Access Point Network Connection Management via Physical Address Key Association
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Solution Overview
Problem
In enterprise-level WLANs, existing network connection management methods face challenges in efficiently verifying access requests due to large numbers of access keys, leading to increased verification time and potential key confusion, as well as vulnerabilities to malicious devices.
Innovation Solution
A network connection management method and apparatus that associate each device's physical address with a unique access key, allowing the access point device to verify access requests based on pre-generated association relationships, reducing verification time and preventing malicious access attempts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional network connection management methods are used with large numbers of access keys, then network coverage and device access capability are improved, but verification time increases and key confusion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the verification process by introducing a two-stage mechanism: first verifying device identity through physical address association, then verifying access authorization through access keys. This segmentation divides the原本 single complex verification process into manageable stages, reducing overall verification time while maintaining comprehensive access control for multiple devices
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-establishing the association relationship between device physical addresses and access keys before actual access requests occur. The access point stores and maintains this association information in advance, so when access requests come, the verification can quickly match against pre-prepared data rather than processing everything in real-time, significantly reducing verification time
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple access keys are managed for numerous devices, then network coverage is expanded, but key confusion and verification accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces device physical address as an intermediary element between the access point and access keys. Instead of directly managing numerous access keys, the system uses the unique physical address to indirectly identify and retrieve the corresponding access key through pre-established association relationships. This intermediary mechanism eliminates key confusion by ensuring each device is uniquely identified through its physical address, maintaining verification accuracy even as network coverage expands to accommodate many devices
3Device complexity
If traditional access verification methods are used, then system complexity is maintained at current levels, but security against malicious devices is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-establishing and storing the association relationship between device physical addresses and access keys before any access requests occur. This advance preparation includes collecting device physical addresses, generating corresponding access keys, and creating their associations in the access point's storage. When access requests come, the pre-prepared association data enables rapid and secure verification, improving reliability against malicious devices while keeping the operational complexity manageable
Solution Approach 2:
The access point autonomously performs the verification process by independently checking whether the physical address in an access request matches its stored association relationships and validating the corresponding access key. This self-service verification mechanism eliminates the need for complex external verification systems, maintaining manageable system complexity while significantly improving security and reliability against malicious access attempts
Data Source
AI summary
A method including acquiring a physical address of one or more devices to be accessed, generating an access key corresponding to each physical address the one or more devices, generating, based on the access keys, an association relationship between one or more physical addresses and a corresponding access key, and transmitting the association relationship to an access point device and transmitting the access key included in the association relationship to a corresponding device to be accessed, wherein the access point device verifies, based on the association relationship, an access request initiated by the corresponding device to be accessed based on the access key.