V2X Server Agent for Certificate Application

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Solution Overview

Problem

The complexity of certificate application processes for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) terminals, which require frequent switching between multiple short-term certificates to ensure security and privacy, complicates the deployment and operation of certificate servers, increasing the risk of security threats and performance issues.

Innovation Solution

A digital certificate application method where a vehicle-to-everything server acts as an agent for the terminal, simplifying the process by using preconfigured security credentials to select and obtain pseudonym certificates from appropriate certificate servers based on permission and location information, thereby reducing the burden on certificate servers and enhancing security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a vehicle-to-everything terminal directly applies for certificates from multiple certificate servers, then the terminal can obtain necessary pseudonym certificates, but the terminal must store information about multiple certificate servers and the process becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecertificate application process complexityVSAvoidcertificate server information storage
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a vehicle-to-everything server as an intermediary between the terminal and multiple certificate servers. The server stores certificate server information and handles the complex process of selecting and communicating with appropriate certificate servers, while the terminal only needs to interact with its configured server. This resolves the contradiction by centralizing the complexity in the server rather than the terminal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple certificate servers are deployed for different regions and authorization levels, then certificate issuance can be distributed and scalable, but the terminal faces difficulty in selecting and connecting to the appropriate certificate server

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecertificate server deployment flexibilityVSAvoidcertificate server selection
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the terminal provides its current location information to the vehicle-to-everything server, which then selects an appropriate certificate server based on the terminal's location and authorization level. This feedback loop enables the system to automatically adapt to the terminal's context and select the most suitable certificate server, resolving the selection difficulty while maintaining deployment flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If certificate servers directly face massive vehicle-to-everything terminals, then certificate issuance is direct and efficient, but the certificate servers face increased security risks from attacks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecertificate issuance efficiencyVSAvoidcertificate server security
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle-to-everything server acts as a buffer and intermediary layer between terminals and certificate servers. It aggregates certificate application requests from multiple terminals and forwards them to certificate servers, reducing the direct attack surface of certificate servers while maintaining issuance efficiency. This intermediary layer absorbs and filters potential attacks before they reach the certificate servers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If terminals frequently switch between 10 to 100 short-term certificates every week, then privacy protection is improved by preventing third-party tracing, but the certificate management burden and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprivacy protectionVSAvoidcertificate management
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements automated certificate management where the vehicle-to-everything server automatically handles certificate issuance, renewal, and switching based on predefined policies and terminal location. The terminal itself performs self-service by automatically selecting and applying for certificates from the appropriate server without user intervention, reducing management complexity while maintaining frequent certificate switching for privacy protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3840327B1Method for applying for digital certificate
Publication Date: 2024.10.30 HUAWEI CLOUD COMPUTING TECHNOLOGIES CO LTD
  • EP3840327B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3840327B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3840327B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This application provides a digital certificate application method. A vehicle-to-everything terminal provides a vehicle-to-everything server with a security credential that can prove an identity of the vehicle-to-everything terminal, and requests the vehicle-to-everything server to apply for a certificate for the vehicle-to-everything terminal. The security credential may be a token preconfigured in the vehicle-to-everything terminal, or may be a digital signature of the vehicle. The vehicle-to-everything server performs identity verification on the vehicle-to-everything terminal based on the security credential. After the verification succeeds, the vehicle-to-everything server selects a proper certificate server to apply for a certificate for the vehicle-to-everything terminal. For the vehicle-to-everything terminal, this solution reduces certificate application complexity. For the certificate server, this solution reduces a security risk at which the certificate server is attacked when the certificate server faces massive vehicle-to-everything terminals.