Apple exploring 'particle gun' based wireless authentication

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
A new patent application from Apple describes a new, secure method of digital rights management that would identify the authenticity of a device based on the unique physical emission properties of a "particle gun."



The application, entitled "System and Method for Authentication Based on Particle Gun Emissions," was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office this week. It states that current DRM methods for authentication, but by their nature they can lack security.



"Allowing initial information to be recovered from final information is a major flaw in cryptography systems since the objective of cryptographic systems is to protect the initial information," the application reads. "Many authentication systems exist. Accordingly, what is needed in the art is an improved way to perform authentication, such that it is impossible to extract initial information from final information."



Apple's solution would employ a particle gun, which would send an emission with unique physical properties to a receiver which would be able to verify the authenticity. The receiver would then generate a second value, and compare it with the first.



"Generating the first and second values is based at least in part on input data that provides physical emission properties of the particle gun including at least one of initial speed, electromagnetic fields, mass, electronic charge and time," it says. "The method of authenticating based on physical particle gun emissions makes it difficult to recover initial input from output values."







The application describes the particle gun as a device with a pair of conductive plates that generate two separate, independent and uniform electromagnetic fields.



The physical properties of the particles generated would be calculated based on time, mass, initial velocity, electromagnetic field intensity, and the orientation of the particles when they leave the gun. These properties would allow both the sender and receiver to create an identical "secret" code that would be extremely difficult to crack, ensuring security.



Made public this week, the application was first filed by Apple on Dec. 1, 2008. The invention is credited to Augustin J. Farrugia, Mathieu Ciet, and Pierre Betouin.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 36
    Wow. This sounds like Star Trek tech. We will have to invent some other future, because our childhood's future is quickly becoming the present.
  • Reply 2 of 36
    blastdoorblastdoor Posts: 3,258member
    This sounds like Masters of Orion (or something similar). No doubt they are hard at work on particle gun level 2.
  • Reply 3 of 36
    jerseymacjerseymac Posts: 408member
    The iPhaser? Great. I'd like one installed fore and aft on my truck.
  • Reply 4 of 36
    danielswdanielsw Posts: 906member
    So, I guess Apple's goal here is to invent a DRM system that is actually an effective deterrent to piracy.



    Wow. That'd be really big as not only a solution to brokering mass media, but as a stand alone product in itself for all kinds of authentication applications.
  • Reply 6 of 36
    futuristicfuturistic Posts: 599member
    Didn't Arnold Schwarzenegger use a particle gun in that one movie?



    Scary!
  • Reply 7 of 36
    russellrussell Posts: 296member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post






    "The application describes the particle gun as a device with a pair of conductive plates that generate two separate, independent and uniform electromagnetic fields.





    Nice, have they considered the side effects of using this "revolutionary" device?





    Can electromagnetic fields (EMF) from power lines, home wiring, airport and military radar, substations, transformers, computers and appliances cause brain tumors, leukemia, birth defects, miscarriages, chronic fatigue, headaches, cataracts, heart problems, stress. nausea, chest pain, forgetfulness, cancer and other health problems?

    Numerous studies have produced contradictory results, yet some experts are convinced that the threat is real.



    Dr. David Carpenter, Dean at the School of Public Health, State University of New York believes it is likely that up to 30% of all childhood cancers come from exposure to EMFs. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns "There is reason for concern" and advises prudent avoidance".



    Martin Halper, the EPA's Director of Analysis and Support says "I have never seen a set of epidemiological studies that remotely approached the weight of evidence that we're seeing with EMFs. Clearly there is something here."



    http://www.mercola.com/article/emf/emf_dangers.htm
  • Reply 8 of 36
    kreshkresh Posts: 379member
    Anything man can invent, man can circumvent.



    Here's a novel idea. Price the materials reasonably, trust your customer, and don't try to gouge them.



    Of course that will never happen, thus they will always try to charge for the material every-time a new media comes out or charge per device. It is that moronic "White Album" mentality that fuels casual piracy anyway.





