Systems and methods for managing device association

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11979392-B2
Application number	US-201715651762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2017
Priority date	Jul 17, 2017
Publication date	May 7, 2024
Grant date	May 7, 2024

Abstract

A method and system for managing device association and access is disclosed. Some embodiments may include receiving, from a user device, a request to access a network device. The request may include a public key of the user device. The request may include a digital certificate, wherein the digital certificate may include the public key of the user device. A distributed database address of the user device may be determined by applying a deterministic function to the public key of the user device. A distributed database entry may include the address of the user device. A distributed database entry may be generated. The distributed database entry may include the address of the user device. Based on the address of the user device, access to the network device may be granted to the user device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device and from a user device, a request to access a destination device, wherein the computing device has authority to grant access to the destination device, and wherein the request comprises a digital certificate comprising one or more unique identifiers of the user device;
validating, based on the one or more unique identifiers of the user device, the digital certificate;
determining, based on the digital certificate, an address of the user device;
determining to grant the user device access to the destination device;
generating, based on the determining to grant the user device access to the destination device, a distributed database entry comprising an address of the destination device, the address of the user device, and a digital signature associated with the computing device; and
transmitting, to the user device, a public key of the destination device and a locator of the destination device on a network, wherein the locator of the destination device comprises a network address of the destination device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital certificate comprises a public key of the user device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the address of the user device comprises applying at least a deterministic function to the public key of the user device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generated distributed database entry comprises a blockchain transaction; and
wherein the generating the distributed database entry comprises transmitting the blockchain transaction to a blockchain network.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generated distributed database entry further comprises an indication of a time limit on access to the destination device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein information indicative of an association between the computing device and the destination device is stored in a distributed database entry created prior to the generated distributed database entry.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a distributed database comprising the generated distributed database entry, the computing device, and the destination device are associated with a common entity, and wherein the common entity comprises one of a user, a household, or a service provider.

8. A system comprising:
a destination device; and
an intermediary device authorized to grant access to the destination device, wherein the intermediary device is configured to:
receive, from a user device, a first request to access the destination device, wherein the first request comprises a certificate of the user device and a public key of the user device and wherein the certificate comprises one or more unique identifiers of the user device;
validate, based on the one or more unique identifiers of the user device, the certificate;
determine, by applying at least a deterministic function to the public key of the user device, an address of the user device;
determine, based on the address of the user device, to grant the user device access to the destination device;
generate, based on the determining to grant the user device access to the destination device, a distributed database entry comprising an address of the destination device, the address of the user device, and a digital signature associated with the intermediary device; and
transmit, to the user device, a public key of the destination device and a locator of the destination device on a network, wherein the locator of the destination device comprises a network address of the destination device; and wherein the destination device is configured to:
receive, from the user device, a second request to access the destination device, wherein the second request comprises the public key of the user device;
determine, by applying at least the deterministic function to the public key of the user device, the address of the user device;
access, using the address of the user device, the distributed database entry; and
grant, based on the distributed database entry, the user device access to the destination device.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the intermediary device is associated with a distributed database; and
wherein the intermediary device is configured to determine to grant the user device access to the destination device further based on a second distributed database entry comprising an indication that the user device is associated with the distributed database.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the intermediary device is configured to create additional distributed database entries comprising identifiers of devices associated with the intermediary device.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the destination device is configured to grant, based on the generated distributed database entry, the user device access to the destination device by enabling the user device to control or use a functionality of the destination device.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the destination device is configured to:
receive an indication of a device associated with the destination device;
generate, responsive to receiving the indication of the associated device, a private key and a public key of the associated device; and
generate a new distributed database entry comprising an identifier of the associated device.

13. The system of claim 8 , further comprising the user device configured to:
transmit, to the intermediary device, the first request to access the destination device, the first request comprising the public key of the user device;
receive, from the intermediary device, the public key of the destination device and the locator of the destination device on the network;
connect, using the locator, to the destination device; and
responsive to the destination device granting the user device access, accessing the destination device.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the intermediary device or the destination device comprises a mobile device, a mobile application, or an Internet of Things (IoT) device.

15. The system of claim 8 , wherein information indicative of an association between the intermediary device and the destination device is stored in a distributed database entry created prior to the generated distributed database entry.

16. The system of claim 8 , wherein a distributed database comprising the generated distributed database entry, the computing device, and the destination device are associated with a common entity, and wherein the common entity comprises one of a user, a household, or a service provider.

17. A computing device comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to
receive, from a user device, a request to access a destination device, wherein the request comprises a certificate of the user device and a public key of the user device and wherein the certificate comprises one or more unique identifiers of the user device;
validate, based on the one or more unique identifiers of the user device, the certificate;
determine, based on certificate the one or more unique identifiers, an identity of the user device;
determine, by applying at least one hash function to the public key, an address of the user device;
determine, based on the identity of the user device, to grant the user device access to the destination device;
generate, based on determining to grant the user device access to the destination device, a distributed database entry comprising the address of the destination device, an indication o

Assignees

• Comcast Cable Comm Llc

Inventors

• Haque Asad

Classifications

• H04L63/0823 Primary

  using certificates (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263) · CPC title

• G06F16/27

  Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor · 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

• H04L63/108

  when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time · CPC title