System, Apparatus and Method for Automated Wireless Device Configuration

• US 20070146782A1
• Filed: 03/01/2007
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Mannion, Michael, Nobutani, Tsutomu, Lehotsky, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,940,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/26 using dedicated tools for LAN [Local Area Network] management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method and system for automatically configuring a plurality of wireless peripheral devices within a network environment. The method includes identifying a plurality of wireless peripheral devices, including one existing networked wireless device. The existing networked wireless device is configured to function as a master device. The master device identifies one of the remaining wireless peripheral devices that has yet to be configured. The master device replicates itself by wirelessly transmitting the configuration data to the identified wireless peripheral device. The configuration data enables the identified peripheral wireless device to assume network operation and to assume functionality of the master device so as to be capable of automatically causing the configuration of additional peripheral devices.

Claims

1. A method of automated wireless peripheral device configuration in a network environment, the method comprising:

conditioning an existing networked device to transmit configuration data to a new peripheral device that is to be added to the network environment;

automatically applying the configuration data to the new peripheral device to enable the new peripheral device to assume network operation;

requesting, by the existing networked device, that the new peripheral device transmit at least a portion of the configuration data to a second peripheral device that is to be added to the network environment; and

automatically applying the transmitted configuration data to the second peripheral device to enable the second peripheral device to assume network operation.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the conditioning comprises operating the transmitting device as a master device in response to the receipt of a host start signal.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

forwarding the configuration data from a host device that is operably connected to the existing networked device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the conditioning occurs as a result of a signal received by the existing networked device from a host device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the configuration data is transmitted over a wireless communication link.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the new peripheral device and the second peripheral device comprise a printer.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the configuration data includes one or more of the following:

service set identifier (“

SSID”

) information;

wireless network access point identification information;

security setting information;

network mode information;

network transmission rate;

RTS threshold;

power management information;

access point density;

simple network management protocol (“

SNMP”

) settings; and

line printer requester (“

LPR”

) settings.

8. A method of automated device configuration in a network, the method comprising:

receiving a configuration dataset from a master device, the configuration dataset including at least one network setting parameter;

receiving a master settings dataset;

automatically applying the configuration data to a peripheral device to enable the peripheral device to assume network operation;

upon receipt of a master start signal, scanning for one or more peripheral devices in accordance with at least one parameter contained in the master settings dataset;

upon identification of a peripheral device in the scanning step, forwarding at least a portion of the configuration dataset to the identified peripheral device, whereby the identified peripheral device can apply the forwarded configuration dataset to assume network operation.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising the step of conditioning the identified peripheral device to function as a master device by sending a master start signal to the identified peripheral device.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein communication of the configuration dataset and the master start signal to the identified peripheral device occurs via a wireless communication link.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the network setting parameter comprises:

service set identifier (“

SSID”

) information;

wireless network access point identification information;

security setting information;

network mode information;

network transmission rate;

RTS threshold;

power management information;

access point density;

simple network management protocol (“

SNMP”

) settings;

or line printer requester (“

LPR”

) settings.

12. In a network environment, a method of automatically configuring a plurality of wireless peripheral devices, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of wireless peripheral devices;

transferring a configuration database to a existing networked wireless device and conditioning the existing networked wireless device to function as a master device;

identifying one of the remaining wireless peripheral devices;

replicating the master device by wirelessly transmitting at least a portion of the configuration database from the master device to the identified wireless peripheral device, the configuration data enabling the identified peripheral wireless device to assume network operation and to assume functionality of the master device; and

repeating the identifying and the replicating steps.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the configuration database is transferred to the exiting networked wireless device via a wired connection.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the repeating occurs until all of the plurality of wireless peripheral devices have received the configuration data, thereby enabling each of the plurality of wireless peripheral devices to assume network operation.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the replicating step includes:

wirelessly transmitting a master start command from the master device to the identified wireless peripheral device for instructing the identified wireless peripheral device to assume master functionality of the wireless master device.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

utilizing an ad hoc wireless mode while replicating the master device.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

changing to an infrastructure wireless mode after replicating the master device.

18. In a network environment, a method of automatically configuring a plurality of wireless peripheral devices, the method comprising:

configuring a peripheral device at the request of a network connected master device, the configuration including automatically applying configuration data to the peripheral device to enable the peripheral device to assume network operation;

conditioning a newly configured peripheral device to function as a master device; and

repeating the configuring and conditioning steps until a predetermined number of peripheral devices have assumed network operation.

19. A peripheral device comprising:

a memory configured to store a configuration dataset received from a master device;

a memory configured to store peripheral device configuration program code;

a processor conditionable to automatically execute the program code and apply network settings in accordance with at least one parameter contained in the configuration dataset, and to condition the processor to a master mode in response to receipt of a master start command and cause wireless transmission of at least a portion of the configuration dataset to a second peripheral device; and

wireless communication circuitry.

20. A peripheral device according to claim 19, wherein the peripheral device is a printer.