Smart Home Device Provisioning With Secure Communication Arbitration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smart home devices connected to networks face security concerns due to numerous data connections, and existing technologies struggle to effectively manage and secure these interactions.
Innovation Solution
A computing device provisions and manages smart home devices by searching for identifiers, generating smart contracts, creating digital twins, and arbitrating communications, using a hyperledger for secure data management and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If smart home devices are connected to networks for functionality, then device utility and connectivity are improved, but security risks and vulnerability to attacks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a computing device as an intermediary that provisions smart home devices before they can communicate over the network. This intermediary maintains a database of authorized devices and their communication permissions, acting as a gatekeeper that allows legitimate connectivity while blocking unauthorized access and attacks.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple smart appliances are deployed in a location, then functionality and smart capabilities are improved, but network security complexity and management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automatic provisioning where the computing device autonomously discovers smart home devices on the network, retrieves their identifiers, checks them against the database, and configures communication permissions without manual intervention. This self-service approach simplifies network management despite the increasing number of smart devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The computing device serves multiple functions: it acts as a security gateway, a provisioning server, a communication arbiter, and a database manager. This multi-functional approach consolidates network management tasks into a single device, reducing overall system complexity.
3Ease of operation
If data connections are allowed for smart home functionality, then device operation and interoperability are improved, but exposure to external attacks and data breaches increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary security actions by provisioning smart home devices before they engage in network communication. The computing device pre-establishes communication permissions and authorization rules in the database, preventing potential attacks and data breaches before they can occur by blocking unauthorized connections in advance.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure provide for a method implemented by a computing device executing an artificial intelligence electronic assistant application. In some examples, the method includes searching a local area network for smart home devices to determine an identifier associated with a smart home device, provisioning the smart home device to an ecosystem of devices that is managed by the computing device, and automatically arbitrating communication of the smart home device based on the provisioning.