Virtual Wi-Fi Network for Energy Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Wi-Fi network setups for energy devices at customer premises face issues such as frequent connection loss due to customer-driven changes in SSID and security keys, high attrition rates of load control devices, market fragmentation from proprietary cloud services, and vulnerability to attacks that turn IoT devices into bots for Distributed Denial of Service attacks.
Innovation Solution
A virtual Wi-Fi network with secure tunnel provisioning that uses a software code to establish a reliable, persistent connection between energy devices and utility services through a secure VLAN and tunnel connection, independent of customer Wi-Fi settings, utilizing a standardized SSID and secure encryption, and isolating devices from the public Internet to prevent attacks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Wi-Fi network parameters (SSID and security key) are changed by the customer, then the customer can improve security or adapt to new requirements, but the connection between energy devices and the network is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the Wi-Fi network into two distinct parts: a public network for customer devices and a private virtual network for energy devices. This segmentation allows customers to change public network parameters without affecting the private network connections, resolving the contradiction between connection persistence and network parameter flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a router as an intermediary device that manages two separate network configurations. The router maintains a stable virtual network for energy devices while allowing customers to modify public network settings, acting as a mediator that protects device connections from customer-driven parameter changes.
2Reliability
If energy devices are connected directly to the public Internet, then device functionality and data access are improved, but vulnerability to attacks and compromise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network access by creating a private virtual network that is isolated from the public Internet. Energy devices connect only to this private network through secure tunneling, preventing direct exposure to Internet attacks while maintaining necessary communication capabilities through the utility's secure infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a protected, inert network environment for energy devices using virtualization and secure tunneling. This isolated environment prevents malicious actors from directly accessing devices on the public Internet, effectively creating a secure containment zone that maintains device functionality without Internet exposure risks.
3Adaptability or versatility
If proprietary cloud services are used for each service provider, then service-specific functionality is optimized, but market fragmentation and provider lock-in occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal virtual network infrastructure that can serve multiple utility providers and service types through standardized protocols. This multi-functional approach allows different providers to operate on the same network foundation, reducing market fragmentation and enabling interoperability while maintaining service-specific capabilities through software configuration rather than hardware differentiation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing a virtual Wi-Fi network with secure tunnel provisioning is disclosed. The method provides a reliable, persistent connection between wireless communications enabled devices located at a user's premises and a service provider, and includes the steps of using a software code running on a computing device to pass instructions including a remote server address to an Application Programming Interface (API) running on a wireless router connected to the computing device through a Local Area Network (LAN); using the wireless router to establish a secure communication session with the remote server through a Wide Area Network (WAN); receiving at the wireless router through the WAN parameters required to set up a wireless Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN); and using the router, establishing a wireless VLAN at the user's premises and connecting the wireless VLAN to the remote server through the WAN using a secure tunnel connection.