Group Key Generation for MTC Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
In machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, base stations face increased operational complexity and performance degradation due to the need to maintain separate keys for multiple MTC devices, leading to excessive key management and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A method where a network side determines a group ID for MTC devices, allocating a shared group key using an access stratum key, allowing MTC devices in the same group to use a common key for communication, thereby reducing the number of keys the base station must maintain and manage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate keys are maintained for each MTC device, then security and individual device identification are improved, but base station operational complexity and key management overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges individual device key management into group-based key management. MTC devices are grouped by service type or function, and each group shares a common group key. The base station maintains one group key per group instead of separate keys for each device, reducing key management complexity while maintaining security through group-level authentication and individual device identification within the group context.
2Reliability
If individual keys are used for each MTC device, then device-specific security is improved, but the number of keys to be maintained and managed by the base station increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual device keys are merged into a single group key for each group of MTC devices. Devices within the same group share the group key, reducing the total number of keys from N (number of devices) to M (number of groups). The patent maintains device-specific security by including device identifiers in authentication processes and allowing individual device key derivation from the group key when needed.
3Reliability
If separate keys are maintained for each MTC device, then individual device authentication is improved, but base station performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines individual device authentication with group-based key management. The base station performs authentication at the group level using group keys, significantly reducing the number of cryptographic operations required. Individual device identification is maintained through device-specific identifiers included in authentication requests and responses, allowing the base station to verify both group membership and individual device identity without maintaining separate keys for each device.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a related device for generating a group key. The method includes: obtaining a group ID of a group where a machine type communication MTC device is located; obtaining a group communication root key corresponding to the group ID; generating a group key corresponding to the group ID according to the group communication root key; and sending the group key encrypted by using an access stratum key of the MTC device to the MTC device, so that the MTC device obtains the group key through decryption according to the access stratum key of the MTC device. According to the foregoing technical solutions, a base station may allocate, to an MTC device, a group key corresponding to a group where the MTC device is located, so that MTC devices in a same group may use a same group key to perform group communication normally, and the base station only needs to maintain the same group key for the same group, thereby decreasing operation complexity of the base station, reducing the number of keys maintained and managed by the base station, and improving performance of the base station.