SELF-CONFIGURING WIRELESS NETWORK

• US 20140053246A1
• Filed: 12/18/2012
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mivalife Mobile Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mivalife Mobile Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Longgang, Lee, Kuochun, Gu, Keqin, Lu, Chengrong, Chen, Tsungyen, Xie, Qiang, Zhang, Jingui
• Granted Patent: US 9,401,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0431 Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, are provided for wireless networking In some implementations, a self-configuring wireless system includes at least one wireless network device; and an access point device; wherein the access point device and the at least one wireless network device are preconfigured with a common key so as to enable the access point device to establish a secure wireless network with the at least one network device using the common key upon powering up the access point device and the at least one wireless network device at a user site.

Claims

1. A self-configuring wireless system comprising:

at least one wireless network device; and

an access point device;

wherein the access point device and the at least one wireless network device are preconfigured with a common key so as to enable the access point device to establish a secure wireless network with the at least one network device using the common key upon powering up the access point device and the at least one wireless network device at a user site.

2. The self-configuring wireless system of claim 1, wherein the access point device is configured to automatically establish communication with a remote service provider device.

3. The self-configuring wireless system of claim 2, wherein the access point device is configured to update the at least one wireless network device with a first new key, and re-establish the wireless network using the first new key.

4. The self-configuring wireless system of claim 3, wherein the first new key is received from a remote service provider device, the first new key uniquely identifying a user and derived using one or more unique user identifiers, the user identifiers including one or more of a user telephone number, address, email address, social security number, driver'"'"'s license number, or credit card number.

5. The self-configuring wireless system of claim 3, wherein the access point device is configured to generate the first new key using a unique identifier of the access point device.

6. The self-configuring wireless system of claim 3, wherein the access point device is configured to receive a second new key after previously receiving the first new key and to share the second new key with the at least one wireless network device so that the second new key is usable instead of the first new key to establish the wireless network.

7. The self-configuring wireless system of claim 3, wherein a new wireless network device is preconfigured with the common key, and wherein the access point device is configured to receive an indication to add the new wireless network device to an established wireless network by:

re-establishing the wireless network using the common key to add the new wireless network device to the re-established wireless network;

sharing the first new key with at least the new wireless network device; and

re-establishing the wireless network using the first new key.

8. The self-configuring wireless system of claim 1, wherein the access point device is preconfigured to be in bridge mode and to assign one or more addresses to each at least one wireless network device.

9. The self-configuring wireless system of claim 1, wherein the common key uniquely identifies a user.

10. The self-configuring wireless system of claim 1, wherein the common key is a default key.

11. The self-configuring wireless system of claim 1, wherein the access point device is configured to communicate with the at least one wireless network device using one of a WiFi, Bluetooth, Z-Wave, ZigBee, and 433 mhz RF wireless network protocol.

12. A service provider system comprising:

an Internet gateway for accessing the Internet; and

a server computer configured to establish a connection through the Internet with an access point device, receive a request from an authorized device to add a new wireless network device to a wireless network established by the access point device, and transmit an instruction to the access point device to re-establish the wireless network to include the new wireless network device.

13. The service provider system of claim 12, wherein the server computer is configured to determine the authority of the authorized device from a list of authorized devices associated with the access point device.

14. The service provider system of claim 12, wherein the server computer is configured to transmit a new key to the access point device, wherein the new key is used by the access point device to re-establish the wireless network using the new key instead of a previously used key.

15. The service provider system of claim 12, wherein the server computer is configured to periodically transmit a new key to the access point device, wherein the new key is used by the access point device to re-establish the wireless network using the new key instead of a previously used key.

16. The service provider system of claim 15, wherein the server computer is configured to periodically generate the new key by using one of a random number generator and a pseudo-random number generator with a unique identification of a user as a seed.

17. A service provider system comprising:

an Internet gateway for accessing the Internet; and

a server computer configured to establish a connection through the Internet with an access point device, generate a first new key derived from information of a user associated with the access point device, and transmit the first new key to the access point device so that the access point device may re-establish a wireless network using the new key.

