System and method for Lightweight-Machine-to-Machine device registration and assignment

• US 10,455,057 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2016
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Mathison, James, Kolanowski, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Atta
• Application Number:
  US15/363,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20180152541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 709223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1004 Server selection for load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

A method assigns a bootstrap server for wireless devices in a machine-to-machine environment. The method includes receiving, by a network device in a wireless access network and from a wireless device, a first request for a bootstrap server identifier. The method also includes providing, to the wireless device, a response including an address for a carrier-specific bootstrap server device. The method also includes receiving, by the carrier-specific bootstrap server device, a request for management server connection information. The request is submitted by the wireless device using the bootstrap server identifier. The method further includes assigning, by the carrier-specific bootstrap server device, the wireless device to a management server of a group of management servers and sending connection information for the management server to the wireless device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a network device in a wireless access network and from a wireless device, a first request for a bootstrap server identifier;

providing, by the network device and to the wireless device, a response to the first request, the response including an address for a carrier-specific bootstrap server device;

receiving, by the carrier-specific bootstrap server device, a second request, from the wireless device, for management server connection information, wherein the second request uses the bootstrap server identifier;

assigning, by the carrier-specific bootstrap server device, the wireless device to a management server of a group of management servers;

sending, by the carrier-specific bootstrap server device and to the wireless device, connection information for the management server, wherein the connection information comprises a first security key for use by the wireless device;

receiving, by the management server and from the wireless device, a registration request for machine-to-machine management, the registration request including the first security key;

requesting, by the management server and from the carrier-specific bootstrap server device, a second security key for the wireless device; and

validating the registration request based on the first security key and the second security key.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first request for the bootstrap server identifier includes:

receiving the first request for the bootstrap server identifier within an attach request for the wireless access network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the response to the first request includes:

providing the response to the first request within a Protocol Configuration Option (PCO) message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the PCO message includes a container identifier field for the bootstrap server identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the response includes a carrier-specific uniform resource locator (URL) for the carrier-specific bootstrap server device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier-specific bootstrap server device is a bootstrap server for a lightweight machine-to-machine device management system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying, after receiving the second request, a user profile for the wireless device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the connection information for the management server further comprises:

selecting the management server from a group of available management servers based on a load-balancing criteria.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first request is provided from the wireless device in a format that is not specific to a particular network carrier.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the connection information for the management server further comprises generating the first security key.

11. A system, comprising:

a network device for a wireless access network, the network device including a first memory and a first processor to execute instructions in the first memory to;

receive, from a wireless device, a first request for a bootstrap server identifier, and

provide, to the wireless device, a response to the first request, the response including an address for a carrier-specific bootstrap server device;

the carrier-specific bootstrap server device including a second memory and a second processor to execute instructions in the second memory to;

receive a second request, from the wireless device, for management server connection information, wherein the second request uses the bootstrap server identifier;

assign the wireless device to a management server device of a group of management servers;

send to the wireless device connection information for the assigned management server, wherein the connection information comprises a first security key for use by the wireless device; and

the management server device including a third memory and a third processor to execute instructions in the third memory to;

receiving, from the wireless device, a registration request for machine-to-machine management, the registration request including the first security key;

request, from the carrier-specific bootstrap server device, a second security key for the wireless device; and

validate the registration request based on the first security key and the second security key.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless device is configured for machine-to-machine communications.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first request for the bootstrap server identifier is included within an attach request for the wireless access network.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the response to the first request in included within a Protocol Configuration Option (PCO) message.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the PCO message includes a designated container identifier field for the bootstrap server identifier.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the response includes a uniform resource locator (URL) for the carrier-specific bootstrap server device.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a computational device to:

receive, from a wireless device, a first request for a bootstrap server identifier;

provide, to the wireless device, a response to the first request, the response including an address for a carrier-specific bootstrap server device;

receive a second request, from the wireless device, for management server connection information, wherein the second request uses the bootstrap server identifier;

assign the wireless device to a management server of a group of management servers;

send, to the wireless device, connection information for the management server, wherein the connection information comprises a first security key for use by the wireless device;

receive, from the wireless device, a registration request for machine-to-machine management, the registration request including the first security key;

request, from the carrier-specific bootstrap server device, a second security key for the wireless device; and

validate the registration request based on the first security key and the second security key.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions to:

extract the first request from an attach request for a wireless access network associates with the wireless device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions to:

assemble a Protocol Configuration Option (PCO) message including the response.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the response includes a uniform resource locator (URL) for the carrier-specific bootstrap server device.