IP Library Granted Patent US 10,154,457
Granted Patent B2
US 10,154,457 · App. 15/165,128 · Granted Dec 11, 2018

Secure management of radio transmissions in an endpoint device of a network

Inventors: Jana Van Greunen (Redwood City, CA); William E. San Filippo, III (Los Altos Hills, CA); Aditi Hilbert (Redwood City, CA)
Assignee: ITRON NETWORKED SOLUTIONS, INC.
H04W52/0216H04L63/0428H04W12/06H04W12/08H04W12/12H04W76/10H04L63/14Y02D70/00Y02D70/22
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,154,457
App. No.
15/165,128
Granted
Dec 11, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for managing radio transmission in an endpoint device in a network includes: receiving, at a first endpoint device, a message requesting wake up of the first endpoint device; establishing a connection between the first endpoint device to a second endpoint device connected to the network; determining, at the first endpoint device, whether a secure command is received from the second endpoint device via the established connection within a predetermined period of time; and based on the received secure command, establishing a connection between the first endpoint device and the network via radio transmission, wherein the first endpoint device is configured to turn off radio transmission if the secure command is not received within the predetermined period of time.

Claims (77)

1. A method of managing radio transmission in an endpoint device in a network, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first endpoint device, a message requesting wake up of the first endpoint device, wherein the message requesting wake up includes connection data;

establishing a connection between the first endpoint device and a second endpoint device currently connected to the network using the connection data included in the received message requesting wake up;

determining, at the first endpoint device, whether a valid secure command is received from the second endpoint device via the established connection within a predetermined period of time; and

based on the determination, establishing a connection between the first endpoint device and the network via radio transmission, wherein

the first endpoint device is configured to turn off radio transmission if a valid secure command is not received from the second endpoint device within the predetermined period of time.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including:

counting a number of secure commands determined to be invalid that are received within the predetermined period of time, and

turning off radio transmission if a threshold number of invalid commands are counted within the predetermined period of time.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the secure command is a cryptographically pre-signed object.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message requesting wake up is received from the second endpoint device.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

cryptographically validating, by a processor of the first endpoint device, the received secure command prior to the establishing of the connection between the first endpoint device and the network.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the connection between the first endpoint device and the network is not established, and radio transmission in the first endpoint device is turned off, upon unsuccessful validation of the received secure command.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying, in a storage of the first endpoint device, the predetermined period of time.

8. A network node configured to turn off radio transmissions when not actively connected to a network, the network node comprising:

a network interface for receiving a message requesting wake up, the message requesting wake up including connection data; and

a processor configured to establish a connection between the network node and a second network node connected to the network using the connection data included in the received message requesting wake up, wherein

the network interface is further configured to determine whether a secure command is received from the second network node via the established connection within a predetermined period of time, and

the processor is further configured to

establish a connection between the network node and the network via radio transmission based on the received secure command, and

turn off radio transmission if the secure command is not received by the network interface within the predetermined period of time.

9. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

count a number of secure commands determined to be invalid that are received within the predetermined period of time, and

turn off radio transmission if a threshold number of invalid commands are counted within the predetermined period of time.

10. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the secure command is a pre-signed object.

11. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the message requesting wake up is received from the second network node.

12. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to validate the secure command prior to the establishing of the connection between the network node and the network.

13. The network node of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to turn off radio transmission and not establish the connection between the network node and the network upon unsuccessful validation of the received secure command.

14. The network node of claim 8 , further comprising:

a storage device configured to store data comprising the predetermined period of time.

15. A method of managing radio transmission in an endpoint device in a network, the method comprising:

receiving, at the first endpoint device, a first message requesting wake up of the first endpoint device;

establishing a connection between the first endpoint device and a second endpoint device currently connected to the network;

determining, at the first endpoint device, that a valid secure command is not received from the second endpoint device via the established connection within a predetermined period of time;

repeating the receiving, establishing, and determining steps for a plurality of additional messages requesting wake up of the first endpoint device; and

disabling, at the first endpoint device, radio transmissions originating from the first endpoint device and any established connections if the plurality of additional messages reaches a threshold number of messages.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the threshold number of messages is a predetermined number stored in a memory of the first endpoint device.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first message and each of the plurality of additional messages requesting wake up are received from the second endpoint device.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein

the first endpoint device is in a receive-only mode and does not emit any radio transmissions prior to receipt of the first message requesting wake up, and

the disabling step comprises returning the first endpoint device to the receive-only mode.

