Secure communication of IOT devices for vehicles

• US 10,333,720 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2018
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Central, Inc.
• Original Assignee: T-Central, Inc.
• Inventors: Kravitz, David W., Graham, III, Donald Houston, Boudett, Josselyn L., Dietz, Russell S., Stacy, Kent William
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Thanhnga B
• Application Number:
  US15/890,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20180183610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 713156, 713163, 709245, 37920201, 37920301, 379245, 37914201, 700287, 370445, 370337, 290 1 A, 307 91, 380278
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• 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 9/3255 using group based signatures, e.g. ring or threshold signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/76 Group identity

Abstract

Method for establishing secure communication between a plurality of IoT devices in one or more vehicles include: provisioning the plurality of IoT devices by providing a unique identification, a digital identity token and a cryptographic key to each of the plurality of IoT devices; establishing a secure communication line between the plurality of IoT devices by authenticating respective communication lines between respective IoT devices and issuing a digital certificate to the respective communication lines; grouping the plurality of IoT devices into different groups based on a predetermined criteria; and including a group membership for a group of the different groups in an attribute certificate indicating group characterization.

Claims

1. A method for establishing secure communication between a plurality of devices, each device including a hardware processor, associated memory, a unique identification, a digital identity token and a cryptographic key, the method comprising:

transmitting over a communication network an invitation to a second device by a first device to establish a communication line with the first device by receiving a digital identity token from the second device;

authenticating a communication line between the first device and the second device;

issuing a digital certificate to the communication line to establish a secure communication line between the first device and the second device;

grouping the plurality of devices into different groups based on a predetermined criteria and storing the different groups in a storage device;

storing group memberships for the different groups in respective attribute certificates of the respective devices; and

preventing a device for which a secure communication line to any one of the plurality of devices has not been established, or which is not a member of a group with an approved attribute certificate, from communicating with said any one of the plurality of devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure communication line includes a digital agreement establishing terms of use of said secure communication line between first device and the second device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a group is issued an attribute certificate which includes associated rules for group membership in the attribute certificate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the different groups include sub-groups.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a second group of external devices; and

establishing an attribute certificate for the second group to a member of one or more of said different groups.