Smart energy network configuration using an auxiliary gateway

• US 8,391,496 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2010
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Inventors: Young, Joel K.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAFORGIA, CHRISTIAN A
• Application Number:
  US12/792,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20110299684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 380277-279, 709/217, 709/219, 709/220, 709/222, 709/223, 709/225, 705/412
• US Class Current: 380/279
• 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

Abstract

Various embodiments include a method and system for configuring a smart energy network using an auxiliary gateway where an auxiliary gateway is capable of communicating with an energy services interface and a link key database. The auxiliary gateway, on a smart energy network, extracts the unique identifier from a communication related to the smart energy device. The auxiliary gateway may then use the unique identifier to retrieve the smart energy device information from the link key database and communicate the smart energy device information to the energy services interface. The energy services interface may then use the smart energy device information to decrypt a communication from the smart energy device or access manufacturer specific functionality of the smart energy device.

Claims

1. An auxiliary gateway capable of communicating with an energy services interface (ESI) and a link key database, the auxiliary gateway configured to:

receive a communication derived from an original communication originating from a smart energy (SE) device;

determine a unique identifier of the SE device from an unencrypted portion of the original communication;

retrieve information about the SE device from the link key database using the unique identifier; and

communicate the information to the ESI, the information arranged to facilitate communication between the ESI and the SE device.

2. The auxiliary gateway of claim 1, wherein the communication is an encrypted request to join a SE network from the SE device.

3. The auxiliary gateway of claim 1, wherein the communication is a request from the ESI for the information;

and

wherein to determine the unique identifier includes reading the unique identifier from the request.

4. The auxiliary gateway of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is a media access control (MAC) address of the SE device.

5. The auxiliary gateway of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the SE device includes a link key associated with the SE device;

wherein the link key is a symmetric key installed on the SE device; and

wherein the link key is used to secure communications with the SE device while the SE device attempts to join a SE network.

6. The auxiliary gateway of claim 5, wherein the ESI is configured to join the SE device to the SE network using the link key.

7. The auxiliary gateway of claim 5, wherein the auxiliary gateway is configured to join the SE device to the SE network using the link key.

8. The auxiliary gateway of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the SE device includes a driver for the SE device, the driver enabling the ESI to use at least one manufacturer specific profile (MSP) extension of the SE device.

9. The auxiliary gateway of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary gateway is a second ESI.

10. The auxiliary gateway of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary gateway is part of a second SE device previously joined to a SE network.

11. A system comprising:

a link key database configured to map a unique identifier of a smart energy (SE) device to information about the SE device;

an energy services interface (ESI); and

an auxiliary gateway capable of communicating with ESI and the link key database, the auxiliary gateway configured to;

receive a communication derived from an original communication originating from the SE device;

determine the unique identifier from an unencrypted portion of the original communication;

retrieve the information from the link key database using the unique identifier; and

communicate the information to the ESI, the information arranged to facilitate communication between the ESI and the SE device.

12. A system comprising:

a smart energy (SE) device, the SE device having a unique identifier and configured to transmit an original communication;

a link key database including information about the SE device, the information including the unique identifier;

an energy services interface (ESI); and

an auxiliary gateway capable of communicating with the ESI and the link key database, the auxiliary gateway configured to;

receive a communication derived from the original communication;

determine the unique identifier from an unencrypted portion of the communication;

retrieve the information from the link key database using the unique identifier; and

communicate the information to the ESI, the information arranged to facilitate communication between the ESI and the SE device.

13. In a system having an auxiliary gateway capable of communicating with an energy services interface (ESI) and a link key database, a method of provisioning a Smart Energy (SE) device, the method comprising:

receiving, by the auxiliary gateway, a communication derived from an original communication originating from the SE device;

determining a unique identifier of the SE device from an unencrypted portion of the original communication;

retrieving information about the SE device from the link key database using the unique identifier;

communicating the information to the ESI; and

using, by the ESI, the information to communicate with the SE device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the communication is an encrypted request to join a SE network from the SE device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the communication is a request from the ESI for the information;

and

wherein determining the unique identifier includes reading the unique identifier from the request.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the unique identifier is a media access control (MAC) address of the SE device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the information associated with the SE device includes a link key associated with the SE device;

wherein the link key is a symmetric key installed on the SE device; and

wherein the link key is used to secure communications with the SE device while the SE device attempts to join a SE network.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising joining the SE device to the SE network using the ESI, wherein joining includes transferring information between the SE device and the ESI, wherein the information is encrypted using the link key.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising joining the SE device to the SE network using the auxiliary gateway, wherein joining includes transferring information between the SE device and the auxiliary gateway, wherein the information is encrypted using the link key.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the information associated with the SE device includes a driver for the SE device, the driver enabling the ESI to use at least one manufacturer specific profile (MSP) extension of the SE device.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the auxiliary gateway is a second ESI.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the auxiliary gateway is part of a second SE device previously joined to a SE network.