System and techniques for secret key transfer in benefit denial system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11395142-B2
Application number	US-202016880692-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2020
Priority date	Jan 31, 2020
Publication date	Jul 19, 2022
Grant date	Jul 19, 2022

Abstract

Techniques described herein are directed to a system and methods for issuing commands to an electronic device as well as techniques for transferring a device key to a user device associated with a user who has gained authorization to issue commands to the electronic device. In some embodiments, a device key may be conveyed directly from an access device to a user device. In some embodiments, the device key may be conveyed to a user device by a mobile application server which is in communication with the user device upon receiving an indication that an operator of the user device is authorized to issue commands to the electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a functional component for performing at least one function of the electronic device;
a first power source adapted to be coupled to the functional component to power the at least one function of the electronic device; and
a benefit denial element comprising:
a memory adapted to store a first device key;
a communication element for communicating with a second electronic device to receive commands and information indicative of whether the second electronic device has access to a second device key; and
an interruption element coupled functionally between the first power source and the functional component, the interruption element configured to respond, if the second electronic device does have access to the second device key and the second device key matches the first device key, (i) by disabling the at least one function of the electronic device if a disable command is received from the second electronic device, and (ii) by enabling the at least one function of the electronic device if an enable command is received from the second electronic device and keeping the at least one function enabled until a subsequent disable command is received from the second electronic device regardless of how long it takes for the subsequent disable command to be received.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the communication element is configured to use a short-range communication channel for communicating with the second electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the short-range communication channel comprises one of BLUETOOTH™ or radio-frequency identification (RFID).

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a second power source wherein the second power source is configured to power the benefit denial element even if the first power source is not coupled to the functional component or is otherwise prevented from powering the functional component.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the second power source is adapted to draw power from the first power source.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second electronic device is at least one of a point-of-sale (POS) system or a mobile device.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the interruption element comprises a thermal shutdown circuit of the electronic device.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the device key is derived by applying a hash function to an identifier for the electronic device.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a cordless power tool.

10. A method for providing selective benefit denial in an electronic device equipped with at least one functional component for performing one or more functions of the electronic device, comprising:
storing, in a secure memory of the electronic device, a first device key specific to the electronic device;
receiving, via a communication element of the electronic device from a second electronic device, a command and information indicative of whether the second electronic device has access to a second device key;
determining, by a benefit denial element of the electronic device coupled to the communication element, whether the second electronic device has access to the second device key and whether the second device key matches the first device key if the second electronic device is determined to have access to the second device key;
if the second device key matches the first device key:
disabling the one or more functions of the electronic device based on the command if the command is a command to disable the one or more functions of the electronic device, and
enabling the one or more functions of the electronic device based on the command if the command is a command to enable the one or more functions of the electronic device and keeping the one or more functions enabled until a subsequent disable command is received from the second electronic device regardless of how long it takes for the subsequent disable command to be received; and

not complying with the command if the second device key does not match the first device key.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the benefit denial element is contained within a housing of the electronic device.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the command comprises at least a command to lock the electronic device or a command to unlock the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the benefit denial element disables power to the at least one functional component by changing a state which is read by an interruption element if: (i) the command is a command to disable the at least one functional component and (ii) the second device key matches the first device key.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second device key is provided to the electronic device within an encrypted data packet, and wherein the method further comprises decrypting the encrypted data packet using a private cryptographic key associated with the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the encrypted data packet further comprises identification information, and wherein the command is caused to be executed by the benefit denial element only if the identification information matches an identifier for the second electronic device.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein receiving the command and information indicative of whether the second electronic device has access to a second device key comprises receiving the command accompanied by the second device key.

17. A benefit denial system comprising:
an electronic device including a functional component for performing a function of the electronic device;
a first power source adapted to be coupled to the electronic device to power the function of the electronic device; and
a denial element coupled functionally between the functional component of the electronic device and the first power source when the first power source is coupled to the electronic device, the denial element comprising:
a communications element for receiving at least one command and authorization information from a second electronic device; and
an interruption element coupled functionally between the functional component and the first power source, the interruption element configured to selectively disable or enable the function of the electronic device based at least in part on the authorization information and the at least one command;
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to at least:
receive the at least one command from the second electronic device;
receive information indicative of whether the second electronic device has access to a device key associated with the authorization information from the second electronic device;
determine a validity of the device key by comparing the device key with a stored device key; and
upon determining the device key is valid, execute the at least one command to: cause the interruption element to (i) disable the function of the electronic device based on the at least one command if the at least one command received from the second electronic device includes a disable command and (ii) enable the function of the electronic device based on the at least one command if the at least one command received from the second electronic device includes an enable command and keep the function enabled until a subsequent disable command is received from the second electronic device regardless of how long it takes for the subsequent dis

Assignees

• Lowes Companies Inc

Inventors

• Sheffield Mason E
• Douglas Jonothon Frederick
• Sisneros Paul Michael

Classifications

• H04W12/043

  using a trusted network node as an anchor · CPC title

• H04W12/06 Primary

  Authentication · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H04W12/71 Primary

  Hardware identity · CPC title

• H04W12/50

  Secure pairing of devices · CPC title