Smart Battery Authentication via Cryptographic Challenge-Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing prevalence of counterfeit batteries poses a risk to mobile devices due to their potential for overcharging, lack of safety protection circuitry, and incompatibility with charging methods, which can lead to catastrophic failures, and existing technologies face challenges in maintaining compatibility with new battery types as user devices become outdated.
Innovation Solution
A mobile device system that incorporates a smart battery with a battery processor and communication interface, enabling authentication through cryptographic algorithms and secure communication protocols to verify the authenticity and compatibility of batteries, while also storing battery information profiles within the battery itself to ensure proper charging and monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If battery ID resistors are used for battery identification, then it is simple to read the resistance value and determine battery type, but counterfeit batteries can easily be manufactured with the same resistance value, leading to overcharging and catastrophic failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the identification parameter from simple resistance value to a multi-parameter cryptographic authentication system. The battery processor and mobile device exchange challenge-response pairs using cryptographic algorithms, moving from a single-parameter (resistance) to a complex multi-parameter verification system that includes cryptographic keys, challenge values, and response calculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a battery processor as an intermediary component between the battery and the mobile device. This intermediary handles cryptographic authentication, preventing direct manipulation of identification parameters and adding a layer of security through the battery processor's protected environment for storing cryptographic keys.
2Stability of the object's composition
If battery information is stored in the mobile device, then charging characteristics can be maintained, but it becomes difficult to maintain compatibility with new battery types as the device becomes outdated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional approach by storing battery information profiles in the battery itself rather than in the mobile device. The battery contains a memory element with its own identification and capability information, allowing the battery to present its characteristics to the mobile device during authentication, reversing the data flow and storage location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal authentication system where the battery processor can identify and authenticate various battery types through a standardized cryptographic interface. The system supports multiple battery chemistries and capacities through a unified authentication protocol, making the mobile device compatible with future battery types without requiring software updates.
3Reliability
If smart batteries with embedded microprocessors are used for security capabilities, then authentication can be improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cryptographic authentication functionality from the mobile device and places it in a dedicated battery processor within the battery pack. This separation allows the mobile device to use a standardized authentication protocol without implementing complex cryptographic algorithms, reducing the mobile device's complexity while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs authentication actions preliminarily during battery insertion and before charging begins. The challenge-response authentication, capability exchange, and profile downloading all occur before the charging process starts, ensuring security is established in advance and allowing the system to proceed with confidence without continuous complex verification during charging.
Data Source
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AI summary
Various embodiments are described herein for a method of communicating between a main processor of a mobile device and a battery for providing power to the device. In general terms the method comprises providing a communication interface (132) between the main processor (102) and the battery (130) to provide communication therebetween; sending a protocol version request packet (460) from the main processor (102) to the battery (130); initiating authentication (610) of the battery (130) by the main processor (102) if the battery (130) provides (604) a protocol version response packet to the main processor (102) in response to the sending a protocol version request packet; and reading a battery ID resistor of the battery (130) if the battery (130) does not provide a protocol version response packet to the main processor (102) in response to the sending (602) a protocol version request packet.