WLAN IoT Provisioning With Cellular Non-IP Key Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless local area network (WLAN) technologies, particularly for internet-of-things (IoT) devices, face challenges in secure provisioning due to the lack of global coverage, native mobility, and security compared to cellular technologies, with certificate-based authentication introducing significant overhead and security risks.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing cellular connections for secure provisioning of IoT devices through non-internet protocol (IP) data delivery, leveraging cellular encryption via a remote provisioning service to securely deliver pre-shared keys (PSKs) without IP addresses, eliminating attack vectors and reducing overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If certificate-based authentication is used for WLAN provisioning, then security is improved, but device complexity and overhead increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the authentication mechanism from certificate-based schemes and replaces it with pre-shared key (PSK) based authentication. This removal of complex certificate validation logic reduces device complexity and overhead while maintaining security through simpler PSK-based connection establishment in WLAN networks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable pre-shared keys instead of long-lived digital certificates. These PSKs can be easily generated, distributed, and revoked without the computational overhead of certificate management, providing security through simple, replaceable authentication credentials that reduce overall system complexity
2Ease of manufacture
If WLAN technology is used for IoT device provisioning, then ease of installation is improved, but security and global coverage worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges cellular network security infrastructure with WLAN provisioning. By utilizing the cellular network's established security mechanisms and key management systems to provision WLAN connections, the solution achieves both easy local installation and robust security with global coverage through the integrated cellular-WLAN architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a cellular network as an intermediary for secure key distribution to WLAN devices. The cellular network acts as a trusted mediator that delivers security credentials to IoT devices, which then use these credentials for secure WLAN connections, combining the ease of WLAN installation with cellular-level security
3Adaptability or versatility
If IP-based data delivery is used for provisioning, then connectivity is improved, but security vulnerabilities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data delivery mechanism from IP-based protocols and replaces it with non-IP based authentication and key exchange procedures. By removing IP addressing and routing from the provisioning path, the system eliminates IP-based attack vectors while maintaining connectivity through alternative delivery mechanisms for security credentials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the limitation of non-IP based delivery into a security benefit. By deliberately avoiding IP-based protocols for provisioning, the system transforms what could be seen as a connectivity limitation into a protective measure that eliminates IP-related security vulnerabilities while still achieving reliable device provisioning
Data Source
AI summary
Cellular connections can be used to provision non-cellular devices such as internet-of-things (IoT) devices. For example, IoT devices can comprise Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular capabilities. However, the cellular capability can be used to provision the IoT devices using non-internet protocol data delivery to prevent security vulnerabilities. Data can be transmitted to the IoT device using core elements without using an IP stack. Thus, IoT device configurations and the keys can be provisioned over-the-air without the use of internet protocol data.