Setup of multiple IOT devices

• US 9,054,961 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2014
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Ryan Yong, Pathuri, Venkata Subba Rao
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M
• Application Number:
  US14/529,619
• Time in Patent Office: 221 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-203, 709217-227
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/26 using dedicated tools for LAN [Local Area Network] management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the setup of multiple devices on a local area network. Specifically, various techniques and systems are provided for utilizing a network device to efficiently add a new device to a local area network using an existing network device. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention include a computer-implemented method. The method comprises receiving, at a network device on a network, credentials identifying a network gateway in the network; receiving a communication including an indication that a new network device has generated a new access point; transmitting a query, wherein the query includes a request to determine whether the new network device is associated with the network; receiving a communication including a response to the query indicating that the new network device is associated with the network; establishing a connection with the new access point of the new network device; and transmitting the credentials identifying the network gateway, wherein the credentials are used for the new network device to join the network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, at a new network device, credentials identifying an existing network device in a network;

transmitting a query, wherein the query includes a request to identify identification information associated with the new network device;

receiving a response to the query;

determining that the response to the query includes accurate identification information associated with the new network device; and

establishing a connection with the existing network device on the network using the received credentials.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a setup access point;

receiving a request for an existing network device to connect to the setup access point; and

establishing a connection with the existing network device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the query is an authentication query configured to confirm an identification of a recipient of the query.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a communication including an indication that the new network device will, based on the received response to the query, join the network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a communication including an indication that the new network device will not, based on the received response to the query, join the network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the response to the query includes accurate identification information includes comparing the received response to the query with stored identification information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein when the query is received, the query is displayable on an access device connected to the network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a setup beacon including information identifying the new network device.

9. A computing device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including;

receiving, at a new network device, credentials identifying an existing network device in a network;

transmitting a query, wherein the query includes a request to identify identification information associated with the new network device;

receiving a response to the query;

determining that the response to the query includes accurate identification information associated with the new network device; and

establishing a connection with the existing network device on the network using the received credentials.

10. The computing device of claim 9, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

generating a setup access point;

receiving a request for an existing network device to connect to the setup access point; and

establishing a connection with the existing network device.

11. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the query is an authentication query configured to confirm an identification of a recipient of the query.

12. The computing device of claim 9, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

transmitting a communication including an indication that the new network device will, based on the received response to the query, join the network.

13. The computing device of claim 9, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

transmitting a communication including an indication that the new network device will not, based on the received response to the query, join the network.

14. The computing device of claim 9, wherein determining that the response to the query includes accurate identification information includes comparing the received response to the query with stored identification information.

15. The computing device of claim 9, wherein when the query is received, the query is displayable on an access device connected to the network.

16. The computing device of claim 9, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

transmitting a setup beacon including information identifying the new network device.

17. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

receive, at a new network device, credentials identifying an existing network device in a network;

transmit a query, wherein the query includes a request to identify identification information associated with the new network device;

receive a response to the query;

determine that the response to the query includes accurate identification information associated with the new network device; and

establish a connection with the existing network device on the network using the received credentials.

18. The computer-program product of claim 17, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

generate a setup access point;

receive a request for an existing network device to connect to the setup access point; and

establish a connection with the existing network device.

19. The computer-program product of claim 17, wherein the query is an authentication query configured to confirm an identification of a recipient of the query.

20. The computer-program product of claim 17, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

transmit a communication including an indication that the new network device will, based on the received response to the query, join the network.

21. The computer-program product of claim 17, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

transmit a communication including an indication that the new network device will not, based on the received response to the query, join the network.

22. The computer-program product of claim 17, wherein determining that the response to the query includes accurate identification information includes comparing the received response to the query with stored identification information.

23. The computer-program product of claim 17, wherein when the query is received, the query is displayable on an access device connected to the network.

24. The computer-program product of claim 17, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

transmit a setup beacon including information identifying the new network device.