Device Provisioning Service Secure Ownership Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
The configuration of IoT devices for secure ownership and connectivity is burdensome, especially for layperson users, and poses challenges during device transfer or resale, particularly when devices contain sensitive information and have limited or non-existent user interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A device provisioning service (DPS) that uses a processor with a provisioning interface, cryptographic hardware root of trust, and enhanced privacy identification (EPID) for secure configuration and ownership transfer, allowing devices to connect with their managers through a trusted connection, even when offline, and maintaining privacy throughout the ownership chain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional configuration processes are used for IoT devices, then users can establish ownership and connectivity, but the process becomes burdensome and complex for layperson users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a provisioning server as an intermediary that mediates between the IoT device and the user. The server handles complex cryptographic operations, credential verification, and ownership registration automatically, allowing users to simply authenticate through a user interface without dealing with technical configuration details. This resolves the contradiction by hiding complexity behind an easy-to-use interface while maintaining secure device provisioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The device itself performs self-configuration through automated protocols. The IoT device autonomously generates cryptographic credentials, establishes secure connections with the provisioning server, and registers ownership without requiring manual configuration. This self-service capability eliminates the burden of complex setup procedures while ensuring proper security configuration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If devices are transferred to new owners, then ownership changes hands, but sensitive information from prior owners may be exposed and security compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a credential revocation and renewal mechanism. When ownership transfers, the provisioning server revokes (discards) the previous owner's credentials and generates new credentials for the new owner. The device is re-provisioned with updated cryptographic material, ensuring that sensitive information from prior owners is invalidated and cannot be accessed by subsequent owners or attackers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary security measures before ownership transfer completes. The provisioning server verifies the legitimacy of the transfer, revokes old credentials in advance, and establishes new security parameters before the new owner gains full access. This preliminary action prevents sensitive information exposure by ensuring security boundaries are established before the transfer is finalized.
3Reliability
If per-unit setup procedures are required for each device, then each device can be properly configured, but the scale of deployment presents practical challenges for businesses with hundreds or thousands of devices
Solution Approach 1:
The provisioning server provides universal configuration capabilities that work across all IoT devices regardless of type or manufacturer. A single server instance can handle provisioning for multiple devices simultaneously through standardized protocols, allowing businesses to deploy hundreds or thousands of devices through a centralized system rather than requiring individual configuration procedures for each unit. This maintains reliable configuration while dramatically improving deployment productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple configuration tasks into a single automated provisioning process. Instead of requiring separate setup procedures for network connectivity, security credentials, and ownership registration, the system combines these functions into one unified protocol executed through the provisioning server. This consolidation maintains configuration reliability while enabling bulk deployment of devices efficiently.
4Adaptability or versatility
If devices have limited or non-existent user interfaces, then device form factor is optimized for IoT applications, but the setup process becomes more difficult for users
Solution Approach 1:
The provisioning server acts as an intermediary that handles all complex setup operations on behalf of devices with limited or no user interfaces. The server communicates directly with the device through backend protocols while presenting a simplified user interface to the end user for basic authentication. This allows IoT devices to maintain their optimized form factors without compromising setup ease, as the intermediary absorbs the complexity of device communication and configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A computing device is provisioned to be remotely managed by a current owner. The device has an initial cryptographic basis of trust, and an owner identifier that facilitates establishment of communication with the current owner of the device. The ownership may change one or more times while the device may remain inoperative. Later, the device receives a transfer-of-ownership indication, which it verifies against the initial basis of trust to establish a new current owner. The device may then communicate with a device management service of the new current owner based on the transfer-of-ownership indication.