Centralized Authorization for Secure Mobile Meter Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and Automated Meter Reading (AMR) systems lack secure methods for mobile meter readers to access meters without compromising security, as they cannot securely communicate with meters due to the lack of a centralized authorization system.
Innovation Solution
A method is implemented where a mobile meter reader requests authorization from a host computing system, which generates and encodes a digital signature for secure communication with the meter, ensuring that the private key remains centralized and not distributed to the mobile device, thereby preventing unauthorized access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If asymmetric key cryptographic techniques are implemented to secure communications, then security is improved, but the private key must be distributed to communication devices which creates security vulnerabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the private key from the mobile communication device and relocates it to a centralized secure server. The mobile device only stores a public key and receives encrypted authorization tokens from the server, eliminating the security vulnerability of distributing private keys while maintaining cryptographic security for meter access communications
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a centralized secure server as an intermediary between the meter and mobile devices. This server acts as a trusted mediator that holds the private key securely, generates encrypted authorization tokens, and manages access control, thereby enabling secure communications without distributing private keys to mobile devices
2Ease of operation
If mobile meter readers are used to access meters, then operational flexibility is improved, but security control becomes difficult without centralized authorization management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary authorization where the centralized server pre-generates encrypted authorization tokens containing digital signatures before mobile devices access meters. This preliminary security setup allows mobile devices to operate flexibly in the field while maintaining centralized security control through pre-established cryptographic credentials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a centralized authorization management dimension to the mobile access system. By introducing a server layer that operates in a different dimension (centralized cloud infrastructure versus distributed mobile devices), the system achieves both mobile flexibility and centralized security control through multi-dimensional architecture
Data Source
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AI summary
Generally described, the disclosed subject matter is directed to improved processes for securely accessing a meter. In accordance with one embodiment, a method for providing a mobile meter reader with an authorization that may be used to establish a secure session with a meter is implemented. In particular, the method includes issuing a request for authorization to access the meter from the mobile meter reader. If the mobile meter reader maintains sufficient rights, an authorization having an encoded digital signature is generated at a host computer system and provided to the mobile meter reader. Then the method formulates and transmits an authorization command to the meter having the encoded digital signature that was generated by the host computing system.