Secure two-way beacon in an internet of things (iot) system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018317266-A1
Application number	US-201715498925-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 27, 2017
Priority date	Apr 27, 2017
Publication date	Nov 1, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus and method are described for implementing a 2-way beacon. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a beacon to transmit a first advertisement packet associated with 1-way functions available from the beacon and to further transmit a second advertisement packet associated with 2-way functions available from the beacon; the first advertisement packet to cause an app and/or hub to be initialized on a mobile device; and the second advertisement packet to cause the beacon to establish a first secure communication channel to a cloud service through the app and/or hub.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a beacon to transmit a first advertisement packet associated with 1-way functions available from the beacon and to further transmit a second advertisement packet associated with 2-way functions available from the beacon; the first advertisement packet to cause an app and/or hub to be initialized on a mobile device; and the second advertisement packet to cause the beacon to establish a first secure communication channel to a cloud service through the app and/or hub.

2 . The system as in claim 1 wherein the beacon is to time-multiplex transmission of the first advertisement packet and the second advertisement packet.

3 . The system as in claim 1 wherein the cloud service is configured to push data to the beacon over the first secure communication channel.

4 . The system as in claim 3 wherein the data comprises configuration data to specify operation of the beacon.

5 . The system as in claim 4 wherein the beacon is configured to transmit collected data to the cloud service.

6 . The system as in claim 5 wherein the collected data comprises data related to mobile devices detected near the beacon.

7 . The system as in claim 1 wherein the app is configured to communicate with and/or control the beacon via the app, wherein the app is to also connect to the cloud service via the hub over a second secure communication channel.

8 . The system as in claim 1 wherein the beacon includes a controllable device coupled thereto, the user to control the device via the app, wherein upon selecting graphical elements from the app, one or more commands are transmitted to the cloud service via the hub, then transmitted back from the cloud service to the beacon via the hub, to cause the beacon to control the device.

9 . The system as in claim 8 wherein the controllable device comprises a lock or a switch.

10 . A method comprising:
transmitting a first advertisement packet associated with 1-way functions available from a beacon; transmitting a second advertisement packet associated with 2-way functions available from the beacon; the first advertisement packet to cause an app and/or hub to be initialized on a mobile device; and the second advertisement packet to cause the beacon to establish a first secure communication channel to a cloud service through the app and/or hub.

11 . The method as in claim 10 wherein the beacon is to time-multiplex transmission of the first advertisement packet and the second advertisement packet.

12 . The method as in claim 10 wherein the cloud service is configured to push data to the beacon over the first secure communication channel.

13 . The method as in claim 12 wherein the data comprises configuration data to specify operation of the beacon.

14 . The method as in claim 13 wherein the beacon is configured to transmit collected data to the cloud service.

15 . The method as in claim 14 wherein the collected data comprises data related to mobile devices detected near the beacon.

16 . The method as in claim 10 wherein the app is configured to communicate with and/or control the beacon via the app, wherein the app is to also connect to the cloud service via the hub over a second secure communication channel.

17 . The method as in claim 10 wherein the beacon includes a controllable device coupled thereto, the user to control the device via the app, wherein upon selecting graphical elements from the app, one or more commands are transmitted to the cloud service via the hub, then transmitted back from the cloud service to the beacon via the hub, to cause the beacon to control the device.

18 . The method as in claim 17 wherein the controllable device comprises a lock or a switch.

19 . A machine-readable medium having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform the operations of:
transmitting a first advertisement packet associated with 1-way functions available from a beacon; transmitting a second advertisement packet associated with 2-way functions available from the beacon; the first advertisement packet to cause an app and/or hub to be initialized on a mobile device; and the second advertisement packet to cause the beacon to establish a first secure communication channel to a cloud service through the app and/or hub.

20 . The method as in claim 19 wherein the beacon is to time-multiplex transmission of the first advertisement packet and the second advertisement packet.

21 . The method as in claim 19 wherein the cloud service is configured to push data to the beacon over the first secure communication channel.

22 . The method as in claim 21 wherein the data comprises configuration data to specify operation of the beacon.

23 . The method as in claim 22 wherein the beacon is configured to transmit collected data to the cloud service.

24 . The method as in claim 23 wherein the collected data comprises data related to mobile devices detected near the beacon.

25 . The method as in claim 19 wherein the app is configured to communicate with and/or control the beacon via the app, wherein the app is to also connect to the cloud service via the hub over a second secure communication channel.

26 . The method as in claim 19 wherein the beacon includes a controllable device coupled thereto, the user to control the device via the app, wherein upon selecting graphical elements from the app, one or more commands are transmitted to the cloud service via the hub, then transmitted back from the cloud service to the beacon via the hub, to cause the beacon to control the device.

27 . The method as in claim 27 wherein the controllable device comprises a lock or a switch.

Assignees

• Afero Inc

Inventors

• Britt Joe
• Gibbs Benjamin K
• Altin Dan

Classifications

• H04L63/18

  using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215) · CPC title

• H04L63/045

  wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14) · CPC title

• H04W76/10

  Connection setup · CPC title

• H04W88/04

  adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user · CPC title

• H04L67/125

  involving control of end-device applications over a network · CPC title