Proxy Data Distribution for Secure Smart Meter File Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large data files, such as image files or configuration scripts, require significant network bandwidth and pose challenges in networked environments, especially when end-to-end security is needed, particularly in utility industries with numerous networked devices, where network penetration can lead to software alteration and incorrect data transmission.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing proxy devices to manage and distribute data to proxied devices, ensuring end-to-end security through encrypted messages, reducing network overhead and battery consumption, and validating data authenticity using server signatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If large data files are transmitted directly to numerous networked devices, then data distribution is achieved, but network bandwidth consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces intermediary proxy devices that receive large data files from a server and distribute them to multiple proxied devices. This mediator approach consolidates the distribution function, reducing the number of direct server-to-device connections and thereby lowering overall network bandwidth consumption while maintaining comprehensive data distribution coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the networked devices into groups managed by different proxy devices. Instead of the server communicating with each individual device separately, the data distribution task is divided into smaller segments handled by proxies, which reduces the cumulative network bandwidth requirement and improves distribution efficiency.
2Reliability
If end-to-end security is implemented for data transmission, then data integrity is protected, but network complexity and transmission overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy devices serve as security intermediaries that handle encryption and authentication operations. By offloading security functions to these intermediary devices, the system maintains end-to-end data integrity protection without requiring every individual proxied device to implement complex security mechanisms, thereby reducing overall network complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary security actions where proxy devices verify device identifiers and authenticate before distributing data. This preliminary verification layer ensures data integrity is established early in the transmission process, reducing the need for continuous complex security checks throughout the entire data distribution lifecycle.
3Productivity
If data is transmitted to multiple devices simultaneously, then data distribution efficiency is improved, but network overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple data transmission operations into a single consolidated distribution process. Proxy devices aggregate data requests from multiple proxied devices and perform bulk transfers, combining numerous individual transmission operations into fewer, more efficient operations that reduce overall network overhead while maintaining high distribution productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Proxy devices act as intermediaries that batch and optimize data transmissions to multiple proxied devices. By consolidating transmission operations at the proxy level, the system achieves efficient data distribution to multiple devices simultaneously while minimizing redundant network overhead that would occur with direct individual transmissions.
4Reliability
If security verification is performed for each device, then data authenticity is ensured, but transmission time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs security verification and device authentication as preliminary actions at the proxy level before data transmission begins. By conducting these verification operations in advance and caching authentication results, the system ensures data authenticity is confirmed before transmission starts, reducing the time required during actual data transfer operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Proxy devices serve as intermediaries that handle security verification operations for multiple proxied devices. By performing authentication and verification at this intermediary level and reusing verified device identifiers, the system ensures data authenticity is maintained while reducing the cumulative time required for repeated verification operations across multiple devices.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure describes techniques for distributing large amounts of data to networked devices. A utility company server sends data to proxy device(s) (e.g., a plurality of data collecting/distributing devices), each of which sends the data to a number of proxied devices (e.g., smart utility meters). Accordingly, the utility company server utilizes a plurality of proxy devices to lessen device workload and network bandwidth consumption. The proxy devices each “manage” a plurality of proxied devices. Advantageously, the techniques provide end-to-end security of the data, avoid devotion of significant network bandwidth to repetitive transmissions, and in some installations reduce battery power consumption. The systems, devices, and techniques for distributing large amounts of data to networked devices may be configured to include: software defined on central office server(s); a plurality of proxy devices associated with each server; and a plurality of proxied devices (e.g., smart metering devices) associated with each proxy device.