Honeywell International Inc.

Joseph John Kimball

Thomas L Phinney

Denis Foo Kune

Patrick S Gonia

A method includes wirelessly receiving a message at a receiving node. The method also includes extracting a partial counter value from the message, where the partial counter value represents a subset of bits from a complete counter value of a transmitting node. The method further includes decrypting and authenticating the message based on the partial counter value. Decrypting and authenticating the message could include examining a bitmap to identify a bit value associated with the partial counter value, decrypting and authenticating the message if the identified bit value has a first value, and discarding the message if the identified bit value has a second value. Decrypting and authenticating the message could also include identifying at least one complete counter value at the receiving node based on the partial counter value and attempting to decrypt and authenticate the message using the at least one complete counter value.

Apparatus and method for counter-based communications in wireless sensor networks and other networks

The present system having a secure wireless infrastructure with a key server acting as a key distribution center. The key server may be the core of the network, securely admitting new nodes or devices, deploying and updating keys and authorizing secure communications sessions. The system may also share secure keying information with a new device not already a member of a secure wireless network. The keying information may be used for authentication or encryption or both, and may be provided to the new device in a manner or mode which is not susceptible to exposure outside of the secure network. The keying information shared with the new device may be regarded as a birth key. Then the new device may send a birth key encrypted request to join the secure network via an exposed communication mode. The key server may respond with a birth key encrypted key encryption key.

Growing community of inventors

Columbia, MO, United States of America

Joseph John Kimball