PROVISIONING WIRELESS DEVICE PROFILES

• US 20140302842A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Mars Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Whistle Labs, Inc. (Mars Incorporated)
• Inventors: Eidelman, Steven, Lloyd, Kevin, Aiuto, Christ, Jacobs, Ben
• Granted Patent: US 10,271,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Approaches, techniques, and mechanisms are disclosed for provisioning wireless device profiles of a wireless computing device. In this context, a wireless device profile generally may comprise one or more network and device settings including network identifiers, network security types, network keys, and other configuration information that enables a computing device to connect to a particular wireless computer network. According one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises establishing, with a first device, a first wireless connection of a first wireless connection type; receiving, from the first device via the first wireless connection, provisioning data for establishing, with a second device, a second wireless connection of a second wireless connection type that is different than the first wireless connection type; establishing, based on the provisioning data, the second wireless connection with the second device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

establishing, with a first device, a first wireless connection of a first wireless connection type;

receiving, from the first device via the first wireless connection, provisioning data for establishing, with a second device, a second wireless connection of a second wireless connection type that is different than the first wireless connection type;

establishing, based on the provisioning data, the second wireless connection with the second device;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving the provisioning data, closing the first wireless connection with the first device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless connection type is associated with a first radio frequency band and the second wireless connection type is associated with a second radio frequency band, and wherein the first radio frequency band overlaps with the second radio frequency band.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless connection type is a Bluetooth wireless connection and the second wireless connection type is a Wi-Fi wireless connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning data represents a wireless device profile comprising one or more of a wireless network name, a wireless network security type, and a wireless network key.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is a mobile device and the second device is a wireless access point.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second wireless connection comprises one or more connection settings based on the provisioning data.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether a connection is established with the second device;

in response to determining that a connection is not established with the second device, sending a message to the first device indicating that the connection is not established;

receiving, from the first device, second provisioning data for establishing the second wireless connection;

establishing, based on the second provisioning data, the second wireless connection with the second device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning data is based on wireless connection information stored on the first device.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

sending, to a device via a first wireless connection of a first wireless connection type, a request causing the device to detect one or more wireless networks of a second wireless connection type that is different than the first wireless connection type;

receiving, from the device, wireless network data comprising identifiers of one or more detected wireless networks of the second wireless connection type;

sending, to the device, provisioning data for establishing a second wireless connection with a particular wireless network of the one or more detected wireless networks;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein sending provisioning data causes the device to establish a wireless connection of the second wireless type with the particular wireless network.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating a display of the identifiers of the one or more detected wireless networks of the second wireless connection type;

receiving user input comprising, for a particular wireless network of the detected wireless networks, one or more of a wireless network security type and a wireless network key;

wherein the provisioning data is based on the user input.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first wireless connection type is associated with a first radio frequency band and the second wireless connection type is associated with a second radio frequency band, and wherein the first radio frequency band overlaps with the second radio frequency band.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first wireless connection type is a Bluetooth wireless connection and the second wireless connection type is a Wi-Fi wireless connection.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the provisioning data represents a wireless device profile comprising one or more of a wireless network name, a wireless network security type, and a wireless network key.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the identifiers comprises a service set identifier (SSID).

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the device is a tracking device attached to a non-human animal.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the device comprises a sealed housing without any connector for a wired connection.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the first wireless connection type is a Bluetooth wireless connection and the second wireless connection type is a Wi-Fi wireless connection.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the provisioning data represents a wireless device profile comprising one or more of a wireless network name, a wireless network security type, and a wireless network key.

19. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

establishing, by a mobile computing device comprising a sealed housing without any connector for a wired connection, a Bluetooth wireless connection with a second device;

receiving, from the second device via the Bluetooth wireless connection, provisioning data for establishing, with a wireless access point, a Wi-Fi wireless connection;

in response to receiving the provisioning data, establishing the Wi-Fi wireless connection with the wireless access point;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the provisioning data comprises one or more of a wireless network name, a wireless network security type, and a wireless network key.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

establishing, with a first device, a first wireless connection of a first wireless connection type;

receiving, from the first device via the first wireless connection, provisioning data for establishing, with a second device, a second wireless connection of a second wireless connection type that is different than the first wireless connection type;

establishing, based on the provisioning data, the second wireless connection with the second device.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the one or more instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

in response to receiving the provisioning data, closing the first wireless connection with the first device.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the first wireless connection type is associated with a first radio frequency band and the second wireless connection type is associated with a second radio frequency band, and wherein the first radio frequency band overlaps with the second radio frequency band.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the first device is a mobile device and the second device is a wireless access point.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the second wireless connection comprises one or more connection settings based on the provisioning data.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the one or more instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

determining whether a connection is established with the second device;

in response to determining that a connection is not established with the second device, sending a message to the first device indicating that the connection is not established;

receiving, from the first device, second provisioning data for establishing the second wireless connection;

establishing, based on the second provisioning data, the second wireless connection with the second device.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the provisioning data is based on wireless connection information stored on the first device.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

sending, to a device via a first wireless connection of a first wireless connection type, a request causing the device to detect one or more wireless networks of a second wireless connection type that is different than the first wireless connection type;

receiving, from the device, wireless network data comprising identifiers of one or more detected wireless networks of the second wireless connection type;

sending, to the device, provisioning data for establishing a second wireless connection with a particular wireless network of the one or more detected wireless networks.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein sending provisioning data causes the device to establish a wireless connection of the second wireless type with the particular wireless network.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the one or more instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

generating a display of the identifiers of the one or more detected wireless networks of the second wireless connection type;

receiving user input comprising, for a particular wireless network of the detected wireless networks, one or more of a wireless network security type and a wireless network key;

wherein the provisioning data is based on the user input.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the first wireless connection type is associated with a first radio frequency band and the second wireless connection type is associated with a second radio frequency band, and wherein the first radio frequency band overlaps with the second radio frequency band.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the first wireless connection type is a Bluetooth wireless connection and the second wireless connection type is a Wi-Fi wireless connection.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the provisioning data represents a wireless device profile comprising one or more of a wireless network name, a wireless network security type, and a wireless network key.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein each of the identifiers comprises a service set identifier (SSID).

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the device is a tracking device attached to a non-human animal.

38. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

establishing, with a mobile computing device, a Bluetooth wireless connection;

receiving, from the mobile computing device via the Bluetooth wireless connection, provisioning data for establishing, with a wireless access point, a Wi-Fi wireless connection;

in response to receiving the provisioning data, establishing the Wi-Fi wireless connection with the wireless access point.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the provisioning data comprises one or more of a wireless network name, a wireless network security type, and a wireless network key.

40. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

logic coupled to the one or more processors and configured to;

establish, with a first device, a first wireless connection of a first wireless connection type;

receive, from the first device via the first wireless connection, provisioning data for establishing, with a second device, a second wireless connection of a second wireless connection type that is different than the first wireless connection type;

in response to receiving the provisioning data, establish the second wireless connection with the second device.