System and method for adding new network devices to an existing network

• US 8,082,444 B1
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon BBN Technologies Corp. (Rtx Corporation), Verizon Corporate Services Group Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Elliott, Brig Barnum
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, TRANG T
• Application Number:
  US11/087,144
• Time in Patent Office: 2,463 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 455/434, 455/435.1
• US Class Current: 713/171
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0844 with user authentication or key authentication, e.g. ElGamal, MTI, MQV-Menezes-Qu-Vanstone protocol or Diffie-Hellman protocols using implicitly-certified keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3215 using a plurality of channels network architectures or network communication protocols using different networks H04L63/18

Abstract

A system and method for adding a new network device to an existing network is described. An existing network has at least one master network device that acts as the gatekeeper for adding new network devices to the network. The master network device receives a request from a new network device to join the network. In response, the master network device issues a request to the new network device to perform a specified action. The master network device receives verification from the human user that the specified action has been performed. Upon receiving the verification, the master network device adds the new network device to the network.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a new network device;

a master network device in communication with a network, said master network device being configured to receive a request to join the network from the new network device and to issue a request to the new network device to perform a specified action verifiable to a user;

wherein the new network device is configured to present the specified action to the user; and

said master network device being further configured to receive verification from the user that the new network device performed the specified action and add the new network device to the existing network after receiving the verification from the user;

wherein said master network device includes a cryptographic key agreement protocol stored therein, said cryptographic key agreement protocol configured to generate a pair-wise encryption key for subsequent encrypted communication between the new network device and said master network device in response to said request to join the network;

wherein said master network device is configured to generate a different specified action from one new network device to the next; and

wherein said different specified action is a random specified action generated by said master network device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said request to join the network is a wireless transmission.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said verification is provided to said master network device by a human user through an input device associated with said master network device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said input device is selected from the following:

a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen receiver, and a voice recognition receiver.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said master network device is a computer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said specified action is either visibly or audibly observable by a human user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said specified action is blinking an indicator light on the new network device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said master network device is configured to provide network encryption keys to the new network device subsequent to receiving verification that the new network device has performed the specified action.

9. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to join a network from a new network device;

requesting that the new network device perform a specified action verifiable by a user;

presenting the specified action to the user at the new network device;

verifying that the new network device has performed the action based upon an input received from the user at a master network device;

generating a pair-wise encryption key to be used by said master network device and the new network device for subsequent communications therebetween, said pair-wise encryption key being generated after the step of receiving said request to join the network from the new network device; and

adding the new network device to the network after receiving the input from the user;

wherein said specified action is different from one new network device to the next; and

wherein said specified action is randomly generated by said master network device from one new network device to the next.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said request to join the network is a broadcast transmission from the new network device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said request to join the network is a wireless transmission from the new network device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said specified action is either audibly or visually observable by a human user.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said specified action is blinking an indicator light on the new network device.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said verification step further comprises receiving an input from a human user through an input device that is associated with said master network device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said input device is chosen from the following:

a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen receiver, and a voice recognition receiver.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of adding the new network device to the network comprises adding an identification of the new network device to a database of authorized network devices accessible by said master network device.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of adding the new network device to the network comprises providing network encryption keys to the new network device.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein said pair-wise encryption key is generated using a Diffie-Hellman algorithm.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein said request to join the network is generated by the new network device in response to having its power turned on.