DE10104409A1 - Short range radio link for supermarket payment reads optical mobile bar code from till - Google Patents

Abstract

A short range radio link identifies a mobile unit (10) by an optical bar code (14) read (24) from a fixed unit (20) and uses this code to secure a short range Blue Tooth radio link (32).

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to a device with which on build a wireless connection the identity of the participants is always saved.

It has been suggested at checkouts and self-service areas advise at least part of the interaction with the user to be handled via a mobile device. This includes both the actual operation, e.g. B. an ATM, as well as, for example, the payment function at a cash register. The data connection to the mobile device is preferably made via a device known as 'Bluetooth' Interface for wireless radio transmission. Hereinafter becomes representative of a mobile device with processing capabilities and an interface for wireless data a mobile phone with a Bluetooth transceiver accepted.

In contrast to the IrDA wireless connection The standard that works with infrared light is a radio transmission practically omnidirectional. Hence the blue sees tooth interface before device identification, so that targeted connection to a device of the desired Class can be done. With this method, an Ar workplace or at home the problem of the equipment te identification can be regarded as solved.

With several similar devices, however, are further dimensions took necessary. For example, is a payment function  through a mobile phone with Bluetooth interface in front of a a cash register in a supermarket. For one thing, it is si make sure that no cell phone is still waiting Customer is connected to the payment. This can be done easily can be achieved in that the customer on his mobile phone fon initiates the payment function. But there are more cash registers in radio range is still unclear with which of the cash registers will handle the payment protocol should. The obvious solution is on the mobile phone to display a selection menu with the numbers of the cash registers queue for payment. This solution is not just cumbersome Lich and time consuming. Since collisions are relatively rare, the user is often mistakenly the first cash register of the Li confirm what leads to long-term acceptance problems can. It should also be borne in mind that with all Solutions, especially in the checkout area, have little time to spend see.

We are therefore looking for a way, quickly and clearly a Zu order between mobile and stationary device.

For this purpose, the invention uses an outside on the mobile Device visible or displayed optical marking before draws a barcode. At cash registers there is usually one anyway Barcode reader available to read this Mar can be used with.

Alternatively, a code can also be applied at the checkout and provide the mobile device with a bar code reader be how he be from remote controls of VCRs is known.  

Further features and advantages of the invention result from the following description, which in connection with the accompanying drawings, the invention using a Exemplary embodiment explained.

Brief description of the drawings

It shows

Fig. 1 symbolically shows an arrangement in which the invention is used.

Description of an embodiment of the invention

In Fig. 1, an arrangement is symbolized in which the invention is used.

A mobile device, shown here as a mobile phone 10 , has an interface for a wireless connection, in particular a near-field radio network such as Bluetooth. This device is symbolized by an antenna 12 . In a mobile phone there are two wireless connections and two antennas; one not shown for the connection for mobile telephony and the one shown for the radio network. In addition, neither of the two antennas is designed as a rod antenna in modern radio telephones, so that this symbolization appears appropriate.

Furthermore, an optical code is attached to the mobile device, shown here as a bar code 14 on the side.

Furthermore, a stationary device 20 is shown, the same if has an interface for a wireless connection that speaks ent used by the mobile device and is also symbolized by an antenna 22 .

Furthermore, the stationary device 20 has a scanning device 24 , with which, here symbolized by a beam 34 , the barcode 14 is scanned on the mobile device 10 .

In one embodiment of the invention, the code sets up the mobile device the network address of the mobile device It is common in network systems that every sen de-recipient ('transceiver') has a unique address the lowest level of communication protocols, the 'me dia access' layer, which therefore also has a MAC address referred to as. A suitable software in stationary Ge therefore advises a Ver after reading the optical code Build a connection to exactly this address and thus the Ensure mobile device identity. To the Identi to secure the stationary device, the mobile Ge advises to limit a connection establishment that this directly with the MAC address without determining the address beforehand he follows.

The use of the MAC address has in particular the part before that this is unique worldwide and therefore collisions are practically completely excluded. Alternatively, a network address from other layers can also be used, in particular an IP address, which becomes practical again with the introduction of version 6 of the Internet protocols.

However, if the coding of the network address is not useful any other code can be used become. The coding of the network address can in particular then be inappropriate if either the network software their use is not supported or is poorly supported or Barcode of the network address too much space on one would claim a small cell phone or a Weiterga this code is not desired for other reasons. For this purpose, a code can also be used, which by means of an ner database is converted into the network address.

Another alternative is the phone number the owner’s code. This code is also sufficient clear and less long. With a mobile phone it can be useful anyway, the relatively long numbers by Make stickers machine readable.

In those cases where the code is not a network represents kadresse directly, is part of the connection this code is transmitted and checked. It is irrelevant which device sends the code and which one sends it compares. This can both initiate the connection de device as well as the called device, the remote station, his. The code can be transmitted with the call or in the answer of the called device.

In the Bluetooth network there are cryptographic measures for secure data traffic; the key measure However, management is left to the application layers. Here the code can be integrated into the key management become. If a random code is used, it can simply used to encrypt the communication a high degree without any further measures  Security against eavesdropping, falsification and pretending false identity can be obtained. Although this session key is not to be regarded as particularly secret, expl Targeted misuse means considerable effort is usually seen as prohibitively high. Of course such a code should not be used to authenticate a Serve payment.

Instead of a random code, the public che key of a key pair with asymmetrical ver key coded, even if this with z. B. 1024 Bit or 128 bytes longer than a V6 Internet address. Its use may be justified from the Additional benefit that a conversation partner in a simple way the public key for confidential electronic Communication can be handed over. A variant used a checksum, usually referred to as a 'fingerprint', a public key, or part of it, and enables the verification of a public key sels as an additional benefit.

