Patent Abstract:
A system and method for facilitating the authentication of wireless devices in an environment with multiple wireless networks. A user wishing to join an operating wireless network can bring his wireless device within close physical proximity, for example, less than one meter, of a device in the network that he wishes to join. The user then presses an authenticate button, which causes both devices to enter a low transmission power mode. In such case, the devices are only capable of operation within the close proximity. Being in low power mode will diminish the possibility of eavesdropping on the authentication process. Power down mode also reduces the amount of message traffic in the area and saves scarce power and processing resources at the nodes, which are now out of range. Authentication then takes place in low power mode and once completed, both devices resume normal power levels and continue communicating normally.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO PRIORITY APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a continuation of U.S. Utility patent application Ser No. 10/060,975 filed Jan. 30, 2002, now issued as U.S. Utility Pat. No. 6,928,295, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/264,993 filed Jan. 30, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 

   1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to wireless communications; and more particularly to wireless network communications. 
   2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The number and popularity of wireless communications devices in use continues to rise rapidly all over the world. Not only are mobile phones very popular, but there is also a demand for wireless networking devices. One standard for wireless networking, which has been widely accepted, is the Specification of the Bluetooth System, v. 1.0 (“Bluetooth Specification”). The Bluetooth Specification continues to evolve and subsequent versions are expected to be available. 
   The Bluetooth Specification enables the creation of small personal area networks (PAN&#39;s), where the typical operating range of a device is 100 meters or less. In a Bluetooth system, the wireless Bluetooth devices sharing a common channel form a piconet. Two or more piconets co-located in the same area, with or without inter-piconet communications, is known as a scatternet. It is anticipated that as piconets are setup there could be several piconets operating in the same area as a scatternet, but not necessarily linked together. 
   The need to have security procedures in wireless networks has led to security, encryption and authentication procedures and protocols being incorporated as part of the Bluetooth Specification, in Volume 1, part B, Section 14: Bluetooth Security, of the Specifications of the Bluetooth System, v. 1.0, as referenced above. 
   When a wireless Bluetooth device tries to connect to a particular piconet, it must go through an authentication process, where a user that is part of that piconet, allows the guest to join the piconet. Typical wireless network devices such as computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile phones, have a display and a keyboard that facilitate the authentication process. When a user with a mobile phone enters into the operating range of a piconet, he will get a message telling what piconet, with a particular ID, he has just entered and he can signal his intention to join that piconet by pressing the appropriate key on his keypad. When he presses the appropriate key, he will start the process of joining that piconet. 
   When the guest entered into range of the piconet, his PIN was sent to and received by the devices in the piconet. His PIN can then be shown on the displays of the devices in the piconet. A user in the piconet can then respond to the guest&#39;s request and he can accept or deny the guest&#39;s request to join that piconet. Eavesdropping during the registration process makes Bluetooth devices particularly vulnerable to security breaches. 
   When a guest enters an area with several operating piconets, his display will show him the ID&#39;s of the piconets he has discovered. The guest can then choose which piconet to join using his keypad. But when the guest has a minimal user interface, such as a wireless headset, he has not ability to signal his choice of which piconet to join. In such case, the headset may be paired to work only with a paired device. This paired device may also have a limited user interface, and not have a display or keypad. 
   There is a need for a system, protocol and procedure to enable wireless devices, such as headsets, to join a particular piconet. There is also a need to improve security by reduce the possibility of eavesdropping on the authentication process. There is also a need to avoid burdening nearby nodes with the extra traffic caused by authentication. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods of operation that are further described in the following Brief Description of the Drawings, the Detailed Description of the Drawings, and the Claims. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates in a block diagram, a point-to-point network between two wireless devices; 
       FIG. 2  illustrates in a block diagram, a point to multipoint network among a plurality of wireless devices; 
       FIG. 3  illustrates in a block diagram, a scatternet that includes multiple piconets with overlapping coverage; 
       FIG. 4  is a system diagram illustrating a scatternet in which one operation according to the present invention is performed; 
       FIG. 5  is a logic diagram illustrating operation according to the present invention; and 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram generally illustrating the structure of a wireless device constructed according to the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a network  10  that includes two wireless devices  102 - 1  and  102 - 2 . Network  10  is, for example, a wireless Bluetooth point-to-point piconet where wireless device  102 - 1  is a master Bluetooth system and wireless device  102 - 2  is a slave Bluetooth system, where the master  102 - 1  and slave  102 - 2  share the same channel. The point-to-point network  10  described with reference to  FIG. 1  need not include Bluetooth devices  102 - 1 ,  102 - 2 , but, rather, may comprise any type of wireless device. These wireless devices  102 - 1  and  102 - 2  may include digital computers, computer peripherals such as printers, scanners, mice, keyboards, etc., personal data assistants (PDAs), wireless telephones, wireless headsets, and other wireless devices. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates a network  20  that includes a plurality of wireless devices  102 - 1 ,  102 - 2  . . .  102 - i  . . .  102 - n  (2≦i≦n). Wireless network  20  is, for example, a point-to-multipoint Bluetooth piconet where wireless device  102 - 1  is a master Bluetooth system and wireless devices  102 - 2  through  102 - n  are slave Bluetooth systems and communicate with the master Bluetooth system  102 - 1  over the same channel. In at least one embodiment, up to seven slaves can be active in the piconet  102 . The number of active slaves supported in a piconet depends on many variables and design considerations. The point-to-point network of  FIG. 2  need not include Bluetooth devices  102 - 1 ,  102 - 2 , but, rather, may comprise any type of wireless device. 
