US 10,897,710 B2 · Disjoint security in wireless networks with multiple managers or access points

Abstract

In a wireless mesh network having multiple network managers, the network managers maintain network security through the use of encryption keys and packet counters. To ensure that each network manager can authenticate communications with any node of the network, the authentication data is replicated in a disjoint manner in all network managers. Advantageously, network reliability is assured by providing redundant managers that can seamlessly maintain network operation even if multiple network managers fail; newly joining managers can obtain full authentication data for the network upon joining; and network throughput is increased by ensuring that any of the multiple managers can authenticate the communications of any network node. The disjoint replication of the authentication data across all network managers is performed with low data-rate manager-to-manager packets propagated through the network. The disjoint security methods and systems can advantageously be used in wireless battery monitoring systems, for example.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method for coordinating authentication between network manager devices of a wireless mesh network, the method comprising:

receiving, in a first network manager device of the wireless mesh network, a join request to join a wireless network node to the wireless mesh network via a first wireless mesh network access point of the wireless mesh network;
generating, in response to receiving the join request, authentication data to authenticate subsequent communications passing through the first network manager device between the joined wireless network node and the host application, wherein the authentication data comprises, for each node of the wireless mesh network, a count of communications sent to or received from the respective node;
storing the authentication data at the first network manager device;
and
transmitting, by the first network manager device, the authentication data to a second network manager device of the wireless mesh network for storage and use by the second network manager device to authenticate subsequent communications passing through the second network manager device and between the joined wireless network node and the host application.

2 more elements

A network manager device comprising:

a communication interface for establishing a communication link, via a first wireless mesh network access point, with a wireless mesh network;
a processor communicatively connected to the communication interface;
and
a non-transitory memory device storing program instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the network manager device to:
receive, via the first wireless mesh network access point, a join request to join the wireless network node with the wireless mesh network;
generate, in response to receiving the join request, authentication data to authenticate subsequent communications passing through the network manager device between the joined wireless network node and a host application external to the wireless mesh network, wherein the authentication data comprises, for each node of the wireless mesh network, a count of communications sent to or received from the node;
store the authentication data at the network manager device;
and
transmit the authentication data to another network manager device of the wireless mesh network for storage and use by the other network manager device to authenticate subsequent communications passing through the other network manager device and between the joined wireless network node and the host application.

6 more elements

A wireless mesh network system comprising a first network manager device configured to coordinate authentication with a second network manager device of the wireless mesh network system, comprising:

a plurality of wireless network nodes in wireless communication with each other to form a wireless mesh network;
a first wireless access point configured to provide a communication link between the first network manager and the plurality of wireless network nodes;
and
the first network manager device associated with the first wireless access point and configured to relay communications between the plurality of wireless network nodes and a host application executed by a host device external to the wireless network nodes,
wherein the first network manager device is configured to generate an encryption key associated with a respective node of the plurality of wireless network nodes, and transmit a decryption key associated with the respective node to the second network manager device for decrypting communications from the respective node to the host device, and
wherein each respective node of the plurality of wireless network nodes is configured to transmit encrypted packets to the host device based on the encryption key associated with the respective node, the encrypted packets being routed to the host device executing the host application through one of the first wireless access point of the first network manager device and a second wireless access point of the second network manager device and decrypted by the one of the first and second wireless access points based on the decryption key associated with the respective node, and
wherein upon a memory of the first network manager device storing the decryption key being cleared, the first network manager device retrieves, from the second network manager device, decryption keys corresponding to each of the encryption keys specific to nodes of the plurality of wireless network nodes.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Disjoint security in wireless networks with multiple managers or access points

Life of this patent

Disjoint security in wireless networks with multiple managers or access points

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23