Secure and intuitive method for wireless network set-up and associated device and system

• US 20050143129A1
• Filed: 12/24/2003
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Funk, Karsten, Dietrich, Arne
• Granted Patent: US 7,328,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/560
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play

Abstract

A method for configuring a wireless network includes pointing a first end of a network configuration device at a wireless device and actuating the network configuration device to add the wireless device to the wireless network. The method may include positioning the first end in close proximity to the wireless device. A device is provided for configuring wireless networks that includes a transmitter configured to transmit at least one of an initiation signal and a connection table to a wireless device. The initiation signal is sent by the device to the wireless device to add or delete the wireless device from a network that is being configured. The connection table includes information about each wireless device that has previously been added to the network. A receiver is included in the device that is adapted to receive at least one of the connection table and a unique identifier from the wireless device. A memory is included in the device that is configured to store the connection table and electrically coupled to the transmitter and the receiver. The transmitter includes an infrared transmitter or a radio frequency transmitter and the receiver includes an infrared receiver or a radio frequency receiver. A system is provided that includes a pointing device including a connection table and a plurality of wireless network devices wirelessly couplable with the pointing device and with each other.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a wireless network, comprising:

pointing a first end of a network configuration device at a wireless device; and

selecting the wireless device by the network configuration device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting by the network configuration device includes positioning the first end in close proximity to the wireless device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting by the network configuration device includes actuating a first button of the network configuration device.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

actuating a second button to delete one of the wireless device and a further wireless device from the wireless network.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

pointing a second end of the network configuration device at the wireless device, the second end opposite the first end; and

actuating the first button to delete the wireless device from the wireless network.

6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

pointing the first end of the network configuration device at a further wireless device; and

actuating the first button to add the further wireless device to the wireless network.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

pointing a second end of the network configuration device at the further wireless device, the second end opposite the first end; and

actuating the first button to delete the further wireless device from the wireless network.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the selecting of the wireless device by the network configuration device includes transmitting by the network configuration device an initiation signal.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting by the wireless device, in response to the initiation signal, a unique identifier that identifies the wireless device uniquely.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

updating by the network configuration device a connection table with the unique identifier of the wireless device; and

transmitting by the network configuration device the updated connection table to the wireless device.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

encrypting by one of the network configuration device and the wireless device the updated connection table.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting by the wireless device the updated connection table to at least one other wireless device within communication range of the wireless device;

wherein, if the at least one other wireless device is included in the updated connection table, the wireless device and the at least one other wireless device use the updated connection table to configure the wireless network.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

resetting the connection table in the network configuration device.

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting by the network configuration device a connection table to the wireless device;

updating by the wireless device the connection table with the unique identifier of the wireless device; and

transmitting by the wireless device the updated connection table to the network configuration device.

15. The method according to claim 8, wherein the initiation signal includes at least one of a unique identifier of the network configuration device and a key, the key adapted to at least one of encrypt and decrypt a connection table.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

decrypting the connection table by the wireless device using the key;

adding a unique identifier of the wireless device to the connection table, the unique identifier identifying the wireless device uniquely;

encrypting the connection table using the key; and

transmitting the encrypted connection table to at least one further wireless device.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sequentially repeating the step of pointing the network configuration device at at least one further wireless device;

sequentially repeating the step of selecting the at least one further wireless device by the network configuration device; and

synchronizing all of the wireless devices by transmitting a connection table including configuration information for the wireless device and the at least one further wireless device from a last-connected wireless device of the at least further wireless device, the connection table being transmitted to each other wireless device.

18. An apparatus for configuring wireless networks, comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit at least one of an initiation signal and a connection table to a wireless device, the initiation signal being sent by the apparatus to the wireless device to one of add and delete the wireless device from a wireless network being configured, the connection table including information about each wireless device which has previously been added to the network; and

a receiver adapted to receive at least one of the connection table and a unique identifier from the wireless device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus includes one of a handheld remote control and a mobile phone.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the transmitter includes one of an infrared transmitter, an inductive coupling arrangement, an ultrasonic transmitter, and a radio frequency transmitter; and

the receiver includes one of an infrared receiver, an inductive coupling arrangement, an ultrasonic receiver, and a radio frequency receiver.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

an add button electrically coupled to the transmitter; and

a delete button electrically coupled to the transmitter.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a memory configured to store the connection table and electrically coupled to the transmitter and the receiver

23. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a processor adapted to update the connection table with the unique identifier.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a further transmitter including one of a further infrared transmitter, an inductive coupling arrangement, an ultrasonic transmitter, and a further radio frequency transmitter;

a further receiver including one of a further infrared receiver, an inductive coupling arrangement, an ultrasonic receiver, and a further radio frequency receiver; and

an actuating button coupled to the transmitter and the further transmitter.

25. A system comprising:

a pointing device including at least one of a connection table and an encryption/decryption key; and

wireless network devices configured to communicate wirelessly with the pointing device and with each other wireless network device.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein:

each of the wireless devices is adapted to receive an interrogation signal from the pointing device;

each of the wireless devices is adapted to send a unique identifier to the pointing device; and

each of the wireless devices is adapted to receive a connection table from the pointing device.

27. The system according to claim 25, wherein:

each of the wireless devices is adapted to send the connection table to each other of the plurality of wireless devices listed in the connection table; and

each of the wireless devices is adapted to form a network with all the others of the plurality of wireless devices listed in the connection table.

28. The system according to claim 25, wherein:

the connection table is encrypted by the pointing device;

the pointing device provides the key to decrypting the connection table to each of the wireless devices to which the pointing device sends a connection table; and

the connection table is decrypted by each of the wireless devices.

29. The system according to claim 25, wherein:

each of the wireless devices is adapted to receive the encryption/decryption key from the pointing device;

each of the wireless devices is adapted to decrypt the connection table, add a unique identifier of the wireless devices to the connection table, and to encrypt the new connection table; and

each of the wireless devices is adapted to transmit the encrypted new connection table to each other wireless device.