Method and apparatus for generating non-interactive key and method for communication security using the same

• US 9,065,640 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDS (China) Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDS (China) Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Yoon, Hyo Jin, Lee, Chung Hyeok, Kim, Jin Young, Lee, Won Il, Chang, Jin Yeop
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS, LINGLAN E
• Application Number:
  US12/939,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20110103581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,692 Days
• Field of Search: 380 44- 47, 380/262, 380/277
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/081 applying self-generating credentials, e.g. instead of receiving credentials from an authority or from another peer, the credentials are generated at the entity itself cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords H04L9/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0872 using geo-location information, e.g. location data, time, relative position or proximity to other entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/088 Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating a non-interactive key, and a method for communication security using the same. A event is detected, and keys are generated based on the detected event. Thus, keys are generated using a small number of calculating operations with a simple interface and thus a user may easily generate the keys, and the performance of an apparatus using the keys is improved. In addition, the keys are generated without wireless interaction between nodes, thereby improving communication security.

Claims

1. A key generating apparatus comprising:

an event sensor for detecting at least one event;

a key generator for generating a key set comprising at least a first key and a second key by using a key generating function, wherein the first key is generated by inputting a first value (V1), which is less than a time interval (Δ

t) between a first event and a second event detected by the event sensor, into the key generating function, and the second key is generated by inputting a second value (V2), which is more than the time interval (Δ

t), into the key generating function,

a communication module which receives, from a target device, a target device key set generated by the target device according to the result of the detecting of the at least one event,

a controller for determining whether the first key and the second key matches a key contained in the received target device key set, and in response to determining one of the first key and second key matches a key from the received target key set, registering the matched key as a security key to be used to communicate with the target device, and

wherein each of the first value (V1) and the second value (V2) is zero or an integer number times a value “

a”

, and the value “

a”

is determined based on an error limit of the key generating apparatus,

wherein the key generator generates the first value (V1) and the second value (V2) such that the following are true;

V1=Δ

t−

(Δ

t mod a)

V2=Δ

t−

(Δ

t mod a)+a.

2. The key generating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the event sensor detects at least one of a shock, touch, oscillation, sound, and light.

3. The key generating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the key generator generates any one key from among keys having hierarchical structures.

4. The key generating apparatus of claim 3, wherein the keys having the hierarchical structures comprise a first level key, a second level key, a third level key, . . . , an (n−

1)_th, level key, an n_th level key (where n is a positive integer), and

wherein the key generator generates a key corresponding to an authority of the key generating apparatus, from among the keys.

5. The key generating apparatus of claim 4, wherein the key generator inputs the result of the detecting to a key generating function to generate the key corresponding to the authority of the key generating apparatus,

wherein, when the first level key is generated, the result of the detecting is input to the key generating function to generate the first level key,

wherein, when the second level key is generated, the first level key is input to the key generating function to generate the second level key,

wherein, when the third level key is generated, the second level key is input to the key generating function to generate the third level key, and

wherein, when the n_th level key is generate, the (n−

1)_th level key is input to the key generating function to generate the n_th level key.

6. The key generating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to try to decrypt encrypted data received from the target device by using the key generated by the key generator and configured to register the key generated by the key generator as a security key to be used to communicate with the target device when the decryption is successful.

7. The key generating apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller tries to decrypt the encrypted data by using any one of the first key and the second key and then registers any one of the first and the second keys, with which the decryption is successful, as the security key.

8. The key generating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface for receiving a key generating-on command or the key generating-off command,

wherein, the key generator is able to generate a key when the key generating-on command is input, and

wherein, when the key generating-off command is input, the key generator does not generate a key although an event occurs.

9. A method of generating a key, the method comprising:

detecting at least one event in a first key generating apparatus and a second key generating apparatus, respectively;

by the first key generating apparatus, generating a first key by inputting a first value (V1), which is less than a time interval (Δ

t1) between a first event and a second event detected by the first key generating apparatus, into a key generating function;

by the first key generating apparatus, generating a second key by inputting a second value (V2), which is more than the time interval (Δ

t1), into the key generating function;

by the second key generating apparatus, generating a third key by inputting a third value (V3), which is less than a time interval (Δ

t2) between the first event and the second event detected by the second key generating apparatus, into the key generating function;

by the second key generating apparatus, generating a fourth key by inputting a fourth value (V4), which is more than the time interval (Δ

t2), into the key generating function; and

by any one of the first key generating apparatus and the second key generating apparatus, determining whether any one of first key and the second key matches any one of the third key and the fourth keys,

wherein when the key generated by the first key generating apparatus matches the key generated by the second key generating apparatus, the first key generating apparatus registers the key matched with the key generated by the second key generating apparatus as a security key to be used to communicate with the second key generating apparatus, and the second key generating apparatus registers the key matched with the key generated by the first key generating apparatus as a security key to be used to communicate with the first key generating apparatus,

wherein each of the first value (V1), the second value (V2), the third value (V3), and the fourth value (V4) is zero or an integer number times a value “

a”

, and the value “

a”

is determined based on an error limit of the first or the second key generating apparatus,

wherein the first key generator generates the first value (V1), the second value (V2) such that the following are true;

V1=Δ

t1−

(Δ

t1 mod a)

V2=Δ

t1−

(Δ

t1 mod a)+a;

the second key generator generates the third value (V3), and the fourth value (V4) such that the following are true;

V3=Δ

t2−

(Δ

t2 mod a)

V4=Δ

t2−

(Δ

t2 mod a)+a.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first key generating apparatus encrypts data by using the first key or the second key, and transfers the encrypted data to the second key generating apparatus, and wherein the second key generating apparatus tries to decrypt the encrypted data received from the first key generating apparatus by using the third key or the fourth key, and when the decryption is successful, the second key generating apparatus registers any one of the third and the fourth keys, with which decryption is successful, as a security key to be used to communicate with the first key generating apparatus.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein any one of the generating of the first key, the generating of the second key, the generating of the third key, and the generating of the fourth key includes a step of generating any one key from among keys having hierarchical structures, according to the result of the detecting.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the keys having the hierarchical structures comprise a first level key, a second level key, a third level key, . . . , an (n−

1)_th level key, an n_th level key (where n is a positive integer), and

any one of the generating of the first key, the generating of the second key, the generating of the third key, and the generating of the fourth key comprises a step of generating respective authority levels from among the keys.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first key and the second key matches any one of the third key and the fourth key.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein any one of the generating of the first key and the generating of the second key comprises a step of generating a first key set comprising a first level key and a second level key,

wherein any one of the generating of the third key and the generating of the fourth key comprises a step of generating a second key set comprising a third level key and a fourth level key, and

wherein at least one of the first level key and the second level key matches at least one of the third level key and the fourth level key.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the event is at least one of a shock, touch, oscillation, sound, and light.