(19) United States
(12) Patent Application Publication (io) Pub. No.: US 2003/0065918 Al
Willey (43) Pub. Date: Apr. 3,2003
(76) Inventor: William Daniel Willey, San Francisco, CA (US)
Correspondence Address:
Ralph A. Dowell
Dowell & Dowell, P.C.
Suite 309
1215 Jefferson Davis Hwy.
Arlington, VA 22202-3124 (US)
(21) Appl. No.: 10/117,186
(22) Filed: Apr. 8, 2002
Related U.S. Application Data
(60) Provisional application No. 60/281,556, filed on Apr. 6, 2001.
(51) Int. CI.7 11041. 9/00
(52) U.S. CI 713/168; 713/150
(57) ABSTRACT
A method for establishing a link key between correspondents in a public key cryptographic scheme, one of the correspondents being an authenticating device and the other being an authenticated device. The method also provides a means for mutual authentication of the devices. The authenticating device may be a personalized device, such as a mobile phone, and the authenticated device may be a headset. The method for establishing the link key includes the step of introducing the first correspondent and the second correspondent within a predetermined distance, establishing a key agreement and implementing challenge-response routine for authentication. Advantageously, man-in-the middle attacks are minimized.