    Edit: So is Steve going to do another open letter declaring that he and Apple are back in favor of DRM now?
  • Reply 9 of 36
    dimmokdimmok Posts: 359member
    nah man...I believe that was a rail gun used in the movie......cool none the less.
  • Reply 10 of 36
    uelogyuelogy Posts: 16member
    just thinking about all the opportunities for Steve to say "...Boom!" when demoing it on stage.
  • Reply 11 of 36
    joe hsjoe hs Posts: 488member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jerseymac View Post


    The iPhaser? Great. I'd like one installed fore and aft on my truck.



    That made my day.
  • Reply 12 of 36
    kwatsonkwatson Posts: 95member
    And... it can see under your panties.
  • Reply 13 of 36
    oflifeoflife Posts: 120member
    Yup, I said, WTF!?
  • Reply 14 of 36
    monstrositymonstrosity Posts: 2,234member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Russell View Post


    Nice, have they considered the side effects of using this "revolutionary" device?





    Can electromagnetic fields (EMF) from power lines, home wiring, airport and military radar, substations, transformers, computers and appliances cause brain tumors, leukemia, birth defects, miscarriages, chronic fatigue, headaches, cataracts, heart problems, stress. nausea, chest pain, forgetfulness, cancer and other health problems?

    Numerous studies have produced contradictory results, yet some experts are convinced that the threat is real.



    Dr. David Carpenter, Dean at the School of Public Health, State University of New York believes it is likely that up to 30% of all childhood cancers come from exposure to EMFs. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns "There is reason for concern" and advises prudent avoidance".



    Martin Halper, the EPA's Director of Analysis and Support says "I have never seen a set of epidemiological studies that remotely approached the weight of evidence that we're seeing with EMFs. Clearly there is something here."



    http://www.mercola.com/article/emf/emf_dangers.htm





    This is what happens when people read Wired.
  • Reply 15 of 36
    jukesjukes Posts: 213member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Oflife View Post


    Yup, I said, WTF!?



    Agreed. I don't have the slightest idea what this is article is talking about, and I doubt anyone at AI does either, or they would have included some sort of paraphrasing of the application, rather than just quoting opaque text.
  • Reply 16 of 36
    So, if we ever see another Star Trek series, we can expect to hear lines about setting one's phasers to Authenticate?
  • Reply 17 of 36
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jukes View Post


    Agreed. I don't have the slightest idea what this is article is talking about, and I doubt anyone at AI does either, or they would have included some sort of paraphrasing of the application, rather than just quoting opaque text.



    OMG - does nobody understand elementary particle physics any more??
  • Reply 18 of 36
    beltsbearbeltsbear Posts: 314member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by monstrosity View Post


    This is what happens when people read Wired.



    Reading wired causes cancer?
  • Reply 19 of 36
    istudistud Posts: 193member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Russell View Post


    Nice, have they considered the side effects of using this "revolutionary" device?



    Can electromagnetic fields (EMF) from power lines, home wiring, airport and military radar, substations, transformers, computers and appliances cause brain tumors, leukemia, birth defects, miscarriages, chronic fatigue, headaches, cataracts, heart problems, stress. nausea, chest pain, forgetfulness, cancer and other health problems?

    Numerous studies have produced contradictory results, yet some experts are convinced that the threat is real.




    You can also be run over by a truck on the way home from work.



    Despite of all those horrors you mention, our life expectancy is 75 years. Compare that with the 30 something of non-techological civilisations. I'll have EMF eyes shut!
  • Reply 20 of 36
    plokoonpmaplokoonpma Posts: 262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BeltsBear View Post


    Reading wired causes cancer?



    loL, this patent is nothing more that a tiny device inside the hardware, I mean tiny so the EMF will be equally tiny. Unless you live directly exposed to it 20 to 30 years.... Apple hardware has a long live but not so long.
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