Digital Token that Decrypts a Digital Certificate

U.S. Patent No. 9,716,595 for a “System and Method for IoT Security and Management” was issued just this year to T-Central, Inc. Doing business as “TrustCentral,” T-Central designs and develops online security solutions, specifically security architecture for mobile platforms. This patent uses software to create a digital token that decrypts digital certificates assigned to devices on the IoT network.

The invention covered by this patent begins with the establishment of secure communications between devices in an IoT network, followed by the issuance of a digital certificate to one device in the network that invites a second device in the network to communicate with it by receiving a digital token that is authenticated using a unique identification and cryptographic key of the second device. It then establishes a secure communication line between the network devices by authenticating the established communication line and issuing a second digital certificate to the communication line. This prevents a device that does not have a digital token from establishing secure communications with devices in the network because they will not be able to identify the cryptographic key of the devices’ digital certificate.

Good News for IoT Network Operators

While keeping an IoT network secure is – and will continue to be – a challenge, there are numerous solutions that address the issue. The technologies covered here will be but a few of the solutions to come to market in the next year or so.

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Alec Schibanoff is Vice President of IPOfferings LLC, a leading patent broker and IP consulting services firm, and publisher of the Patent Value Quotient. Mr. Schibanoff also serves as Executive Director of American Innovators for Patent Reform, a trade association that represents businesses, universities and the IP community, and advocates for stronger patent laws and more vigorous enforcement of patent rights. He is the author of dozens of articles on patents and intellectual property-related issues. He can be reached at alec@IPOfferings.com.