AMP Credential Management for Low-Power Secure WLAN Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ambient power (AMP) devices in wireless local area networks (WLANs) face challenges in securing communications due to limited power availability, which restricts the ability to change communication parameters like user access rights, and existing encryption methods require excessive power consumption, making them impractical for frequent reconfiguration.
Innovation Solution
A method for dynamic user access control and credential management is implemented, where a network server authorizes communication between powered wireless devices and AMP devices, generating encryption keys on demand, and embedding authentication and key management in brief data exchanges to reduce power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing encryption methods are used to secure communications, then communication security is improved, but power consumption increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing trust relationships between AMP devices and the network server before actual data transmission. The AMP device obtains authorization and encryption keys in advance from the network server, so that when data transmission occurs, the encryption process is already optimized and does not require extensive real-time computational overhead. This allows secure communication while minimizing power consumption during actual operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If communication parameters are reconfigured frequently, then adaptability is improved, but power consumption increases due to extensive handshake protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex authentication and key management processes from the regular data transmission workflow. By separating the authorization phase (where the AMP device obtains encryption keys from the network server) from the data transmission phase, the system enables frequent parameter reconfiguration without requiring full handshake protocols for each transmission. The AMP device can dynamically adjust communication parameters while using pre-established encryption keys, significantly reducing power consumption.
3Adaptability or versatility
If writing to memory is performed to change communication parameters, then adaptability is improved, but power availability becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the network server as an intermediary that handles the power-intensive operations of authorization and key management. Instead of the AMP device performing memory writes and complex cryptographic operations locally (which would consume excessive power), the AMP device communicates with the network server that has sufficient power resources. The network server performs the authorization checks and key generation, then provides the results to the AMP device in a power-efficient manner, enabling parameter changes without exceeding the AMP device's power availability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for transmitting, by a powered wireless device, an identification (ID) request frame to an ambient power (AMP) device that harvests environmental energy. Receiving, at the powered wireless device an ID response frame from the AMP device in response to the ID request frame. The ID response frame includes an ID of the AMP device, and a network address of a network server. The powered device securely communicates with the network server using the network address to obtain authorization and data from the network server with which to establish an encrypted wireless communication session with the AMP device identified by the ID of the AMP device.