Granted Patent B2

US 8,996,877 · App. 14/156,765 · Granted Mar 31, 2015

Abstract

Claims (66)

1. A device comprising:

a processor;

a non-volatile memory connected to the processor;

a private key generator generating a private key, said private key generator connected to the processor, said processor storing the private key in the non-volatile memory;

an index source indicating an index number to the processor;

said processor performing a number of hashes on the private key to generate an identifying value, the number of hashes based on the index number stored in the non-volatile memory, said processor providing the identifying value for use in authenticating said device, said identifying value generated as a function of the private key stored only on the non-volatile memory, wherein the number of hashes is based on the difference between the index number and a reference number.

2. The device of claim 1 :

wherein the processor, the private key generator, and the non-volatile memory comprise a unitary, integrated device;

wherein the unitary, integrated device is configured such that the processor stores the private key only in the non-volatile memory; and

wherein the unitary, integrated device is configured such that the private key stored in the non-volatile memory is inaccessible by other devices so that other devices cannot obtain the private key.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein an identifier of the device, the index number and the identifying value are stored in the non-volatile memory and wherein the processor provides the index number and the identifier for use in authenticating said device.

4. A device comprising:

a processor;

a non-volatile memory connected to the processor;

a private key generator generating its own private key, said private key generator connected to the processor, said processor storing the private key in the non-volatile memory;

an index source indicating an index number to the processor;

said processor performing a number of hashes on the private key to generate an identifying value, the number of hashes based on the index number stored in the non-volatile memory, said processor providing the identifying value for use in authenticating said device, said identifying value generated as a function of the private key stored only on the non-volatile memory wherein the index number is the current date/time and the number of hashes is based on the difference between the current date/time and a future date/time.

5. The device of claim 4 :

wherein the processor, the private key generator, and the non-volatile memory comprise a unitary, integrated device;

wherein the unitary, integrated device is configured such that the processor stores the private key only in the non-volatile memory; and

wherein the unitary, integrated device is configured such that the private key stored in the non-volatile memory is inaccessible by other devices so that other devices cannot obtain the private key.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein an identifier of the device, the index number and the identifying value are stored in the non-volatile memory and wherein the processor provides the index number and the identifier for use in authenticating said device.

7. A system for authenticating a secure authentication device having a device identifier, the system comprising:

a memory to store a prior timestamp and a prior hash value associated with the device identifier;

a logical interconnection operatively connected to the memory, the logical interconnection operative to communicate with the device; and

a processor operatively connected to the memory and the logical interconnection , the processor operative to receive, via the logical interconnection , the device identifier, a current hash value and a current timestamp,

said processor retrieving from the memory the prior timestamp and the prior hash value associated with the device identifier,

said processor determining an amount of time between the current timestamp and the prior timestamp,

said processor performing a number of hashes on the current hash value to generate an identifying value, wherein the number of hashes is based on the amount of time between the current timestamp and the prior timestamp, and

said processor determining whether the identifying value equals the prior hash value, wherein the device is authenticated if the identifying value equals the prior hash value, otherwise the device is not authenticated.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the number of hashes equals the number of seconds between the prior timestamp and the current timestamp.

9. A method for authenticating a secure identification device, comprising:

receiving a device identifier, a hash value and a current timestamp;

retrieving a prior timestamp and a prior hash value associated with a prior authentication of a device identified by the device identifier;

determining an amount of time between the current timestamp and the prior timestamp;

performing a number of hashes on the hash value, the number of hashes based on the amount of time between the current timestamp and the prior timestamp; and

determining whether a resulting value of the performing the number of hashes equals the prior hash value, wherein the device is authenticated if the resulting value equals the prior hash value, otherwise the device is not authenticated.

10. The method of claim 9 for use by a device for providing authenticating information to a verifying device, comprising:

generating a random number;

determining a reference number;

storing the random number and the reference number;

determining a difference between an index number and the reference number;

performing a number of hashes on the random number to generate an identifying value, the number of hashes based on the determined difference; and

providing the identifying value and the index number to the verifying device for use in authenticating the device.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising providing an identifier of the device to the verifying device for use in authenticating the device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the reference number comprises an end date/time, wherein the index number comprises a current date/time, wherein said performing comprises performing a number of hashes on the random number to generate the identifying value, the number of hashes based on the determined difference between the current date/time and the end date/time; and wherein said providing comprises providing the identifying value and the current date/time to the verifying device for use in authenticating the device.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the number of hashes equals the number of seconds between the prior timestamp and the current timestamp.

14. The method of claim 9 for use by a device for providing authenticating information to a verifying device, said information including a random number and a reference number stored in a memory of the device, said method comprising:

retrieving the random number and the reference number from the memory;

determining a difference between an index number and the reference number;

performing a number of hashes on the random number to generate an identifying value, the number of hashes based on the determined difference; and

providing the identifying value and the index number to the verifying device for use in authenticating the device.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising providing an identifier of the device to the verifying device for use in authenticating the device.

16. The method of claim 9 for pairing secure authentication devices, comprising:

identifying a first device and a second device;

connecting the first device and the second device; and

generating, by the connected first and second devices, a common root key;

wherein the common root key is used by a hash engine of the first device and by a hash engine of the second device to cryptographically communicate between each other and/or to authenticate each other.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first and second devices communicate with each other by using identical crypto-keys for symmetric key cryptography by sharing only a common index number with each other.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the first device provides a random private key to the second device, wherein the first device uses the common root key to compute a first identifying value based on the provided random private key, wherein the second device uses the common root key to compute a second identifying value based on the provided random private key, wherein the computed second identifying value is provided to the first device, and wherein the first device compares the computed first identifying value to the second identifying value to authenticate the second device.

19. The method of claim 9 for cryptographically pairing a first device having a first hash engine and a first private key generator for generating a first private key to a second device, said method comprising:

identifying a second device having a second hash engine and a second private key generator for generating a second private key;

connecting the first device and the second device;

generating, by the connected first and second devices, a common root key;

disconnecting the first device and second device;

wherein the common root key and the first private key are used by the first hash engine of the first device to cryptographically communicate with the second device and wherein the common root key and the second private key are used by the second hash engine of the second device to cryptographically communicate with the first device.

Assignments (10)