IP Library Granted Patent US 9,998,489
Granted Patent B2
US 9,998,489 · App. 15/151,872 · Granted Jun 12, 2018

Method and system for tamper-proofing a dual modulation network

Inventors: David R. Hall (Provo, UT); Mark Hall (Springville, UT); Craig Boswell (Draper, UT); Jedediah Knight (Provo, UT)
H04L63/1433G06F21/86G07C9/00126H04B1/7136H04L63/0428H04L67/12H04B2201/71323
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,998,489
App. No.
15/151,872
Granted
Jun 12, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method for a tamper-resistant network is disclosed. The system includes a primary network hub (PNH) having a PNH transceiver and a PNH microcontroller. The PNH microcontroller has long range spread spectrum frequency hopping (SSFH) firmware, a plurality of frequency hopping sequences, and PNH tamper firmware. The system also includes a peripheral device (PD) having a PD transceiver, a PD tamper circuit, and a PD microcontroller. The PD microcontroller includes the long range SSFH firmware, the plurality of frequency hopping sequences, and PD tamper firmware. The PD communicates to the PNH that it is compromised, and the PNH deactivates the PD and an associated frequency hopping signal.

Claims (12)

1. A method comprising:

receiving a notification at a primary network hub (PNH) that one of a plurality of frequency hopping sequences is compromised, wherein the notification is transmitted by a peripheral device (PD) having a tamper circuit, wherein the tamper circuit notifies the PD that the compromised frequency hopping sequence is compromised;

deactivating the compromised frequency hopping sequence, wherein a PNH microcontroller comprises deactivation firmware that removes the compromised frequency hopping sequence from the plurality of frequency hopping sequences;

deactivating the PD;

selecting a secure frequency hopping sequence from the plurality of frequency hopping sequences;

sending the secure frequency hopping sequence to one or more PNH-networked devices, wherein the PNH-networked devices each comprise a PNH networked-device microcontroller having long range spread spectrum frequency hopping (SSFH) firmware; and

upon updating the long range SSFH firmware with the secure frequency hopping sequence the PNH microcontroller sends an all clear signal to the PNH-networked devices, after which the PNH microcontroller and PNH-networked devices resumes normal operation.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising notifying a user that the compromised frequency hopping sequence is compromised.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from a user, override instructions that interrupts the deactivating the PD.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising interrupting the deactivating the PD.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from a user, override instructions that reactivate the PD.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising reactivating the PD.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2019
From: HALL LABS LLC
To: SURE-FI INC.
Reel/Frame 049541/0507 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 24, 2018
From: HALL, DAVID R.
To: HALL LABS LLC
Reel/Frame 047132/0022 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2018
From: HALL, DAVID R.
To: HALL LABS LLC
Reel/Frame 047058/0053 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 23, 2018
From: BOSWELL, CRAIG
To: HALL LABS LLC
Reel/Frame 046433/0447 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2018
From: HALL, MARK
To: HALL LABS LLC
Reel/Frame 046219/0105 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170331846A1 · Nov 16, 2017