System and method for wireless pairing via wired connection

• US 8,656,062 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2010
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Krzystofczyk, Carl J., Zarchy, Richard R., Lattanzi, Ronald A., Logsdon, Matthew G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hassan, Aurangzeb
• Application Number:
  US12/858,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20120047289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 710/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

Methods, devices, and computer-readable media related to establishing wireless connections using a wired connection are disclosed. A remote device is communicatively coupled via a wired connection. The remote device receives, via the wired connection, an initialization request to initialize a wireless connection to the remote device. A search of remote device data stored in the remote device is performed. The remote device data can store authentication data related to one or more wireless connections. At the remote device, an initialization response to the initialization request is determined based on the search. The remote device sends the initialization response via the wired connection. The initialization response can indicate whether the initialization response is accepted or rejected. If the initialization response is accepted, the wireless connection to the remote device can be subsequently established and the wired connection can be subsequently closed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

communicatively coupling a remote device via a wired connection, wherein the remote device is operable to carry out at least one of measurement functions related to servicing a device-under-service and scanning functions related to servicing the device-under-service;

receiving, at the remote device via the wired connection, an initialization request to initialize a wireless connection comprising authentication data for the wireless connection;

performing a search of remote device data stored in the remote device, wherein the search comprises a search for an empty remote-device-data entry of the remote device data, and wherein the empty remote-device-data entry is configured to store authentication data, but does not store existing authentication data at a time of the search;

determining, at the remote device, an initialization response to the initialization request and the authentication data based on the search, wherein the initialization response indicates whether the empty remote-device-data entry was found;

sending, from the remote device, the initialization response via the wired connection;

communicating additional authentication data for the wireless connection via the wired connection, based on the initialization response; and

after communicating the additional authentication data for the wireless connection,

closing the wired connection to the remote device and

communicating with the remote device using the wireless connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the initialization response comprises, in response to not finding the empty remote-device-data entry during the search, generating an initialization indication for conditional acceptance as the initialization response;

and wherein the method further comprises;

receiving, at the remote device, an initialization indication response to the initialization indication via the wired connection;

based on the initialization indication response;

selecting a full remote-device-data entry of the remote device data, wherein the full remote-device-data entry does store existing authentication data at the time of the search;

replacing the existing authentication data in the selected full remote-device-data entry with the authentication data received with the initialization request; and

generating the initialization response.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the initialization response comprises:

in response to finding the empty remote-device-data entry;

storing the authentication data received with the initialization request in the empty remote-device-data entry, and

generating an initialization-acceptance response.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein sending the initialization response via the wired connection comprises sending the initialization-acceptance response via the wired connection, and further comprising:

after sending the initialization-acceptance response, establishing the wireless connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the initialization response comprises:

in response to not finding the empty remote-device-data entry, generating an initialization-rejection response; and

wherein sending the initialization response comprises sending the initialization-rejection response.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second initialization request to initialize the wireless connection; and

determining a second initialization response to the initialization request.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the initialization response to the initialization request based on the search comprises:

generating an indication that the initialization request was received;

sending the indication;

receiving an indication-response to the indication; and

generating the initialization response based on the indication-response.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein generating the initialization response based on the indication-response comprises:

selecting a full remote-device-data entry corresponding to the initialized wireless connection for replacement based on the indication-response;

replacing the authentication data in the selected full remote-device-data entry with authentication data received in the second initialization request; and

generating an initialization-acceptance response.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein generating the initialization response based on the indication-response comprises:

determining that the indication-response indicates the second initialization request is rejected; and

responsively generating an initialization-rejection response.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the wired connection comprises a wired connection between the remote device and a first device that differs from the remote device;

wherein the wireless connection comprises a wireless connection between the remote device and the first device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein communicating additional authentication data for the wireless connection via the wired connection comprises establishing the wireless connection between the remote device and the first device using the wired connection;

and

wherein closing the wired connection to the remote device comprises closing the wired connection between the remote device and the first device.

10. A device, comprising:

a wired-connection interface;

memory;

a processor; and

instructions, stored in the memory, that responsive to execution by the processor, cause the device to perform functions comprising;

communicatively coupling to a wired connection via the wired-connection interface to carry out at least one of measurement functions for servicing a device-under-service and scanning functions for servicing the device-under service,

receiving, via the wired connection, an initialization request to initialize a wireless connection comprising authentication data for the wireless connection,

performing a search of device data stored in the memory, wherein the search comprises a search for an empty remote-device-data entry of the device data, and wherein the empty remote-device-data entry is configured to store authentication data, but does not store existing authentication data at a time of the search,

determining an initialization response to the initialization request and the authentication data based on the search, wherein the initialization response indicates whether the empty remote-device-data entry was found,

sending the initialization response via the wired connection,

communicating additional authentication data for the wireless connection via the wired connection, based on the initialization response, and

after communicating the additional authentication data for the wireless connection,

closing the wired connection and

communicating using the wireless connection.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein determining the initialization response comprises, in response to not finding the empty device-data entry during the search, generating an initialization indication for conditional acceptance as the initialization response;

and wherein the method further comprises;

receiving, at the device, an initialization indication response to the initialization indication via the wired connection;

based on the initialization indication response;

selecting a full device-data entry of the device data, wherein the full device-data entry does store existing authentication data at the time of the search;

replacing the existing authentication data in the selected full device-data entry with the authentication data received with the initialization request; and

generating the initialization response.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein determining the initialization response comprises:

in response to finding the empty device-data entry in the device data;

storing the authentication data received with the initialization request in the empty device-data entry, and

generating an initialization-acceptance response.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein determining the initialization response comprises in response to not finding the empty device-data entry, generating an initialization-rejection response;

and

wherein sending the initialization response via the wired connection comprises sending the initialization-rejection response via the wired connection.

14. The device of claim 10, the functions further comprising:

receiving a second initialization request to initialize the wireless connection; and

determining a second initialization response to the initialization request.

15. The device of claim 10, determining the initialization response to the initialization request based on the search comprises:

generating an indication that the initialization request was received;

sending the indication;

receiving an indication-response to the indication; and

generating the initialization response based on the indication-response.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein generating the second initialization response comprises:

selecting a full device-data entry corresponding to the initialized wireless connection for replacement based on the indication-response;

replacing authentication data in the selected full device data entry with authentication data received in the second initialization request; and

generating an initialization-acceptance response.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein generating the second initialization response comprises:

determining that the indication-response indicates the second initialization request is rejected; and

responsively generating an initialization-rejection response.

18. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, responsive to execution by a processor of a device, cause the device to perform functions comprising:

communicatively coupling via a wired connection to carry out at least one of measurement functions related to servicing a device-under-service and scanning functions related to servicing the device-under-service;

receiving, via the wired connection, an initialization request to initialize a wireless connection comprising authentication data for the wireless connection;

performing a search of stored device data, wherein the search comprises a search for an empty remote-device-data entry of the stored device data, and wherein the empty remote-device-data entry is configured to store authentication data, but does not store existing authentication data at a time of the search;

determining an initialization response to the initialization request and the authentication data based on the search, wherein the initialization response indicates whether the empty remote-device-data entry was found;

sending the initialization response via the wired connection;

communicating additional authentication data for the wireless connection via the wired connection, based on the initialization response; and

after communicating the additional authentication data for the wireless connection,

closing the wired connection to the device and

communicating with the device using the wireless connection.