Network discovery and selection

• US 10,028,316 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2015
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Klein, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, ANDREW CHUNG CHEUNG
• Application Number:
  US14/680,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20150289296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A device for network discovery and selection includes at least one processor circuit that is configured to determine a number of networks available for connection within a configurable set of frequency bands. The at least one processor circuit is further configured to, when a single network is available for connection, and the single network being open, automatically connect to the single network. The at least one processor circuit is further configured to, when multiple networks are available for connection, the multiple networks comprising at least one open network and at least one private network: initiate a timer. The at least one processor circuit is further configured to initiate a connection with the at least one private network when a protected setup is initiated for the connection prior to the timer reaching a timeout value, otherwise connect to the at least one open network.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

at least one processor circuit configured to;

determine a number of networks available for connection within a configurable set of frequency bands;

when a single network is available for connection, the single network being open, automatically connect to the single network; and

when multiple networks are available for connection, the multiple networks comprising at least one open network and at least one private network;

initiate a timer;

initiate the connection with the at least one private network when a protected setup is initiated for establishing the connection prior to the timer reaching a timeout value; and

connect to the at least one open network when the timer reaches the timeout value prior to the protected setup being initiated for establishing the connection.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a protected setup input device that is configured to initiate the protected setup when activated by a user.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the protected setup input device comprises an electro-mechanical input device.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the electro-mechanical input device comprises at least one of a push button or a keypad.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor circuit is further configured to:

when the protected setup is initiated for the connection prior to the timer reaching the timeout value;

wait a period of time to receive an indication of a user selection of one of the at least one private networks; and

in response to receipt of the indication of the user selection of the one of the at least one private networks, connect to the one of the at least one private networks.

6. The device of claim 5, where the at least one processor circuit is further configured to:

connect to the at least one open network when the user selection of the one of the at least one private networks does not occur within the period of time.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the user selection of the one of the at least one private networks comprises a user activation of another protected setup input device of another device of the one of the at least one private networks.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor circuit is further configured to:

scan for available networks within a configurable set of frequency bands.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor circuit is further configured to:

automatically connect to the single network without user input, without initiating the timer, and without waiting for the timer to reach the timeout value.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein first transmissions over the at least one private network are encrypted and second transmissions over the at least one open network are unencrypted.

11. The device of claim 1, where the at least one processor circuit is further configured to:

when the multiple networks comprise exclusively private networks or exclusively open networks;

initiate the connection with one of the multiple networks when the protected setup is initiated.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor circuit is further configured to:

when the multiple networks comprise exclusively private networks or exclusively open networks and the protected setup is initiated;

wait a period of time to receive an indication of a user selection of one of the multiple networks; and

in response to receipt of the indication of the user selection of the one of the multiple networks, connect to the one of the multiple networks.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the user selection of the one of the multiple networks comprises a user activation of a protected setup input device of another device of the one of the multiple networks.

14. A method comprising:

scanning, by a device, for network transmissions over a network infrastructure;

identifying, by the device, the network transmissions over the network infrastructure that correspond to at least one network utilizing open or private network transmissions;

automatically connecting, by the device, to the at least one network when the at least one network exclusively comprises a first network that utilizes open network transmissions; and

when the at least one network comprises the first network that utilizes open network transmissions and a second network that utilizes private network transmissions, initiating the connection to the second network when a protected setup is initiated within a period of time, otherwise connecting to the first network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the network transmissions that correspond to at least one network are received from a network coordinator device associated with the at least one network.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the protected setup is initiated when a user activates a protected setup input device.

17. A computer program product comprising instructions stored in a tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the instructions when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

discover available networks on a network infrastructure;

automatically connect to a first network without privacy when the available networks exclusively comprises the first network without privacy and when a protected setup is not initiated within a first period of time and the available networks includes the first network without privacy and a second network with privacy; and

otherwise wait for activation of a protected setup input device to initiate the protected setup.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

detect the initiation of the protected setup;

wait for a user selection of one of the available networks; and

in response to the user selection of the one of the available networks, connect to the one of the available networks.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

when the available networks includes the first network without privacy and the second network with privacy and the user selection of the one of the available networks is not received within a second period of time, automatically connect to the first network without privacy.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the protected setup is initiated when a user activates the protected setup input device and the user selection of the one of the available networks comprises a user activation of another protected setup input device of a device associated with the one of the available networks.