Patent ID: 7930536

Claim:
A device-to-device authentication system for authenticating when devices on a network are connected within a certain range, comprising: a first device comprising: a first mediating device interface for physically connecting a removable mediating device, wherein the first device reads information from the removable mediating device or the first device stores the information in the removable mediating device when the mediating device is physically connected to the first mediating device interface, a second device comprising: a second mediating device interface for physically connecting the removable mediating device, wherein the second device reads the information from the removable mediating device or the second device stores the information in the removable mediating device when the mediating device is physically connected to the second mediating device, a network interface unit configured to receive a request for authentication over the network, and a local environment management unit configured to authenticate, based on the information from the mediating device, that the first device and the second device are connected within the certain range when it is determined that a time between the physical connection of the mediating device to the first mediating interface and the physical connection of the mediating device to the second mediating interface is within a predetermined period of time, wherein the first device can use content when the first device is authenticated.