Environmental monitoring device

• US 9,280,681 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2014
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leeo, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leeo, Incorporated
• Inventors: Stevens, Andrew G., Hovland, Bjorn H., Gettings, Adam M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Linglan
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECHTEL, KEVIN M
• Application Number:
  US14/263,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20140270176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 713175-176
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/113 Details of archiving lifecycle management in storage systems G06F3/0649; backup systems G06F11/1446
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 23/00 Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/72 Signcrypting, i.e. digital signing and encrypting simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/10 using a centralized architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

An environmental monitoring device that monitors the operation of a legacy electronic device is described. In particular, a sensor in the environmental monitoring device provides sensor data that represents an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device. This environmental condition is associated with the operation of the legacy electronic device in the external environment. The environmental monitoring device analyzes the sensor data and provides feedback about the operation of the legacy electronic device based on the analyzed sensor data. Moreover, the sensor provides the sensor data without or excluding communication and/or electrical coupling between the environmental monitoring device and the legacy electronic device. In this way, the environmental monitoring device facilitates monitoring, analysis and feedback of the sensor data without directly interacting with the legacy electronic device.

Claims

1. An environmental monitoring device, comprising:

a sensor, coupled to a processor, that, during operation, provides secured sensor data comprising sensor data that is a measurement of an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device, wherein the environmental condition is a condition other than location or position of the sensor, and wherein the sensor data is secured by the sensor using one of an encryption of the sensor data and a secure hash of the sensor data;

an antenna;

an interface circuit, coupled to the antenna and the processor, that, during operation, communicates with an archive device that maintains an ongoing historical record for the external environment;

the processor, wherein the processor includes a secure channel that, during operation, processes information and communicates the processed information using an encryption key associated with the secure channel; and

a memory, coupled to the processor, which stores, in a trust zone associated with the secure channel, a program module that, during operation, is executed by the secure channel, the program module including;

instructions for receiving the secured sensor data from the sensor;

instructions for analyzing the secured sensor data including calculating a risk metric for the external environment based on the analyzed sensor data;

instructions for calculating a financial value associated with a physical object based on the determined risk metric;

instructions for generating a digital signature associated with the secure channel; and

instructions for providing, to the archive device via the interface circuit and the antenna, a certified data package for archiving in the historical record for the external environment, wherein the certified data package includes the secured sensor data, the digital signature, and a time stamp; and

wherein the secure channel and the trust zone are isolated from a remainder of the processor and the memory except for a controlled interface so that the secure channel and the trust zone are in a secure region in which access to the secure channel and the trust zone is controlled via the controlled interface and direct access to the secure channel and the trust zone is prevented.

2. The environmental monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the digital signature is generated using one of:

a secure hash of the time stamp; and

an identifier of the environmental monitoring device.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the financial value includes one of:

a commercial value of the physical object; and

an insurance premium for the physical object.

4. The environmental monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the environmental monitoring device further comprises a location monitor configured to provide information specifying a location of the environmental monitoring device in the external environment;

wherein the program module further includes instructions for receiving the information specifying the location; and

wherein the certified data package includes the information specifying the location.

5. The environmental monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the program module further includes instructions for receiving information specifying a location of the environmental monitoring device in the external environment based on communication, via the interface circuit and the antenna, with another electronic device;

and

wherein the certified data package includes the information specifying the location.

6. The environmental monitoring device of claim 5, wherein the other electronic device is in the external environment and is proximate to the environmental monitoring device.

7. A computer-program product for use in conjunction with a secure channel in a processor in an environmental monitoring device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in a trust zone in memory, which is associated with the secure channel, and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein to provide a certified data package, the computer-program mechanism including:

instructions for receiving secured sensor data from a sensor in the environmental monitoring device, wherein the secured sensor data comprises sensor data that is a measurement of an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device, wherein the environmental condition is a condition other than location or position of the sensor, and wherein the secured sensor data was secured by the sensor using one of an encryption of the sensor data and a secure hash of the sensor data;

instructions for processing information using the processor, wherein the processor includes a secure channel that, during operation, processes information and communicates the processed information using an encryption key associated with the secure channel;

instructions for analyzing the secured sensor data including calculating a risk metric for the external environment based on the analyzed sensor data;

instructions for calculating a financial value associated with a physical object based on the determined risk metric;

instructions for generating a digital signature associated with the secure channel, wherein the secure channel processes information and communicates the processed information using an encryption key associated with the secure channel; and

instructions for providing, to an archive device that maintains an ongoing historical record for the external environment via an interface circuit and an antenna in the environmental monitoring device, a certified data package for archiving in the historical record for the external environment, wherein the certified data package includes the secured sensor data, the digital signature, and a time stamp; and

wherein the secure channel and the trust zone are isolated from a remainder of the processor and the memory except for a controlled interface so that the secure channel and the trust zone are in a secure region in which access to the secure channel and the trust zone is controlled via the controlled interface and direct access to the secure channel and the trust zone is prevented.

8. The computer-program product of claim 7, wherein the computer-program mechanism further includes, prior to the instructions for the providing, instructions for encrypting the certified data package using an encryption key associated with the secure channel.

9. The computer-program product of claim 7, wherein the financial value includes one of:

a commercial value of the physical object; and

an insurance premium for the physical object.

10. The computer-program product of claim 7, wherein the digital signature is generated using one of:

a secure hash of the time stamp; and

an identifier of the environmental monitoring device.

11. A secure-channel-implemented method for providing a certified data package, wherein the method comprises:

receiving secured sensor data from a sensor in an environmental monitoring device, wherein the secured sensor data comprises sensor data that is a measurement of an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device, wherein the environmental condition is a condition other than location or position of the sensor, and wherein the secured sensor data was secured by the sensor using one of an encryption of the sensor data and a secure hash of the sensor data;

processing information using a processor in the environmental monitoring device, wherein the processor includes the secure channel that, during operation, processes information and communicates the processed information using an encryption key associated with the secure channel;

analyzing the secured sensor data including calculating a risk metric for the external environment based on the analyzed sensor data;

calculating a financial value associated with a physical object based on the determined risk metric;

using the secure channel in the processor, generating a digital signature associated with the secure channel, wherein the secure channel processes information and communicates the processed information using an encryption key associated with the secure channel, and wherein the secure channel has an associated trust zone in memory; and

providing, to an archive device that maintains an ongoing historical record for the external environment via an interface circuit and an antenna in the environmental monitoring device, a certified data package for archiving in the historical record for the external environment, wherein the certified data package includes the secured sensor data, the digital signature and a time stamp; and

wherein the secure channel and the trust zone are isolated from a remainder of the processor and the memory except for a controlled interface so that the secure channel and the trust zone are in a secure region in which access to the secure channel and the trust zone is controlled via the controlled interface and direct access to the secure channel and the trust zone is prevented.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, prior to the providing, the method further comprises encrypting the certified data package using the encryption key.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the financial value includes one of:

a commercial value of the physical object; and

an insurance premium for the physical object.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein, prior to the providing, the method further comprises receiving information specifying a location of the environmental monitoring device in the external environment based on communication with another electronic device;

and

wherein the certified data package includes the information specifying the location.