Method of Configuring a Node, Related Node and Configuration Server

Abstract

A method for configuring a node, said node holding a public key depending on an identifier relating to said node, a related secret key and an address of a configuration server storing sets of configuration parameters for respective nodes, the method comprising the following steps carried out at the configuration server: identifying said node by use of an identity based identification algorithm taking account of said public and secret keys; and when said node has been successfully identified, retrieving the set of configuration parameters stored for said node and transmitting said set of configuration parameters to said node.

1 . A method of authorizing a first node for receipt of information from a communication network, the first node having a public key which is a function of an identifier associated with the first node and a secret key related to the public key, the method comprising, at a second node of the communication network:
 authenticating the first node using an identity-based authentication algorithm based on the public key and the secret key; and   when the first node is successfully authenticated, permitting the first node to receive information from the communication network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the public key is the identifier associated with the first node. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the public key is derived from the identifier associated with the first node. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein authenticating the first node using an identity-based authentication algorithm comprises:
 receiving information from the first node at the second node; and   confirming, at the second node, that the received information was derived using the secret key for the first node.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein permitting the first node to receive information from the communication network comprises transmitting information from the second node to the first node. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein permitting the first node to receive information from the communication network comprises transmitting configuration information from the second node to the first node. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, before the first node is authenticated by the second node, the first node has no parameters for accessing the communication network other than the public key, the secret key and at least one network address, the at least one network address comprising a network address of the second node. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the public key comprises a one-way function of the identifier associated with the first node. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the one-way function comprises a hash function. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating the secret key from the identifier associated with the first node; and   providing the secret key to the first node.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting information to the first node via the communication network. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein transmitting information to the first node comprises transmitting encrypted information to the first node. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein transmitting encrypted information to the first node comprises transmitting information encrypted using identity-based encryption. 
     
     
         14 . A system for authorizing a first node for receipt of information from a communication network, the first node having a public key which is a function of an identifier associated with the first node and a secret key related to the public key, the apparatus comprising a second node of the communication network, the second node comprising:
 a communication interface; and   a processor coupled to the communication interface, the processor being configured:   to authenticate the first node using an identity-based authentication algorithm based on the public key and the secret key; and   when the first node is successfully authenticated, to permit the first node to receive information from the communication network.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the public key is the identifier associated with the first node. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the public key is derived from the identifier associated with the first node. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to authenticate the first node using an identity-based authentication algorithm by:
 receiving information from the first node at the second node; and   confirming, at the second node, that the received information was derived using the secret key for the first node.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to permit the first node to receive information from the communication network by transmitting information via the communication network to the first node. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to permit the first node to receive information from the communication network by transmitting configuration information via the communication network to the first node. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein, before the first node is authenticated by the second node, the first node has no parameters for accessing the communication network other than the public key, the secret key and at least one network address, the at least one network address comprising a network address of the second node. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the public key comprises a one-way function of the identifier associated with the first node. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one-way function comprises a hash function. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a secret generator configured:
 to generate the secret key from the identifier associated with the first node; and   to provide the secret key to the first node.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the second node is configured to transmit information to the first node via the communication network. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the second node is configured to transmit information to the first node by transmitting encrypted information to the first node. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the second node is configured to transmit encrypted information to the first node by transmitting information encrypted using identity-based encryption.