System and method for an energy efficient network adaptor with security provisions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10455476-B2
Application number	US-201715725011-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2017
Priority date	Nov 11, 2011
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment, a network device includes a network controller and at least one network interface coupled to the network controller that includes at least one media access control (MAC) device configured to be coupled to at least one physical layer interface (PHY). The network controller may be configured to determine a network path comprising the at least one network interface that has a lowest power consumption and minimum security attributes of available media types coupled to the at least one PHY.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a network device comprising a first data interface and a plurality of network interfaces, the method comprising:
determining a network path comprising at least one of the plurality of network interfaces that has a lowest power consumption and appropriate security requirements of available media types, wherein the determining the network path comprises using a hardware-based controller, wherein the determining the network path comprises:
determining a first set of security requirements for transmitting a first message on the network path; and
determining a second set of security requirements for transmitting an acknowledgment to the first message, the second set of security requirements being different than the first set of security requirements; and

determining over which of the plurality of network interfaces the first data interface sends data to and receives data from, based on the determined network path, wherein the determining over which of the plurality of network interfaces the first data interface sends data to and receives data from comprises using the hardware-based controller.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting power consumption and appropriate security requirements to a first further network device;
receiving a data path assignment from the first further network device based on the transmitted power consumption and appropriate security requirements; and
relaying data from the first further network device to a second further network device based on the data path assignment.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of security requirements are a higher level of security requirements than the second set of security requirements.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the minimum security attributes, wherein the minimum security attributes is determined based on at least one of a user setting, an application requirement, a service requirement, a protocol requirement and a traffic type, and the minimum security attributes includes at least one of an encryption algorithm, a key exchange method, and a key length.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a lowest power consumption of available media types having the minimum security attributes.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a power rating metric of the network device, wherein determining the network path is performed based on the determined power rating metric and the minimum security attributes.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the network path further comprises determining a network path having a lowest power consumption of security measures that meet the minimum security attributes.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined network path for transmitting the first message is not the lower power consumption available, and wherein the determined network path for transmitting an acknowledgment to the first message is the lowest power consumption available.

9. A network device comprising:
a network controller; and
at least one network interface coupled to the network controller, the at least one network interface comprising at least one media access control (MAC) device configured to be coupled to at least one physical layer interface (PHY), wherein:
the network controller is configured to:
determine power consumption of available media types between at least one network interface coupled to the at least one PHY;
determining a first set of security requirements for transmitting a first message between at least one network interface coupled to the at least one PHY; and
determining a second set of security requirements for transmitting an acknowledgment to the first message, the second set of security requirements being different than the first set of security requirements;
determine a network path comprising the at least one network interface coupled to the at least one PHY based on the power consumption, the first set of security requirements, and the second set of security requirements; and
transmit power consumption and security requirements data to a first further network device, wherein the power consumption data comprises measurements of power consumed by the network device.

10. The network device of claim 9 , wherein the first set of security requirements are a higher level of security requirements than the second set of security requirements.

11. The network device of claim 9 , wherein the minimum set of security attributes includes at least one of an encryption algorithm, a key exchange method, and a key length.

12. The network device of claim 9 , wherein the network controller is further configured to:
determine the network path by receiving power consumption and security data from further network devices;
selecting a plurality of the further network devices based on the received power consumption data; and
routing data on the selected plurality of further network devices.

13. The network device of claim 12 , wherein the network controller is further configured to:
determine a data path of the selected plurality of further network devices; and
determine path, power management methods, and security methods for at least one of the selected plurality of further network devices.

14. The network device of claim 9 , wherein the network controller is further configured to:
receive a data path assignment from the first further network device based on the transmitted power consumption and security data; and
relay data from the first further network device to a second further network device based on the path assignment.

15. The network device of claim 14 , wherein the network controller is further configured to:
receive a requested path, security method, and power management method from the first further network device; and
relay the data from the first further network device to the second further network device based further on the received path, security method, and power management method.

16. The network device of claim 14 , wherein the network controller is further configured to:
determine a power management and security method; and
relay the data from the first further network device to the second further network device based further on the determined network path, security method, and power management method.

17. The network device of claim 9 , wherein the network controller is further configured to:
determine the network path having a lowest power consumption of security measures that meet the minimum set of security attributes.

18. A network device comprising:
a first data interface;
a hybrid network controller coupled to the first data interface; and
a plurality of network interfaces coupled to the hybrid network controller, the plurality of network interfaces comprising at least one media access control (MAC) device configured to be coupled to a plurality of physical layer interfaces (PHYs), wherein
the hybrid network controller is configured to:
determine a network path comprising at least one of the plurality of network interfaces that has a lowest power consumption of available media types coupled to the plurality of PHYs, and meets a minimum set of security attributes, wherein determine the network path comprises:
determine a first set of security requirements for transmitting a first message on the network path; and
determine a second set of security requirements for transmitting an acknowledgment to the first message, the second set of security requirements being different than

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Inc

Inventors

• Logvinov Oleg
• Cully Aidan
• Allen James D

Classifications

• H04W52/46

  in multi-hop networks, e.g. wireless relay networks · CPC title

• H04L47/13

  in a LAN segment, e.g. ring or bus · CPC title

• H04W52/0219

  where the power saving management affects multiple terminals · CPC title

• H04W40/10

  based on available power or energy · CPC title

• H04W40/08 Primary

  based on transmission power · CPC title