# US 11,115,819 B2 · Local authentication of communications device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,115,819 B2 - Document ID: US11115819B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/729,884 - Filed: 2019-12-30 - Published: 2021-07-01 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-30 - Assignees: Itron, Inc. - Applicants: Itron, Inc. - Inventors: Bernard M. Woodland; Scott Dale Brown - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11115819B2 ## CPC - H04W 12/069: using certificates or pre-shared keys - H04W 12/08: Access security - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - H04W 12/06: Authentication - H04W 12/121: Wireless intrusion detection systems [WIDS]; Wireless intrusion prevention systems [WIPS] - H04W 12/61: Time-dependent - H04W 12/63: Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A device and method for locally authenticating an accessor device to access an operable device. The method comprises receiving reservation information at a validation device from an access granting device, the reservation information identifying one or more accessor devices as having permission to utilize the operable device, where the operable device is local to (e.g., within a predetermined proximity) of the validation device. The method further comprises receiving a request from an accessor device requesting permission to utilize the operable device, the request including an identifier of the requesting accessor device, validating the request based on the reservation information and the identifier, and when validation is successful, granting to the requesting accessor device permission to utilize the operable device. The method may further include receiving an instruction from the access granting device to revoke such permission from the requesting accessor device, and revoking such permission from the requesting accessor device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A validation device for granting an accessor device access to an operable device, the operable device located within a predetermined proximity of the validation device, comprising: a processor; a transceiver communicably coupled with the processor, the transceiver configured to communicate over a network with at least one accessor device and an access granting device that manages access of accessor devices to an operable device; and a memory communicably coupled with the processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, direct the processor to: receive, via the transceiver, reservation information from the access granting device, wherein the reservation information identifies one or more of the accessor devices as having permission to utilize the operable device; receive, via the transceiver, a request from one of the accessor devices requesting permission to utilize the operable device, the request including an identifier of the requesting accessor device; validate the request in response to recognizing the identifier of the requesting accessor device based on the reservation information; grant to the requesting accessor device, permission to allow the requesting accessor device to utilize the operable device by sending, to the requesting accessor device via the transceiver, a signed message including permission expiration information; and upon an occurrence of an event associated with the permission expiration information, revoke the permission previously granted for the requesting accessor device to utilize the operable device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The validation device of claim 1, wherein the signed message indicates permission to access only features of the operable device that are granted by the access granting device per the reservation information. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The validation device of claim 1, wherein the signed message includes a current timestamp. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The validation device of claim 3, wherein the signed message further includes an elapsed time value representing an elapsed time since the current timestamp was generated. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The validation device of claim 1, wherein the granting of permission includes displaying an access code to be entered into the requesting accessor device to allow the requesting accessor device to utilize the operable device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The validation device of claim 1, wherein the validating includes a primary validation authenticating the requesting accessor device on behalf of the access granting device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The validation device of claim 1, wherein the validating includes a secondary validation authenticating the requesting accessor device as a supplement to a primary authentication by the access granting device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The validation device of claim 7, wherein the secondary validation includes validating the proximity of the requesting accessor device to be within the predetermined proximity of the operable device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The validation device of claim 1, wherein the validating includes authenticating the requesting accessor device as a supplement to additional validations by additional validating devices in proximity of the operable device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The validation device of claim 1, wherein the request includes an access code provided to the requesting accessor device by the access granting device prior to the requesting accessor device sending the request to the validation device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The validation device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further directed to: receive an instruction from the access granting device to revoke permission to utilize the operable device from the requesting accessor device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The validation device of claim 11, wherein the revoking of permission includes sending, via the transceiver, an updated signed message to the requesting accessor device revoking permission to utilize the operable device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The validation device of claim 1, wherein prior to receiving the reservation information, the validation device becomes a trusted validation device by: bundling data including at least a public key of the validation device and an identifier of the operable device; sending the bundled data to the access granting device for signing; receiving a signed certificate from the access granting device; and sending the signed certificate to the operable device, the operable device having a root certificate capable of authenticating the signed certificate as being from a trusted validation device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The validation device of claim 1, wherein the validation device is a utility metering device. ### Claim 15 A method of granting, by a validation device, an accessor device access to an operable device within a predetermined proximity of the validation device, the method comprising: receiving, via a transceiver communicably coupled with a processor and configured to communicate over a network with at least one accessor device and an access granting device that manages access of accessor devices to the operable device, reservation information from the access granting device, wherein the reservation information identifies one or more of the accessor devices as having permission to utilize the operable device, and wherein the operable device is within a predetermined proximity of the validation device; receiving, via the transceiver, a request from one of the accessor devices requesting permission to utilize the operable device, the request including an identifier of the requesting accessor device; validating, via the processor, the request in response to recognizing the identifier of the requesting accessor device based on the reservation information; granting to the requesting accessor device permission to allow the requesting accessor device to utilize the operable device sending, to the requesting accessor device via the transceiver, a signed message including permission expiration information; and upon an occurrence of an event associated with the permission expiration information, revoking the permission previously granted for the requesting accessor device to utilize the operable device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the validating includes a primary validation authenticating the requesting accessor device on behalf of the access granting device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the validating includes a secondary validation authenticating the requesting accessor device as a supplement to a primary authentication by the access granting device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the secondary validation includes validating the proximity of the requesting accessor device to be within the predetermined proximity of the operable device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: receiving, via the transceiver, an instruction from the access granting device to revoke permission to utilize the operable device from the requesting accessor device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the revoking of permission includes sending, via the transceiver, an updated signed message to the requesting accessor device revoking permission to utilize the operable device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising, prior to receiving the reservation information: bundling data including at least a public key of the validation device and an identifier of the operable device; sending the bundled data to the access granting device for signing; receiving a signed certificate from the access granting device; and sending the signed certificate to the operable device, the operable device having a root certificate capable of authenticating the signed certificate as being from a trusted validation device. ### Claim 22 At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer program logic stored thereon, the computer program logic including instructions that, when executed by a processor of a validation device, cause the processor to: receive, via a transceiver communicably coupled with the processor and configured to communicate over a network with at least one accessor device and an access granting device that manages access of accessor devices to an operable device, reservation information from the access granting device, wherein the reservation information identifies one or more of the accessor devices as having permission to utilize the operable device, and wherein the operable device is within a predetermined proximity of the validation device; receive, via the transceiver, a request from one of the accessor devices requesting permission to utilize the operable device, the request including an identifier of the requesting accessor device; validate, via the processor, the request in response to recognizing the identifier of the requesting accessor device based on the reservation information; grant to the requesting accessor device permission to allow the requesting accessor device to utilize the operable device by sending, to the requesting accessor device via the transceiver, a signed message including permission expiration information; and upon an occurrence of an event associated with the permission expiration information, revoke the permission previously granted for the requesting accessor device to utilize the operable device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the processor is further directed to: receive, via the transceiver, an instruction from the access granting device to revoke permission to utilize the operable device from the requesting accessor device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the revoking of permission includes sending, via the transceiver, an updated signed message to the requesting accessor device revoking permission to utilize the operable device.