Ad-hoc Network Automated Commissioning via Distributed Ledger
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless ad-hoc networks face challenges in secure, automated, and scalable configuration, particularly in assigning unique numeric addresses and ensuring communication confidentiality, with existing solutions often requiring manual intervention and lacking robust security features.
Innovation Solution
A fully distributed network system where all peers maintain a secure distributed ledger for authentic and tamper-proof record-keeping, allowing for automated and semi-automated node commissioning, address allocation, and secure communication setup without human intervention, using asymmetric public/private key cipher systems for encryption and digital signatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual configuration and address allocation methods are used in ad-hoc networks, then security and authenticity of communications can be ensured through human verification, but the complexity of deployment and operation increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated peer discovery, address allocation, and commissioning where network elements independently configure themselves without manual intervention. New peers automatically discover existing peers, receive unique addresses through distributed consensus, and establish secure connections autonomously, eliminating the need for manual configuration while maintaining security through cryptographic verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes a distributed ledger and cryptographic key pairs before network operations begin. Peer identities and addressing schemes are predetermined through blockchain-based registration, allowing automated verification and authentication to occur without manual intervention during actual network deployment and operation.
2Productivity
If automated peer discovery and commissioning is implemented, then deployment speed and scalability improve, but security risks increase due to reduced human verification
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where new peers broadcast their presence and received addresses are verified by existing peers through cryptographic validation. The distributed ledger provides real-time feedback on network state, allowing automated verification of peer identities and addresses while maintaining security through consensus-based validation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The distributed ledger acts as an intermediary that mediates between new peers seeking to join the network and existing peers verifying their identities. Rather than direct human verification, the blockchain-based registration system serves as a trusted intermediary that automatically validates and records peer identities, enabling secure automated commissioning.
3Ease of operation
If a centralized addressing system is used, then address allocation is simplified and consistent, but the system becomes vulnerable to single points of failure and manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized addressing function is segmented and distributed across multiple peers in the network. Instead of a single authority allocating addresses, the system divides the addressing task among all peers through distributed consensus mechanisms, where each peer maintains and validates the address allocation records in the distributed ledger, eliminating single points of failure and manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The address allocation system transitions from a static centralized model to a dynamic distributed model where address assignment and validation occur continuously through peer interactions. The distributed ledger dynamically updates address allocations based on peer commissioning events, with automatic verification and consensus mechanisms that adapt to network changes while maintaining consistency.
4Reliability
If cryptographic verification is performed for all communications, then confidentiality and authenticity are guaranteed, but processing overhead and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies cryptographic verification selectively rather than universally to all communications. Full cryptographic verification is performed during critical operations such as peer commissioning, address allocation, and ledger updates, while routine communications within established trusted connections use lighter verification mechanisms, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining security for critical operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Ad-hoc network comprising a configurator device and a plurality of nodes, wherein each node is an electronic device, wherein each node is connected by a communication connection with at least one of the other nodes and/or with the configurator device, wherein each node can be in different states comprising at least a non-commissioned state (NC), a commissioned state and a trust ring member state (TR) wherein a first node of the plurality of nodes being in the non-commissioned state (NC) is configured to send an non-commissioned advertisement message to the configurator device comprising an identifier of the first node, wherein the configurator device is configured to send an automated commissioning initialization (ACI) message to the first node containing a token, wherein the token is encrypted by a symmetric network key, wherein the first node is configured to send out a commissioning request message containing the received encrypted token, wherein the first node is configured to change its state, when it receives an authorisation message from another node or from the configurator device.