Smart Lock Authorization via Multi-Signature Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current authorization systems for smart locks face challenges in efficiently managing invitations for guests, particularly when dealing with multiple service provider employees, as they require significant time and effort to transmit and confirm invitation URLs, and there is a risk of impersonation and unauthorized access.
Innovation Solution
An authorization system comprising a smart lock, an owner terminal, a representative guest terminal, and a management server, where the representative guest terminal generates authentication information, imparts a signature, and transmits it to the owner terminal for authorization, which is then verified and stored by the management server to ensure legitimate unlocking requests are processed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the owner transmits invitation URLs to multiple service provider employees individually, then each guest can be invited to unlock the smart lock, but the time and effort required for invitation increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a management server as an intermediary between the owner and multiple guests. The management server automatically generates and distributes invitation URLs to multiple service provider employees based on information provided by the owner, eliminating the need for the owner to manually invite each guest individually. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining the ability to invite multiple guests while significantly reducing the time and effort required through automated mediation.
2Reliability
If the owner confirms each guest's identity individually, then impersonation can be prevented, but the time and effort required for confirmation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where guests automatically register their terminal information and authentication data with the management server upon receiving the invitation URL. The system automatically verifies and stores this information without requiring the owner to manually confirm each guest's identity. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliable identity confirmation through automated self-registration while eliminating the time-consuming manual verification process.
3Ease of operation
If invitation URLs are transmitted via e-mail or SNS, then guests can receive invitations conveniently, but the URLs may be peeped at or shared by third parties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of the authentication mechanism by implementing time-limited, single-use invitation URLs with embedded authentication information. Each URL is valid only for a specific time period and can be used only once for terminal registration. The system also binds the invitation to specific terminal identification information, making it impossible to transfer or share. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining convenient electronic transmission while preventing unauthorized access through parameter-based security controls.
Data Source
AI summary
[Problem] In guest invitation for a smart lock, a burden on an owner on invitation is reduced and impersonation or invitation of an unintended third party is prevented.[Solution] A representative guest terminal 102 requesting unlocking of a smart lock 400 generates authentication information referred to at the time of a request for unlocking, imparts a signature to the authentication information, and transmits the authentication information to an owner terminal 101. The owner terminal 101 verifies a signature of the representative guest terminal 102, imparts a signature to the authentication information, and transmits the authentication information to a management server 200. The management server 200 verifies the signatures of the representative guest terminal 102 and the owner terminal 101, stores the owner terminal 101 and the representative guest terminal 102 in association with each other, and stores the authentication information and the representative guest terminal 102 in association with each other. When the management server 200 receives an unlocking request from the smart lock 400 and successfully authenticates the unlocking request by referring to the stored authentication information, the smart lock 400 is unlocked.