Systems and methods for adding a non-inherent component to a device key of a networked device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10218699-B2
Application number	US-201615217365-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2016
Priority date	Jul 22, 2016
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus for adding a non-inherent component to a device key of a networked device are disclosed. The methods include receiving a device key of the networked device, where the device key comprises one or more device identifying attributes of the networked device in the nodal geographic network, identifying location information of the networked device in the nodal geographic network, and where the location information represents a geographic relationship between the networked device and other network nodes of the nodal geographic network, assigning a position attribute to the networked device according to the identified location information of the networked device in the nodal geographic network, and adding the position attribute to the device key as the non-inherent component for the networked device, and storing the device key independently from the networked device or in the networked device, or both.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of adding a non-inherent component to a device key of a networked device, the method comprising:
receiving a device key of the networked device, wherein the networked device is a network node in a nodal geographic network having multiple network nodes and wherein the multiple network nodes are connected with each other, and the device key comprises one or more device identifying attributes of the networked device in the nodal geographic network;
identifying location information of the networked device in the nodal geographic network, wherein the location information represents a geographic relationship between the networked device and other network nodes of the nodal geographic network;
assigning a position attribute to the networked device according to the identified location information of the networked device in the nodal geographic network;
adding the position attribute to the device key as the non-inherent component for the networked device;
storing the device key; and
triggering an error when the networked device is detached from the network and placed in a new network position in the nodal geographic network, or when the networked device is detached from the network and replaced with a new compatible device at a different network position in the nodal geographic network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more device identifying attributes comprises at least one of a device vendor, a device type, a device product code and a device series.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nodal geographic network is a linear network and wherein the multiple network nodes of the linear network are arranged sequentially.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the assigned position attribute represents a linear geographic position for the networked device in the nodal geographic network.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising adding the position attribute to a device key for a replacement networked device when the replacement networked device is used for replacing the networked device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising saving the device key in a network device, wherein the network device is not one of the multiple network nodes in the nodal geographic network.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geographic relationship between the networked device and the other network nodes is changed when the networked device is placed in the new network position.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geographic relationship between the new networked device and the other network nodes is changed from the original geographic relationships.

9. A network apparatus comprising: a processor and non-transitory computer readable medium storing processing instructions for adding a non-inherent component to a device key of a networked device, wherein the processing instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
receive a device key of the networked device, wherein the networked device is a network node in a nodal geographic network having multiple network nodes and wherein the multiple network nodes are connected with each other, and the device key comprises one or more device identifying attributes of the networked device in the nodal geographic network;
identify location information of the networked device in the nodal geographic network, wherein the location information represents a geographic relationship between the networked device and other network nodes of the nodal geographic network;
assign a position attribute to the networked device according to the identified location information of the networked device in the nodal geographic network;
add the position attribute to the device key as the non-inherent component for the networked device;
store the device key; and
trigger an error when the networked device is detached from the network and placed in a new network position in the nodal geographic network, or when the networked device is detached from the network and replaced with a new compatible device at a different network position in the nodal geographic network.

10. The network apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more device identifying attributes comprises at least one of a device vendor, a device type, a device product code and a device series.

11. The network apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the nodal geographic network is a linear network and wherein the multiple network nodes of the linear network are arranged sequentially.

12. The network apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the assigned position attribute represents a linear geographic position for the networked device in the nodal geographic network; and
wherein the processing instructions further cause the processor to add the position attribute to a device key of a replacement networked device when the replacement networked device is used for replacing the networked device.

13. The network apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processing instructions further cause the processor to save the device key in the non-transitory computer readable medium of the network apparatus, and the network apparatus is not one of the multiple network nodes in the nodal geographic network.

14. The network apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the geographic relationship between the networked device and the other network nodes is changed when the networked device is placed in the new network position.

15. The network apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the geographic relationship between the new networked device and the other network nodes is changed from the original geographic relationships.

16. A system comprising:
a nodal geographic network having multiple network nodes;
a networked device of the nodal geographic network; and
a network apparatus having a processor and non-transitory computer readable medium storing processing instructions for adding a non-inherent component to a device key of the networked device, wherein the processing instructions comprise:
receiving a device key of the networked device, wherein the networked device is a network node in the nodal geographic network having the multiple network nodes and wherein the multiple network nodes are connected with each other, and the device key comprises one or more device identifying attributes of the networked device in the nodal geographic network;
identifying location information of the networked device in the nodal geographic network, wherein the location information represents a geographic relationship between the networked device and other network nodes of the nodal geographic network;
assigning a position attribute to the networked device according to the identified location information of the networked device in the nodal geographic network;
adding the position attribute to the device key as the non-inherent component for the networked device;
storing the device key; and
triggering an error when the networked device is detached from the network and placed in a new network position in the nodal geographic network, or when the networked device is detached from the network and replaced with a new compatible device at a different network position in the nodal geographic network.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the nodal geographic network is a linear network and wherein the multiple network nodes of the linear network are arranged sequentially, and the assigned position attribute represents a linear geographic position for the networked device in the nodal geographic network.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the processing instructions further comprising saving the device key in the ne

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Caspers John P
• Telljohann Patrick D

Classifications

• H04L67/10

  in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) · CPC title

• G06F16/29

  Geographical information databases · CPC title

• H04L63/062

  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 title

• H04L63/107

  wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals · CPC title

• H04L41/12

  Discovery or management of network topologies · CPC title