Patent ID: 8069470
Filing Date: 2011-11-29
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for secure configuration of a sensor system comprising a sensor controller and a plurality of sensors, the method comprising: generating, by the sensor controller, an old group key shared by the plurality of sensors, wherein the old group key incorporates a plurality of network identify information of the plurality of sensors for securely transmitting digital data within the sensor system; sending, by the sensor controller, the old group key to each of the plurality of sensors; receiving, at the sensor controller, a join request from a new sensor to join the plurality of sensors, wherein the join request comprises a first authentication means and a first network identity information identifying the new sensor, wherein the first network identity information comprises a hash of a public key with a predetermined binary value; truncating the hash to a number of bits desired for use within the sensor system to generate a truncated hash; determining, by the sensor controller, whether the first network identity information provided by the new sensor is already associated with a sensor among the plurality of sensors; generating, by the sensor controller and in response to determining that the first network identity information is already associated with the sensor among the plurality of sensors, a second network identity information for identifying the new sensor, wherein the second network identity information comprises the truncated hash of the public key incremented by a predetermined amount; generating, by the sensor controller and in response to generating the second network identity information for identifying the new sensor, a new group key shared by the plurality of sensors and the new sensor, wherein the new group key incorporates the plurality of network identify information of the plurality of sensors and the second network identify information of the new sensor for securely transmitting the digital data within the sensor system and replaces the old group key shared by the plurality of sensors without the new sensor; and sending, by the sensor controller: