Provisioning a wireless-capable device for a wireless network

• US 9,088,306 B1
• Filed: 04/20/2015
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Comfort Control LP (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Ramachandran, Anil, McAdams, Matt
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US14/690,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20150229360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 92 Days
• Field of Search: 455418-420, 455 411- 412, 4554141-4143, 4555561-5562, 713/185, 713/186, 705/305
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of apparatus and methods for provisioning a wireless-capable device for a wireless network. In an exemplary embodiment, a wireless-capable device, e.g., a thermostat, generally includes provisioning component(s) configured to receive from, and without a wired connection to, a wireless user device at least a network profile for provisioning the wireless-capable device for a wireless network. The provisioning components have no capability to receive the network profile through the wireless network. The provisioning component(s) are further configured to provide information for provisioning control of the wireless-capable device to a user account accessible through the wireless network.

Claims

1. A wireless-capable thermostat comprising:

one or more provisioning components for obtaining an image without using a wireless interface of the thermostat; and

a processor and memory configured to obtain, from an image obtained by the one or more provisioning components, network profile information for provisioning the thermostat to a wireless network.

2. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the one or more provisioning components comprises a camera.

3. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processor and memory are further configured to obtain, from the image and/or from a second image, information for provisioning the thermostat to a user account accessible through the wireless network.

4. The thermostat of claim 3, wherein the processor and memory are further configured to provision the thermostat to the user account in coordination with a network application related to the user account.

5. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the one or more provisioning components comprises a scanner.

6. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the one or more provisioning components comprises a disturbance sensor, the thermostat further configured to receive information for provisioning control of the thermostat to a user account accessible through the wireless network after an impact between the thermostat and a wireless device when the thermostat is connected with the network.

7. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processor and memory are configured to store the network profile information for provisioning control of the thermostat to a user account received by the one or more provisioning components.

8. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the image is of a physical label that includes one or more of the following:

a visible code and a device serial number.