IP Library Granted Patent US 11,223,616
Granted Patent B2
US 11,223,616 · App. 16/534,213 · Granted Jan 11, 2022

Ultrasound assisted device activation

Inventors: Nicolai Grødum (Oslo, NO); Bjørn Kristian Nordlund (Nesoddtangen, NO); Magnus Aaen Holst (Drammen, NO)
Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
H04L63/0838H04L9/0863H04L63/0823H04W12/04H04W12/068
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,223,616
App. No.
16/534,213
Granted
Jan 11, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An onboarding server uses an ultrasound token to securely onboard a new device to an organizational structure. The onboarding server obtains a registration from the new device and provides the new device with an ultrasound token. The onboarding server also obtains a notification from a user device that detected the ultrasound token broadcast from the new device. The onboarding server determines a device identity for the new device and provides cryptographic information to the new device. The cryptographic information enables the new device to connect to an organizational structure with the device identity.

Claims (59)

1. A method comprising:

obtaining a registration from a new device;

providing the new device with an ultrasound token;

obtaining a notification from a user device that detected the ultrasound token broadcast from the new device;

determining a device identity for the new device;

notifying an event publisher that cryptographic information is ready for the new device to retrieve, wherein the new device previously registered with the event publisher to receive event notifications;

obtaining a request for the cryptographic information from the new device; and

providing the cryptographic information to the new device, the cryptographic information enabling the new device to connect to an organizational structure with the device identity.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the registration includes an anonymous identifier and a public key associated with the new device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the notification includes device context for the new device provided by the user device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the device context includes an indication of a type of device, an indication of a physical location, an indication of a first user associated with the new device, an indication of a second user associated with the user device, or an indication of capabilities of the new device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the device identity comprises:

providing device context to an administrative device; and

obtaining the device identity from the administrative device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining a one-time-password to authenticate the device identity at the new device; and

encrypting the one-time-password with a public key associated with the new device to generate the cryptographic information.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining device information for the new device from a sales portal; and

authorizing the device identity for the new device based at least in part on the device information from the sales portal.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface configured to communicate with computing devices across one or more computer networks; and

a processor coupled to the network interface, the processor configured to:

obtain a registration from a new device via the network interface;

cause the network interface to provide the new device with an ultrasound token;

obtain via the network interface, a notification from a user device that detected the ultrasound token broadcast from the new device;

determine a device identity for the new device;

cause the network interface to notify an event publisher that cryptographic information is ready for the new device to retrieve, wherein the new device previously registered with the event publisher to receive event notifications;

obtain via the network interface, a request for the cryptographic information from the new device; and

cause the network interface to send the cryptographic information to the new device, the cryptographic information enabling the new device to connect to an organizational structure with the device identity.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to obtain an anonymous identifier and a public key associated with the new device from the registration.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to obtain device context for the new device from the notification provided by the user device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the device context includes an indication of a type of device, an indication of a physical location, an indication of a first user associated with the new device, an indication of a second user associated with the user device, or an indication of capabilities of the new device.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the device identity by:

causing the network interface to provide device context to an administrative device; and

obtaining the device identity from the administrative device via the network interface.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

obtain a one-time-password to authenticate the device identity at the new device; and

encrypt the one-time-password with a public key associated with the new device to generate the cryptographic information.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to:

obtain via the network interface, device information for the new device from a sales portal; and

authorize the device identity for the new device based at least in part on the device information from the sales portal.

15. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor of an onboarding server, cause the processor to:

obtain a registration from a new device;

provide the new device with an ultrasound token;

obtain a notification from a user device that detected the ultrasound token broadcast from the new device;

determine a device identity for the new device;

notify an event publisher that cryptographic information is ready for the new device to retrieve, wherein the new device previously registered with the event publisher to receive event notifications;

obtain a request for the cryptographic information from the new device; and

send the cryptographic information to the new device, the cryptographic information enabling the new device to connect to an organizational structure with the device identity.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15 , further comprising instructions operable to cause the processor to obtain an anonymous identifier and a public key associated with the new device from the registration.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15 , further comprising instructions operable to cause the processor to obtain from the notification, device context for the new device provided by the user device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 17 , wherein the device context includes an indication of a type of device, an indication of a physical location, an indication of a first user associated with the new device, an indication of a second user associated with the user device, or an indication of capabilities of the new device.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15 , further comprising instructions operable to cause the processor to determine the device identity by:

providing device context to an administrative device; and

obtaining the device identity from the administrative device.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15 , further comprising instructions operable to cause the processor to:

obtain a one-time-password to authenticate the device identity at the new device; and

encrypt the one-time-password with a public key associated with the new device to generate the cryptographic information.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 7, 2019
From: GRØDUM, NICOLAI; NORDLUND, BJØRN KRISTIAN; HOLST, MAGNUS AAEN
To: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 049989/0156 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210044580A1 · Feb 11, 2021
Cited By (1)
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