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Improved techniques to control utilization of accessory devices with electronic devices are disclosed. The improved techniques can use cryptographic approaches to authenticate electronic devices, namely, electronic devices that interconnect and communicate with one another. One aspect pertains to techniques for authenticating an electronic device, such as an accessory device. Another aspect pertains to provisioning software features (e.g., functions) by or for an electronic device (e.g., a host device). Different electronic devices can, for example, be provisioned differently depending on different degrees or levels of authentication, or depending on manufacturer or product basis. Still another aspect pertains to using an accessory (or adapter) to convert a peripheral device (e.g., USB device) into a host device (e.g., USB host). The improved techniques are particularly well suited for electronic devices, such as media devices, that can receive accessory devices. One example of a...

Inventors: Jonathan Jake Rubinstein, Anthony M. Fadell, Jesse L. Dorogusker, Mitchell Adler, John Wesley Archibald
Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
Current U.S. Classification: 726/2

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Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a media storage device that stores media content for one or more media items;

a media presentation module that retrieves media content for at least one of the media items from said media storage and causes the media content to be presented for a user of said portable electronic device;

an authentication table that stores authentication information for various accessory devices that are authorized to interact with said portable electronic device, wherein the authentication information includes information that indicates an extent to which each accessory device is authorized to interoperate with the portable electronic device; and

an authentication module that determines whether a particular accessory device that is coupled to said portable media device is authorized to interoperate with said portable electronic device based on at least a portion of the authentication information stored in said authentication table.

2. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein when said authentication module determines that the particular accessory device is not authorized to interoperate, said portable electronic device limits interoperability of said portable electronic device with the particular accessory device.

3. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein when said authentication module determines that the accessory device is not authorized to interoperate, said portable electronic device prevents interoperability of said portable electronic device with the accessory device.

4. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 1,

wherein said media presentation module includes computer code, and said authentication module includes computer code, and

wherein said portable electronic device further includes a processor that executes computer code of said media presentation module and said authentication module.

5. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 4, wherein the computer code of said authentication module includes computer code for performing an authentication algorithm.

6. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the authentication information includes at least authorization information that indicates how and/or the extent to which each of the various accessory devices can interoperate with said portable electronic device.

7. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the authentication information includes at least an authentication key and a device identifier for each of the various accessory devices.

8. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 7,

wherein the particular accessory device includes a counterpart authentication key and a device identifier, and

wherein said authentication module determines whether the accessory device is authorized to interoperate with said portable electronic device further based on the counterpart authentication key and the device identifier.

9. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 8, wherein when said authentication module determines that the accessory device is not authorized to interoperate, said portable electronic device limits interoperability of said portable electronic device with the particular accessory device.

10. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said portable electronic device is a media player.

11. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 12, wherein the media items pertain to music and the media player is a music player.

12. A connector for connecting an accessory device to a media player, comprising:

a connector body;

a plurality of electrical contacts attached within the connector body and serving to provide electrical connections between the accessory device and the media player; and

a controller disposed in said connector body and providing an authentication key that allows the accessory device to be authenticated by the media player.

13. The connector as recited in claim 24, wherein said controlled enables at least one specific function of the media player for use by the accessory device when said controller determines the accessory device to be authentic.

14. A method for authorizing an accessory device for use with an electronic device, said method comprising:

(a) receiving a device identifier from the accessory device;

(b) receiving an authentication value from the accessory device;

(c) determining whether the accessory device is authentic based on the authentication value; and

(d) authorizing usage of one or more authorized features of the electronic device with the accessory device when said determining (c) determines that the accessory device is authentic.

15. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein said authorizing (d) authorizes the accessory device for usage of one or more features of the electronic device only when said determining (b) determines that the accessory device is authorized.

16. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the one or more authorized features of the electronic device are determined based on the device identifier.

17. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the one or more authorized features of the electronic device are commands or groups of commands available on the electronic device.

18. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein when said authorizing (d) authorizes usage of the one or more authorized features of the accessory device with the electronic device over only certain interface mechanisms.

19. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the authentication value is a digital signature.

20. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein said method further comprises:

(e) subsequently deauthorizing usage of the accessory device with the electronic device when the accessory device is detached from the electronic device.

21. A method for authorizing an accessory device for use with an electronic device, said method comprising:

(a) detecting attachment of the accessory device with the electronic device;

(b) sending a random number to the accessory device after said detecting (a) detects attachment of the accessory device;

(c) subsequently receiving an encoded value from the accessory device;

(d) receiving a device identifier from the accessory device;
(e) obtaining a cryptographic key based on the device identifier;
(f) decoding the encoded value using the cryptographic key to produce a decoded value;
(g) determining whether the decoded value corresponds to the random number; and
(h) authorizing usage of one or more authorized features of the electronic device with the accessory device when said determining (g) indicates that the decoded value corresponds to the random number.

22. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein said authorizing (h) authorizes the accessory device for usage of a determined set of features of the electronic device.

23. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the one or more authorized features of the electronic device are determined based on the device identifier.

24. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein at least one of the one or more authorized features are authorize for usage over only a certain interface mechanism.

25. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein said method further comprises:

(i) subsequently determining whether the accessory device is detached from the electronic device; and

(j) disabling usage of the accessory device with the electronic device when said determining (i) determines that the accessory device is detached from the electronic device.

26. A method for authorizing an accessory device for use with an electronic device, said method comprising:

(a) detecting attachment of the accessory device with the electronic device;

(b) sending an authentication request to the accessory device after said detecting (a) detects attachment of the accessory device, the authentication request including at least a random number;

(c) subsequently receiving an authentication response from the accessory device, the authentication response being in response to the authentication request, and the authentication response including at least an encoded value and a device identifier for the accessory device;

(d) obtaining a cryptographic key based on the device identifier;
(e) decoding the encoded value using the cryptographic key to produce a decoded value; and
(f) authorizing usage of one or more authorized features of the electronic device with the accessory device based on a correspondence between the decoded value and the random number.

27. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein said authorizing (f) comprises:

(f1) comparing the decoded value to the random number;

(f2) authorizing usage of one or more authorized features of the electronic device with the accessory device when said comparing (f1) indicates that the decoded value matches the random number.

28. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein said authorizing (g) authorizes the accessory device for usage of a determined set of features of the electronic device.

29. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein at least one of the one or more authorized features are authorized for usage over only a certain interface mechanism.

30. The method as recited in claim 40, wherein the one or more authorized features of the electronic device are determined based on the device identifier.

31. The method as recited in claim 40, wherein said method further comprises:

(h) subsequently determining whether the accessory device is detached from the electronic device; and

(i) disabling usage of the accessory device with the electronic device when said determining (h) determines that the accessory device is detached from the electronic device.

32. A method for controlling interaction between a media player and an accessory device, comprising:

determining a classification of the accessory device;

identifying an authorization level for the accessory device; and

selectively activating features of the media device that are available to be used in conjunction with the accessory device based on the classification and authorization level of the accessory device.

33. A media player system, comprising:

a media player storing media content and supporting a plurality of predetermined functions; and

an accessory device capable of connecting to said media player,

wherein said media player and said accessory device interact to perform an authentication process,

wherein, based on the authentication process, specific functions of said media device are selectively activated and thus available for use by said accessory device.

34. The media player system as recited in claim 50, wherein said media process provides a cryptographic key to said media player, and said media player determines an activation level of said accessory device using the cryptographic key.

35. The media player system as recited in claim 51, wherein the specific functions of said media device being activated are based on the authorization level of the accessory device.

Drawings