Itron Gmbh

Other

Itron Global Sarl

Tommi Petteri Parkkila

Benjamin N Damm

Eric Donald White

Matthew Rockey

Dathathreya Krishnabhat

Tim Seaton

Techniques are provided for ad-hoc authenticated group discovery and data sharing in a mesh network. A group of devices is created without leaving a security gap due to the open communication needed to establish the discovery of the devices forming the group. The group can be authenticated autonomously following network discovery of the devices. Instead of requiring global pre-assigned keys for authentication, the devices in the group are authenticated with signatures and certificate passing thereby providing strong security. The efficiency of data sharing between the devices of the network, such as a mesh network, can also be increased. One or more devices may act as a bridge device between devices of a same group that are not in direct wireless communication with each other to reduce re-broadcasts within the mesh network.

Ad-hoc authenticated group discovery

Various embodiments disclosed herein provide techniques for messaging among message groups associated with agents executing on nodes of a mesh network. A messaging application executing on a node of the mesh network receives a request from an agent executing on the first node to join a message group; verifies that a policy permits the agent to join the message group; adds the agent to the message group; receives, from the agent, content for a message for the message group; and transmits the message to a second messaging application of a second node of the mesh network for delivery to an agent that is executing on the second node and that is included in the message group. In various embodiments, the messaging application receives, from another node of the mesh network, a second message for the message group, and delivers content from the second message to the agent.

Messaging among message groups in a mesh network

Various embodiments disclosed herein provide techniques for managing encryption keys at nodes in a mesh network. In various embodiments, a method includes receiving, by a first node in a network, a first message from a second node; determining, by the first node, that a first key usable by the first node to decrypt the first message is outdated based on a comparison of a first key version identifier associated with the first key and a second key version identifier associated with a second key, where the second key was used to encrypt the first message, and the second key version identifier is received from the second node with the first message; and in response to determining that the first key is outdated, transmitting, by the first node to a key management service, a first request for an updated version of the first key to replace the first key.

Encryption key management among nodes in mesh networks

Various embodiments disclosed herein provide techniques for managing encryption keys at nodes in a mesh network. In various embodiments, a method includes, while in a key failure detection time period associated with a first key, detecting, by a node in a mesh network, a decryption failure using the first key; in response to detecting the decryption failure using the first key, incrementing, by the node, a failure count for the first key; and in response to determining that the failure count is at least a threshold count and a key update time period has been entered, transmitting, by the node to a key management service, a request for an update to the first key.

Encryption key management in mesh networks

Data sharing in a mesh network

A monitoring system for apparatus and systems in commercial and residential properties is provided. The monitoring system consists of a head unit and a tail unit, each of which has one or more sensors that measure performance parameters that are important to understanding the performance of the apparatus and system being monitored. As an example, an HVAC system may be monitored to determine when an air filter needs to be changed, or to predict when failure of the HVAC system may be imminent. The sensor array in the head unit and tail unit measure performance and report alerts and historical system performance to users through a mobile app, social media accounts, or any other system for communicating over a wired or wireless network connection.

Growing community of inventors

Cary, NC, United States of America

Tommi Petteri Parkkila