Systems and methods for establishing secure communication using close proximity wireless communication

Abstract

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for utilizing close proximity wireless communication (CPWC) technology for a secure out-of-band (OOB) transfer of communication information between two or more devices at close range. The communication information may then be used to establish a secure communication channel over a greater distance than possible using CPWC technologies. In various embodiments, a host device may include a processing unit in communication with a communication module and a separate CPWC module. An edge device may include a processing unit in communication with a communication module and a CPWC tag. The CPWC tag may be configured to receive communication information from the CPWC module of the host device. The edge device may then use the communication information to facilitate secure communication via the communication module of the edge device and the communication module of the host device.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for secure communication, comprising:
 obtaining, via a close proximity wireless communication (CPWC) tag associated with a first device, information from a CPWC module associated with a second device;   reading, via a first device processing unit, the information obtained by the first device dynamic CPWC tag; and   obtaining, via a third device CPWC tag, information from the second device CPWC module;   reading, via a third device processing unit, the information obtained by the third device CPWC tag;   communicating, via a first device communication module, with a second device communication module using the obtained information from the second device CPWC module; and   communicating, via a third device communication module, with the second device communication module using the obtained information from the second device CPWC module.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the CPWC modules comprises a near field communication (NFC) module, and wherein each of the CPWC tags comprises a dynamic NFC tag. 
     
     
         3 . The method  claim 1 , wherein each of the CPWC modules comprises a Bluetooth low energy module, and wherein each of the CPWC tags comprises a Bluetooth low energy receiver. 
     
     
         4 . The method  claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third communication modules comprises one or more of a: ZigBee communication modules, Z-Wave communication modules, Bluetooth communication modules, EnOcean communication modules, DECT communication modules, UWB communication modules, wireless USB communication modules, 6LoWPAN communication modules, Wi Max communication modules, LTE communication modules, and Wi-Fi communication modules. 
     
     
         5 . A method for secure communication between a first device and a second device, comprising:
 obtaining, via a dynamic near field communication (NFC) tag associated with a first device, information from an NFC module associated with a second device;   reading, via a first device processing unit, the information obtained by the first device dynamic NFC tag; and   communicating, via a first device communication module, with a second device communication module using the obtained information from the second device NFC module.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second device communication modules each comprise a wireless communication module. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second device communication modules each comprise one of: ZigBee communication modules, Z-Wave communication modules, Bluetooth communication modules, EnOcean communication modules, DECT communication modules, UWB communication modules, wireless USB communication modules, 6LoWPAN communication modules, Wi Max communication modules, LTE communication modules, and Wi-Fi communication modules. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 generating, via a second device processing unit, the information;   transmitting the information from the second device processing unit to the second device NFC module; and   transmitting the information from the second device NFC module to the first device dynamic NFC tag.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 obtaining, via the second device NFC module, device information associated with the first device from the first device dynamic NFC tag, and   wherein the information generated by the second device processing unit is generated using the device information obtained by the second device NFC module from the first device dynamic NFC tag.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 transmitting device information associated with the first device from the first device dynamic NFC tag to the second device NFC module; and   facilitating communication between the first device and the second device using the obtained information from the second device and the device information associated with the first device.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the obtained information is generated by a second device processing unit independent of any information associated with the first device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising removing the communication information from the first device dynamic NFC tag. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the obtained information comprises at least one of an authentication key, a password, login information, a passphrase, a certificate, a digital signature, a code, keychain information, a configuration setting, a network address, a port number, a protocol identifier, a channel, a channel line-up, a preference, and a communication parameter. 
     
     
         14 . An electronic device comprising:
 a dynamic near field communication (NFC) tag that is NFC-writable, wherein the dynamic NFC tag is configured to obtain information from a remote device NFC module;   a processing unit in communication with the dynamic NFC tag, wherein the processing unit is configured to read the information obtained from the remote device NFC module; and   a communication module in communication with the processing unit configured to communicate with a remote device communication module using the obtained information.   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the communication module of the electronic device comprises a wireless communication module. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the communication module of the electronic device comprises one of: a ZigBee communication module, a Z-Wave communication module, a Bluetooth communication module, a EnOcean communication module, a DECT communication module, a UWB communication module, a wireless USB communication module, a 6LoWPAN communication module, a Wi Max communication module, an LTE communication module, and a Wi-Fi communication module. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the dynamic NFC tag is configured to transmit device information associated with the electronic device to the remote device NFC module. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the communication module of the electronic device is configured to communicate with the remote device communication module using the obtained information and the device information. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the obtained information is configured to be erased from the dynamic NFC tag after the processing unit has read the information obtained by the dynamic NFC tag. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the obtained information comprises at least one of an authentication key, a password, login information, a passphrase, a certificate, a digital signature, a code, keychain information, a configuration setting, a network address, a port number, a channel, a channel line-up, a preference, and a communication parameter.