A public key infrastructure for compliant spectrum use by wireless devices

Abstract: A multitude of wireless devices for radio local area networks (RLAN) use frequency bands that are shared with other radio services or applications. European market surveillance activities on 5 GHz RLAN indicate a growing number of non-compliant devices that do not fulfill all radio regulation requirements and may cause interference. This paper describes a concept and method for mitigating the use of non-compliant equipment based on a public key infrastructure. If every RLAN device holds a security certificate, which is revoked when non-compliance is found, then the connection establishment between devices can be made dependent on compliance. The aim is that legitimate equipment rejects connections to non-compliant devices, so that non-compliant devices will become isolated.