Method and system for encryption using a radio frequency fingerprint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10764285-B2
Application number	US-201816045323-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2018
Priority date	Jul 25, 2018
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure include methods, apparatus, and computer readable medium for storing encrypted data including receiving a radio frequency signal and data to be encrypted, identifying a radio frequency fingerprint of the signal, generating a numerical representation of the radio frequency fingerprint, generating an encryption key using at least a portion of the representation, encrypting the data using the encryption key, and storing the encrypted data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of storing encrypted data, comprising:
receiving a radio frequency signal and data to be encrypted;
identifying a radio frequency fingerprint of the signal;
generating a first numerical representation of the radio frequency fingerprint;
generating an encryption key based on the first numerical representation of the radio frequency fingerprint;
encrypting the data using the encryption key; and storing the encrypted data;
receiving a second radio frequency signal;
identifying a second radio frequency fingerprint of the second radio frequency signal;
generating a second numerical representation of the second radio frequency fingerprint;
generating a decryption key based on the second numerical representation of the second radio frequency fingerprint; retrieving the encrypted data; and
decrypting the encrypted data using the decryption key; wherein the first and the second numerical representations are different, and are generated at different times.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the numerical representation of the radio frequency fingerprint includes numbers indicating at least one of a transmission power, a frequency spectrum, a jitter, a rise time, and a fall time of the radio frequency signal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the encryption key includes 64 bits, 128 bits, 256 bits, 512 bits, or 1024 bits.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein storing the encrypted data further includes storing the encrypted data in an unsecure memory.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising discarding the encryption key after encrypting the data.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising discarding the decryption key after decrypting the encrypted data.

7. A system, comprising:
a memory;
a cryptography module;
a radio frequency module;

the cryptography module, and the radio frequency module are stored in the memory and executed by one or more processors, the one or more processors being configured to:
receive a radio frequency signal and data to be encrypted;
identify a radio frequency fingerprint of the signal;
generate a first numerical representation of the radio frequency fingerprint;
generate an encryption key based on the first numerical representation of the radio frequency fingerprint;
encrypt the data using the encryption key; and
store the encrypted data;
receive a second radio frequency signal;
identify a second radio frequency fingerprint of the second radio frequency signal;

generate a second numerical representation of the second radio frequency fingerprint;
generate a decryption key based on the second numerical representation of the radio frequency fingerprint;

retrieve the encrypted data; and
decrypt the encrypted data using the decryption key; wherein the first and the second numerical representations are different, and are generated at different times.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the numerical representation of the radio frequency fingerprint includes numbers indicating at least one of a transmission power, a frequency spectrum, a jitter, a rise time, and a fall time of the radio frequency signal.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the encryption key includes 64 bits, 128 bits, 256 bits, 512 bits, or 1024 bits.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein storing the encrypted data further includes storing the encrypted data in an unsecure memory.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to discard the encryption key after encrypting the data.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processor are further configured to discard the decryption key after decrypting the encrypted data.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
receive a radio frequency signal and data to be encrypted;
identify a radio frequency fingerprint of the signal;
generate a first numerical representation of the radio frequency fingerprint;

generate an encryption key based on the first numerical representation of the radio frequency fingerprint;
encrypt the data using the encryption key; and
store the encrypted data;
receive a second radio frequency signal;

identify a second radio frequency fingerprint of the second radio frequency signal;
generate a second numerical representation of the second radio frequency fingerprint;
generate a decryption key based on the second numerical representation of the radio frequency fingerprint;
retrieve the encrypted data; and
decrypt the encrypted data using the decryption key; wherein the first and the second numerical representations are different, and are generated at different times.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the numerical representation of the radio frequency fingerprint includes numbers indicating at least one of a transmission power, a frequency spectrum, a jitter, a rise time, and a fall time of the radio frequency signal.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein storing the encrypted data further includes storing the encrypted data in an unsecure memory.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , further comprises instructions stored therein that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to discard the encryption key after encrypting the data.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , further comprises instructions stored therein that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to discard the decryption key after decrypting the encrypted data.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Khanna Rahul
• Moon John P

Classifications

• H04W12/79 Primary

  Radio fingerprint · CPC title

• H04W12/041

  Key generation or derivation · CPC title

• H04W12/06

  Authentication · CPC title

• H04L9/0866

  involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics · CPC title

• H04L63/0876 Primary

  based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint · CPC title