If the additional benefit is dispensed with, it may be due to the ge struggle exposure and the relatively low risk Key pair specially selected for this case with small ger bit length of z. B. 64 bits corresponding to 22 decimal digits be chosen, its private part in the mobile device is saved. The stationary device encrypts you new session key with the read code as public key and sends the result to the mobile Ge advises which decodes the session key. This Notes are only given here as an example of integration serve the read code in the key management.  

The length of the code and the degree of its randomness will according to pragmatic criteria or normative requirements to be chosen. Only four digits, especially that Date of birth without a year is likely because of the probability a collision that is approximately 1:30 at the date of birth, not be sufficient. Therefore, one is preferred anyway unique or quasi-unique name like the tele phone number or passport number can be used.

The invention was illustrated using an example in which a mobile device carries the optical marking and a stationary device includes the reader for marking. This is mostly useful if the number of mobile Ge counters is significantly larger than that of stationary devices. In addition, the energy supply for a stationary device easier. However, the invention also includes the reverse Case where the mark on the stationary device is on brought and the optical reader featured in the mobile device see is. For example, since self-service devices, e.g. B. ATMs, usually not with a barcode Scanner, the mobile device becomes the reader around believe it. A barcode can be used on a machine of this type easily attached and replaced if necessary.

It can also make sense for acceptance that the mobi The device reads the address and the connection itself builds. In the case of payment at a cash register, it is leave it to the shopkeeper that the ver payment has reached the right recipient. Here the code can also be particularly short, since only a small one Number of stationary devices must be distinguished.  

In the case described above, one specifically for this Key provided for asymmetric ver encryption, its public part on the mobile device is coded, the assurance of identity is that the stationary device can be sure that the mobile device is the one whose code was read. in case of a ATMs and from the perspective of its operators, this is Va prefer riante. In the last case, in which the reading device is provided on the mobile device is, conversely, the identity of the stationary Ge guessed. This could be the preferred option at checkouts be imprinted.

Suitable barcode readers are low power consumption generally known, especially for remote controls for Vi re corder.

For the sake of clarity, the invention was based on Barcodes described as preferred optical coding ben. Of course, other codes, e.g. B. OCR- Characters, can also be used.

Claims (31)

1. Method for establishing a wireless connection between a first and a second device, characterized in that the first device reads an optical code visible on the outside of the second device by means of a reading device, that the code or a value uniquely assigned to the code in the second device is stored electronically, and when the connection is established, the identity of the participants in the connection is secured using this code. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein for the wireless Ver binding a near-field radio network, especially after the Bluetooth standard is used. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the code read the Network address of the second device or the latter determined from a database from the read code becomes. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device of the second device receives the code and with the read one compares. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device the ge receives read code from the first device and with the saved compares. 6. The method according to any one of claims 4 or 5, wherein as Code a number assigned to a person, e.g. B. Tele phone number, passport number or date of birth, or a part of which is.   7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the code for the key management of an encrypted rarely connection is used. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the on the second device visible code the public part of a key pair for asymmetric encryption and its secret part stored in the second device chert is. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first device random session key with the read code encrypted, and sends it to the second device the session key using the saved secret Partly reconstructed. 10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the code is shown as a barcode. 11. Device with an interface for a wireless ver binding, characterized, that the device comprises an optical reading device and Contains means to work with the optical reader to read a code and use this code to identify to ensure the integrity of a remote site of the connection. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein for the wireless connec a near-field radio network, especially after Bluetooth standard is used. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the read code is Network address of the remote site or the latter is over a database is determined from the read code.   14. The device of claim 11, wherein the device from the counter place the code received and compared with the read like. 15. The device of claim 11, wherein the device reads Sends code to the remote station. 16. Device according to one of claims 14 or 15, wherein as Code a number assigned to a person, e.g. B. Tele phone number, passport number or date of birth, or a part of which is. 17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the code for the key Use an encrypted connection management det. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the read code as a public public part of a key pair for asymmetrical Encryption is used. 19. The device of claim 18, wherein the device is a random encrypt the session key with the read code selt and sends to the remote station. 20. Device according to one of claims 11 to 19, wherein the Code is shown as a bar code. 21. Device with an interface for a wireless ver binding, characterized, that an optical code is visible on the outside of the device, the code or a value clearly assigned to the code is stored electronically in the device and the device Means with which the Identi the remote site of the connection is secured.   22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein for the wireless connection a near-field radio network, especially after Bluetooth standard is used. 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the read code is Network address of the remote station or via a da tenbank from the read code. 24. The device of claim 21, wherein the device from the counter set the code received and ver with the saved like. 25. The device of claim 21, wherein the device stores the stored sends the code to the remote station. 26. Device according to one of claims 24 or 25, wherein as Code a number assigned to a person, e.g. B. Tele phone number, passport number or date of birth, or a part of which is. 27. Device according to one of claims 21 to 26 , the code being used for key management of an encrypted connection. 28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the visible code is the public part of a key pair for asymmetri represents encryption, the secret part of which in stored on the device. 29. The device of claim 28, wherein the device is from the opposite receives data that is considered public Part of encrypted random session key be acted on by means of the stored ge reconstructed at home. 30. Device according to one of claims 21 to 29, wherein the Code is shown as a bar code.   31. Software for a device or a method according to one of the previous claims as part of the means by which the identity of the participants in the connection is secured becomes.