Protocol for authenticating functionality in a peripheral device

摘要

A protocol provides authentication of peripheral devices by a computing device to which the peripheral device connects. Computing devices include a verifier with a public key that authenticates multiple associated private keys. Private keys are embedded on peripheral devices. When the verifier is able to authenticate a connected peripheral, particular functionality is enabled that may not be enabled for peripherals that do not authenticate.

主权项

1. A peripheral device comprising:
a hardware port to removably connect the peripheral device to a bus of a computing device, the peripheral device to provide a peripheral function to the computing device when connected to the computing device; a storage device to store a private key associated with the apparatus, the private key being one of multiple private keys that are associated with a corresponding public key, the public key to authenticate the multiple private keys, each one of the multiple private keys associated with a different peripheral device, the private key corresponding to a set of specific functions that the peripheral device is designed to provide; and the hardware port to send a message encrypted with the private key to the computing device, the computing device to identify functionality characteristics of the peripheral device by applying the public key to the message and successfully authenticating the peripheral device, the hardware port to receive authorization from the computing device to provide the functionality characteristics for the peripheral device in response to the computing device's successful authenticating of the peripheral device.