Systems and methods for connecting an audio controller to a hidden audio network

• US 9,191,699 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Agerbak, Michael, Millington, Nicholas A. J., Peters, Jeffrey, Beckhardt, Steven R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Keehn, Richard G
• Application Number:
  US13/340,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20130173794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• 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: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/61 Time-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

An example multimedia playback device is connected to a network that is configured to not provide an indicator of existence absent a command from the multimedia playback device. The example playback device is to initiate a connection phase for a device to connect to the hidden network based on a user action at the playback device. The example playback device is to reveal a network access point in a connection phase and authenticate the wireless device with the audio network for limited connectivity to the network during the connection phase. The example playback device is to disconnect the wireless device from the audio network and accept a connection of the wireless device to the audio network in an operational phase, the connection enabled using information provided to the wireless device during the connection phase and without the limited connectivity provided in the connection phase.

Claims

1. A method to connect a wireless device to a hidden network without the device or user knowing or typing in the network name, the method comprising:

detecting, via a multimedia playback device, a network connection request by the wireless device, wherein the network connection request does not specify an audio network and wherein the audio network is available for connection but hidden such that the wireless device is not aware of the hidden audio network;

triggering, via the multimedia playback device, a network connection phase to automatically connect the wireless device to the hidden audio network;

revealing a network access point with a preset identifier such that the network access point is detectable by the wireless device, wherein revealing the network access point triggers the wireless device to connect to the network access point using a predefined password valid during the network connection phase;

authenticating the wireless device with the audio network using the predefined password via the network access point and associating the wireless device with the audio network with limited connectivity to the audio network during the network connection phase;

after authenticating the wireless device with the audio network, disconnecting the wireless device from the audio network; and

after disconnecting the wireless device from the audio network, accepting a connection of the wireless device to the audio network in an operational phase, the connection enabled using information provided to the wireless device during the network connection phase and without being restricted to the limited connectivity provided in the network connection phase.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating the network connection request for the wireless device to connect to the unspecified hidden audio network via a wireless controller device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein initiating occurs via button press on the multimedia playback device connected to the audio network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein triggering the connection phase occurs without sending a response to the request from the multimedia playback device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising subsequently hiding the network access point after connection by the wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein no response is provided to broadcast probes unless one or more buttons have recently been pressed on the multimedia playback device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring, using information provided to the wireless device, connection and playback on the audio network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating, using the wireless device, playback via the multimedia playback device on the audio network.

9. A multimedia playback device connected to a local multimedia playback network that is configured to not provide an indicator of existence absent a command from the multimedia playback device, the multimedia playback device to initiate a network connection phase for a wireless device to connect to the hidden network, the multimedia playback device to:

detect a network connection request by the wireless device, wherein the network connection request does not specify an audio network and wherein the audio network is available for connection but hidden such that the wireless device is not aware of the hidden audio network;

trigger the network connection phase to automatically connect the wireless device to the hidden audio network;

reveal a network access point with a preset identifier such that the network access point is detectable by the wireless device, wherein revealing the network access point triggers the wireless device to connect to the network access point using a predefined password valid during the network connection phase;

authenticate the wireless device with the audio network using the predefined password via the network access point and associating the wireless device with the audio network with limited connectivity to the audio network during the network connection phase;

after authenticating the wireless device with the audio network, disconnect the wireless device from the audio network; and

after disconnecting the wireless device from the audio network, accept a connection of the wireless device to the audio network in an operational phase, the connection enabled using information provided to the wireless device during the network connection phase and without being restricted to the limited connectivity provided in the network connection phase.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the wireless device comprises a wireless controller device and wherein the wireless controller device initiates the network connection request for the wireless device to connect to the unspecified hidden audio network.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the initiating occurs via button press on the multimedia playback device connected to the audio network.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the connection phase is triggered without sending a response to the request from the multimedia playback device.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the network access point is subsequently hidden after connection by the wireless device.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein no response is provided to broadcast probes unless one or more buttons have recently been pressed on the multimedia playback device.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions for execution by a processor, the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to implement a method to connect a device to a playback network, the method comprising:

detecting, via a multimedia playback device, a network connection request by the wireless device, wherein the network connection request does not specify an audio network and wherein the audio network is available for connection but hidden such that the wireless device is not aware of the hidden audio network;

triggering, via the multimedia playback device, a network connection phase to automatically connect the wireless device to the hidden audio network;

revealing a network access point with a preset identifier such that the network access point is detectable by the wireless device, wherein revealing the network access point triggers the wireless device to connect to the network access point using a predefined password valid during the network connection phase;

authenticating the wireless device with the audio network using the predefined password via the network access point and associating the wireless device with the audio network with limited connectivity to the audio network during the network connection phase;

after authenticating the wireless device with the audio network, disconnecting the wireless device from the audio network; and

after disconnecting the wireless device from the audio network, accepting a connection of the wireless device to the audio network in an operational phase, the connection enabled using information provided to the wireless device during the network connection phase and without being restricted to the limited connectivity provided in the network connection phase.

16. The medium of claim 15, further comprising initiating the network connection request for the wireless device to connect to the unspecified hidden audio network via a wireless controller device.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein initiating occurs via button press on the multimedia playback device connected to the audio network.

18. The medium of claim 15, wherein triggering the connection phase occurs without sending a response to the request from the multimedia playback device.

19. The medium of claim 15, further comprising subsequently hiding the network access point after connection by the wireless device.

20. The medium of claim 15, wherein no response is provided to broadcast probes unless one or more buttons have recently been pressed on the multimedia playback device.