Systems and methods for self and automated management of certificates in a network of moving things, for example including a network of autonomous vehicles

1. A method of managing digital certificates in nodes of a wireless network comprising a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first node of the plurality of nodes from a second node of the plurality of nodes, a notification comprising information identify one or more certificate revocation lists, wherein each certificate revocation list identifies one or more digital certificates that have been revoked, wherein each digital certificate prior to revocation authorizes access to a service supported by the wireless network, and wherein each certificate revocation list comprises a respective indication of one or both of a date and a time of expiration;

adding to a list of certificate revocation lists maintained by the first node, the information identifying those of the one or more certificate revocation lists not already present on the list of certificate revocation lists;

adjusting a time interval based on a number of nodes of the plurality of nodes within wireless communication range of the first node;

periodically sending the list of certificate revocation lists to nodes of the plurality of nodes within wireless communication range of the first node, according to the time interval;

rejecting a request from a third node of the plurality of nodes for access to a resource of the first node, based on a digital certificate of the third node and the digital certificates identified by the certificate revocation lists of the list of certificate revocation lists;

discarding a certificate revocation list identified on the list of certificate revocation lists and removing the discarded certificate revocation list from the list of certificate revocation lists, according to the respective indication of expiration of each certification revocation list on the list of certificate revocation lists; and

adjusting the time interval based on a number of certificate revocation lists on the list of certificate revocation lists.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from a certificate authority of the wireless network, an alert identifying a certificate revocation list identifying at least one revoked digital certificate.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nodes comprises one or more fixed nodes at respective fixed physical locations and one or more mobile nodes that are mobile within a service area of the wireless network.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes comprise mobile access point functionality configured to provide radio frequency wireless Internet service by the wireless network to one or more end-user devices.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes comprise interface functionality configured to communicate with a system of an autonomous vehicle.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which is stored a number of code sections, each code section comprising a plurality of instructions executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processor to perform the steps of a method of managing digital certificates in nodes of a wireless network comprising a plurality of nodes, the steps of the method comprising:

receiving, at a first node of the plurality of nodes from a second node of the plurality of nodes, a notification comprising information identify one or more certificate revocation lists, wherein each certificate revocation list identifies one or more digital certificates that have been revoked, wherein each digital certificate prior to revocation authorizes access to a service supported by the wireless network, and wherein each certificate revocation list comprises a respective indication of one or both of a date and a time of expiration;

adding to a list of certificate revocation lists maintained by the first node, the information identifying those of the one or more certificate revocation lists not already present on the list of certificate revocation lists;

adjusting a time interval based on a number of nodes of the plurality of nodes within wireless communication range of the first node;

periodically sending the list of certificate revocation lists to nodes of the plurality of nodes within wireless communication range of the first node, according to the time interval;

rejecting a request from a third node of the plurality of nodes for access to a resource of the first node, based on a digital certificate of the third node and the digital certificates identified by the certificate revocation lists of the list of certificate revocation lists;

discarding a certificate revocation list identified on the list of certificate revocation lists and removing the discarded certificate revocation list from the list of certificate revocation lists, according to the respective indication of expiration of each certification revocation list on the list of certificate revocation lists; and

adjusting the time interval based on a number of certificate revocation lists on the list of certificate revocation lists.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 6 , wherein the steps of the method further comprise:

receiving, from a certificate authority of the wireless network, an alert identifying a certificate revocation list identifying at least one revoked digital certificate.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of nodes comprises one or more fixed nodes at respective fixed physical locations and one or more mobile nodes that are mobile within a service area of the wireless network.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 6 , wherein one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes comprise mobile access point functionality configured to provide radio frequency wireless Internet service by the wireless network to one or more end-user devices.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 6 , wherein one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes comprise interface functionality configured to communicate with a system of an autonomous vehicle.

11. A system for managing digital certificates in nodes of a wireless network comprising a plurality of nodes, the system comprising:

at a first node of the plurality of nodes, one or more processors operably coupled to storage for storing a list of certificate revocation lists and to one or more wireless communication interfaces for communication with other nodes of the plurality of nodes, the one or more processors operable to, at least:

receive, at a first node of the plurality of nodes from a second node of the plurality of nodes, a notification comprising information identify one or more certificate revocation lists, wherein each certificate revocation list identifies one or more digital certificates that have been revoked, wherein each digital certificate prior to revocation authorizes access to a service supported by the wireless network, and wherein each certificate revocation list comprises a respective indication of one or both of a date and a time of expiration;

add to a list of certificate revocation lists maintained by the first node, the information identifying those of the one or more certificate revocation lists not already present on the list of certificate revocation lists;

adjust a time interval based on a number of nodes of the plurality of nodes within wireless communication range of the first node;

periodically send the list of certificate revocation lists to nodes of the plurality of nodes within wireless communication range of the first node, according to the time interval;

reject a request from a third node of the plurality of nodes for access to a resource of the first node, based on a digital certificate of the third node and the digital certificates identified by the certificate revocation lists of the list of certificate revocation lists;

discard a certificate revocation list identified on the list of certificate revocation lists and remove the discarded certificate revocation list from the list of certificate revocation lists, according to the respective indication of expiration of each certification revocation list on the list of certificate revocation lists; and

adjust the time interval based on a number of certificate revocation lists on the list of certificate revocation lists.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable to:

receive, from a certificate authority of the wireless network, an alert identifying a certificate revocation list identifying at least one revoked digital certificate.

13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of nodes comprises one or more fixed nodes at respective fixed physical locations and one or more mobile nodes that are mobile within a service area of the wireless network.

14. The system according to claim 11 , wherein one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes comprise mobile access point functionality configured to provide radio frequency wireless Internet service by the wireless network to one or more end-user devices.

15. The system according to claim 11 , wherein one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes comprise interface functionality configured to communicate with a system of an autonomous vehicle.