IoT Client Device TLS Handshake Registration Maintenance

Solution Overview

Problem

Constrained resource devices in IoT systems face challenges in maintaining registration with servers due to intermittent connectivity and high resource consumption during frequent TLS/DTLS handshakes, leading to redundant message exchanges and increased power consumption.

Innovation Solution

The method involves establishing a secure communication session with a Lightweight Machine-to-Machine (LwM2M) server using TLS or DTLS handshakes, receiving a registration confirmation, and performing a further handshake before registration expiry to maintain registration, thereby reducing the need for redundant CoAP messages and minimizing device wake time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If frequent TLS/DTLS handshakes are performed to maintain registration, then registration reliability is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveregistration maintenance reliabilityVSAvoiddevice power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic registration maintenance by having the client device perform TLS/DTLS handshakes at predetermined intervals (e.g., every 15 minutes) to refresh its registration with the server. This periodic action ensures registration reliability is maintained while avoiding continuous communication, thereby reducing overall power consumption compared to continuous connection methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Reliability

If TLS/DTLS handshakes are performed to maintain registration, then secure communication is ensured, but the number of messages exchanged increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure communication assuranceVSAvoidnumber of messages exchanged

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the registration maintenance function with the existing TLS/DTLS secure communication protocol. By integrating registration refresh into the periodic secure handshake process, the system achieves both secure communication and registration maintenance in a single message exchange, eliminating the need for separate registration renewal messages and reducing overall message quantity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Stability of the object's composition

If constrained resource devices maintain continuous connection to server, then registration stability is improved, but device resources are consumed continuously

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveregistration stabilityVSAvoidcontinuous resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic registration maintenance by having the client device perform TLS/DTLS handshakes at predetermined intervals (e.g., every 15 minutes) to refresh its registration with the server. This periodic action ensures registration reliability is maintained while avoiding continuous communication, thereby reducing overall power consumption compared to continuous connection methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The client device autonomously manages its own registration status by implementing local logic to initiate periodic TLS/DTLS handshakes before registration expiry. The device self-determines when to wake from sleep mode, initiates handshakes independently, and manages its own registration renewal without requiring continuous server polling or external triggers, thereby reducing resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11522840B2Automatic client device registration

Publication Date: 2022.12.06 ARM LTD

AI summary

Broadly speaking, the present technique provides methods, apparatuses and systems for performing a TLS/DTLS handshake process between machines in a manner that reduces the amount of data sent during the handshake process.