Method and apparatus for securing devices in a network

• US 20060075014A1
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Kushalnagar, Nandakishore R., Tharappel, Francis M., Garg, Ajay
• Granted Patent: US 8,179,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

An access point receives a notification (or advertisement) from a device, which lacks a service. The access point adds the service to the notification, and forwards the notification to other devices on the network. Upon receiving from a control point a request to use the added service, the access point provides the service on behalf of the device.

Claims

1. An access point, comprising:

at least one network connection point;

control logic to provide a first service;

a receiver to receive a notification from a device via the network connection point, the notification including a second service;

an adder to add said first service to said notification; and

a transmitter to transmit said notification including said first service via the network connection point.

2. An access point according to claim 1, wherein the at least one network connection point includes a wireless network connection point.

3. An access point according to claim 1, wherein said first service includes a security service.

4. An access point according to claim 3, further comprising a connector to establish a secure connection with a control point using the security service.

5. An access point according to claim 4, wherein:

the receiver is operative to receive a request to utilize said second service from said control point using the secure connection;

the access point further comprises a decrypter to decrypt said request to utilize said second service; and

the transmitter is operative to forward said decrypted request to said device.

6. An access point according to claim 5, wherein:

the receiver is operative to receive a reply from said device;

the access point further comprises an encrypter to encrypt said reply; and

the transmitter is operative to forward said encrypted reply to said control point.

7. An access point according to claim 3, further comprising an authenticator to authenticate said control point.

8. An access point according to claim 1, wherein:

the access point further comprises a second network connection point; and

the transmitter is operative to transmit said notification including said first service via the second network connection point.

9. A system, comprising:

a device, including;

at least a first network connection point;

control logic to provide a first service; and

a first transmitter to transmit a notification including said first service via the at least first network connection point;

an access point, including;

at least a second network connection point;

a second service;

a receiver to receive said notification from the device via the at least second network connection point;

an adder to add the second service to said notification; and

a second transmitter to transmit said notification including the second service via the at least second network connection point; and

a communications medium connecting the at least first network connection point and the at least second network connection point.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein:

the at least first network connection point includes a first wireless network connection point;

the at least second network connection point includes a second wireless network connection point; and

the communications medium supports wireless communication between the first wireless network connection point and the second wireless network connection point.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein:

the system further comprises a control point, including;

at least a third network connection point; and

a second receiver to receive said notification from the access point via the at least third network connection point; and

the communications medium connects the at least first network connection point, the at least second network connection point, and the at least third network connection point.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the second service includes a security service.

13. A system according to claim 12, further comprising a connector to establish a secure connection with the control point using the security service across the communications medium.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein:

the first receiver is operative to receive a request to utilize said second service from said control point using the secure connection;

the access point further comprises a decrypter to decrypt said request to utilize said second service; and

the second transmitter is operative to forward said decrypted request to said device.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein:

the first receiver is operative to receive a reply from said device;

the access point further comprises an encrypter to encrypt said reply; and

the second transmitter is operative to forward said encrypted reply to said control point.

16. A system according to claim 12, further comprising an authenticator to authenticate said control point.

17. A system according to claim 9, wherein:

the access point further comprises a third network connection point; and

the transmitter is operative to transmit said notification including said first service via the third network connection point.

18. A method for using a device via an access point, comprising:

receiving a notification from a device, the notification including a first service;

adding a second service to the notification;

broadcasting the notification including the second service to at least a control point;

receiving a request to utilize the first service and the second service from the control point;

providing the second service on behalf of the device; and

forwarding the request for the first service to the device.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein:

adding a second service includes adding a security service to the notification;

broadcasting the notification includes broadcasting the notification including the security service to at least the control point;

receiving a request includes receiving the request to utilize the first service and the security service from the control point; and

providing the second service includes providing the security service on behalf of the device.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein providing the security service includes:

establishing a secure session with the control point;

receiving the request for the first service from the control point using the secure session; and

forwarding the request for the first service to the device as if the secure session had not been established.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein receiving the request for the first service from the control point using the secure session includes decrypting the request for the first service using the security service.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a reply from the device;

encrypting the reply using the security service; and

forwarding the reply to the control point via the secure session.

23. A method according to claim 19, wherein providing the security service includes authenticating the control point.

24. A method according to claim 18, further comprising broadcasting a request for the notification from the device.

25. A method according to claim 18, wherein:

receiving a notification includes receiving a wireless notification from the device, the wireless notification including the first service;

broadcasting the notification includes broadcasting the wireless notification including the second service to at least the control point;

receiving a request includes receiving a wireless request to utilize the first service and the second service from the control point; and

forwarding the request includes wirelessly forwarding the wireless request for the first service to the device.

26. An article comprising:

a storage medium, said storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that, when executed by a machine, result in;

receiving a notification from a device, the notification including a first service;

adding a second service to the notification;

broadcasting the notification including the second service to at least a control point;

receiving a request to utilize the first service and the second service from the control point;

providing the second service on behalf of the device; and

forwarding the request for the first service to the device.

27. An article according to claim 26, wherein:

adding a second service includes adding a security service to the notification;

broadcasting the notification includes broadcasting the notification including the security service to at least the control point;

receiving a request includes receiving the request to utilize the first service and the security service from the control point; and

providing the second service includes providing the security service on behalf of the device.

28. An article according to claim 27, wherein providing the security service includes:

establishing a secure session with the control point;

receiving the request for the first service from the control point using the secure session; and

forwarding the request for the first service to the device as if the secure session had not been established.

29. An article according to claim 28, wherein receiving the request for the first service from the control point using the secure session includes decrypting the request for the first service using the security service.

30. An article according to claim 29, said storage medium having stored thereon further instructions, that, when executed by the machine, result in:

receiving a reply from the device;

encrypting the reply using the security service; and

forwarding the reply to the control point via the secure session.

31. An article according to claim 27, wherein providing the security service includes authenticating the control point.

32. An article according to claim 26, said storage medium having stored thereon further instructions, that, when executed by the machine, result in broadcasting a request for the notification from the device.

33. An article according to claim 26, wherein:

receiving a notification includes receiving a wireless notification from the device, the wireless notification including the first service;

broadcasting the notification includes broadcasting the wireless notification including the second service to at least the control point;

receiving a request includes receiving a wireless request to utilize the first service and the second service from the control point; and

forwarding the request includes wirelessly forwarding the wireless request for the first service to the device.