Automatic pairing of a telephone peripheral unit and an interface unit

• US 9,049,303 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GN Netcom A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Original Assignee: GN Netcom A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Inventors: Jensen, Kim Breinholt
• Primary Examiner(s): SIVJI, NIZAR N
• Application Number:
  US14/337,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20150080052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• 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: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/21 Combinations with auxiliary equipment, e.g. with clocks or memoranda pads
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72505 Radio link set-up procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

System for audio communication comprising: a peripheral unit and an interface unit, wherein the peripheral unit comprises a microphone and a speaker, and the peripheral unit is connectable to a telephone via the interface unit, the interface unit having a unique interface unit device address, and the peripheral unit having a unique peripheral unit device address, wherein the peripheral unit and the interface unit are mutually connectable via a wireless communication link for audio communication and via a detachable wired communication link for auxiliary data, and wherein the system further comprises automatic pairing routine for pairing the peripheral unit and the interface unit to establish the wireless communication link.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system with secure linking and authentication of multiple peripheral units to a common interface unit comprising:

an interface unit,

a primary peripheral unit for two way communication with said interface unit, the primary peripheral unit having a microphone and a speaker, and being connectable to a telephone link via said interface unit,

said interface unit having a unique interface unit device address, and the primary peripheral unit having a unique peripheral unit device address,

wherein the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit are mutually connectable via a wireless communication link for audio communication, and

the system having a primary wired pairing routine for initially pairing the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit via a hard wired detachable connection to authenticate a link between the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit while the primary peripheral unit is in the hard wired detachable connection and before the wireless communication link is established between the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit, and

wherein the primary wired pairing routine comprising;

a link detector for first detecting an established wired communication link between the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit,

an address exchanger adapted to exchange the primary peripheral unit device address and/or said interface unit device address initially via the wired communication link between the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit during a time period when said wired link has been established, wherein authenticating the primary peripheral unit, and

the wireless communications system further comprising a secondary peripheral unit in addition to the primary peripheral unit, the primary peripheral unit being the main peripheral unit, wherein the secondary peripheral unit comprises a microphone and a speaker, and the secondary peripheral unit is connectable to the telephone link via said interface unit, the secondary peripheral unit having a unique device address, wherein the secondary peripheral unit and said interface unit are connectable to each other via a secondary wireless communication link for audio communication and the wired communication link for auxiliary data, the wired communication link being detachable, and wherein said interface unit is adapted to be simultaneously wirelessly connectable to both the primary peripheral unit and the secondary peripheral unit by the wireless communication links after the connection between the secondary peripheral unit and said interface unit have been authenticated by the wired communication link;

said authentication between the secondary peripheral unit and said interface unit including;

a pairing routine including;

a link detector for first detecting an established wired communication link between the secondary peripheral unit and said interface unit,

an address exchanger adapted to exchange the secondary peripheral unit device address and/or said interface unit device address initially via the wired communication link between the secondary peripheral unit and said interface unit during a time period when the wired link has been established, wherein authenticating the second peripheral unit, to transmit telephone calls to the primary peripheral unit and the secondary peripheral unit from said interface unit when authenticated; and

wherein a switch on the primary peripheral unit for accepting the pairing of the secondary peripheral unit before said secondary peripheral unit is able to have an audio connection to said interface unit, after accepting pairing, wherein said audio connection to the primary peripheral unit are simultaneously transmitted to the secondary peripheral unit,

wherein the wireless communication link transmits calls to the primary and secondary peripheral units during the audio connection, and after the audio connection is completed signifying the end of a call, the secondary wireless communication link expires, so that the user of the secondary peripheral unit may not listen into subsequent calls without re-authentication.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein detachable connection includes a docking area associated with said interface unit, wherein the docking area is adapted to accept the primary or the secondary peripheral unit for storage and/or recharging, and wherein the wired communication link is established between one of the primary or secondary peripheral units and said interface unit, when one of the peripheral units is docked in the docking area of said interface unit, whereby authentication can occur via a wired connection and without the need for data encryption via the wired connection.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the primary and secondary peripheral units are headsets.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the audio connection includes a predetermined number of audio connections and when said predetermined number of audio connection is completed the secondary wireless communication link expires, so that the user of the secondary peripheral unit may not listen into subsequent calls without re-authentication.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication link transmits calls to the primary and secondary peripheral units during the audio connection and wherein the secondary wireless communication link expires either upon completion of a next active phone call wherein the user of the secondary peripheral unit may not listen into subsequent calls without re-authentication.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein the docking area is adapted to accept a headset as a peripheral unit for docking, wherein the wired communication link is established by the docking the primary or the secondary peripheral unit in the docking area.

