Secure Wireless Network Using Radiometric Signatures
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorsVladimir Alexander Brik, Suman Banerjee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A network security system for wireless devices derives a fingerprint from the modulation imperfections of the analog circuitry of the wireless transceivers. These fingerprints may be compared to templates obtained when the wireless devices are initially commissioned in a secure setting and used to augment passwords or other security tools in detecting intruders on the network.
Claims20
A radio frequency (RF) transceiver for securely communicating network data, the RF transceiver comprising:
- an analog radio section configured to receive a radio signal from an antenna, the analog radio section having a phase demodulation circuit configured to demodulate the radio signal to produce analog in-phase (I) and quadrature-phase (Q) signals;
- a monitor circuit configured to produce digital radiometric data from the analog I and Q signals, the digital radiometric data characterizing a modulation parameter of a transceiver of a device;
- an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) configured to convert the analog I and Q signals to digital I and Q signals;
- a digital radio section configured to receive the digital I and Q signals from the ADC, the digital radio section having a decoder configured to match phases of the digital and Q signals to a symbol for decoding network data;
- and
- a processor executing a program stored in a non-transient medium operable to:
- (a) receive the digital radiometric data and the network data;
- (b) compare the digital radiometric data to a plurality of radiometric templates corresponding to transceivers of a plurality of devices;
- and
- (e) generate an output indicating a possible security violation when the digital radiometric data fails to match a radiometric template of the plurality of radiometric templates to within a predetermined threshold.
A method for securely communicating network data using a radio frequency (RF) transceiver having analog and digital radio sections, the method comprising:
- receiving a radio signal in the analog radio section from an antenna;
- demodulating the radio signal in the analog radio section to produce analog in-phase (I) and quadrature-phase (Q) signals;
- producing digital radiometric data from the analog I and Q signals, the digital radiometric data characterizing a modulation parameter of a transceiver of a device;
- using an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) to convert the analog I and Q signals to digital I and Q signals;
- receiving the digital I and Q signals in the digital radio section from the ADC;
- matching phases of the digital I and Q signals to a symbol in the digital radio section for decoding network data;
- and
- receiving the digital radiometric data and the network data at a processor;
- comparing the digital radiometric data to a plurality of radiometric templates corresponding to transceivers of a plurality of devices;
- and
- generating an output indicating a possible security violation when the digital radiometric data fails to match a radiometric template of the plurality of radiometric templates to within a predetermined threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.