Cryptographic Assembly Pairing for Unauthorized Repair Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices with multiple assemblies face operational integrity risks when unauthorized service agents replace or repair components, as they often fail to update calibration data, leading to sub-optimal device performance and potential data integrity issues.
Innovation Solution
A cryptographic pairing mechanism between a main assembly and sub-assemblies, where a processing element generates and stores a second sub-assembly identifier using a unique encryption key, ensuring only authorized assemblies can operate together by verifying the cryptographic relationship between identifiers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cryptographic verification is implemented between main assembly and sub-assemblies, then device reliability and data integrity are improved, but device complexity increases due to additional cryptographic operations and key management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary pairing between the main assembly and sub-assemblies during manufacturing or initial setup. Cryptographic keys and identifiers are pre-established and stored in secure memory before the device enters service. This preliminary configuration ensures that when sub-assemblies are later replaced or repaired, the cryptographic verification is already in place, maintaining reliability without requiring complex real-time key management operations during normal device operation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If cryptographic identifiers are stored on sub-assemblies, then unauthorized repair prevention is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to additional programming and calibration steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables sub-assemblies to self-identify and self-verify through cryptographic identifiers stored on their own memory. Each sub-assembly contains its unique identifier and the capability to participate in cryptographic verification with the main assembly. This self-service approach eliminates the need for complex external authorization systems during manufacturing and repair, as the sub-assemblies autonomously provide their cryptographic credentials for verification by the main assembly.
3Measurement precision
If calibration data is stored on sub-assembly memory, then operation precision is improved, but vulnerability to unauthorized modification increases when sub-assemblies are replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the calibration data storage with the cryptographic identifier storage in the same secure memory on the sub-assembly. Both the operational calibration data and the cryptographic verification credentials are stored together in a protected location that requires authorized access. This merging ensures that when a sub-assembly is replaced, both the calibration data and cryptographic identifiers are transferred together, maintaining operation precision while preventing unauthorized modification through cryptographic verification of the entire memory contents.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one aspect of embodiments of the present invention there is provided apparatus comprising a main assembly having a processing element configured to: obtain a first and second sub-assembly identifier stored on a second-assembly in communication with the main assembly; and enable operation of the main assembly and second assembly based on a determination that the first and second sub-assembly identifiers are cryptographically related.