Secure communication with a traffic control system

• US 10,114,102 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2017
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bhat, Gautam K., Ramos, Stacey C., Boss, Gregory J., McConnell, Kevin C., Pham, Minh Q.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Eric
• Application Number:
  US15/621,339
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/825 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0819 Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0827 involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths network architectures or network communication protocols using different networks H04L63/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/037 of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0431 Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

A processor may receive an indication form a radio frequency identification (RFID) device that a mobile device is in a predetermined area. The processor may send a private key on a first frequency at a first time to the mobile device. The processor may receive a communication request from the mobile device that may contain a public decryption key. The processor may send encrypted configuration information and encrypted state information to the mobile device. In some embodiments, an RFID device, may identify that a mobile device is within a predetermined area. The RFID device may send a tag to the mobile device. The RFID may send a notification to a communicator that the tag has been sent. The RFID may acquire the encrypted configuration information and encrypted state information form the communicator. The RFID device may push the encrypted configuration information and the encrypted state information to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, an indication from a radio frequency identification (RFID) device that a mobile device is in a predetermined area, wherein the mobile device contains a public decryption key, and wherein the public decryption key is obtained from a regulatory entity;

sending, by the processor, a private key on a first frequency at a first time to the mobile device the private key verifying an identity of a communicator, wherein the communicator is maintained by the regulatory entity;

receiving, by the processor and in response to sending the private key on the first frequency, a communication request from the mobile device to communicate with the communicator;

sending, from the communicator, encrypted configuration information and encrypted state information to the mobile device;

generating, by the mobile device, a status report using the encrypted configuration information and the encrypted state information, wherein the mobile device decrypted the configuration information and the state information using the public decryption key;

presenting, by the mobile device, the status report to a user; and

disabling, in response to generation of the status report, text messaging functions of the mobile device for the duration of a traffic indicator associated with the state information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypted configuration information includes a physical location of the RFID device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the encrypted state information includes an indication of a length of time of a sensor in relation to the physical location of the RFID device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying that the mobile device is unable to receive the private key on the first frequency;

sending the private key on a second frequency at a second time; and

identifying that the mobile device received the private key on the second frequency by receiving the communication request.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, in response to sending the private key on the first frequency at the first time, that the mobile device did not receive the private key, wherein it is determined that the mobile device did not receive the private key by the processor not receiving the communication request;

resending the private key on the first frequency at a second time;

determining, in response to resending the private key on the first frequency at the second time, that the mobile device did not receive the private key;

sending the private key on a second frequency at a third time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second indication from the RFID device that a second mobile device is in the predetermined area;

sending, by the processor, the private key on a second frequency at the first time;

receiving, in response to sending the private key on the second frequency, a second communication request from the second mobile device on the second frequency, wherein the second mobile device contains the public decryption key; and

sending encrypted configuration information and encrypted state information to the second mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

resending the private key on the first frequency and the second frequency at a second time;

receiving, in response to the resending of the private key, a third communication request from a third mobile device, wherein the third mobile device contains the public decryption key; and

sending encrypted configuration information and encrypted state information to the third mobile device.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying, by a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, that a mobile device is within a predetermined area;

sending, by a processor, a tag to the mobile device, wherein the tag includes a public decryption key and an identification number associated with the RFID device;

sending, by the processor, a notification to a communicator that the tag has been sent;

acquiring, by the processor, encrypted configuration information and encrypted state information from the communicator;

pushing, by the processor, the encrypted configuration information and the encrypted state information to the mobile device;

generating, by the mobile device, a status report using the encrypted configuration information and the encrypted state information, wherein the mobile device decrypted the configuration information and the state information using the public decryption key;

presenting, by the mobile device, the status report to a user; and

disabling, in response to generation of the status report, text messaging functions of the mobile device for the duration of a traffic indicator associated with the state information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the encrypted configuration information includes a physical location of the RFID device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the encrypted state information includes an indication of a length of time of a sensor in relation to the physical location of the RFID device.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

generating the identification number associated with the RFID device, wherein the identification number is randomly generated by a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) during each cycle of a traffic indicator associated with the communicator.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating a database table, wherein the database table includes a seed number used by the PRNG for generating the identification number; and

saving the seed number and the identification number of each cycle in the database table.

13. A system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor in communication with the memory, the processor being configured to perform operations comprising;

identifying, by a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, that a mobile device is within a predetermined area;

sending, by the processor, a tag to the mobile device, wherein the tag includes a public decryption key and an identification number associated with the RFID device;

sending, by the processor, a notification to a communicator that the tag has been sent;

acquiring, by the processor, encrypted configuration information and encrypted state information from the communicator;

pushing, by the processor, the encrypted configuration information and the encrypted state information to the mobile device;

generating, by the mobile device, a status report using the encrypted configuration information and the encrypted state information, wherein the mobile device decrypted the configuration information and the state information using the public decryption key;

presenting, by the mobile device, the status report to a user; and

disabling, in response to generation of the status report, text messaging functions of the mobile device for the duration of a traffic indicator associated with the state information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the encrypted configuration information includes a physical location of the RFID device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the encrypted state information includes an indication of a length of time of a sensor in relation to the physical location of the RFID device.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

generating the identification number associated with the RFID device, wherein the identification number is randomly generated by a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) during each cycle of a traffic indicator associated with the communicator.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

generating a database table, wherein the database table includes a seed number used by the PRNG for generating the identification number; and

saving the seed number and the identification number of each cycle in the database table.