Sensor based configuration and control of network devices

• US 9,143,402 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2012
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Tinnakornsrisuphap, Peerapol, Swaminathan, Ashwin, Somasundaram, Kiran K., Mohanty, Bibhu Prasad
• Primary Examiner(s): HAILE, AWET A
• Application Number:
  US13/624,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20130223279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/255, 370/338, 709/203, 709/228, 455/41.1, 455/411
• 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 41/0809 Plug-and-play configuration
• 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 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 Graphical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A mobile device, such as a smartphone or a tablet computer, can execute functionality for configuring a network device in a communication network and for subsequently controlling the operation of the network device with little manual input. The mobile device can detect, from the network device, sensor information that is indicative of configuration information associated with the network device. The mobile device can decode the received sensor information to determine the configuration information and can accordingly enroll the network device in the communication network. In response to determining to control the enrolled network device, the mobile device can capture an image of the network device and can use the captured image to unambiguously identify the network device. The mobile device can establish a communication link with the network device and can transmit one or more commands to vary operating parameters of the network device.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a network device comprising:

detecting, via a sensor of a mobile device, sensor information from the network device, wherein the sensor information indicates device configuration information associated with the network device;

decoding the sensor information detected from the network device;

determining, via the mobile device, the device configuration information based at least in part on the decoding the sensor information;

establishing, based at least in part on the device configuration information, a first communication link with the network device;

providing, from the mobile device to the network device via the first communication link, network credentials associated with an access point of a communication network to configure the network device to communicatively couple to the communication network via the access point;

storing, at the mobile device, the device configuration information associated with the network device;

identifying the network device from a plurality of previously enrolled network devices based at least in part on the device configuration information;

determining a communication parameter associated with the network device to establish a second communication link with the network device after identifying the network device; and

providing a command from the mobile device to the network device to vary an operating parameter of the network device after establishing the second communication link with the network device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the network device is configured to provide sensor information associated with the device configuration information using a light source, said detecting the sensor information from the network device comprises one of:

detecting, using a light sensor associated with the mobile device, a light waveform from the network device, wherein a rate of fluctuation of the light waveform generated by the light source varies in accordance with the device configuration information, or

detecting, using the light sensor associated with the mobile device, the light waveform from the network device, wherein an intensity of the light waveform generated by the light source varies in accordance with the device configuration information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said decoding the device configuration information based on the sensor information detected from the network device comprises:

detecting a variation in light intensity based on analyzing the light waveform received from the network device; and

decoding the device configuration information based on the detected variation in the light intensity of the light waveform.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the network device is configured to provide sensor information associated with the device configuration information using an audio generator, said detecting the sensor information from the network device comprises:

detecting, using an audio sensor associated with the mobile device, an audio waveform from the network device, wherein at least one parameter of the audio waveform varies in accordance with the device configuration information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one parameter of the audio waveform comprises one or more of an amplitude of the audio waveform, a frequency of the audio waveform, and a phase of the audio waveform.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said decoding the device configuration information based on the sensor information detected from the network device comprises:

detecting a variation in the at least one parameter of the audio waveform based on analyzing the audio waveform received from the network device; and

decoding the device configuration information based on the detected variation in the at least one parameter of the audio waveform.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, when the device configuration information is encoded in a first code associated with the network device, said detecting the sensor information and determining the device configuration information comprises:

detecting, using a scanner of the mobile device, the first code associated with the network device; and

determining the device configuration information based at least in part on decoding the first code.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, when the device configuration information is encoded in a first code associated with the network device, said detecting the sensor information and determining the device configuration information comprises:

capturing, using a camera of the mobile device, an image of the first code associated with the network device; and

determining the device configuration information based at least in part on decoding the captured image of the first code.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor information is at least one member of a group consisting of a near field communication (NFC) signal, a barcode, a quick response (QR) code, a radio frequency identifier (RFID) signal, and an encoded image.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone, a notebook computer, a wearable computer, or a tablet computer.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, at the mobile device, at least one member of a group consisting of an image of the network device, a position of the network device relative to one or more fixed positions in the communication network, a position of the network device relative to one or more previously enrolled network devices, the device configuration information, and the sensor information.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprises:

exchanging one or more handshake messages with the network device to determine a format for receiving the device configuration information at the mobile device from the network device; and

downloading, based at least in part on the one or more handshake messages, an application at the mobile device that is used to decode the sensor information received from the network device to determine the device configuration information.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the device configuration information comprises at least one member of a group consisting of a medium access control (MAC) identifier and a personal identification number (PIN).

