LP-WUR Multicast Wake-Up Packet Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless local area network (WLAN) devices face challenges in maintaining low power consumption while ensuring secure wake-up mechanisms, particularly in multicast scenarios, where unauthorized wake-up packets can waste battery life and cause inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A low-power wake-up receiver (LP-WUR) system that authenticates multicast wake-up packets using a message authentication code field and sequence number field, ensuring only intended packets activate the WLAN radio, thereby preventing replay attacks and optimizing power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a low-power wake-up receiver is used to reduce power consumption, then battery life is extended, but security against unauthorized wake-up packets is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the low-power wake-up receiver with authentication capabilities including a message authentication code (MAC) field and sequence number field. These security mechanisms are established in advance during device pairing, allowing the LP-WUR to autonomously authenticate wake-up packets without waking the main WLAN radio, thus maintaining security while keeping power consumption low.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary authentication mechanism where the LP-WUR acts as a security gatekeeper between incoming wake-up packets and the main WLAN radio. The LP-WUR verifies packet authenticity using pre-shared keys and sequence numbers, only activating the high-power WLAN radio when authentication succeeds, thus preventing unauthorized packets from draining battery power.
2Productivity
If multicast wake-up packets are used to wake up multiple devices, then network efficiency is improved, but vulnerability to replay attacks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing unique identifiers and authentication credentials for each device during the association phase. Each device receives a device-specific identifier that is incorporated into the wake-up packet authentication process, allowing multicast packets to be efficiently delivered while preventing replay attacks through device-specific verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by implementing device-specific authentication parameters within the multicast wake-up packet structure. While the packet is broadcast to multiple devices, each device verifies authentication using its own unique identifier and pre-shared key, allowing efficient multicast delivery while maintaining individual security validation for each receiver.
3Reliability
If the WLAN radio remains active for security verification, then authentication security is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the authentication function into two separate components: a low-power wake-up receiver that performs initial packet verification using pre-configured credentials, and a high-power WLAN radio that remains dormant. This segmentation allows security verification to occur in the low-power domain, only activating the high-power radio when authentication succeeds, thus maintaining security while minimizing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the low-power wake-up receiver to autonomously perform authentication verification using pre-shared keys and device identifiers stored in memory. The LP-WUR independently validates wake-up packets without requiring the main WLAN radio to be active, making the security verification process self-contained in the low-power domain and eliminating the need for high-power consumption during authentication.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of authenticating a multicast wake-up packet are generally described herein. A station (STA) encodes, for transmission to an access point (AP), an indication that a wireless local area network (WLAN) radio of the STA is being turned off and a request for a latest wake-up packet sequence number (SN). The STA decodes an indication of the latest wake-up packet SN. The STA signals for turning off the WLAN radio and turning on a wake-up receiver (WUR) of the STA. The STA decodes a wake-up packet received at the WUR. the STA determines, based on a message authentication code and a SN of the wake-up packet, and the latest wake-up packet SN, whether the wake-up packet came from the AP. The STA encodes a wake-up signal to the WLAN radio upon determining that the wake-up packet came from the AP.