Hearing Device Secure Communication via Session Key Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing devices face security challenges due to their limited computational power and memory, making them vulnerable to unauthorized access, eavesdropping, and replay attacks, as off-the-shelf security algorithms are not readily functional on these devices.
Innovation Solution
A hearing device with a processing unit, memory unit, and interface that receives connection requests, obtains session identifiers, and verifies client devices using selected hearing device keys to authenticate and secure communication, minimizing computational overhead and power consumption while preventing unauthorized access and attacks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If off-the-shelf security algorithms are used, then security protection is improved, but computational power and memory requirements exceed hearing device capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The security system is segmented into multiple components: connection-level authentication using authentication keys, session-level encryption using session keys, and data-level protection. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for the hearing device's constrained environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of security algorithms to suit hearing devices by using simplified authentication key structures, reduced-round encryption algorithms, and optimized key derivation functions that maintain security while reducing computational complexity and memory requirements.
2Reliability
If advanced security protocols are implemented, then communication security is improved, but power consumption increases beyond hearing device limits
Solution Approach 1:
The security protocol uses periodic action by establishing authentication keys once at connection establishment, then reusing these keys for multiple data packets throughout the session. This periodic key usage pattern significantly reduces the frequency of computationally intensive cryptographic operations, thereby lowering power consumption while maintaining continuous security protection.
3Reliability
If comprehensive authentication is performed, then unauthorized access prevention is improved, but processing time and computational overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by performing authentication key verification and session key derivation during the connection establishment phase before any data transmission occurs. This preliminary security setup ensures that subsequent data communication can proceed with minimal processing overhead, as the heavy authentication computations are completed in advance.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure provides a hearing device and related method. The hearing device comprises a processing unit, a memory unit and an interface. The hearing device may comprise a processing unit configured to compensate for hearing loss of a user of the hearing device. The processing unit is configured to receive a connection request for a session via the interface; and to obtain a session identifier. The processing unit may be configured to transmit via the interface a connection response comprising a hearing device identifier and the session identifier. The processing unit is configured to receive, via the interface, an authentication message comprising an authentication key identifier and client device data. The processing unit may be configured to select a hearing device key from a plurality of hearing device keys in the memory unit based on the authentication key identifier. The processing unit may be configured to verify the client device data based on the selected hearing device key; and to terminate the session if verification fails.