonathan Jake, Fadell, Anthony M., Dorogusker, Jesse L., Adler, Mitchell, Archibald, John Wesley
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Korsak, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US12/328,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20090083834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,028 Days
• Field of Search: 726/17, 726/34, 726/2, 713/170
• US Class Current: 726/2
• 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. A media player comprising:

a processor;

a user interface coupled to the processor;

a storage device coupled to the processor; and

a network interface configured to communicate with an accessory in conjunction with the processor,

wherein the processor is configured to;

receive authentication control information from the accessory;

in response to receiving the authentication control information determine whether the accessory supports authentication based on the authentication control information, and if the accessory does not support authentication, then authorizing a restricted set of features, otherwise the processor is further configured to;

send a request to the accessory requesting accessory authentication information;

receive the accessory authentication information from the accessory;

send an authentication request to the accessory, the authentication request including a random number;

receive an authentication response from the accessory, the authentication response including an accessory digital signature and an accessory identifier;

extract the accessory digital signature from the authentication response;

obtain a public key associated with the accessory based on the accessory identifier;

validate the accessory digital signature using the public key; and

authenticate the accessory based on the validation.

2. The media player of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether authentication is to be performed based on the accessory authentication information.

3. The media player of claim 1 wherein the public key is stored in the storage device.

4. The media player of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to authorize usage of one or more authorized features of the media player with the accessory.

5. The media player of claim 4 wherein at least one of the one or more authorized features is authorized for usage over only a certain interface mechanism.

6. A method comprising:

receiving, by a host device, authentication control information from an accessory;

resetting, by the host device, an authentication status for the host device corresponding to the accessory;

sending, by the host device, host authentication information to the accessory, wherein the host authentication information includes version information and a public key index;

receiving, by the host device, an authentication request from the accessory, the authentication request including an accessory random number and a private key number;

extracting, by the host device, the accessory random number and the private key number;

obtaining, by the host device, a private key based on the private key number;

generating, by the host device, a host digital signature using the accessory random number, the private key, and a host random number;

sending, by the host device, an authentication response to the accessory including the host digital signature;

receiving, by the host device, a new authentication status from the accessory; and

storing, by the host device, the new authentication status.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the private key is obtained from a storage device internal to the host device.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the host random number is provided to the host device.