IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,783,654
Granted Patent B2
US 11,783,654 · App. 17/500,394 · Granted Oct 10, 2023

Techniques for authenticating building/room access terminals

Inventors: Oren M. Elrad (San Francisco, CA); Florian Galdo (Emerald Hills, CA)
Assignee: APPLE INC.
G07C9/00896H04B5/0056H04L9/3073H04L9/3247H04W4/33H04W12/041H04W12/068H04L2209/80
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,783,654
App. No.
17/500,394
Granted
Oct 10, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

The techniques described herein provide for authentication of a reader device over a wireless protocol (e.g., NFC or Bluetooth, BLE). The mobile device can receive and store the static public key of the reader device and one or more credentials, each credential specifying access to an electronic lock. The mobile device can receive an ephemeral reader public key, a reader identifier, and a transaction identifier. The mobile device can generate session key using the ephemeral mobile private key and the ephemeral reader public key and send the ephemeral mobile public key to the reader device. The reader device can receive the ephemeral mobile public key and sign and transmit a signature message to the mobile device. The mobile device can validate a reader signature and generate an encrypted credential that the reader can use to access an electronic lock. The reader device can authenticate the mobile device for mutual authentication.

Claims (60)

1. A method for performing an authentication between a mobile device and a reader device, the method comprising performing, by the mobile device:

receiving, from a provisioning device, a static reader public key of the reader device and one or more access credentials to access one or more parts of a building;

detecting, from the reader device, a beacon signal indicating a wireless protocol used to initiate an authentication procedure;

receiving a message over the wireless protocol, the message including an ephemeral reader public key, a reader identifier, and a transaction identifier;

generating an ephemeral key pair that includes an ephemeral mobile private key and an ephemeral mobile public key;

generating a session key using the ephemeral mobile private key and the ephemeral reader public key; sending the ephemeral mobile public key to the reader device;

receiving a reader signature that is generated by signing, using a static reader private key, a signature message, including the ephemeral mobile public key, the reader identifier, and the transaction identifier;

verifying the reader signature using the static reader public key, and values for the ephemeral reader public key, the reader identifier, and the transaction identifier; and

sending an encrypted credential to the reader device, the encrypted credential generated by encrypting a first access credential of the one or more access credentials using the session key.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the provisioning device, the reader identifier for the reader device;

storing the received reader identifier associated with the static reader public key and the first access credential;

selecting the first access credential of the one or more access credentials by matching the reader identifier from the reader device with the stored reader identifier.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the mobile device stores a plurality of access credentials for different reader devices, and wherein the selection of the first access credential is from the plurality of access credentials, each of which are stored in association with a different reader identifier.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more access credentials comprise secure information for access to at least one of a room, an elevator, a parking garage, a fitness center, and a business center.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

if the reader device fails to verify the encrypted credential, receiving a request message for additional security documents from the mobile device; and sending the additional security documents to the reader device for authenticating the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the additional security documents including a root public key and a signature from an access control authority for authenticating the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating the session key uses an elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman function.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the static reader public key of the reader device is common to a plurality of reader devices.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless protocol is near field communication.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying an indication that the authentication is complete after the encrypted credential is sent.

11. A mobile device, comprising:

a memory comprising computer-executable instructions for performing an authentication between a mobile device and a reader device;

and one or more processors in communication with the memory and configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a provisioning device, a static reader public key of the reader device and one or more access credentials to access one or more parts of a building;

detecting, from the reader device, a beacon signal indicating a wireless protocol used to initiate an authentication procedure;

receiving a message over the wireless protocol, the message including an ephemeral reader public key, a reader identifier, and a transaction identifier;

generating an ephemeral key pair that includes an ephemeral mobile private key and an ephemeral mobile public key;

generating a session key using the ephemeral mobile private key and the ephemeral reader public key;

sending the ephemeral mobile public key to the reader device;

receiving a reader signature that is generated by signing, using a static reader private key, a signature message, including the ephemeral mobile public key, the reader identifier, and the transaction identifier;

verifying the reader signature using the static reader public key, and values for the ephemeral reader public key, the reader identifier, and the transaction identifier; and

sending an encrypted credential to the reader device, the encrypted credential generated by encrypting a first access credential of the one or more access credentials using the session key.

12. The mobile device of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving, from the provisioning device, the reader identifier for the reader device;

storing the received reader identifier associated with the static reader public key and the first access credential;

selecting the first access credential of the one or more access credentials by matching the reader identifier from the reader device with the stored reader identifier.

13. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the mobile device stores a plurality of access credentials for different reader devices, and wherein the selection of the first access credential is from the plurality of access credentials, each of which are stored in association with a different reader identifier.

14. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the one or more access credentials comprise secure information for access to at least one of a room, an elevator, a parking garage, a fitness center, and a business center.

15. The mobile device of claim 11 , further comprising:

if the reader device fails to verify the encrypted credential, receiving a request message for additional security documents from the mobile device; and

sending the additional security documents to the reader device for authenticating the mobile device.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations on a mobile device comprising:

receiving, from a provisioning device, a static reader public key of the reader device and one or more access credentials to access one or more parts of a building;

detecting, from the reader device, a beacon signal indicating a wireless protocol used to initiate an authentication procedure;

receiving a message over the wireless protocol, the message including an ephemeral reader public key, a reader identifier, and a transaction identifier;

generating an ephemeral key pair that includes an ephemeral mobile private key and an ephemeral mobile public key;

generating a session key using the ephemeral mobile private key and the ephemeral reader public key;

sending the ephemeral mobile public key to the reader device;

receiving a reader signature that is generated by signing, using a static reader private key, a signature message, including the ephemeral mobile public key, the reader identifier, and the transaction identifier;

verifying the reader signature using the static reader public key, and values for the ephemeral reader public key, the reader identifier, and the transaction identifier; and

sending an encrypted credential to the reader device, the encrypted credential generated by encrypting a first access credential of the one or more access credentials using the session key.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , further comprising instructions for:

receiving, from the provisioning device, the reader identifier for the reader device;

storing the received reader identifier associated with the static reader public key and the first access credential;

selecting the first access credential of the one or more access credentials by matching the reader identifier from the reader device with the stored reader identifier.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the mobile device stores a plurality of access credentials for different reader devices, and wherein the selecting of the first access credential is from the plurality of access credentials, each of which are stored in association with a different reader identifier.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more access credentials comprise secure information for access to at least one of a room, an elevator, a parking garage, a fitness center, and a business center.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , further comprising: if the reader device fails to verify the encrypted credential, receiving a request message for additional security documents from the mobile device; and sending the additional security documents to the reader device for authenticating the mobile device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 13, 2021
From: ELRAD, OREN M.; GALDO, FLORIAN
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 057785/0617 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63197438 · Jun 6, 2021
Related Publication 20220392286A1 · Dec 8, 2022