System and method for securely pairing a wireless peripheral to a host

A communication system, comprising:

• a peripheral device comprising:
• a storage medium for maintaining a private encryption key;
• and
• an antenna for transmitting the private encryption key across a short communication channel having a range less than 20 centimeters in ambient air;
• a host device comprising:
• a storage medium for maintaining one or more trusted keys;
• a reader configured for (i) receiving the private encryption key sent from the peripheral device across the short communication channel, and (ii) subsequently receiving encrypted information sent from the peripheral device across a long communication channel, which is distinct from the short communication channel wherein a range of the long communication channel is greater than 20 centimeters in ambient air;
• and wherein the long communication channel is selected from a group consisting of Bluetooth, WiFi, WiMax and Ultra Wide Band (UWB) and optical wireless communication technologies;
• and
• a decryption engine configured to decrypt the encrypted information via the private encryption key if the private encryption key transmitted across the short communication channel matches one of the one or more trusted keys.

A method for establishing a secure channel of wireless communication, comprising:

• maintaining a list of one or more trusted keys;
• receiving a private encryption key transmitted from a peripheral device across a near field wireless communication channel;
• comparing the private encryption key transmitted across the near field wireless communication channel to the list of trusted keys, wherein if the private encryption key matches one of the trusted keys the method further comprises:
• subsequently receiving encrypted information transmitted from the peripheral device across a far field wireless communication channel, which is separate and apart from the near field wireless communication channel and selected from a group consisting of Bluetooth, WiFi, WiMax and Ultra Wide Band (UWB), infrared and optical wireless communication technologies;
• decrypting the encrypted information using the private encryption key;
• and
• executing upon the decrypted information.