Common Services Platform for Secure M2M Device Provisioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Provisioning multiple client devices, such as M2M devices, is costly and time-consuming, and direct access can expose them to security risks.
Innovation Solution
A common services platform (CSP) is used to securely manage and provision client devices by storing access information, authorizing user devices, and facilitating data transmission through a service provider network, thereby preventing direct access and enabling concurrent provisioning of multiple devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If direct access to client devices is provided, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary component that sits between user devices and client devices. The server receives requests from user devices, authenticates them, and then facilitates communication with client devices through controlled interfaces. This intermediary architecture allows user devices to access client device functionality without directly connecting to client devices, thereby maintaining security while preserving ease of operation.
2Device complexity
If multiple client devices are individually provisioned, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the provisioning functionality into a centralized server that can handle multiple client devices simultaneously. Instead of requiring separate provisioning processes for each device, the server consolidates authentication, authorization, and device management capabilities. This allows multiple client devices to be provisioned concurrently through unified processes, dramatically improving productivity while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The server is designed as a universal platform that can provision and manage multiple types of client devices through common interfaces and protocols. By creating a multi-functional provisioning system that handles diverse devices through standardized processes, the patent reduces the complexity of individual device provisioning while enabling high-speed concurrent provisioning across the entire device fleet.
3Productivity
If multiple client devices are concurrently provisioned, then productivity is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The server acts as an intermediary that absorbs and manages the complexity of concurrent provisioning operations. By centralizing authentication, device registration, and resource allocation functions in the server, the system can handle multiple provisioning requests simultaneously without requiring complex coordination between individual device provisioning processes. The server's standardized interfaces shield the overall system architecture from the complexity of high-concurrency operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A server may receive provisioning information for a client device; provision, based on the provisioning information, the client device to prepare the client device to gather data to form a data record and communicate with a user device, via the server, to receive or transmit information relating to the data record; and receive a communication request from the user device via a first network. The communication request may include a request to transmit the information relating to the data record to or from the client device. The server may communicate with the client device via a second network, on behalf of the user device, to process the communication request based on authorizing the user device. The second network may be different from the first network. The server may provide a response to the communication request to the user device. The response may include the information relating to the data record.