Method for setting up a star-shaped communication network consisting of a central node and peripheral nodes via a web application provided by the central node on the basis of hardware identifiers

• US 10,050,839 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Appbyyou GmbH
• Original Assignee: Appbyyou GmbH
• Inventors: Winkler-Teufel, Alexandra, Erik, Igor
• Primary Examiner(s): Elpenord, Candal
• Application Number:
  US14/366,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20140362734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,062 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/70 specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/44 Star or tree networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 Graphical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

As an alternative to known communication systems which are available on the Internet and set up voice-over-IP links between users, the invention provides for the setup of a star-shaped communication network. To this end, a software generator first of all generates a native application which acts as a central node and, when required, for its part generates Internet applications that allow communication with the native application.

Claims

1. A method for setting up a star-shaped communication network, the method comprising steps of:

first, creating a central node on a central device via

generating via a software generator running on the central device a program product having a communication interface, and

executing, via the central device, the program product as a native application,

connecting peripheral nodes to the central node via

providing a unique hardware address of a related peripheral device to the central node by way of a near-field communication in a manner such that the related peripheral device is uniquely identified to the central node, the near-field communication taking place in that the unique hardware address is encrypted in a two-dimensional barcode and reproduced on a display of the related peripheral node, in each instance, and recorded using an optical sensor of the central node, in each instance, and decrypted in the central node,

generating, via the program product, an Internet application for exclusive communication with the central node, the Internet application being stored on an internet server, an executability of the Internet application being linked to the unique hardware address, and

executing the Internet application via a peripheral device in that the peripheral device accesses the internet server by way of a data connection and the Internet application is run in an internet browser of the peripheral device, and

using the central node as a switching node for a communication connection between multiple peripheral nodes, reciprocal communication among the peripheral nodes via the Internet application only being possible via the central node functioning as the switching node,

wherein the program product generates a separate, identifiable Internet application for every peripheral node to be added.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the program product assigns a unique access code to every Internet application, which code identifies the Internet application during communication with the central node.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the program product maintains a White List in which the access codes of all the Internet applications generated by the program product are stored, and wherein the White List is checked with regard to validity of an access code during the course of setting up communication between the central node and a peripheral node, using the access code.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein in order to carry out the near-field communication, the software generator is equipped with a near-field communication interface, and the near-field communication is also performed on the peripheral device.