LoRaWAN Transaction Authentication for Low-Power Financial Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing authentication mechanisms often require high power consumption and short-range communication protocols, limiting their usability in devices with small battery capacities and necessitating dense network hotspots, especially in scenarios like check deposits across different financial institutions.

Innovation Solution

Implementing LoRaWAN technology for low-power, long-range communication protocols that enable devices to perform authentication and transaction processing without relying on Internet or cellular networks, using entity-specific information to generate and verify signals for authentication and validation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If Internet or cellular networks are used for authentication, then authentication capability is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces LoRaWAN as an intermediary communication protocol between the mobile device and authentication server. This mediator enables authentication functionality while consuming significantly less power than traditional Internet or cellular networks, as LoRaWAN is specifically designed for low-power wide-area network communications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Use of energy by moving object

If Bluetooth or NFC protocols are used for communication, then power consumption is reduced, but communication range is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcommunication range

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the communication parameter from short-range protocols (Bluetooth, NFC) to long-range LoRaWAN protocol. This parameter change maintains low power consumption characteristics while extending the communication range from feet to miles, enabling authentication without requiring dense hotspot infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Use of energy by moving object

If short-range communication protocols are used, then power consumption is reduced, but network infrastructure density is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidnetwork infrastructure

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the authentication functionality from the constraint of dense hotspot infrastructure by using LoRaWAN's long-range capability. This allows authentication to occur over wide areas without requiring numerous intermediate hotspots, simplifying the network infrastructure while maintaining low power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12014348B2Validating transactions between entities using LoRaWAN protocol

Publication Date: 2024.06.18 BANK OF AMERICA CORP

AI summary

Transactions between entities may be validated using LoRaWAN communications to more quickly process those transactions. In the example of check depositing, a first entity associated with a check payee may transmit a check clearance request to a second entity associated with a check payor using LoRaWAN communications. The LoRaWAN signaling and communications may be performed between devices within LoRaWAN range. For example, a check depositing device may receive a check deposit where the payor is associated with a different financial institution or entity. Accordingly, the check depositing device may communicate with another device associated with the payor institution or entity using LoRaWAN signals to confirm check clearance.