19. A network node configured to turn off radio transmissions when not actively connected to a network, the network node comprising:

a network interface for receiving a first message requesting wake up; and

a processor configured to

establish a connection between the network node and a second network node connected to the network, and

determine that a secure command is not received from the second network node via the established connection within a predetermined period of time, wherein

the network interface and processor are further configured to repeat the receipt of messages requesting wake up, establishing of connections, and determination that a secure command is not received for a plurality of additional messages requesting wake up, and

radio transmissions originating from the first network node and any established connections are disabled if the plurality of additional messages reaches a threshold number of messages.

20. The network node of claim 19 , wherein the threshold number of messages is a predetermined number stored in a memory of the network node.

21. The network node of claim 19 , wherein the first message and each of the plurality of additional messages requesting wake up are received from the second network node.

22. The network node of claim 19 , wherein

the network node is in a receive-only mode and does not emit any radio transmissions prior to receipt of the first message requesting wake up, and

the disabling step comprises returning the first endpoint device to the receive-only mode.

23. A method of managing radio transmission in an endpoint device in a network, the method comprising:

receiving, at the first endpoint device, a first message requesting wake up of the first endpoint device;

establishing a connection between the first endpoint device and a second endpoint device currently connected to the network;

determining, at the first endpoint device, whether a valid secure command is received from the second endpoint device via the established connection within a predetermined period of time;

establishing a connection between the first endpoint device and the network via radio transmission if the first endpoint device determines that a valid secure command is received from the second endpoint device within the predetermined period of time; and

repeating the receiving, establishing, and determining steps for a number additional messages requesting wake up, wherein the first endpoint device is configured to disable the connection between the first endpoint device and the second endpoint device if the number of additional messages exceeds a threshold number.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the threshold number is a predetermined number stored in a memory of the first endpoint device.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein

the first endpoint device is in a receive-only mode and does not emit any radio transmissions prior to receipt of the first message requesting wake up, and

disabling the connection further includes returning the first endpoint device to the receive-only mode.

26. A network node configured to turn off radio transmissions when not actively connected to a network, the network node comprising:

a network interface for receiving a first message requesting wake up; and

a processor configured to

establish a connection between the network node and a second network node connected to the network,

determine whether a secure command is received from the second network node via the established connection within a predetermined period of time, and

establish a connection between the network node and the network via radio transmission if the processor determines that a valid secure command is received from the second network node within the predetermined period of time, wherein

the network node is configured to repeat the receiving, establishing, and determining steps for a number additional messages requesting wake up, and

connection between the network node and the second network node is disabled if the number of additional messages exceeds a threshold number.

27. The network node of claim 26 , wherein the threshold number is a predetermined number stored in a memory of the network node.

28. The network node of claim 26 , wherein

the network node is in a receive-only mode and does not emit any radio transmissions prior to receipt of the first message requesting wake up, and

disabling the connection further includes returning the network node to the receive-only mode.

Assignments (4)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2023
From: ITRON, INC.; ITRON NETWORKED SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 065727/0302 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 1, 2018
From: SILVER SPRING NETWORKS, INC.
To: ITRON NETWORKED SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 045221/0804 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 8, 2018
From: ITRON, INC.; ITRON NETWORKED SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 045017/0893 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 26, 2016
From: VAN GREUNEN, JANA; SAN FILIPPO, WILLIAM E., III; HILBERT, ADITI
To: SILVER SPRING NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 038725/0593 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14242368 · Apr 1, 2014
Related Publication 20160269991A1 · Sep 15, 2016