Method and network node device for controlling the run of technology specific push-button configuration sessions within a heterogeneous or homogenous wireless network and heterogeneous or homogenous wireless network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9363672-B2
Application number	US-201314391964-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2013
Priority date	Apr 11, 2012
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

A method and network node device control the run of technology specific Push-Button Configuration sessions within a heterogeneous or homogeneous wireless network as well as a heterogeneous or homogeneous wireless network detecting a session overlap within the network. The session is related to a configuration session (bootstrapping session, setup session) that establishes a security configuration for encrypted communication over a wireless link it is proposed an enhanced mechanism for controlling the run of technology specific Push Button Configuration sessions within a heterogeneous or homogeneous wireless network and a plurality of network node devices interconnected to each other via at least one interface and/or over multiple hops and authenticated or unauthenticated for the network by using a piece of information, e.g. a “Configuration Setup Session Identifier (CSSID),” for identifying a technology specific Push Button Configuration setup session.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling technology specific Push Button Configuration sessions within a heterogeneous or homogeneous wireless network including a plurality of network node devices interconnected to each other via at least one interface and/or over multiple hops and authenticated or unauthenticated for the network, the method comprising:
triggering an authenticated first network node device, by a first virtual or physical Push Button Event that is assigned to the first network node device, to directly or indirectly send a notification message to at least one second network node device, which has been authenticated, the notification message notifying the at least one second node device about the first Push Button Event;
starting, by each of the first network node device and the at least one second network node device, a Push Button Configuration session;
triggering an unauthenticated third network node device, by a second virtual or physical Push Button Event that is assigned to the third network node device, to start a technology specific Push Button Configuration session;
creating, by the first network node device, a first configuration setup session identifier that identifies a first specific configuration setup session and transmitting the first configuration setup session identifier to the at least one second network node device in the notification message;
sending, by each of the first network node device and the at least one second network node device within each respective Push Button Configuration session, the first configuration setup session identifier to the third network node device via at least one wireless message; and
(a) running, by the third network node device, the technology specific Push Button Configuration session with one of the first network node device and the at least one second network node device, the third network node device running the technology specific Push Button Configuration session as a result of receiving the same configuration setup session identifier from the first network node device and the at least one second network node device, or
(b1) triggering an unauthenticated external device that is not part of the network, by a third virtual or physical Push Button Event that is assigned to the external device, to start a Push Button Configuration session for the external device;
(b2) creating a second configuration setup session identifier that identifies a second specific configuration setup session, the second configuration setup session identifier being created by external device;
(b3) sending within the Push Button Configuration session for the external device, the second configuration setup session identifier from the external device to the third network node device via at least one second wireless message; and
(b4) detecting a session overlap by the third network node device, aborting the technology specific Push Button Configuration session, and not running the technology specific Push Button Configuration session with any of the first network node device, the at least one second network node device, and the external device as a result of receiving the first and second configuration setup session identifiers that are different from each other from the first network node device, the at least one second network node device, and the external device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
creating, by the first network node device from a given value, a cryptographic commitment value as the first configuration setup session identifier; and
when the technology specific Push Button Configuration session is run between the first network node device and the third network node device and after completion of the technology specific Push Button Configuration session, transmitting, by the first network node device, the given value to the third network node device via an encrypted communication that is protected by a cryptographic key that was established during running of the technology specific Push Button Configuration session in order to verify the first network node device as the owner of the first configuration setup session identifier.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
creating, by the first network node device from a given value, a first cryptographic commitment value that is used to identify the first specific configuration setup session instead of the first configuration setup session identifier and a second cryptographic commitment value, the second cryptographic commitment value being based on a Hash based Message Authentication Code (HMAC), a key derivation function, or a message authentication code;
when the technology specific Push Button Configuration session is run between the first network node device and the third network node device, transmitting, by the first network node device during running of the technology specific Push Button Configuration session, the second cryptographic commitment value to the third network node device; and
transmitting, by the first network node device, the given value to the third network node device via an encrypted communication protected by a cryptographic key that was established during running of the technology specific Push Button Configuration session in order to verify the first and second cryptographic commitment values as belonging to the first network node device.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heterogeneous wireless network is a Convergent Digital Home Network based on the IEEE 1905.1 standardization specification, and
wherein the homogeneous wireless network is WLAN/Wi-Fi network based on the IEEE 802.11 standardization specification.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein when the third network node device aborts the technology specific Push Button Configuration session:
the first and second configuration setup session identifiers are generated randomly or pseudo-randomly when the technology specific Push Button Configuration is started.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein when the third network node device aborts the technology specific Push Button Configuration session:
the first and second configuration setup session identifiers are calculated using a derivation function with a Basic Service Set Identifier and/or a client MAC Service Set Identifier (SSID) as derivation parameters.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein when the third network node device aborts the technology specific Push Button Configuration session:
the first and second configuration setup session identifiers are identical to an IEEE P1905.1 Push Button Event ID or derived from an IEEE P1905.1 Push Button Event ID.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one wireless message is at least one of a beacon message, a probe response, and an Extensible Authentication Protocol over Local Area Network (EAPoL)-message and includes an information element or data field for transporting values and/or identifiers.

9. A first network node device for controlling technology specific Push Button Configuration sessions within a heterogeneous or homogeneous wireless network including the first network node device and a plurality of other network node devices authenticated or unauthenticated for the network or not part of the network, the plurality of other network node devices including at least one second network device, which has been authenticated, and an unauthenticated third network node device, the third network node device being triggered by a second virtual or physical Push Button Event that is assigned to the third network node device in order to start a technology specific Push Button Configuration session, the first network node device and plural

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Bahr Michael
• Falk Rainer
• Mogre Parag

Classifications

• H04W12/06 Primary

  Authentication · CPC title

• H04L63/08 Primary

  for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32) · CPC title

• H04W12/04

  Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA] · CPC title

• H04W12/50

  Secure pairing of devices · CPC title