Tracking Device Data Protection Through Rotating Encryption Keys
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional tracking devices face limitations such as limited battery life due to high power consumption for long-range tracking, expensive technology requirements, and low-power options that are restricted to close proximity, limiting their effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A tracking device associated with a permanent encryption key pair and temporary encryption key pairs, leveraging a community of mobile devices to locate the device securely and efficiently, using one-way communication and hash-based identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If traditional long-range tracking technology is used, then tracking distance is improved, but power consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking system is segmented into multiple components: the low-power tracking device that only transmits hashed identifiers, community mobile devices that perform location detection, and a centralized server that manages key distribution. This segmentation allows the tracking device to maintain long-range capability without high power consumption by offloading computational and communication tasks to other system components.
Solution Approach 2:
Community mobile devices act as intermediaries between the tracking device and the centralized server. They receive hashed identifiers from the tracking device, attempt local resolution using stored keys, and facilitate communication with the server when needed. This intermediary layer enables the tracking device to communicate over long distances using only low-power short-range transmissions.
2Length of stationary object
If traditional long-range tracking technology is used, then tracking distance is improved, but device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking device uses inexpensive cryptographic key pairs (permanent and temporary) that can be generated and discarded. Temporary keys are rotated periodically and can be replaced without affecting the core tracking functionality. This approach allows the use of low-cost hardware with sufficient security for the device's operational lifetime.
Solution Approach 2:
Community mobile devices serve multiple functions: they act as location detectors, key storage units, cryptographic verification systems, and communication relays. By making the mobile devices multi-functional, the system avoids the need for expensive specialized long-range tracking hardware in the tracking device itself.
3Use of energy by moving object
If low-power tracking options are used, then power consumption is reduced, but tracking distance is limited to close proximity
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a direct one-to-one communication model to a many-to-one model where multiple community mobile devices can detect and report the location of a single tracking device. This dimensional change in the communication architecture allows low-power short-range transmissions to achieve effective long-range tracking through network aggregation.
Solution Approach 2:
Community mobile devices pre-load temporary cryptographic keys and hashing algorithms before encountering the tracking device. This preliminary preparation allows them to immediately resolve hashed identifiers and establish communication without requiring the tracking device to transmit or process complex cryptographic data, maintaining low power consumption.
4Loss of information
If hashed identifiers are transmitted for security, then privacy is improved, but identification complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic rotation of temporary cryptographic keys to balance security and complexity. Temporary keys are generated for specific time intervals and rotated regularly, providing privacy protection through hashing while limiting the window of exposure. The periodic key rotation creates a manageable complexity pattern that can be handled by the centralized server and community devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A tracking device can use a permanent encryption key pair to encrypt a temporary private key that corresponds to a set of diversified temporary public keys. When a community mobile device subsequently detects the tracking device, the central tracking system provides a diversified temporary public key to the community mobile device. The community mobile device uses the diversified temporary public key to encrypt location data representative of a location of the community mobile device, and provides the encrypted location data to the central tracking system. When a user subsequently requests a location of the tracking device from the central tracking system, the central tracking system provides the encrypted temporary private key and the encrypted location data to a device of the user, and the device can decrypt the encrypted temporary private key using the permanent encryption key pair, and decrypt the encrypted location data using the decrypted temporary private key.