Service Activation via Time-Constrained Registration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high costs and inefficiencies associated with individualizing mobile terminals during the manufacturing process, particularly due to the infrastructure requirements and limited practicality of existing security mechanisms in mobile radio environments and distributed networks.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a registration process with a registration server to activate services on electronic devices, where a time window is set up by a trustworthy entity for registration requests, allowing for secure and cost-effective individualization and activation of services, even outside secure production environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individualization is performed during manufacturing process, then security and unique identification are ensured, but infrastructure costs increase and throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the electronic device with necessary security components (secure element, cryptographic keys) during manufacturing, but delaying the actual individualization and service activation until a later time when the device is activated by the user or operator. This allows the security infrastructure to be prepared in advance while the costly individualization process is deferred, avoiding throughput limitations during manufacturing.
2Reliability
If individualization is performed during manufacturing process, then unique identification is established, but infrastructure requirements and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent prepares the device with basic security infrastructure (secure element, key generation capability) during manufacturing, but performs the actual individualization (assigning unique identifiers, activating services) later through a simplified activation process. This reduces manufacturing infrastructure requirements while ensuring unique identification is eventually established.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is equipped with self-service capabilities including onboard key generation, secure element configuration, and activation functionality that allows individualization to be performed by the user or operator without requiring complex manufacturing infrastructure. The device essentially individualizes itself through the activation process.
3Ease of manufacture
If service activation is delayed, then cost-effectiveness improves, but security requirements may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary security setup during manufacturing by provisioning the secure element and establishing cryptographic key pairs, but keeps these in an inactive or template state. The actual security activation occurs later when services are activated, ensuring security is maintained while allowing cost-effective delayed individualization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary activation process that bridges manufacturing and final deployment. During activation, the device communicates with a server or uses onboard resources to complete individualization, retrieve certificates, and activate services securely. This intermediary step ensures security requirements are met while enabling cost-effective delayed activation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for releasing a service provided by an electronic appliance (100). According to said method, a registration request (114) is produced by the appliance (100) and sent (S7) to the registration server (300). The registration server (300) then produces a registration confirmation (305) and sends (S9) it to the appliance (100) where the service is then released by receiving and recording (S10) the registration confirmation (305) on the appliance (100). A trustworthy entity (200) then sets up (S6, S12) a time frame on the registration server (300) such that the registration server (300) sends a registration confirmation (305) only for a registration request (114) received within the time frame, and the appliance (100) sends the registration request (114) to the registration server (300) within said time frame.