Securing accessory interface

US11205021B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Apple Inc. · US

Inventors

• Loukas Kalenderidis · San Francisco, US
• Ivan Krstic · San Francisco, US
• Brian J. Dawbin · Santa Clara, US
• Filip Stoklas · Praha, CZ
• Carmen A. Bovalino, III · San Francisco, US
• Shyam S. Toprani · Los Altos, US
• Christopher B. Zimmermann · San Jose, US
• Libor Sykora · Praha, CZ
• Arnold S. Liu · Mountain View, US
• Lucia E. Ballard · San Francisco, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 3, 2019
• Grant date: Dec 21, 2021
• Expiry date: Feb 19, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F2221/2149
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed relating to securing an accessory interface on a computing device. In various embodiments, a computing device detects a connection of an accessory device to an accessory interface port and, in response to the detected connection, evaluates a policy defining one or more criteria for restricting unauthorized access to the accessory interface port. Based on the evaluating, the computing device determines whether to disable the accessory interface port to prevent communication with the connected accessory device. In some embodiments, the computing device includes an interconnect coupled between the processor and the accessory interface port, and the interconnect includes a hub circuit configured to facilitate communication between a plurality of devices via the interconnect. In some embodiments, the computing device, in response to determining to disable the accessory interface port, instructs the hub circuit to prevent traffic from being conveyed from the accessory interface port.