Allowing beacon device to access mesh network using authentication key

• US 10,432,625 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2016
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SK Planet Co., Ltd. (SK Telecom Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: SK Planet Co., Ltd. (SK Telecom Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kang, Kichon
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Haresh N
• Application Number:
  US15/335,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20170126678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 726 6
• 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The present invention relates to an authentication apparatus and method for a wireless network among a plurality of beacon devices constituting a mesh network and a computer-readable recording medium storing a program for carrying out the method, and more particularly, to an authentication apparatus and method according to authentication technology for including only beacon devices installed at a particular location in a particular mesh network and a recording medium storing a computer program for carrying out the method.

Claims

1. A service device comprising:

a communication circuit configured to communicate with one or more beacon devices or mobile communication terminals via a network, and to receive location information of a mobile communication terminal device mapped to a beacon device; and

a control circuit configured to;

set a particular spatial range as a criterion for forming a mesh network,

set and store an authentication key required for accessing the mesh network,

perform, when the beacon device attempts to access the mesh network, a first authentication operation including receiving an authentication key of the beacon device through the communication circuit and comparing the received authentication key with the stored authentication key to determine whether the received authentication key is identical to the stored authentication key,

perform, when the received authentication key is identical to the stored authentication key, a second authentication operation including receiving location information of the beacon device through the communication circuit and determining, using the received location information as location information of the beacon device for the second authentication operation, whether a location of the beacon device is within the particular spatial range, and

allow the beacon device to access the mesh network when the beacon device passes both the first authentication operation and the second authentication operation.

2. The service device of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is further configured to receive the authentication key of the beacon device from a mobile communication terminal device mapped to the beacon device.

3. The service device of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is further configured to receive the authentication key of the beacon device from the beacon device.

4. The service device of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is further configured to receive identification information of the beacon device, and the received identification information contains the location information of the beacon device for the second authentication operation performed by the control circuit.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program for executing an authentication method for a wireless mesh network, the program, when executed by a service device, causing the service device to execute:

an operation of setting a particular spatial range as a criterion for forming a mesh network;

an operation of setting and storing an authentication key required for accessing the mesh network;

an operation of receiving location information of a mobile communication terminal device mapped to a beacon device;

a first authentication operation including receiving an authentication key of the beacon device and comparing the received authentication key with the stored authentication key to determine whether the received authentication key is identical to the stored authentication key, when the beacon device attempts to access the mesh network;

a second authentication operation including receiving location information of the beacon device through the communication circuit and determining, using the received location information as location information of the beacon device whether a location of the beacon device is within the particular spatial range, when the received authentication key is identical to the stored authentication key; and

allowing the beacon device to access the mesh network when the beacon device passes both the first authentication operation and the second authentication operation.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 5,

wherein the first authentication operation includes receiving the authentication key of the beacon device from a mobile communication terminal device mapped to the beacon device.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 5,

wherein the second authentication operation includes collecting location information of a mobile communication terminal device mapped to the beacon device attempting to access the mesh network.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 5,

wherein the second authentication operation includes receiving identification information containing location information of the beacon device.

9. An authentication method for a wireless mesh network performed by a service device, the method comprising;

perform an operation of setting a particular spatial range as a criterion for forming a mesh network;

perform an operation of setting and storing an authentication key required for accessing the mesh network;

establish communication with a beacon device;

receive location information of a mobile communication terminal device mapped to the beacon device;

perform a first authentication operation including receiving an authentication key of a beacon device and comparing the received authentication key with the stored authentication key to determine whether the received authentication key is identical to the stored authentication key, when the beacon device attempts to access the mesh network;

perform a second authentication operation including receiving location information of the beacon device through the communication circuit and determining, using the received location information as location information of the beacon device whether a location of the beacon device is within the particular spatial range, when the received authentication key is identical to the stored authentication key; and

allow the beacon device to access the mesh network when the beacon device passes through both the first authentication operation and the second authentication operation.

10. The authentication method of claim 9, wherein the first authentication operation includes receiving the authentication key from a mobile communication terminal device mapped to the beacon device.

11. The authentication method of claim 9, wherein the second authentication operation includes collecting location information of a mobile communication terminal device mapped to the beacon device attempting to access the mesh network.

12. The authentication method of claim 9, wherein the second authentication operation includes receiving identification information containing location information of the beacon device.