   In addition to the active slaves  102 - 2 ,  102 - i  through  102 - n  illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a point-to-multipoint piconet  20  may include many additional slaves that can remain locked to the master  102 - 1  in a so-called “parked” state. When a slave does not need to participate on the piconet channel, but still needs to remain synchronized to the channel it can enter the parked state. These parked slaves cannot be active on the piconet channel, but still remain synchronized to the master. 
   For both active and parked slaves in a single piconet  20  (or piconet  10  of  FIG. 1 ), the master  102 - 1  controls channel access. To this end, the master  102 - 1  switches control from one slave to another as it controls channel access within the piconet  20 . The master  102 - 1  identifies each slave through a unique network address assigned to each slave. When a transfer of information between two slaves in a piconet  10  is desired, the master  102 - 1  coordinates point-to-point transmission between the two slaves. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , for instance, slave  102 - 2  could be a wireless personal digital assistant (“PDA”) device equipped with a Bluetooth system and slave  102 - i  could be a wireless cellular telephone equipped with a Bluetooth system. In such a case, the master  102 - 1  can coordinate communications between two slaves  102 - 2 ,  102 - i  over the piconet channel to exchange, for instance, phone number information. To do so, the master  102 - 1  switches focus between the first slave  102 - 2 , commanding it to transmit phone number data to the master  102 - 1 , and the second slave  102 - i , commanding it to receive phone number data from the master  102 - 1 . This switch in focus is performed by the master through its storing and accessing context information regarding each slave in a relatively rapid succession. 
     FIG. 3 , illustrates, for instance, a “scatternet”, formed from multiple piconets with overlapping coverage. Bluetooth piconets  20 ,  31 ,  33 , and  37  form part of the larger Bluetooth scatternet  30 . Each piconet  20 ,  31 ,  33 , and  37  has only a single master  102 - 1 ,  36 ,  36 , and  34  respectively. However,  FIG. 3  also illustrates that slaves can participate in multiple piconets on a time-division multiplex basis. For instance, in  FIG. 3 , slave  32  participates in two piconets: piconet  20  having master  102 - 1  and piconet  31  having master  36 . In addition, a master  34  in one piconet  33  can be a slave in another piconet  37 . Further, a single Bluetooth system may serve as a master in two piconets, e.g., Bluetooth system  36  serves as a master in both piconet  31  and piconet  37 . 
     FIG. 4  is a system diagram illustrating a scatternet in which one operation according to the present invention is performed. The scatternet of  FIG. 4  includes four separate piconets  402 ,  404 ,  406 , and  408 . Piconet  402  includes master (computer)  410 , slave  412  (PDA), and slave  414  (printer). Piconet  404  includes master  420  (computer), slave  422  (PDA), and slave  423  (wireless phone). Piconet  406  includes master (computer)  416 , slave  418  (PDA), and slave  414  (printer). Piconet  408  includes master (computer)  424 , slave  426  (PDA), and slave  428  (wireless phone). The four separate piconets  402 ,  404 ,  406 , and  408  have overlapping coverage areas. In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , all masters are shown to be computers because they will typically be stationary and have the processing capability to service a number of slaves. However, in other embodiments, the masters could be other devices as well. The scatternet of  FIG. 4  may service a call center, customer service department, or other office environment, for example that benefits by the wireless interconnection of the illustrated devices. 
   A user of wireless headset  430  desires to have the wireless headset  430  join piconet  402  (corresponding to his home computer). The wireless headset  430  has a minimal user interface, e.g., a single authenticate button that initiates joining of a piconet. However, the wireless headset  430 , in its operating location, resides within the service coverage area of each of the four separate piconets  402 ,  404 ,  406 , and  408  that form the scatternet. According to prior techniques, the user of the wireless headset  430  would have difficulty in selecting the desired piconet  402  because of the minimal user interface components of the wireless headset  430 . 
