US 12,323,790 B2
Secure zero-exchange provision system for wireless mesh access points
Jiajun Huang, Beijing (CN); Xiong Zhang, Beijing (CN); and Chao Guo, Beijing (CN)
Assigned to Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP, Spring, TX (US)
Filed by Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP, Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Sep. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/902,661.
Prior Publication US 2024/0080663 A1, Mar. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. H04W 12/04 (2021.01); H04W 12/03 (2021.01); H04W 12/041 (2021.01); H04W 12/0431 (2021.01)
CPC H04W 12/0431 (2021.01) [H04W 12/03 (2021.01); H04W 12/041 (2021.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for provisioning an access point (AP) in a wireless mesh network, the method comprising:
receiving, by a controller, a master public key from a key generation system, wherein the controller is separate from the AP;
encrypting, by the controller using identity-based encryption (IBE), a configuration message based on the master public key, the configuration message comprising configuration parameters for the AP;
transmitting the encrypted configuration message from the controller to a proxy device, wherein the proxy device is communicatively coupled to the controller via a previously established secure communication channel, and the proxy device is communicatively coupled to the AP via an open communication channel, and wherein the proxy device is an intermediary between the controller and the AP;
forwarding, by the proxy device, the encrypted configuration message to the AP;
storing, at the AP, an AP-specific secret key based on a unique identifier of the AP and a master private key of a master public-private key pair that further comprises the master public key;
decrypting, by the AP, the encrypted configuration message using the AP-specific secret key to produce a decrypted configuration message, and
applying, by the AP, the configuration parameters in the decrypted configuration message.