Wireless Identity Transmitter Proximity Provisioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of modern mobile devices makes it difficult for users to install and configure applications and peripheral devices, requiring numerous operations for setup, authentication, and access to functionalities, such as accessing a home WiFi router or thermostat, which can be cumbersome and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A compact wireless identity transmitter broadcasts a unique and secure identification code via short-range wireless signals, allowing proximity broadcast receivers to identify and provision devices automatically, with a central server processing sighting messages to provide necessary credentials and configuration data for seamless access and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual configuration and authentication procedures are used for device provisioning, then security can be maintained through credential verification, but user operation complexity increases significantly and provisioning time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-registering devices with the provisioning server and pre-generating credentials before the actual provisioning event. When a receiver approaches a transmitter, the authentication and credential distribution are already prepared, eliminating the need for complex real-time manual configuration while maintaining security through pre-verified credentials.
Solution Approach 2:
The provisioning server acts as an intermediary between transmitters and receivers. It mediates the authentication process by verifying transmitter identities, generating appropriate credentials, and securely distributing them to authorized receivers. This intermediary approach automates the security verification that would otherwise require complex manual intervention.
2Reliability
If traditional device provisioning methods are used, then security credentials can be verified, but the time required for authentication and configuration increases
Solution Approach 1:
Device registration and credential generation are performed in advance through preliminary actions. The provisioning server pre-validators transmitter identities and pre-generates credential sets that are ready for immediate distribution. This eliminates the time-consuming real-time authentication process while maintaining security through pre-verified credentials.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service provisioning where receivers automatically obtain credentials by simply approaching transmitters. The authentication process occurs automatically in the background without requiring user intervention for manual configuration, significantly reducing provisioning time while maintaining security through automated verification.
3Productivity
If automated proximity-based provisioning is implemented, then user interaction is reduced and provisioning speed increases, but system complexity increases due to wireless broadcast infrastructure requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses universal mobile devices with existing wireless broadcast capabilities (Bluetooth, WiFi) as receivers. These general-purpose devices are leveraged for proximity detection and credential reception without requiring specialized hardware. This universal approach enables automated provisioning while minimizing the complexity of dedicated infrastructure by using already-deployed consumer electronics.
Solution Approach 2:
The provisioning server acts as a centralized intermediary that manages the complexity of automated provisioning. It handles transmitter registration, credential generation, and secure distribution, centralizing the complex logic in a single system rather than distributing it across multiple devices. This approach enables automated high-speed provisioning while containing system complexity in a manageable central component.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution simplifies the provisioning of devices by enabling automatic identification and configuration, reducing user interaction and streamlining access to connected devices, while maintaining security through encrypted and rolling identifiers.
Implementation Method 1
a compact wireless identity transmitter associated with a user may be configured to periodically broadcast messages that include a unique and secure identification code via a short-range wireless radio
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, non-transitory processor-readable storage media, systems, and devices for provisioning devices associated with wireless identity transmitters. An embodiment method performed by a proximity broadcast receiver may include operations for receiving a broadcast message including a secure identifier from a wireless identity transmitter, transmitting to a central server a sighting message that includes the secure identifier and an identity of the proximity broadcast receiver, receiving from the central server a return message that includes identification information related to the received broadcast message and that is authorized to be distributed to the proximity broadcast receiver based on data stored on the central server, and provisioning a device associated with the received broadcast message based on the identification information from the received return message. The method may also include identifying a software source from the received return message, requesting the software from the identified software source, and installing the received software.