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the network device from the plurality of previously enrolled network devices comprises:

capturing, at the mobile device, a query image that comprises the network device; and

identifying the network device from the plurality of previously enrolled network devices based, at least in part, on the captured query image.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said identifying the network device from the plurality of previously enrolled network devices based, at least in part, on the captured query image comprises:

comparing the query image against images of the plurality of previously enrolled network devices in a predetermined database associated with the mobile device;

determining that a correlation between a first of the plurality of previously enrolled network devices and the query image exceeds a correlation threshold; and

selecting the first of the plurality of previously enrolled network devices as the network device that is associated with one or more operating parameters to be varied.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining that a correlation between the query image and two or more of the plurality of previously enrolled network devices exceed a correlation threshold; and

executing ambiguity resolution operations for selecting a first of the two or more of the plurality of previously enrolled network devices as the network device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said executing the ambiguity resolution operations comprises at least one of:

selecting the first of the two or more of the plurality of previously enrolled network devices as the network device based, at least in part, on a map that indicates a position of the plurality of previously enrolled network devices within the communication network, wherein the map is one of a two-dimensional map and a three-dimensional map,

selecting the first of the two or more of the plurality of previously enrolled network devices as the network device based, at least in part, on a current position of the mobile device within the communication network,

selecting the first of the two or more of the plurality of previously enrolled network devices as the network device based, at least in part, on a time of day and schedule information associated with a user of the mobile device,

selecting the first of the two or more of the plurality of previously enrolled network devices as the network device based on at least one of user context and user behavior, and

selecting the first of the two or more of the plurality of previously enrolled network devices as the network device based on analyzing time of flight information associated with each of the two or more of the plurality of previously enrolled network devices.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said executing the ambiguity resolution operations comprises:

transmitting, to the access point associated with the communication network, an indication of the two or more of the plurality of previously enrolled network devices;

receiving, from each of the two or more of the plurality of previously enrolled network devices, a radio signature that is indicative of the network device; and

selecting the first of the two or more of the plurality of previously enrolled network devices as the network device based, at least in part, on the radio signature received from each of a subset of the plurality of previously enrolled the network devices.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, from the mobile device to the access point, the device configuration information associated with the network device.

20. A method comprising:

determining, at a mobile device, to configure a network device in a communication network;

detecting, at a sensor associated with the mobile device, sensor information from the network device, wherein the sensor information is indicative of configuration information associated with the network device;

decoding the configuration information based on the sensor information detected from the network device;

establishing, based at least in part on the configuration information, a first communication link with the network device;

enrolling the network device in the communication network by providing, from the mobile device to the network device via the first communication link, network credentials associated with an access point of the communication network;

determining that one or more operating parameters of the network device are to be varied after said enrolling the network device in the communication network;

capturing, at the mobile device, a query image that comprises the network device;

identifying the network device from a plurality of network devices based, at least in part, on the captured query image;

determining one or more communication parameters associated with the network device for varying the one or more operating parameters of the network device; and

establishing a second communication link with the network device for providing one or more commands to vary the one or more operating parameters of the network device based, at least in part, on the one or more communication parameters associated with the network device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the sensor information is at least one of a light signal, an audio signal, an ultrasound signal, an infrared signal, a near field communication (NFC) signal, a barcode, a quick response (QR) code, radio frequency identifier (RFID) signal, a wireless local area network (WLAN) signal, and a powerline communication (PLC) signal.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said identifying the network device from the plurality of network devices based, at least in part, on the captured query image comprises:

comparing the query image against images of the plurality of network devices in a predetermined database associated with the mobile device;

