System and method for effecting the secure deployment of networks

• US 20060059545A1
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bison Patent Licensing, LLC
• Original Assignee: MeshNetworks, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stanforth, Peter J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,037,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

A system and method for allowing network users to securely administer and deploy network nodes (102). These networks (100) may comprise wired and/or wireless connections. Examples would include wired networks (104) with shared infrastructure in an office building, as well as ad-hoc multi-hopping peer-to-peer network applications for the home. The system and method provides a key (130) that allows new nodes (102) and thus new devices (124, 126, 132) to gain access to a network (100) via an existing node (122) of that network (100).

Claims

1. A network, comprising:

at least one active node having access to the network;

at least one secondary node; and

a key, adapted to store information that is readable by the active node, and being further adapted to be associated with the secondary node such that the active node, upon verifying a validity of the information when the key is associated with the secondary node, permits the secondary node to gain access to the network.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein:

the key comprises a physical device that is adapted to couple to the secondary node, such that the secondary node is adapted to provide the information to the active node.

3. The network of claim 2, wherein:

the key comprises a card that is adapted for insertion into a port in the secondary node.

4. The network of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of secondary nodes; and

wherein the key is adapted to be temporarily associated with each of the secondary nodes such that the active node, upon verifying the validity of the information each time the key is associated with one of the secondary nodes, permits that one of the secondary nodes to gain access to the network.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein:

the active node permits the secondary node to gain access to the network after the key has been disassociated from the secondary node.

6. The network of claim 1, wherein:

the secondary node is associated with a device, such that the secondary node provides the device with access to the network via the secondary node and the active node.

7. The network of claim 6, wherein:

the information on the key enables the device to access certain features of the network.

8. The network of claim 1, wherein:

the key is configured to be associated with the secondary node when the key is placed proximate to the secondary node without touching the secondary node, such that the active node, upon verifying a validity of the information, permits the secondary node to gain access to the network.

9. The network of claim 1, wherein:

the active node and the secondary node wirelessly communicate with each other in an ad-hoc multihopping network.

10. The network of claim 1, wherein:

the active node is a node that has been previously authenticated by the key to have access to the network.

11. A method for deploying a network, comprising:

deploying at least one active node having access to the network;

deploying at least one secondary node;

providing a key, adapted to store information that is readable by the active node, and associating the key with the secondary node; and

operating the active node verify a validity of the information when the key is associated with the secondary node, so that the active node permits the secondary node to gain access to the network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the key comprises a physical device;

the associating operation comprises coupling the key to the secondary node; and

the method further comprises operating the secondary node to provide the information to the active node.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the key comprises a card; and

the associating operation further comprises inserting the key into a port in the secondary node.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of secondary nodes;

wherein associating operation comprises temporarily associating the key with each of the secondary nodes; and

the operating step comprises operating the active node to verify the validity of the information each time the key is associated with one of the secondary nodes to permit that one of the secondary nodes to gain access to the network.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the operating step comprises operating the active node to continue to permit the secondary node to gain access to the network after the key has been disassociated from the secondary node.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the secondary node is associated with a device; and

the method further comprises operating the secondary node to provide the device with access to the network via the secondary node and the active node.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the information on the key enables the device to access certain features of the network.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the associating operating comprises placing the key proximate to the secondary node without touching the secondary node.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the active node and the secondary node wirelessly communicate with each other in an ad-hoc multihopping network.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the active node is a node that has been previously authenticated by the key to have access to the network.