Root node and a computer readable medium

• US 8,750,511 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Yasuyuki, Oba, Yoshihiro, Yamanaka, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Poltorak, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): MALINOWSKI, WALTER J
• Application Number:
  US13/231,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20120243685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/062 applying encryption of the keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• 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 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0836 using tree structure or hierarchical structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

A wireless mesh network includes a plurality of nodes to which a device key is assigned. The device key belongs to one of a plurality of groups. In a root node, a correspondence relationship between the nodes and the device key thereof, and a correspondence relationship between past join nodes and a device key thereof, are stored. When a new node in the wireless mesh network is detected as a past join node, the device key assigned to the past join node is assigned to the new node again. When the new node is not the past join node, a new device key is assigned to the new node. A cipher text is generated by encrypting a message using device keys assigned to the nodes and the new node. If the number of groups to which the device keys belong is fewer, a size of the cipher text is smaller.

Claims

1. A root node in a wireless mesh network including a plurality of nodes to which a device key is respectively assigned, each of the device keys decrypting a cipher text and belonging to one of a plurality of groups, wherein a number of the device keys belonging to each group is a finite number, the root node being realized in a computer by executing a program with a processor, the root node comprising:

a device key assignment database configured to store a correspondence relationship between the each of the plurality of nodes and its assigned device key, and correspondence relationships between past join nodes joined in the past in the wireless mesh network and a device key assigned to past join nodes;

a join node control unit configured to detect a new node newly joining in the wireless mesh network;

a device key assignment unit configured to;

when the new node is one of the past join node, assign a past device key that was assigned to the past join node to the new node again, based on the correspondence relationships,

when the new node is not one of the past join node, assign a new device key to the new node,

encrypt the device key assigned to the new node, and

notify the new node of the encrypted device key; and

a cipher text generation unit configured to, when a message is sent to the nodes and the new node, generate a cipher text by encrypting the message using the device keys assigned to the nodes and the new node,

wherein the cipher text has a fixed length if the message is encrypted using device keys belonging to the same group, and

a size of the cipher text is reduced if a number of groups to which the device keys assigned to the nodes and the new node belong is reduced.

2. The root node according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of the nodes has a parent-child relationship between two of the nodes hierarchically adjacent, and

wherein the cipher text can be decrypted by each of the nodes and the new node, and can be transferred from each of the nodes to a child node of each of the nodes.

3. The root node according to claim 2, wherein the cipher text is MKB (Media Key Block).

4. The root node according to claim 3,

wherein, when a group key as a common key among the nodes is updated, the message is generated as an updated group key.

5. The root node according to claim 4, wherein:

the join node control unit, when the new node is detected, performs an authentication for network access with the new node, and generates an authentication result of the authentication for network access, and

the device key assignment unit generates a root key as a common key between the root node and the new node using the authentication result, encrypts the device key assigned to the new node using the root key, and notifies the new node of the encrypted device key.

6. The root node according to claim 5,

wherein the device key assignment database further stores a lifetime of each device key, and

wherein the device key assignment unit, if the new node is the past join node and if the lifetime of the device key assigned to the past join node does not expire, assigns the device key assigned to the past join node to the new node, and, if the lifetime of the device key assigned to the past join node has expired, assigns the new device key to the new node.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a computer to perform a method for controlling a root node in a wireless mesh network including a plurality of nodes to which a device keys are respectively assigned, each of the device keys decrypting a cipher text and belonging to one of a plurality of groups, wherein a number of the device keys belonging to each group is a finite number, the method comprising:

storing a correspondence relationship between each of the plurality of nodes and its assigned device key, and correspondence relationship between past join nodes joined in the past in the wireless mesh network and device keys assigned to the past join nodes;

detecting a new node newly joining in the wireless mesh network;

when the new node is the past join node, assigning a past device key that was assigned to the past join node to the new node again;

based on the correspondence relationships;

when the new node is not the past join node, assigning a new device key to the new node;

encrypting the device key assigned to the new node;

notifying the new node of the encrypted device key; and

when a message is sent to the nodes and the new node, generating a cipher text by encrypting the message using the device keys assigned to the nodes and the new node,

wherein the cipher text has a fixed length if the message is encrypted using device keys belonging to the same group, and

a size of the cipher text is reduced if a number of groups to which the device keys assigned to the nodes and the new node belong is reduced.