Core Packet Processing to Offload Sensor Encryption Workloads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote sensor devices face challenges with battery drain due to increased computing power demands for encryption and data transmission, making them costly and vulnerable to malicious attacks, while firmware updates are cumbersome and often obsolete.
Innovation Solution
A method involving packet decryption and manipulation in a telecommunications network core, where packets are decrypted using subscriber identities, and predetermined actions are performed on the packets, including replacing identities and modifying payload data, offloading computational tasks to the network core.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stronger encryption and greater computing power are used in sensor devices, then security is improved, but battery life deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the computational workload for encryption and decryption from the sensor device and relocates it to the network core. The sensor device only performs minimal encoding while the network core handles the computationally intensive cryptographic operations, thereby preserving battery life while maintaining strong security.
Solution Approach 2:
The network core acts as an intermediary between the sensor device and the destination. It receives encoded packets from the sensor, performs decryption using stored keys, applies additional encryption, and forwards the processed packets. This intermediary approach allows strong encryption without burdening the sensor device's limited computing resources.
2Reliability
If firmware updates are implemented in sensor devices, then security and functionality are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the firmware update functionality from the sensor device and implements it in the network core. Update instructions and new firmware are transmitted to the network core, which then applies them centrally without requiring complex update mechanisms in the sensor devices themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The network core serves multiple functions including packet routing, encryption/decryption, and firmware update management. By consolidating these functions in the network core rather than distributing them to each sensor device, the system reduces individual device complexity while maintaining overall system capability.
3Speed
If computational tasks are performed locally in sensor devices, then processing speed is improved, but device cost and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts computationally intensive tasks from the sensor device and performs them in the network core. The sensor device only performs simple encoding operations that can be executed with minimal hardware, significantly reducing device cost while the network core handles complex processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor device performs only the minimum necessary encoding locally, while the network core performs the excessive or additional processing including decryption, re-encryption, and firmware update application. This partial local action reduces device requirements without compromising overall processing capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Interrelated computing devices and systems require ever more powerful devices to meet growing encryption demands. This is improved by providing a computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a packet (50) from a user equipment (10) through an access network (20) of a telecommunications network (1), the packet (50) having a subscriber identity of said user equipment (10) and a telecom encryption layer (52) compliant with cryptographic protocols of the telecommunications network (1); decrypting the telecom encryption layer (52) of said packet (50) according to protocols of said telecommunications network (1) using said subscriber identity in a network core (30) of said telecommunication network (1); finding a predetermined action stored in an action database (31) of said network core (30) pre-associated with said subscriber identity of said packet (50); and performing said predetermined action on said packet (50) in said network core (30).