US 12,244,692 B2
Method and system for licensing and delivering keys for sensors and receivers
Charles Fendt, Stein (DE); and Achim Schmidt, Weissenohe (DE)
Assigned to Diehl Metering Systems GmbH, Nuremberg (DE)
Filed by Diehl Metering Systems GmbH, Nuremberg (DE)
Filed on Apr. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/728,102.
Application 17/728,102 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2020/078644, filed on Oct. 12, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 007 447.5 (DE), filed on Oct. 25, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0247556 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
Int. Cl. H04L 9/08 (2006.01); H04L 9/14 (2006.01)
CPC H04L 9/0825 (2013.01) [H04L 9/085 (2013.01); H04L 9/0866 (2013.01); H04L 9/14 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for licensing a sensor at a central body, the method comprising:
providing:
the sensor having a unique ID including its unique serial number in a range of serial numbers for sensors, the sensor being able to act as a transmitter of encrypted data to a receiver,
the central body acting as a licensing body including a computer system and a database,
a sensor manufacturer including a computer system, and
a data connection between the sensor manufacturer and the central body;
keeping a list of sensor keys in the database of the central body;
generating a first key pair, formed of a private and a public key, at the sensor manufacturer;
transmitting the public key of the first key pair from the sensor manufacturer to the central body;
assigning a range of serial numbers for sensors to the first key pair;
generating a second key pair, formed of a private and a public key, at the central body for the range of serial numbers for sensors;
transmitting the public key of the second key pair from the central body to the sensor manufacturer;
assigning the range of serial numbers for sensors to the second key pair;
storing the public key of the first key pair, the private key of the second key pair and the assigned range of serial numbers for sensors in the list of sensor keys in the central body;
using the sensor manufacturer to encrypt a transmission key, used for an encrypted data transmission between the sensor and the receiver, with the private key of the first key pair and the public key of the second key pair, and to store the encrypted transmission key in the each individual sensor of the plurality of sensors; and
using the sensor manufacturer:
to store the private key of the first key pair and the public key of the second key pair in each sensor of the plurality of sensors, or
to additionally store the transmission key unencrypted.