Decentralized Network Provisioning with Beacon-Based Device Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
The deployment of secure wireless mesh networks in building automation systems is arduous, involving complex phases of network design, setup, and maintenance, which often requires trained personnel and can take months to complete, and is prone to security threats.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous provisioning process that allows devices to self-organize, authenticate, and form secure communication links without human intervention, using a decentralized network architecture without distributed wireless controllers, and includes a provisioning apparatus with components like a beacon transmitter, receiver, infrared communicator, and control logic application to manage network changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual provisioning process is used with trained personnel, then network security and proper configuration are ensured, but deployment time increases to months and complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Devices automatically provision themselves by exchanging cryptographic keys and establishing secure connections without human intervention. The system performs self-authentication and self-configuration, eliminating the need for trained personnel to manually configure each device while maintaining security through automated cryptographic protocols
Solution Approach 2:
Security credentials and provisioning information are pre-loaded into devices during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation enables devices to autonomously authenticate and join the network securely without requiring manual configuration during deployment, thus reducing deployment time while maintaining security standards
2Reliability
If manual network maintenance is performed, then network performance and topology are verified, but maintenance complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors network performance metrics, device status, and topology changes. Automated feedback loops detect anomalies and trigger corrective actions, enabling ongoing verification of network performance without manual intervention. This reduces maintenance complexity while maintaining high reliability through continuous self-diagnosis and self-healing mechanisms
3Reliability
If decentralized network architecture is implemented, then network reliability and scalability are enhanced, but provisioning complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Devices are pre-configured with security credentials and provisioning algorithms during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation enables them to autonomously navigate the complexities of joining a decentralized network, establishing secure connections and integrating into the mesh topology without requiring complex manual provisioning procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The decentralized network implements automated peer-to-peer provisioning where devices independently authenticate each other and establish secure connections. This self-service mechanism handles the provisioning complexity automatically, allowing the network to scale while maintaining reliability without requiring proportional increases in manual intervention
Data Source
AI summary
An example of an apparatus to provision a decentralized network is provided. The apparatus includes a memory storage unit to store a status identifier to indicating whether the apparatus is in a non-provisioned state or a provisioned state. The apparatus further includes a beacon transmitter to transmit an outgoing beacon signal and a beacon receiver to receive an incoming beacon signal from an external device. The apparatus includes an infrared communicator to send and receive signals with the external. In addition, the apparatus in the non-provisioned state includes an election engine to determine a priority relative to the external device upon receiving the incoming beacon signal. The apparatus also includes a provisioning engine to change the status identifier from the non-provisioned state to the provisioned state and to send a provisioning key to the external device to join a network upon confirmation the external device is within the secure space.