IoT Modem and SIM Stack Integration for Secure Cloud Onboarding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IoT devices require complex security and transport stacks that run on the device's OS, leading to increased development and integration efforts, limiting market entry and necessitating field bootstrapping, which adds overhead.
Innovation Solution
Implementing the cloud connection and security transport stacks partially or entirely in a modem or SIM component, reducing the need for IoT device designers to manage these stacks and enabling easier onboarding and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If security and transport stacks are executed on the device's own OS and processor, then security and connectivity functions are implemented, but development and integration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cloud connection stack and security transport stack from the device's own OS and processor, relocating them to the modem or SIM component. This separation allows the device OS to focus on application logic while the modem/SIM handles security and connectivity, reducing development and integration complexity for device manufacturers.
Solution Approach 2:
The modem acts as an intermediary component between the device OS and the network, consolidating security and transport stack functions. This intermediary approach simplifies the device architecture by providing a centralized location for security management and network connectivity, reducing the burden on device developers.
2Ease of operation
If cloud connection stack is implemented in device OS, then connection management is achieved, but onboarding and provisioning complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud connection stack is extracted from the device OS and relocated to the modem or SIM component. This extraction simplifies onboarding and provisioning processes by centralizing connection management in the modem, which can handle these functions independently of the device OS, reducing the complexity burden on device developers.
3Reliability
If security stacks use SIM card keys and certificates, then secure cloud connection is achieved, but device integration effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the security stack with the SIM card by storing keys and certificates directly in the SIM and executing security functions within the modem. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate security module integration, simplifying device manufacturing and integration while maintaining secure cloud connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The modem autonomously manages security functions by retrieving keys and certificates from the SIM card and handling encryption/decryption operations without requiring device OS intervention. This self-service approach reduces integration effort for device manufacturers while maintaining security.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a device in which a cloud connection stack and a security transport stack are each partially or entirely implemented for execution in a modem (e.g., a cellular modem) or a SIM component (e.g., an IoT SAFE SIM applet) of the device, rather than on the device's own OS and processor. Some or all of the application layer protocols (e.g., MQTT, CoAP, LwM2M, etc.) in the security transport stack may be implemented (or consolidated) for execution by the modem or SIM component. Some or all of the functionality of the cloud connection stack (e.g., bootstrapping and messaging/telemetry) may additionally, or alternatively, be implemented (or consolidated) for execution by the modem or SIM component. Other embodiments are disclosed.