18. The service provider system of claim 17, wherein the server computer is configured to periodically generate a second new key derived from information of the user associated with the access point device and transmit the second new key to the access point device so that the access point device may re-establish a secure wireless network using the second new key.

19. The service provider system of claim 17, wherein the second key is generated using unique user information including one or more unique user identifiers, the user identifiers including one or more of a user telephone number, address, email address, social security number, driver'"'"'s license number, or credit card number.

20. The service provider system of claim 19, wherein the one or more unique user identifiers are obtained from a user account associated with the wireless network.

21. An access point device for a secure wireless network, the access point device comprising:

a memory for storing a configuration file; and

a controller configured to periodically generate a first new key, store the first new key in the configuration file, share the first new key with wireless enabled network devices connected to the wireless network, and re-establish the wireless network using the first new key.

22. The access point device of claim 21, further comprising communication interface logic coupled to the controller so that the controller is capable of communicating with the wireless network devices using at least one of a WiFi, Bluetooth, Z-Wave, ZigBee, and 433 mhz RF wireless network protocol.

23. The access point device of claim 21, further comprising communication interface logic coupling to the controller to an Internet gateway, wherein the controller is configured to send the first new key to a server through the Internet gateway for storing on a memory of the server.

24. A method comprising:

programming an access point device and at least one wireless enabled device with a common key so as to enable the access point device to establish a self-configuring wireless network using the common key upon powering up the access point device and the at least one wireless enabled device at a user site.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

preconfiguring the access point device to be in access point mode; and

disabling a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server of the access point device.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the common key uniquely identifies a user of the wireless network.

27. A method for adding a new wireless enabled device to a self-configuring wireless network established using a new key, the method comprising:

receiving a request to add the new wireless enabled device to the wireless network, wherein the new wireless enabled device is preprogramed with a default key;

re-establishing the wireless network using the default key to add the new wireless enabled device to the re-established wireless network;

sharing the new key with the new wireless enabled device; and

re-establishing the wireless network using the new key.

28. A method for automatically updating a new key to be used for establishing a wireless network, the method comprising:

generating the new key so as to be derived from information of a user associated with an access point device; and

transmitting the new key to the access point device so that the access point device may re-establish a wireless network using the new key.

29. A method for automatically updating a new key to be used for establishing a wireless network, the method comprising:

periodically generating a different new key;

storing the different new key in a configuration file;

sharing the different new key with wireless enabled network devices connected to the wireless network; and

re-establishing the wireless network using the different new key.

30. A method for providing a plurality of wireless network devices to an end user such that the plurality of wireless network devices are easily installable into a wireless network by the user, the method comprising:

preconfiguring the plurality of wireless network devices with a common key that is used for establishing the wireless network; and

providing the preconfigured plurality of wireless network devices to the end user.

31. A system comprising:

an access point device;

a first extending device; and

one or more wireless network devices,

wherein the access point device, the first extending device, and the one or more wireless network devices each include a common key so as to enable the access point device to establish a secure wireless network with the one or more network devices through the first extending device using the common key upon powering up the access point device, the first extending device, and the one or more wireless network devices at a user site.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the first extending device is a wireless repeater or bridge device.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the first extending device allows each of the one or more wireless network devices to communicate with the access point device.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the access point device is configured to update the one or more wireless network devices and the first extending device with a first new key, and re-establish the wireless network using the first new key.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the first new key is received from a remote service provider device, the first new key uniquely identifying a user and derived using one or more unique user identifiers, the user identifiers including one or more of a user telephone number, address, email address, social security number, driver'"'"'s license number, or credit card number.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the access point device is configured to generate the first new key using a unique identifier of the access point device.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the access point device is configured to receive a second new key after previously receiving the first new key and to share the second new key with the one or more wireless network devices and the first extending device so that the second new key is usable instead of the first new key to establish the wireless network.

38. The system of claim 31, further comprising one or more additional wireless network devices positioned such that they can directly communicate with the access point device.

39. The system of claim 31, further comprising a second extending device, wherein the first extending device and the second extending device extend a range of the access point device.