A system of smart edge sensors, wherein security and encryption is pushed to the edge of the network. In one example, an electronic device includes several sensors. The device is operated by a microprocessor. A plurality of smart edge devices are each interposed between a respective sensor and the microprocessor and intercepts communication between the sensor and the microprocessor. The smart edge device encrypt any data output by the sensor, and decrypt any data received from the microprocessor. In one example the smart edge device is implemented as a system on a chip (SoC).
Claim CLM-00001. 1. A smart edge module configured to be inserted between a communication bus of an electronic device and a sensor, the electronic device having a device processor running a device operating system, the smart edge module comprising:
an interface adapter configured for receiving raw data from the sensor; a bus adapter configured for handling communications with the device bus; a module bus coupled to the interface adapter and bus adapter; a module processor configured for encrypting the raw data; a module memory storing a module operating system; and an encryption accelerator configured for acceleration encryption of the raw data.
Claim CLM-00006. 6. A smart edge module configured to be inserted between a communication bus of an electronic device and a sensor, the electronic device having a device processor running a device operating system, the smart edge module comprising:
an interface adapter configured for receiving raw data from the sensor; a bus adapter configured for handling communications with the device bus; a module bus coupled to the interface adapter and bus adapter; a module processor configured for encrypting the raw data; a module memory storing a module operating system; and wherein the module processor is configured to encrypt the raw data according to instructions of a local contract stored in the module memory.
Claim CLM-00008. 8. A smart edge module configured to be inserted between a communication bus of an electronic device and a sensor, the electronic device having a device processor running a device operating system, the smart edge module comprising:
an interface adapter configured for receiving raw data from the sensor; a bus adapter configured for handling communications with the device bus; a module bus coupled to the interface adapter and bus adapter; a module processor configured for encrypting the raw data; a module memory storing a module operating system; and a command filter configured to discard unauthorized communication directed at the module processor.
Claim CLM-00011. 11. An electronic device, comprising:
a device processor executing a device operating system (OS); a device bus; a device memory coupled to the device bus; a plurality of sensors; at least one security module, interposed between at least one corresponding sensor of the plurality of sensors and the device bus, the security module configured to receive a raw data signal from the corresponding sensor, encrypt at least part of the raw data signal to generate an encrypted signal, and transmit the encrypted signal to the device bus; and a pre-processing module configured to filter the raw data signal and generate a filtered signal, wherein encrypting at least part of the raw data signal comprises encrypting the filtered signal.
Claim CLM-00012. 12. An electronic device comprising:
a device processor executing a device operating system (OS); a device bus; a device memory coupled to the device bus; a plurality of sensors; at least one security module, interposed between at least one corresponding sensor of the plurality of sensors and the device bus, the security module configured to receive a raw data signal from the corresponding sensor, encrypt at least part of the raw data signal to generate an encrypted signal, and transmit the encrypted signal to the device bus; and a device driver residing in the device memory and configured to facilitate communication between the device processor and the security module.
Claim CLM-00018. 18. In an electronic device having a device processor running a device operating system on a device bus and communicating with a plurality of sensors, a method comprising:
providing a plurality of security modules and interposing each between a corresponding sensor of the plurality of sensors and the device bus; operating each of the security modules to perform the steps of:
intercepting raw data signal output from the corresponding sensor;encrypting at least part of the raw data signal to generate an encrypted signal;transmitting the encrypted signal onto the device bus; andfiltering the raw data signal to generate a filtered signal, wherein encrypting at least part of the raw data signal comprises encrypting the filtered signal.
Claim CLM-00019. 19. In an electronic device having a device processor running a device operating system on a device bus and communicating with a plurality of sensors, a method comprising:
providing a plurality of security modules and interposing each between a corresponding sensor of the plurality of sensors and the device bus; operating each of the security modules to perform the steps of:
intercepting raw data signal output from the corresponding sensor;encrypting at least part of the raw data signal to generate an encrypted signal;transmitting the encrypted signal onto the device bus; and
maintaining a secure contract in a module memory of each of the security modules, and updating the security contract with decryption key and list of authorized readers.
Claim CLM-00022. 22. In an electronic device having a device processor running a device operating system on a device bus and communicating with a plurality of sensors, a method comprising:
providing a plurality of security modules and interposing each between a corresponding sensor of the plurality of sensors and the device bus; operating each of the security modules to perform the steps of: intercepting raw data signal output from the corresponding sensor; encrypting at least part of the raw data signal to generate an encrypted signal; transmitting the encrypted signal onto the device bus; and operating each of the security modules to perform the further steps of: intercepting each transmission of the device bus directed at the security module; decrypting the transmission and deciphering whether a header in the transmission is acceptable header and, if yes, decrypting the remainder of the transmission; otherwise discarding the transmission.
