Gateway Automatic Device Association and Secret Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless local area networks and home powerline networks face security challenges due to the need for users to manually enter shared secrets on each device, making them vulnerable to intrusion and espionage, especially for devices like Set Top Boxes that lack man-machine interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for automatically associating communication devices with a gateway, where the gateway detects user commands, obtains and transfers the shared secret, and establishes a point-to-point session for secure communication, eliminating the need for manual entry and enhancing security by encrypting the shared secret and isolating different types of information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual entry of shared secret is required on each communication device, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway automatically performs the security configuration by detecting user commands and autonomously transferring the shared secret to communication devices, eliminating the need for manual entry while maintaining security through automated authentication processes
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway acts as an intermediary that receives the shared secret from the user once, then automatically distributes it to multiple communication devices, simplifying the operation while maintaining security through centralized control
2Ease of operation
If shared secret is transferred in clear text, then ease of operation is improved, but security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the state of the shared secret from clear text to encrypted form during transfer, maintaining ease of automated operation while improving security through encryption of the sensitive information during transmission
3Ease of operation
If automatic association is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway detects user commands as feedback signals that trigger the automatic association process, ensuring that automation only occurs when authorized by user action, thus maintaining security while improving ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary authentication and shared secret transfer before establishing the actual communication connection, ensuring security measures are in place before automated association completes the connection process
Data Source
AI summary
The method involves detecting a command carried out by a user of a communication network (150a). A shared secret is obtained from a communication interface associated to a gateway (100a). A predetermined identifier is transferred to the interface for a configuration of the interface in an association mode. Messages at a destination of the device are transferred in the network for establishing a point to point session between the gateway and the device in the network. The secret is transferred in the established session for associating the device to the gateway. An independent claim is also included for a communication device and a gateway associating system.