Method and apparatus for key distribution using near-field communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9088552-B2
Application number	US-201113308284-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2011
Priority date	Nov 30, 2011
Publication date	Jul 21, 2015
Grant date	Jul 21, 2015

Abstract

An apparatus and method to provision and distribute a traffic key amongst a plurality of radios enables secure communication, for a predetermined group or a predetermined event. Each radio has a controller, a radio transceiver for electromagnetic radio communications, and a near-field transceiver for near-field communications (NFC). The traffic key (or traffic keys) is provisioned locally at one radio and distributed to the remaining radios utilizing the NFC over a non propagating link. The same traffic key is distributed amongst all radios, and additional restrictions may be applied if desired. The same radios can later be re-provisioned for a different group or event. The local provisioning and distribution is highly advantageous for markets that do not require permanent assignment of radios.

First claim

I claim:

1. A wireless portable radio for secure group wireless communications and including an on-the-spot key provisioning function, the wireless portable radio comprising:
a long-range radio transceiver for long-range electromagnetic radio communications;
a near-field transceiver for near-field communications using non-propagating signals; and
a controller configured to:
one of create a traffic encryption key and select a traffic encryption key from a plurality of pre-load…

Assignees

• Pinder Ellis A
• Motorola Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Pinder Ellis A

Classifications

• H04W12/04

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L63/065 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W12/63

  Electricity · mapped topic