IoT Device Wake-Up via GBA Push Information
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Solution Overview
Problem
Devices with limited power and computing resources, such as M2M and IoT devices, face challenges in maintaining secure communication with servers while minimizing power consumption, especially when waking up from low power modes for unscheduled communications.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating generic bootstrapping architecture (GBA) push information (GPI) within wake-up messages to include security credentials, allowing secure communication channel establishment without the need for certificate authority (CA) exchanges, using a key derived from SIM or UICC for authentication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the device maintains communication with the server outside scheduled operation times, then communication availability is improved, but power consumption and bandwidth usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device operates in periodic cycles, alternating between low-power sleep mode and active communication mode. During scheduled operation times, the device is awake and can communicate with the server. Outside these times, the device enters sleep mode to conserve power, thus achieving periodic action that balances communication availability with power consumption.
2Reliability
If security credentials are provided through certificate authority exchanges, then secure communication is established, but messaging overhead and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Security credentials are pre-configured in the device during manufacturing or initial setup, stored securely in hardware tokens such as SIM or UICC cards. When the device needs to communicate with the server, it uses these pre-stored credentials directly without needing to perform real-time certificate exchange with a CA, thus eliminating the messaging overhead associated with certificate validation while maintaining secure communication.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the device processes and stores security certificates, then authentication capability is improved, but device complexity and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the security certificate processing functionality from the device itself and relocates it to external hardware tokens (SIM/UICC cards) and server-side infrastructure. The device only needs to store minimal credential references in these external tokens and use them for authentication, rather than implementing full certificate processing capabilities locally. This reduces device complexity and resource requirements while maintaining authentication capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Method and system for method for communicating between a device and a server, the method comprising the steps of the server initiating device wake-up. Obtaining generic bootstrapping architecture, GBA, push information, GPI, including security credentials or information used to derive the security credentials. Sending a device wake-up message to the device, wherein the device a wake-up message includes the GPI. Authenticating the security credentials within the GPI to obtain a key. Establishing a secure communication channel between the device and the server using the obtained key, wherein the secure communication channel uses a certificate-based protocol and the obtained key is used in place of certificate authentication