QR Code Credential Provisioning for Secure Device Encoding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automatic authentication systems face challenges in securely and efficiently provisioning devices for identity verification without costly manual configuration, particularly in large-scale systems.

Innovation Solution

Utilizing QR codes to encode credential devices wirelessly through a mobile device, enabling secure and efficient provisioning by generating and decoding QR codes that contain authentication information, allowing devices to function as trusted credentials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual provisioning is used to configure devices for authentication, then security is maintained, but cost increases significantly for large authentication systems

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidprovisioning cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses QR codes as optical copies containing encoded authentication data. Instead of manual configuration, the system creates visual replicas of authentication credentials that can be scanned and decoded automatically, eliminating costly manual provisioning while maintaining security through cryptographic encoding in the QR code data

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical provisioning processes with optical scanning and automatic decoding. The QR code scanning mechanism substitutes human operators with automated optical recognition systems, reducing labor costs and improving consistency while maintaining security through programmed verification protocols

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If manual configuration is used for credential devices, then security is ensured, but time consumption increases for large-scale systems

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidprovisioning time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-encodes authentication credentials into QR codes before deployment. The authentication data, cryptographic keys, and device identifiers are prepared in advance and embedded in the QR code structure, allowing rapid automatic provisioning when scanned, eliminating time-consuming manual configuration steps while maintaining security through pre-validated encoding

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The QR code serves as a rapid-copy mechanism for authentication credentials. Multiple devices can be provisioned simultaneously by scanning identical or unique QR codes, enabling bulk provisioning without sequential manual configuration, thus dramatically reducing provisioning time while maintaining security through automated verification

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If complex authentication mechanisms are used for secure device provisioning, then security is enhanced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidauthentication mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the complex authentication logic from the device provisioning process and places it in the QR code data structure and backend verification system. The mobile device and credential device only need to perform simple scanning and decoding operations, while the complex cryptographic verification occurs server-side, reducing on-device complexity while maintaining strong security

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The QR code acts as an intermediary carrier that encapsulates complex authentication data in a simple visual format. The scanning and decoding process serves as an intermediate step that bridges the gap between simple user action (scanning) and complex security verification (backend validation), reducing perceived complexity while maintaining security

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12495040B2Use of QR codes in online encoding
Publication Date: 2025.12.09 ASSA ABLOY AB
  • US12495040B2 patent drawing
  • US12495040B2 patent drawing
  • US12495040B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method of encoding a credential device of an authentication system comprises sending credential device information to a backend server of the authentication system using a mobile device, verifying ownership of the credential device and the mobile device using the backend server, generating, using the backend server, a quick response (QR) code that includes encoding information for the credential device, generating using the backend server a quick response (QR) code that includes encoding information for the credential device, decoding the QR code to retrieve the encoding information, and encoding the credential device with the encoding information.