Systems and methods for provisioning devices

• US 10,044,559 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2016
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Linsky, Joel Benjamin, Sprigg, Stephen Alton
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, HARUN UR R
• Application Number:
  US15/261,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20170214573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 370311, 370328, 370329, 370466, 370252, 370254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Systems and methods for provisioning devices to access a wireless communication network are described. This provisioning is based upon a correlation between a first time value when operating power is applied to a first device, and a second time value when operating power is applied to a second device. These two time values may be compared using messaging between the two devices, and provisioning information may be transmitted from one device to another based upon an observed correlation between the two time values.

Claims

1. A method for provisioning, the method comprising:

by a first device, in response to a correlation among a first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and a second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to a second device, sending, to the second device, provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the second device to a service via a wireless network, wherein the provisioning information is configured for use by the second device to access the service via the wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

by the first device, receiving a message from the second device;

by the first device, using the message from the second device to obtain the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device; and

by the first device, determining the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device; and

wherein in response to the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device, sending, to the second device, provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the second device to the service via the wireless network comprises;

by the first device, in response to determining the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device, sending, to the second device, the provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the second device to the service via the wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

by the first device, sending a message from the first device to the second device, wherein the second device is configured to;

a) receive the message from the first device;

b) use the message from the first device to obtain the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device;

c) determine the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device; and

d) send, to the first device, an indication of the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device; and

by the first device, receiving, from the second device, the indication of the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device; and

wherein in response to the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device, sending, to the second device, provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the second device to the service via the wireless network comprises;

by the first device, in response to receiving, from the second device, the indication of the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device, sending, to the second device, the provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the second device to the service via the wireless network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning information, which is sent by the first device to the second device in response to the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device, comprises a network name for accessing the wireless network and a network password for accessing the wireless network;

and

wherein the second device is configured to use the network name and the network password, which are sent by the first device to the second device in response to the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device, to access the service via the wireless network.

5. A method for provisioning comprising:

by a wireless device, receiving, from a first device, provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the wireless device to a service via a wireless network, the provisioning information sent by the first device in response to a correlation among a first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and a second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device; and

by the wireless device, using the received provisioning information, which was sent by the first device in response to the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device, to access the service via the wireless network.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

by the wireless device, sending a message from the wireless device to the first device, wherein the first device is configured to;

a) receive the message from the wireless device;

b) use the message from the wireless device to obtain the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device;

c) determine the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device; and

d) in response to determining the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device, send, to the wireless device, the provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the wireless device to the service via the wireless network.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

by the wireless device, receiving a message from the first device;

by the wireless device, using the message from the first device to obtain the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device;

by the wireless device, determining the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device; and

by the wireless device, sending, to the first device, an indication of the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device, wherein the first device is configured to;

a) receive, from the wireless device, the indication of the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device; and

b) in response to receiving, from the wireless device, the indication of the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device, send, to the wireless device, the provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the wireless device to the service via the wireless network.

8. An apparatus for provisioning, the apparatus comprising:

a first device comprising;

a processor configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

in response to a correlation among a first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and a second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to a second device, sending, to the second device, provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the second device to a service via a wireless network, wherein the provisioning information is configured for use by the second device to access the service via the wireless network.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising determining the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that:

in response to the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device, sending, to the second device, the provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the second device to the service via the wireless network comprises;

in response to determining the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device, sending, to the second device, the provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the second device to the service via the wireless network.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

receiving a message from the second device; and

using the message from the second device to obtain the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the message from the second device was broadcast by the second device in response to the operating power that was applied to the second device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

broadcasting a first message in response to the operating power that was applied to the first device; and

wherein the second device sent, in response to receiving the first message, the message from the second device.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that using the message from the second device to obtain the second time value comprises generating the second time value from a time when the first device received the message from the second device.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the message from the second device includes the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second time value, which is included in the message from the second device and which is based on when operating power was applied to the second device, is a time value indicating when the second device sent the message.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second time value, which is included in the message from the second device and which is based on when operating power was applied to the second device, is a time value indicating when operating power was applied to the second device.

18. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising receiving, from the second device, an indication of the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that:

in response to the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device, sending, to the second device, the provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the second device to the service via the wireless network comprises;

by the first device, in response to receiving, from the second device, the indication of the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device, sending, to the second device, the provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the second device to the service via the wireless network.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

sending a message from the first device to the second device; and

wherein the second device is configured to use the message from the first device to obtain the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that sending the message from the first device to the second device comprises broadcasting the message from the first device in response to the operating power that was applied to the first device.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

receiving a first message from the second device; and

wherein sending the message from the first device to the second device comprises sending the message from the first device in response to receiving the first message from the second device.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the second device is configured to use the message from the first device to obtain the first time value by generating the second time value from a time when the second device received the message from the first device.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the message from the first device includes the first time value.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first time value included in the message from the first device is a time value indicating when the first device sent the message.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first time value included in the message from the first device is a time value indicating when operating power was applied to the first device.

27. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the provisioning information, which is sent to the second device in response to the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the second device, includes at least one of a credential for the wireless network, a credential for the service, or a cryptographic key.

28. A wireless device comprising:

a processor configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a first device, provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the wireless device to a service via a wireless network, the provisioning information sent by the first device in response to a correlation among a first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and a second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device; and

using the received provisioning information, which was sent by the first device in response to the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device, to access the service via the wireless network.

29. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising sending a message from the wireless device to the first device, wherein the first device is configured to:

receive the message from the wireless device;

use the message from the wireless device to obtain the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device;

determine the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device; and

in response to determining the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device, send, to the wireless device, the provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the wireless device to the service via the wireless network.

30. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

receiving a message from the first device;

using the message from the first device to obtain the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device;

determining the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device; and

sending, to the first device, an indication of the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device, wherein the first device is configured to;

a) receive, from the wireless device, the indication of the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device; and

b) in response to receiving, from the wireless device, the indication of the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device, send, to the wireless device, the provisioning information configured to facilitate access by the wireless device to the service via the wireless network.

31. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the provisioning information, which is sent to the wireless device in response to the correlation among the first time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the first device and the second time value that is based on when operating power was applied to the wireless device, includes at least one of a credential for the wireless network, a credential for the service, or a cryptographic key.