System and method for private and point-to-point communication between computing devices

• US 9,992,021 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gotenna, Inc
• Original Assignee: Gotenna, Inc
• Inventors: Perdomo, Jorge
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Yin-Chen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Guirguis, Michael
• Application Number:
  US14/210,841
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 713171
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/24 Key scheduling, i.e. generating round keys or sub-keys for block encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/006 involving public key infrastructure [PKI] trust models network architecture or network communication protocol for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• 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 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A hardware and software bundle that can enable computers and mobile phones to communicate small data packages without relying on the internet or the central cellular network infrastructure. The bundle enables users to send text messages and other data. For example, GPS coordinates, multimedia from the situation, accelerometer and other sensor data can all be sent over a decentralized network, enabling enhanced communication and situation response when the central grid is unavailable.

Claims

1. A mesh network communication method, comprising:

establishing a wireless radio frequency mesh communication network comprising a plurality of mesh network communication devices, each mesh network communication device having a wireless radio frequency transceiver and being capable of independently assuming a role of at least a sender mesh network communication device, a recipient mesh network communication device, and an intermediate mesh network communication device;

conducting a public key infrastructure (PKI) key exchange associated with each of the sender mesh network communication device and a plurality of recipient mesh network communication devices from the plurality of mesh network communication devices, to define an encryption key and a decryption key for maintaining privacy of communications through the wireless radio frequency mesh communication network between the sender mesh network communication device and the plurality of recipient mesh network communication devices with respect to non-recipient mesh network communication devices;

encrypting a message with the encryption key to produce an encrypted message, and associating the encrypted message with the at least one target identifier that targets the plurality of respective recipient mesh network communication devices;

communicating a plurality of packets of information comprising the encrypted message through the wireless radio frequency mesh communication network, each packet comprising data and at least one of an error detecting code and an error correcting code and comprising at least one target identifier, sent from the sender mesh network communication device, received by at least one intermediate mesh network communication device, stored by the at least one intermediate mesh network communication device, filtered by the at least one intermediate mesh network communication device based on the at least one target identifier, and retransmitted by the at least one intermediate mesh network communication device until receipt by the recipient mesh network device is acknowledged or a predetermined period of time expires;

wherein in at least one mode of a plurality of modes of operation, at least one of the plurality of recipient mesh network communication devices is unavailable to acknowledge receipt of the plurality of packets of information, when the sender mesh network communication device communicates the plurality of packets of information, the at least one intermediate mesh network communication device rebroadcasting at least a portion of the plurality of packets of information for the shorter of a predetermined duration, and a time of receipt of a confirmation message from the at least one recipient mesh network communication device which is unavailable when the sender mesh network communication device communicates;

selectively receiving the plurality of packets of information through the wireless radio frequency mesh communication network, by the plurality of the recipient mesh network communication devices, stored and forwarded from the at least one intermediate mesh network communication device, based on the target identifier; and

deleting the plurality of packets of information communicated through the wireless radio frequency mesh communication network after of expiration of the predetermined duration.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each respective mesh network communication device is associated with, and selectively communicates with, a cellphone configured to execute a software app, the software app controlling the respective mesh network communication device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein each respective mesh network communication device is associated with, and selectively communicates with, a cellphone configured to execute a software app, the software app communicating GPS coordinates to the respective mesh network communication device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein each respective mesh network communication device is associated with, and selectively communicates with, a cellphone or portable computer configured to execute a text communication application which selectively transmits and receives text messages through the respective mesh network communication device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the sender mesh network communication device and the plurality of recipient mesh network communication devices communicate through a cellular communication device with the Internet.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the sender mesh network communication device and the plurality of recipient mesh network communication devices communicate through a respective cellular communication device with the Internet.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said conducting a PKI key exchange comprises conducting the PKI key exchange with the plurality of respective recipient mesh network communication devices.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sender mesh network communication device and the plurality of the recipient mesh network communication devices are each associated with, and selectively communicate with, a cellular communication device, configured to conduct communications over a cellular network infrastructure, wherein the sender mesh network communication device and the plurality of recipient mesh communication devices communicate information between the respective cellular communication devices without accessing the cellular network infrastructure.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sender mesh network communication device is associated with a cellphone having a stored contact list, and wherein the target identifier comprises at least one entry in the stored contact list corresponding to a respective cellphone associated with each of the plurality of recipient mesh network communication devices.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of packets comprising the encrypted message comprises a sender identification, a recipient identification, a checksum, a portion of the encrypted message, and a timestamp.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating information comprising at least one of the received encrypted message, and a decrypted received encrypted message through at least one of a headphone jack, Bluetooth, near field communications (NFC), universal serial bus (USB) communications, and WiFi.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the target identifier with a predetermined target identifier of each respective mesh network communication device that receives the encrypted message,

selectively in dependence on a match of the target identifier associated with the encrypted message and the predetermined target identifier, sending an acknowledgement, and

