Digital Certificate Renewal via Hash Verification

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Devices that rely on digital certificates for secure communication are vulnerable to downtime due to the installation of erroneous or faulty digital certificates, which can render communication interfaces inoperable.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method that checks the integrity of received digital certificates before installation, using a connection manager and device profile manager to verify the certificates and prevent the use of faulty ones, thereby ensuring continuous operation of communication interfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If digital certificates are installed automatically without verification, then device operation continuity is maintained, but the risk of installing erroneous or faulty certificates increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice operation continuityVSAvoiderroneous certificate installation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification of digital certificates before installation by checking their integrity against a hash value stored in a trusted location. This advance validation prevents faulty certificates from being installed, thereby maintaining device operation continuity while eliminating the harmful effect of erroneous certificate installation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A hash value acts as an intermediary verification mechanism between the digital certificate and the device's security system. The hash, stored in a trusted location, serves as a mediator to validate certificate integrity without requiring direct trust in the certificate itself, thus preventing installation of erroneous certificates while maintaining operational continuity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If digital certificates are verified before installation, then certificate integrity is ensured, but device downtime increases due to verification processes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecertificate integrityVSAvoiddevice downtime

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The hash value of the digital certificate is pre-calculated and stored in a trusted location before the actual certificate installation. This preliminary preparation allows for rapid verification during installation, ensuring certificate integrity while minimizing device downtime by avoiding lengthy verification processes at the time of installation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces complex cryptographic verification mechanisms with a simpler hash comparison process. By substituting the need for full certificate validation with a straightforward hash value comparison, the system ensures certificate integrity while significantly reducing the time required for verification and thus minimizing device downtime.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If manual intervention is required for certificate renewal, then certificate accuracy can be verified, but productivity decreases due to increased operational time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecertificate accuracyVSAvoidcertificate renewal efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic self-verification of digital certificates by comparing installation certificates against pre-stored hash values. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for manual intervention in certificate accuracy verification, thereby maintaining high certificate accuracy while significantly improving renewal efficiency and productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual verification processes are replaced with automated hash comparison mechanisms. The system automatically verifies certificate accuracy by comparing cryptographic hash values, substituting time-consuming manual review with rapid automated validation, thus maintaining high accuracy while improving renewal efficiency and overall productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12301731B2Methods and apparatus to renew digital certificates

Publication Date: 2025.05.13 ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORP

AI summary

An example disclosed method for use in a device configured to communicate using digital certificates includes, in response to a request, receiving a digital certificate for use in secure communications between the device and another device; evaluating, using a logic circuit, the digital certificate to determine a validity of the digital certificate; when the digital certificate is valid, allowing use of the digital certificate by the device; and when the digital certificate is invalid, preventing use of the digital certificate by the device.