7. A method for secure linking and authenticating of a primary peripheral unit and an interface unit for connecting the primary peripheral unit to a telephone via said interface unit, wherein the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit are adapted to be in communication via a first wireless communication link, wherein:

the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit are adapted for being connected via a wired communication link so that at a given time one unit may function as a sending unit and the other unit may function as a recipient unit,

the method comprising the steps of;

a) detecting establishment of the wired communication link between the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit,

b) determining if the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit are already authenticated by previous pairing, and if previously paired, no further authentication is required, otherwise;

c) transferring a device address over the wired communication link between the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit during a time when both the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit are hard-wired to each other;

completing hard-wire pairing of the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit and maintaining said hard wired pairing after disconnection of the wired communication link;

d) upon detection of a second peripheral unit being hard-wired connected to said interface unit, determining if said interface unit has previously been authenticated by previous pairing, and if previously paired, no further authentication is required, otherwise;

hard wire pairing is performed between the secondary peripheral unit and said interface unit by connecting the secondary peripheral unit to the wired communication link to said interface unit;

completing hard-wire pairing of the secondary peripheral unit and maintaining said hard wired pairing after disconnection of the wired communication link;

e) requiring acceptance of pairing of the secondary peripheral unit by a user of the primary peripheral unit, before the secondary peripheral unit is able to make an audio connection to said interface unit to hear calls, where after accepting pairing, said calls to the primary peripheral unit are simultaneously transmitted to the secondary peripheral unit,

wherein the wireless communication link transmits calls to the primary and secondary peripheral units during the audio connection, and after the audio connection is completed the secondary wireless communication link expires, so that the user of the secondary peripheral unit may not listen into subsequent calls without re-authentication.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of requiring acceptance further includes sending a signal to the primary peripheral unit requesting acceptance and providing a user accessible switch on said primary peripheral unit to transmit an acceptance signal to said interface unit.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein authentication of the previous pairing includes checking the device address of either of the primary or secondary peripheral and interfaces units and comparing with a list of addresses in at least one of the primary peripheral unit, secondary peripheral unit or said interface units.

10. A wireless communication system with secure linking and authentication of multiple peripheral units to a common interface unit comprising:

an interface unit,

a primary peripheral unit for two way communication with said interface unit, the primary peripheral unit having a microphone and a speaker, and being connectable to a telephone link via said interface unit,

said interface unit having a unique interface unit device address, and the primary peripheral unit having a unique peripheral unit device address,

wherein the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit are mutually connectable via a wireless communication link for audio communication, and

the system having a primary wired pairing routine for initially pairing the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit via a hard wired detachable connection to authenticate a link between the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit while the primary peripheral unit is in the hard wired detachable connection and before the wireless communication link is established between the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit, and

wherein the primary wired pairing routine comprising;

a link detector for first detecting an established wired communication link between the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit,

an address exchanger adapted to exchange the primary peripheral unit device address and/or said interface unit device address initially via the wired communication link between the primary peripheral unit and said interface unit during a time period when said wired link has been established, wherein authenticating the primary peripheral unit, and

the wireless communications system further comprising a secondary peripheral unit in addition to the primary peripheral unit, the primary peripheral unit being the main peripheral unit, wherein the secondary peripheral unit comprises a microphone and a speaker, and the secondary peripheral unit is connectable to the telephone link via said interface unit, the secondary peripheral unit having a unique device address, wherein the secondary peripheral unit and said interface unit are connectable to each other via a secondary wireless communication link for audio communication and the wired communication link for auxiliary data, the wired communication link being detachable, and wherein said interface unit is adapted to be simultaneously wirelessly connectable to both the primary peripheral unit and the secondary peripheral unit by the wireless communication links after the connection between the secondary peripheral unit and said interface unit have been authenticated by the wired communication link;

said authentication between the secondary peripheral unit and said interface unit including;

a pairing routine including;

a link detector for first detecting an established wired communication link between the secondary peripheral unit and said interface unit,

an address exchanger adapted to exchange the secondary peripheral unit device address and/or said interface unit device address initially via the wired communication link between the secondary peripheral unit and said interface unit during a time period when the wired link has been established, wherein authenticating the second peripheral unit, to transmit telephone calls to the primary peripheral unit and the secondary peripheral unit from said interface unit when authenticated; and

wherein a switch on the primary peripheral unit for accepting the pairing of the secondary peripheral unit before said secondary peripheral unit is able to have an audio connection to said interface unit, after accepting pairing, wherein said audio connection to the primary peripheral unit are simultaneously transmitted to the secondary peripheral unit, where a user of the second peripheral unit cannot eavesdrop on said audio connection without authorization by the user of the primary peripheral unit

wherein, after linking the second peripheral unit to said interface unit, monitoring the connection status of the audio connection to sense a call already underway or a call initiated after linking, and after the audio connection is completed, indicating the end of a call, the secondary wireless communication link expires, so that the user of the secondary peripheral unit may not listen into subsequent calls without re-authentication.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the current or next call includes a predetermined number of calls, after which the link to said secondary peripheral unit is terminated.