selectively in dependence on a mismatch of the target identifier associated with the encrypted message and the predetermined target identifier, storing and forwarding at least one of the plurality of packets comprising the encrypted message.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of recipient mesh network communication devices comprises a display and a microprocessor, further comprising processing the received encrypted message with the microprocessor and selectively controlling the display in dependence on the received encrypted message.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one intermediate mesh network communication device automatically determines whether it has successfully received all of the plurality of packets comprising the encrypted message, and if not, storing the packets it has successfully received and monitoring communications of the wireless radio frequency mesh communication network for missing packets which were not successfully received.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising prioritizing the forwarding of the encrypted message selectively based on a relationship of at least one recipient mesh network communication device to the respective intermediate mesh network communication device that stores the encrypted message.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising triangulating a position of a respective mesh network communication device.

17. A mesh network communication method, comprising:

establishing a wireless radio frequency mesh communication network comprising a plurality of mesh network communication devices, each mesh network communication device having a wireless radio frequency transceiver and being capable of independently assuming a role of at least a sender mesh network communication device, a recipient mesh network communication device, and an intermediate mesh network communication device;

conducting a public key infrastructure (PKI) key exchange associated with each of the sender mesh network communication device and a plurality of recipient mesh network communication devices from the plurality of mesh network communication devices, to define an encryption key and a decryption key for maintaining privacy of communications through the wireless radio frequency mesh communication network between the sender mesh network communication device and the plurality of recipient mesh network communication devices with respect to non-recipient mesh network communication devices;

encrypting a message with the encryption key to produce an encrypted message, and associating the encrypted message with the at least one target identifier that targets the plurality of respective recipient mesh network communication devices and a timecode;

communicating a plurality of packets of information comprising the encrypted message through the wireless radio frequency mesh communication network, each packet comprising data and at least one of an error detecting code and an error correcting code and comprising at least one target identifier, sent from the sender mesh network communication device, received by at least one intermediate mesh network communication device, stored by the at least one intermediate mesh network communication device, filtered by the at least one intermediate mesh network communication device based on the at least one target identifier, and retransmitted by the at least one intermediate mesh network communication device until receipt by the recipient mesh network device is acknowledged or a predetermined period of time expires;

wherein at least one of the plurality of recipient mesh network communication devices is unavailable to acknowledge receipt of the plurality of packets of information, when the sender mesh network communication device communicates the plurality of packets of information, the at least one intermediate mesh network communication device periodically rebroadcasts at least a portion of the plurality of packets of information for the shorter of a predetermined duration, and a time of receipt of a confirmation message from the at least one recipient mesh network communication device which is unavailable when the sender mesh network communication device communicates;

selectively receiving the plurality of packets of information through the wireless radio frequency mesh communication network, by the plurality of the recipient mesh network communication devices, stored and forwarded from the at least one intermediate mesh network communication device, based on the target identifier; and

deleting the plurality of packets of information communicated through the wireless radio frequency mesh communication network after expiration of the predetermined duration with respect to the timecode in the received plurality of packets of information.

18. A mesh network communication device, for communicating in a wireless radio frequency mesh communication network, comprising:

a wireless radio frequency transceiver and microprocessor, configured to independently assume a role of at least a sender mesh network device, a recipient mesh network device, and an intermediate mesh network device, comprising;

at least one automated processor, configured to;

conduct a public key infrastructure (PKI) key exchange with a plurality of other mesh network communication devices, to define an encryption key and a decryption key for maintaining privacy of communications through the wireless radio frequency mesh communication network;

control the wireless radio frequency transceiver to communicate a first plurality of packets of information comprising a first encrypted message, encrypted according to the encryption key to produce an encrypted message, associated with at least a first target identifier that targets a plurality of recipient mesh network devices, and a first timecode, each packet comprising data and at least one of an error detecting code and an error correcting code, through the wireless radio frequency mesh communication network;

control the wireless radio frequency transceiver to receive a second plurality of packets of information comprising a second encrypted message, associated with at least a second target identifier, and a second timecode, and determine whether the second target identifier corresponds to a respective target identifier of the mesh network communication device; and

if the second target identifier does not correspond with the respective target identifier of the mesh network communication device, storing and forwarding the second plurality of packets comprising the second encrypted message, wherein in at least one mode of operation, at least one mesh network communication device targeted by the second target identifier is unavailable to confirm receipt of the second plurality of packets, the mesh network device being configured to rebroadcast the second plurality of packets comprising the second encrypted message for the shorter of a predetermined duration and receipt of a confirmation message from the at least one mesh network communication device targeted by the second target identifier, and then delete the second plurality of packets comprising the second encrypted message.

19. The mesh network communication device according to claim 18, wherein the PKI key exchange comprises a PKI key exchange conducted with the plurality of respective recipient mesh network communication devices.