Proxy Authentication for IoT Devices Without User Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
IoT devices without a user interface face challenges in connecting to wireless networks for the first time, as they cannot enter access credentials like network passwords, leading to difficulties in initial network access.
Innovation Solution
A mobile application acts as a proxy to facilitate one-time wireless authentication by receiving and transmitting device IDs and passwords between the IoT device and the router, enabling proxy authentication settings to grant network access without requiring user interaction through the IoT device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If IoT devices are equipped with a user interface for password entry, then they can independently connect to wireless networks, but the device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mobile device as an intermediary that acts as a proxy for the IoT device during network authentication. The mobile device captures the authentication prompt, relays it to the user, receives the password input, and forwards it to the router. This eliminates the need for the IoT device to have its own user interface while maintaining independent connection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication process is segmented into distinct roles: the IoT device generates the authentication request, the mobile device handles user interaction and password capture, and the router validates credentials. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, keeping the IoT device simple while enabling full authentication capability through the mobile device proxy.
2Device complexity
If IoT devices have no user interface, then device size and cost are reduced, but they cannot enter access credentials for initial network connection
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device serves as a proxy intermediary that captures the authentication challenge from the router, presents it to the user through its own interface, collects the password response, and forwards it back to the router. This allows the IoT device to remain interface-less while still achieving network access through the intermediary's interface capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service authentication where the IoT device automatically generates authentication requests and can reconnect using stored credentials without user intervention. The mobile device's proxy authentication cache stores previously entered credentials, allowing the IoT device to autonomously reauthenticate after the initial setup.
3Ease of operation
If proxy authentication is implemented, then IoT devices can connect without user interface, but additional software changes in router and mobile application are required
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy authentication mechanism is designed to work with standard wireless protocols and router authentication processes. The mobile device's existing communication capabilities are extended to handle proxy authentication, and the router's existing authentication infrastructure is utilized without requiring fundamental changes to its architecture, making the solution broadly applicable.
4Extent of automation
If one-time authentication is used, then subsequent connections are automated, but initial setup requires mobile device involvement
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication during initial setup, where the mobile device captures and stores the authentication credentials in a proxy authentication cache. This preliminary action establishes the foundation for automated subsequent connections, as the stored credentials enable the IoT device to reauthenticate without requiring the mobile device or user involvement again.
Data Source
AI summary
Authentication of an Internet-of-Things (IoT) device comprises receiving, by a proxy application executing on a mobile device during a registration process, a device identifier associated with the IoT device. The proxy application transmits the device identifier to a router of the wireless network. The proxy application receives the device identifier from the router in response to the router receiving an authorization request with no network password from the IoT device for access to the wireless network, where the router forwards the device identifier to the proxy application. The proxy application prompts the user of the mobile device to enter the password, and transmits the entered network password to the router, such that the router validates the password and grants the IoT device access to the wireless network, the IoT device transmits the IoT device identifier to the router for subsequent network connection without a need for the mobile device.