System, computer program product and method for managing and controlling a local network of electronic devices and reliably and securely adding an electronic device to the network

• US 20040015575A1
• Filed: 07/22/2002
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro
• Granted Patent: US 7,058,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system method and computer program product for setting up a wireless electronic device to join a wireless local area network (LAN). The method upon which the system and computer program product is based includes sending a setup request from the wireless electronic device to a control device, the setup request including a request to be added to the wireless LAN, and receiving at the wireless device a data package from the control device, the data package including network information necessary for the wireless device to join the wireless LAN. The network information are then executed at the wireless device to establish a wireless connection to an access point of the wireless LAN. The setup request may be sent at a low power to ensure that only the control device in close proximity can receive the request. After the wireless connection to the LAN is established, the wireless electronic device resumes full power communications.

Claims

1. A method of setting up a wireless electronic device to join a wireless local area network (LAN) comprising:

sending a setup request from the wireless electronic device to a control device via a limited access connection, said setup request including a request to be added to the wireless LAN;

receiving at the wireless device a data package from the control device, the data package including network information necessary for the wireless device to join the wireless LAN; and

utilizing the network information at the wireless device to establish a full access wireless connection to an access point of the wireless LAN.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending step comprises:

sending information identifying the wireless LAN that the wireless device is requesting to be added to; and

sending information identifying the type of wireless device requesting to be added to the wireless LAN.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said receiving step comprises receiving network protocol software operable on the wireless device identified and compatible with the LAN identified.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said sending step comprises sending information requesting optional network services for the wireless device; and

said receiving step comprises receiving network information necessary to obtain the optional network services of the wireless LAN.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said optional network services include at least one of encryption and backup storage.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending a setup request comprises sending a setup request from the wireless electronic device to the control device by way of a hard wired medium that provides limited access to the wireless electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending a setup request comprises sending a setup request from the wireless electronic device to the control device by way of a wireless medium that provides limited access to the wireless electronic device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said sending a setup request by way of a wireless medium comprises sending a wireless setup request to the control device at a low power corresponding to a predetermined range of communication less than a full communication range of the wireless device such that the control device must be within the predetermined range to receive the setup request.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said predetermined communication range is approximately one meter.

18. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for execution on a computer system, which when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to perform the steps in the method recited in any one of claims 1-17.

10. A method of using a control device to set up a wireless electronic device to join a wireless local area network (LAN) comprising:

receiving at the control device a setup request from the wireless electronic device via a limited access connection, said setup request including a request to add the wireless electronic device to the wireless LAN;

creating a data package including network information necessary for the wireless electronic device to join the wireless LAN via a full access wireless connection; and

sending the data package from the control device to the wireless electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein

said receiving step comprises:

receiving information identifying the wireless LAN that the wireless electronic device is requesting to be added to, and

receiving information identifying the type of wireless device requesting to be added to the wireless LAN; and

said creating step comprises creating a data package including network protocol software operable on the wireless electronic device identified and compatible with the LAN identified.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

said receiving step comprises receiving information requesting optional network services for the wireless device; and

said sending step comprises sending network information necessary to obtain the optional network services of the wireless LAN.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said optional network services include at least one of encryption and backup storage.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said receiving a setup request comprises receiving a setup request from the wireless electronic device via a hard wired medium that provides limited access to the wireless access device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said receiving a setup request from the wireless electronic device comprises receiving a wireless setup request from the wireless electronic device via a wireless medium that provides limited access to the wireless access device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said receiving a setup request from the wireless electronic device comprises:

locating the control device within a predetermined range of communication less than a full communication range of the wireless electronic device; and

receiving a wireless setup request transmitted at a low power corresponding to said predetermined range of communication.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said predetermined communication range is approximately one meter.

19. A wireless electronic device comprising:

a memory device having embodied therein, data related to setting up the wireless electronic device to join a wireless local area network (LAN); and

a processor in communication with said memory device, said processor configured to;

send a setup request to a control device via a limited access connection, said setup request including a request to be added to the wireless LAN;

receive a data package from the control device, the data package including network information necessary for the wireless device to join the wireless LAN; and

utilize the network information to establish a full access wireless connection to an access point of the wireless LAN.

20. The wireless electronic device of claim 19, wherein said processor is configured to send a setup request by:

sending information identifying the wireless LAN that the wireless device is requesting to be added to; and

sending information identifying the type of wireless device requesting to be added to the wireless LAN.

21. The wireless electronic device of claim 20, wherein said processor is configured to receive a data package by receiving network protocol software operable on the wireless device identified and compatible with the LAN identified.

22. The wireless electronic device of claim 19, wherein:

said processor is configured to send a setup request by sending information requesting optional network services for the wireless device; and

said processor is configured to receive a data package by receiving network information necessary to obtain the optional network services of the wireless LAN.

23. The wireless electronic device of claim 19, wherein said processor is configured to send the setup request via a hard wired medium that limits access to the wireless access device.

24. The wireless electronic device of claim 19, wherein said processor is configured to send the setup request via a wireless medium that provides limited access to the wireless electronic device.

25. The wireless electronic device of claim 24, wherein said processor is configured to control the wireless transmit power of the wireless electronic device so as to send the wireless setup request to the control device at a low power corresponding to a predetermined range of communication less than a full communication range of the wireless device such that the control device must be within the predetermined range to receive the setup request.

26. The wireless electronic device of claim 25, wherein said predetermined communication range is approximately one meter.

27. A control device comprising

a memory device having embodied therein, data related to using the control device to set up a wireless electronic device to join a wireless local area network (LAN);

and

a processor in communication with said memory device, said processor configured to;

receive a setup request from the wireless electronic device via a limited access connection, said setup request including a request to add the wireless electronic device to the wireless LAN;

create a data package including network information necessary for the wireless electronic device to join the wireless LAN via a full access connection; and

send the data package to the wireless electronic device.

28. The control device of claim 27, wherein

said processor is configured to receive a setup request by:

receiving information identifying the wireless LAN that the wireless electronic device is requesting to be added to, and

receiving information identifying the type of wireless device requesting to be added to the wireless LAN; and

said processor is configured to create a data package by creating a data package including network protocol software operable on the wireless electronic device identified and compatible with the LAN identified.

29. The control device of claim 27, wherein:

said processor is configured to receive a setup request by receiving information requesting optional network services for the wireless device; and

said processor is configured to send a data package including information necessary to obtain the optional network services of the wireless LAN.

30. The control device of claim 27, wherein said processor is configured to send the setup request via a hard wired connection that provides limited access to the wireless access device.

31. The control device of claim 27, wherein said processor is configured to receive the setup request via a wireless connection that provides limited access to the wireless access device.

32. A wireless electronic device comprising:

means for sending a setup request to a control device via a limited access connection, said setup request including a request to be added to a wireless local area network (LAN);

means for receiving a data package from the control device, the data package including network information necessary for the wireless device to join the wireless LAN; and

means for utilizing the network information at the wireless device to establish a full access wireless connection to an access point of the wireless LAN.

33. A control device used to set up a wireless electronic device to join a wireless local area network (LAN) comprising:

means for receiving at the control device a setup request from the wireless electronic devicevia a limited access connection, said setup request including a request to add the wireless electronic device to the wireless LAN;

means for creating a data package including network information necessary for the wireless electronic device to join the wireless LAN via a full access wireless access connection; and

means for sending the data package from the control device to the wireless electronic device.