determining that a correlation between a first of the plurality of network devices and the query image exceeds a correlation threshold; and

selecting the first of the plurality of network devices as the network device that is associated with the one or more operating parameters to be varied.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein, in response to determining that the correlation between the query image and two or more of the plurality of network devices exceed the correlation threshold, the method further comprises at least one of:

selecting a first of the two or more of the plurality of network devices as the network device that is associated with the one or more operating parameters to be varied based, at least in part, on a map that indicates a position of the plurality of network devices within the communication network, wherein the map is a two-dimensional map or a three-dimensional map,

selecting the first of the two or more of the plurality of network devices as the network device that is associated with the one or more operating parameters to be varied based, at least in part, on a current position of the mobile device within the communication network,

selecting the first of the two or more of the plurality of network devices as the network device that is associated with the one or more operating parameters to be varied based, at least in part, on a time of day and schedule information associated with a user of the mobile device,

selecting the first of the two or more of the plurality of network devices as the network device that is associated with the one or more operating parameters to be varied based on at least one of user context and user behavior, or

selecting the first of the two or more of the plurality of network devices as the network device that is associated with the one or more operating parameters to be varied based on analyzing time of flight information associated with each of the two or more of the plurality of network devices.

24. A mobile device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory to store instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the mobile device to;

detect, via a sensor of the mobile device, sensor information from a network device, wherein the sensor information indicates device configuration information associated with the network device;

decode the sensor information detected from the network device;

determine, via the mobile device, the device configuration information based at least in part on the decoding the sensor information;

establish, based at least in part on the device configuration information, a first communication link with the network device;

provide, from the mobile device to the network device via the first communication link, network credentials associated with an access point of a communication network to configure the network device to communicatively couple to the communication network via the access point;

store, at the mobile device, the device configuration information associated with the network device;

identify the network device from a plurality of previously enrolled network devices based at least in part on the device configuration information;

determine a communication parameter associated with the network device to establish a second communication link with the network device after identifying the network device; and

provide a command from the mobile device to the network device to vary an operating parameter of the network device after establishing the second communication link with the network device.

25. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein, if the network device is configured to provide sensor information associated with the device configuration information using a light source,

the instructions that cause the mobile device to detect the sensor information from the network device comprise one of:

instructions that cause the mobile device to detect, using a light sensor associated with the mobile device, a light waveform from the network device, wherein a rate of fluctuation of the light waveform generated by the light source varies in accordance with the device configuration information, or

instructions that cause the mobile device to detect, using the light sensor associated with the mobile device, the light waveform from the network device, wherein an intensity of the light waveform generated by the light source varies in accordance with the device configuration information; and

the instructions that cause the mobile device to decode the device configuration information based on the sensor information detected from the network device comprise instructions that cause the mobile device to;

detect a variation in light intensity based on analyzing the light waveform received from the network device; and

decode the device configuration information based on the detected variation in the light intensity of the light waveform.

26. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein, if the network device is configured to provide sensor information associated with the device configuration information using an audio generator,

the instructions that cause the mobile device to detect the sensor information from the network device comprise instructions that cause the mobile device to:

detect, using an audio sensor associated with the mobile device, an audio waveform from the network device, wherein at least one parameter of the audio waveform varies in accordance with the device configuration information; and

the instructions that cause the mobile device to decode the device configuration information based on the sensor information detected from the network device comprise instructions that cause the mobile device to;

detect a variation in the at least one parameter of the audio waveform based on analyzing the audio waveform received from the network device; and

decode the device configuration information based on the detected variation in the at least one parameter of the audio waveform.

27. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein, when the device configuration information is encoded in a first code associated with the network device, the instructions that cause the mobile device to detect the sensor information and determine the device configuration information comprise instructions that cause the mobile device to:

detect, using a scanner, the first code from the network device;

decode the first code detected from the network device; and

determine the device configuration information based at least in part on the decoded first code.

28. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein, when the device configuration information is encoded in a first code associated with the network device, the instructions that cause the mobile device to detect the sensor information and determine the device configuration information comprise instructions that cause the mobile device to:

capture, using a camera, an image of the first code from the network device;

decode the image of the first code captured from the network device; and

determine the device configuration information based at least in part on the decoded image of the first code.

29. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein the instructions, which when executed by the processor, further cause the mobile device to:

exchange one or more handshake messages with the network device to determine a format for receiving the device configuration information from the network device; and

download, based at least in part on the one or more handshake messages, an application that is used to decode the sensor information received from the network device to determine the device configuration information.

30. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by one or more processors of a mobile device cause the mobile device to:

detect, via a sensor of a mobile device, sensor information from a network device, wherein the sensor information indicates device configuration information associated with the network device;

decode the sensor information detected from the network device;

determine, via the mobile device, the device configuration information based at least in part on the decoding the sensor information;

establish, based at least in part on the device configuration information, a first communication link with the network device;

provide, from the mobile device to the network device via the first communication link, network credentials associated with an access point of a communication network to configure the network device to communicatively couple to the communication network via the access point;

store, at the mobile device, the device configuration information associated with the network device;

identify the network device from a plurality of previously enrolled network devices based at least in part on the device configuration information;

determine a communication parameter associated with the network device to establish a second communication link with the network device after identifying the network device; and

provide a command from the mobile device to the network device to vary an operating parameter of the network device after establishing the second communication link with the network device.

31. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein, if the network device is configured to provide sensor information associated with the device configuration information using an audio generator,

the instructions that cause the mobile device to detect the sensor information from the network device comprise instructions that cause the mobile device to:

detect, using an audio sensor associated with the mobile device, an audio waveform from the network device, wherein at least one parameter of the audio waveform varies in accordance with the device configuration information; and

the instructions that cause the mobile device to decode the device configuration information based on the sensor information detected from the network device comprise instructions that cause the mobile device to;

detect a variation in the at least one parameter of the audio waveform based on analyzing the audio waveform received from the network device; and

decode the device configuration information based on the detected variation in the at least one parameter of the audio waveform.

32. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein, when the device configuration information is encoded in a first code associated with the network device, the instructions that cause the mobile device to detect the sensor information and determine the device configuration information comprise instructions that cause the mobile device to:

detect, using a scanner, the first code from the network device;

decode the first code detected from the network device; and

determine the device configuration information based at least in part on the decoded first code.

33. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein, when the device configuration information is encoded in a first code associated with the network device, the instructions that cause the mobile device to detect the sensor information and determine the device configuration information comprise instructions that cause the mobile device to:

capture, using a camera, an image of the first code from the network device;

decode the image of the first code captured from the network device; and

determine the device configuration information based at least in part on the decoded image of the first code.

34. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that cause the mobile device to:

exchange one or more handshake messages with the network device to determine a format for receiving the device configuration information from the network device; and

download, based at least in part on the one or more handshake messages, an application that is used to decode the sensor information received from the network device to determine the device configuration information.

35. A network device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory to store instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the network device to;

detect an advertising message from a mobile device of a communication network;

provide sensor information that is indicative of device configuration information associated with the network device to the mobile device after detection of the advertising message;

establish, based at least in part on the device configuration information, a communication link with the mobile device;

receive, from the mobile device via the communication link, network credentials associated with an access point of the communication network after providing the sensor information to the mobile device;

configure the network device to communicatively couple to the communication network via the access point using the network credentials;

receive, from the mobile device via the communication link, a command to vary an operating parameter of the network device; and

varying the operating parameter based, at least in part, on the command.

36. The network device of claim 35, wherein the advertising message is a beacon message.

37. The network device of claim 35, wherein the sensor information comprises at least one member of a group consisting of:

a near field communication (NFC) signal, a barcode, a quick response (QR) code, a radio frequency identifier (RFID) signal, and an encoded image.

38. The network device of claim 35, wherein the device configuration information comprises at least one member of a group consisting of a medium access control (MAC) identifier and a personal identification number (PIN).

39. The network device of claim 35, wherein the network credentials comprise at least one member of a group consisting of a service set identifier (SSID) and Wi-Fi protected access 2 (WPA2) passphrase.