Secure registration and ignition of network nodes on a multi-hop wireless network

• US 10,320,762 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2016
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thiel, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Brian F
• Application Number:
  US15/394,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20180191694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• 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 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/30 Public key, i.e. encryption algorithm being computationally infeasible to invert or user's encryption keys not requiring secrecy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving from a requesting network node identifying information, and accessing registration information of previously registered network nodes of a multi-hop wireless network. The registration information includes a firmware hash or a serial number of the previously registered network node. The registration information may have been extracted from the previously registered network node and communicated to the network-management system as cipher text encoded with a public key and decoded at the network-management system with a private key. The method may further include comparing the identifying information of the requesting network node with the registration information of the previously registered network nodes to determine whether the requesting network node is one of the previously registered network nodes. If, based on the comparison, the requesting network node is one of the previously registered network nodes, then the requesting node may be permitted to join the network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by one or more computing devices, receiving from a requesting network node identifying information;

by one or more computing devices, accessing, in a data store of a network-management system associated with a multi-hop wireless network, registration information of a plurality of previously registered network nodes of the multi-hop wireless network, wherein for each previously registered network node of the multi-hop wireless network;

the registration information comprises one or more of;

a firmware hash that was assigned to the previously registered network node when it was manufactured;

or

a serial number of the previously registered network node that was assigned to the previously registered network node when it was manufactured;

the registration information was, in connection with installation of the previously registered network node;

extracted from the previously registered network node and communicated to the network-management system as cipher text encoded with a public key; and

decoded at the network-management system with a private key corresponding to the public key;

by one or more computing devices, comparing the identifying information of the requesting network node with the registration information of the previously registered network nodes of the multi-hop wireless network to determine whether the requesting network node is one of the previously registered network nodes;

by one or more computing devices, if based on the comparison the requesting network node is determined to be one of the previously registered network nodes, then permitting the requesting network node to join the multi-hop wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein manufacture of the previously registered network node comprises original manufacturing of the previously registered network node.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if based on the comparison the requesting network node is determined not to be one of the previously registered network nodes, then ignoring messages from the requesting network node.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying information comprises:

a MAC address of the network node;

a serial number of the network node;

or

a firmware hash for the network node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration information is embedded in a matrix barcode displayed on an outer surface of the network node.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein permitting the requesting network node to join the multi-hop wireless network comprises igniting the requesting network node, wherein igniting the requesting network node comprises establishing a wireless connection between an antenna array of the requesting network node and an antenna array of another network node already operating on the multi-hop wireless network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting network node is mounted on an outdoor structure.

8. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

receive from a requesting network node identifying information;

access, in a data store of a network-management system associated with a multi-hop wireless network, registration information of a plurality of previously registered network nodes of the multi-hop wireless network, wherein for each previously registered network node of the multi-hop wireless network;

the registration information comprises one or more of;

a firmware hash that was assigned to the previously registered network node when it was manufactured;

or

a serial number of the previously registered network node that was assigned to the previously registered network node when it was manufactured;

the registration information was, in connection with installation of the previously registered network node;

extracted from the previously registered network node and communicated to the network-management system as cipher text encoded with a public key; and

decoded at the network-management system with a private key corresponding to the public key;

compare the identifying information of the requesting network node with the registration information of the previously registered network nodes of the multi-hop wireless network to determine whether the requesting network node is one of the previously registered network nodes;

if based on the comparison the requesting network node is determined to be one of the previously registered network nodes, then permit the requesting network node to join the multi-hop wireless network.

9. The media of claim 8, wherein manufacture of the previously registered network node comprises original manufacturing of the previously registered network node.

10. The media of claim 8, wherein the software is further operable when executed to, if based on the comparison the requesting network node is determined not to be one of the previously registered network nodes, then ignore messages from the requesting network node.

11. The media of claim 8, wherein the identifying information comprises:

a MAC address of the network node;

a serial number of the network node;

or

a firmware hash for the network node.

12. The media of claim 8, wherein the registration information is embedded in a matrix barcode displayed on an outer surface of the network node.

13. The media of claim 8, wherein permitting the requesting network node to join the multi-hop wireless network comprises igniting the requesting network node, wherein igniting the requesting network node comprises establishing a wireless connection between an antenna array of the requesting network node and an antenna array of another network node already operating on the multi-hop wireless network.

14. The media of claim 8, wherein the requesting network node is mounted on an outdoor structure.

15. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to;

receive from a requesting network node identifying information;

access, in a data store of a network-management system associated with a multi-hop wireless network, registration information of a plurality of previously registered network nodes of the multi-hop wireless network, wherein for each previously registered network node of the multi-hop wireless network;

the registration information comprises one or more of;

a firmware hash that was assigned to the previously registered network node when it was manufactured;

or

a serial number of the previously registered network node that was assigned to the previously registered network node when it was manufactured;

the registration information was, in connection with installation of the previously registered network node;

extracted from the previously registered network node and communicated to the network-management system as cipher text encoded with a public key; and

decoded at the network-management system with a private key corresponding to the public key;

compare the identifying information of the requesting network node with the registration information of the previously registered network nodes of the multi-hop wireless network to determine whether the requesting network node is one of the previously registered network nodes;

if based on the comparison the requesting network node is determined to be one of the previously registered network nodes, then permit the requesting network node to join the multi-hop wireless network.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein manufacture of the previously registered network node comprises original manufacturing of the previously registered network node.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to, if based on the comparison the requesting network node is determined not to be one of the previously registered network nodes, then ignore messages from the requesting network node.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the identifying information comprises:

a MAC address of the network node;

a serial number of the network node;

or

a firmware hash for the network node.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the registration information is embedded in a matrix barcode displayed on an outer surface of the network node.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein permitting the requesting network node to join the multi-hop wireless network comprises igniting the requesting network node, wherein igniting the requesting network node comprises establishing a wireless connection between an antenna array of the requesting network node and an antenna array of another network node already operating on the multi-hop wireless network.