   Thus, according to the present invention, when the wireless headset  430  enters (or powers up in) an area with more than one functioning piconet, the wireless headset  430  uses physical proximity, an authenticate button and a power down procedure to start the authentication process. The user of the wireless headset  430  physically approaches within close proximity, e.g., less than one meter, the master  410  servicing the piconet  402  that he wishes to join. Then, the user presses the authenticate button, signaling his intention to join the particular piconet  402 . 
   Once the authenticate button has been pushed, both nodes, the master  410  and the slave  430  power down to a level that is usable within the one meter close proximity range. In the described embodiment, power down mode will work only if the distance between the devices is less than 1 meter. Power down mode increases the security of the authentication process, by minimizing message traffic, which could be received by other devices and other piconets. Power down mode increases the security of the authentication process, by preventing most other devices in the area from snooping or eavesdropping on the authentication process. Further, power down mode minimizes or eliminates any confusion regarding which piconet that the user wishes to join. 
   By minimizing air traffic during authentication, the other users and piconets have a better chance of maintaining stable communication. For example, if a piconet were hit with a lot of message traffic from users just walking by the piconet, scarce processing and power resources could be wasted in evaluating the new message traffic. This could bring regular traffic in the piconet to a standstill. Power down mode thus prevents the devices that are now out of range, from being disturbed by the authentication process. 
   In one operation of the present invention, the user on the piconet  402  that is within close proximity will get a message on the display of the master  410 . The message would typically display the PIN of the guest  430  trying to join the piconet  402  along with a message stating his request to join. The user on the piconet  402  would then either allow or disallow the guest  430  attempting to join the piconet  420 . 
   Authentication granted by the process could be temporary or permanent. When authentication is complete, then a confirming message can be sent to both devices. The wireless headset  430  user could receive a confirming tone to indicate completion of authentication. If authentication is not successful, that could also generate a message to one or both of the devices  410  and  430 . Once authentication is complete, then normal power mode can be resumed and the guest (wireless headset  430 ) is now part of that piconet  402  and normal communications continue. 
     FIG. 5  is a logic diagram illustrating operation according to the present invention. The logical operations described with reference to  FIG. 5  will include references to the devices of  FIG. 4 . Operation commences when a guest (wireless handset  430 ) is placed within close proximity of a master (computer  410 ), e.g., 1 meter (step  502 ). With the guest  430  in close proximity to the master  410 , a user of the guest  430  presses an authenticate button to initiate the joining of a piconet  402  serviced by the master  410  (step  504 ). The master  410  and the guest  430  then enter a power down mode in which the transmit power of each device is reduced (step  506 ). The transmit power during the power down mode is such that devices outside of the proximate distance between the devices  410  and  430  cannot eaves drop upon the authentication operations unless they are also proximately located. Thus, during the power down mode operations, the guest  430  should not be proximately located to other master devices. 
   Authentication operations are then performed in the power down mode (step  508 ). If the authentication operations are successful (as determined at step  510 ), normal power operations are resumed (step  512 ) and wireless communication operations are serviced until completion (step  514 ) at which point operation ends. If the authentication operations are not successful (as determined at step  510 ), operations end. After a successful authentication operation, confirmation of such success may be communicated to the user of the guest  430 , e.g., the delivery of a distinctive tone to the user of the wireless headset  430 . 
     FIG. 6  is a block diagram generally illustrating the structure of a wireless device constructed according to the present invention. The general structure of the wireless device  600  will be present in any of the wireless devices illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 , either master devices or slave devices. The wireless device  600  of  FIG. 6  implements the operations of  FIG. 5 . The wireless device  600  includes a plurality of host device components  602  that service all requirements of the wireless device  600  except for the wireless requirements of the wireless device  600 . Of course, operations relating to the wireless communications of the wireless device  600  will be partially performed by the host device components  602 . 
   Coupled to the host device components  602  is a Radio Frequency (RF) interface  604 . The RF interface  604  services the wireless communications of the host device  600  and includes an RF transmitter  606  and an RF receiver  608 . The RF transmitter  606  and the RF receiver  608  both couple to an antenna  610 . The teachings of the present invention are embodied within the RF transmitter  606  of the RF interface  604  and are generally referred to as reduced power authentication operations. During these operations, the transmit power of the RF transmitter  606  is reduced to effectively reduce the operating range of the RF interface  604 . During these reduced power operations, the operations of the RF receiver  608  may remain unchanged. 
   The invention disclosed herein is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. Specific embodiments therefore have been shown by way of example in the drawings and detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7