Certificate-Based Access Control With Time Window Verification

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing security systems fail to consider time period requirements when lifting restrictions on entry or exit of products or persons from a space.

Innovation Solution

An information processing system and method that utilizes a control device and information terminal to verify time period requirements through cryptographic signatures and certificates, allowing secure lifting of access restrictions based on current time and time period conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a security system lifts restrictions without time period consideration, then access is granted quickly and simply, but security and control over access duration are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess grant speedVSAvoidaccess control security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification of time period requirements before granting access. The control device checks whether the current time satisfies the time period requirement included in the server certificate before lifting the restriction, ensuring that access is only granted when time conditions are met.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The server certificate acts as an intermediary that carries time period requirement information. The certificate includes the time period requirement and a signature, serving as a mediator between the access request and the time condition verification, allowing secure transmission of time-based access control logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If time period requirements are verified through cryptographic signatures and certificates, then access control security is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess control securityVSAvoidverification system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses public key cryptography where the control device holds a copy of the public key for verification. The server certificate includes a signature created with a private key, and the control device verifies this signature using the corresponding public key copy, enabling secure verification without requiring the complex key generation process to be re-executed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the state of access control from a simple on/off restriction to a time-conditioned state. The control device transitions from unrestricted access to time-conditional access by verifying whether the current time satisfies the time period requirement, adding temporal dimension to access control parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If access restrictions are lifted without time condition checking, then operational simplicity is maintained, but time-based access control capability is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem operation simplicityVSAvoidtime-based access control

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification of time period requirements before granting access. The control device checks whether the current time satisfies the time period requirement included in the server certificate before lifting the restriction, ensuring that access is only granted when time conditions are met.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The server certificate acts as an intermediary that carries time period requirement information. The certificate includes the time period requirement and a signature, serving as a mediator between the access request and the time condition verification, allowing secure transmission of time-based access control logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20260051211A1Information processing system, control device, and information processing method

Publication Date: 2026.02.19 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

AI summary

An information processing system includes a management terminal and a control device. The control device: receives the current time information and the server certificate from management terminal; verifies the signature included in the server certificate received, using the public key included in the root certificate stored in storage, and lifts the restriction imposed by the device, on condition that the signature is successfully verified and the current time indicated by the current time information received satisfies the time period requirement included in the server certificate received.