Packet Security Metadata for Low-Energy Real-Time Data Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data transmission methods, particularly for battery-powered devices and IoT devices, incur high energy consumption and degrade real-time performance due to multiple cryptographic security measures, and do not adequately protect against attacks.

Innovation Solution

Assign security information to data packets that includes cryptographic protection function details, allowing receiving nodes to verify and adjust protection levels based on previous transmission segments, thereby optimizing cryptographic security and reducing redundant measures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple cryptographic security measures are applied to data packets, then data transmission security is improved, but energy consumption increases and real-time performance degrades

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission securityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial cryptographic protection by selectively encrypting only critical fields in data packets rather than entire packets. This partial action approach maintains essential security for sensitive information while reducing the computational overhead and energy consumption associated with full-packet encryption, directly resolving the contradiction between security and energy usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

Different security measures are applied to different parts of the data packet based on their sensitivity and importance. Critical fields receive stronger cryptographic protection while less sensitive fields use lighter protection mechanisms. This localized quality approach optimizes the balance between security requirements and energy consumption across the data transmission system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If multiple cryptographic security measures are applied to data packets, then data transmission security is improved, but real-time performance degrades

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission securityVSAvoidreal-time performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By applying cryptographic protection only to essential parts of data packets rather than entire packets, the processing time is significantly reduced. This partial action maintains security for critical information while improving real-time performance by eliminating redundant encryption operations on non-sensitive data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of cryptographic protection from all-or-nothing to variable intensity, adjusting the level of encryption applied to different data fields based on their sensitivity. This parameter change enables flexible security management that maintains real-time performance while providing adequate protection where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If security information is assigned to each data packet, then security verification capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity verification capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Security information is segmented and attached only to specific critical fields within data packets rather than to entire packets. This segmentation reduces the overall amount of security metadata that devices must process and manage, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining verification capability for essential security attributes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3921995B1Method, system, receiving node and computer program product for transferring data packets
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 SIEMENS AG
  • EP3921995B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3921995B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3B
  • EP3921995B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for transmitting data packets (10) over a network from a sender (S) to a receiver (E) via a communication link (K) consisting of at least one transmission section (TSi), via which the data packet (10) is transmitted from a sender node (Ti) to a receiver node (Ri), said method having the following steps for at least one transmission section (TSi): - first security information (Sli), which comprises information about a cryptographic protective function used in the transmission of the data packet (10) via an adjacent transmission section (TSi), is assigned (S1) to the data packet (10) by the sender node (Ti), - the data packet (10) having the assigned security information (Sli) is transmitted (S2) to the receiver node (Ri) of the transmission section (TSi), - the security information (Sli) is checked (S3) in the receiver node (Ri) against a preset guideline, and - at least one measure is provided (S4) in accordance with the result of the check.