Credential Transfer Management Camera Network

• US 20140028818A1
• Filed: 07/25/2012
• Published: 01/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
• Inventors: Brockway, Richard T. III, Youel, Jeffrey S., Chen, John S., Barbier, Fabrice
• Granted Patent: US 8,995,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/283 Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

A camera detects devices, such as other cameras, smart devices, and access points, with which the camera may communicate. The camera may alternate between operating as a wireless station and a wireless access point. The camera may connect to and receive credentials from a device for another device to which it is not connected. In one embodiment, the camera is configured to operate as a wireless access point, and is configured to receive credentials from a smart device operating as a wireless station. The camera may then transfer the credentials to additional cameras, each configured to operate as wireless stations. The camera and additional cameras may connect to a smart device directly or indirectly (for instance, through an access point), and the smart device may change the camera mode of the cameras. The initial modes of the cameras may be preserved and restored by the smart device upon disconnection.

Claims

1. A first camera, the first camera comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the first camera to:

receive, at the first camera, wireless credentials for a communication device configured to operate as a wireless access point;

configure the first camera to operate as a wireless access point;

detect a second camera configured to operate as a wireless station;

connect to the second camera; and

send the received wireless credentials to the second camera.

2. The first camera of claim 1, wherein configuring the first camera to operate as a wireless access point comprises configuring the first camera to operate in access point mode or in ad hoc mode.

3. The first camera of claim 1, wherein the second camera is configured to connect to the communication device responsive to receiving the wireless credentials for the communication device from the first camera.

4. The first camera of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the camera to:

configure the first camera to operate as a wireless station; and

connect to the communication device with the received wireless credentials.

5. The first camera of claim 1, wherein receiving at the first camera wireless credentials for a communication device comprises:

connecting to a smart device possessing the wireless credentials for the communication device; and

receiving the wireless credentials for the communication device from the smart device.

6. The first camera of claim 5, wherein the first camera is configured to connect to a smart device via a communication port, and wherein the smart device is configured to transmit the wireless credentials for the communication device to the first camera via the communication port.

7. The first camera of claim 5, wherein the smart device is configured to encode the wireless credentials for the communication device into an audio signal and to transmit the audio signal to the first camera, and wherein the first camera is configured to receive the audio signal and to decode the audio signal to obtain the wireless credentials.

8. The first camera of claim 7, wherein receiving the audio signal comprises receiving the audio signal through an audio communication port of the first camera.

9. The first camera of claim 7, wherein the smart device is configured to play the audio signal on a speaker of the smart device and wherein receiving the audio signal comprises receiving the audio signal through a microphone of the first camera.

10. The first camera of claim 5, wherein the smart device is configured to encode the wireless credentials into an image and to display the image on a display of the smart device, wherein connecting to the smart device comprises capturing the displayed image, and wherein the first camera is further configured to decode the captured image to obtain the wireless credentials.

11. The first camera of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the camera to:

detect a third camera configured to operate as a wireless station;

connect to the third camera; and

send the received wireless credentials to the third camera.

12. The first camera of claim 11, wherein the first camera is configured to send the received wireless credentials to the second camera and the third camera at substantially the same time.

13. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first camera, wireless credentials for a communication device configured to operate as a wireless access point;

configuring the first camera to operate as a wireless access point;

detecting a second camera configured to operate as a wireless station;

connecting to the second camera; and

sending the received wireless credentials to the second camera.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second camera is configured to connect to the communication device responsive to receiving the wireless credentials for the communication device from the first camera.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the method performed by the first camera further comprises:

configuring the first camera to operate as a wireless station; and

connecting to the communication device with the received wireless credentials.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving at the first camera wireless credentials for a communication device comprises:

connecting to a smart device possessing the wireless credentials for the communication device; and

receiving the wireless credentials for the communication device from the smart device.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the method performed by the first camera further comprises:

detecting a third camera configured to operate as a wireless station;

connecting to the third camera; and

sending the received wireless credentials to the third camera.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first camera is configured to send the received wireless credentials to the second camera and the third camera at substantially the same time.

20. A first camera, the first camera comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the first camera to:

receive, at the first camera, wireless credentials for a communication device;

detect a second camera configured to communicate with the first camera;

connect to the second camera; and

send the received wireless credentials to the second camera.