Setup of multiple IOT devices

• US 9,210,192 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2014
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• 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:
  US14/479,545
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• 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 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.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a query including a request for identifying a network gateway in the network; and

receiving a response to the query, wherein the response includes the credentials identifying the network gateway in the network.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the new network device uses the credentials to connect to the network gateway in the network.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a communication from the new network device that the new network device is communicatively coupled to the network.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

confirming that the new network device is authorized to join the network.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

transmitting a query including a request to authorize the new network device to join the network;

receiving a response to the query, wherein the response is used to determine whether the new network device is authorized to join the network; and

transmitting the credentials identifying the network gateway after the response to the query is received.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a setup beacon including information identifying the new network device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an original access point;

receiving a request from a computing device to connect to the original access point; and

establishing a connection with the computing device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising receiving input corresponding to a request to connect the computing device to the first device access point.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a query including a request to provide identification information associated with the new network device; and

transmitting a response to the query including the requested identification information associated with the new network device, wherein when the response is received, the response is used to authenticate the network.

11. 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 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.

12. The computing device of claim 11, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

transmitting a query including a request for identifying a network gateway in the network; and

receiving a response to the query, wherein the response includes the credentials identifying the network gateway in the network.

13. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the new network device uses the credentials to connect to the network gateway in the network.

14. The computing device of claim 11, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

receiving a communication from the new network device that the new network device is communicatively coupled to the network.

15. The computing device of claim 11, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

confirming that the new network device is authorized to join the network.

16. The computing device of claim 15, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

transmitting a query including a request to authorize the new network device to join the network;

receiving a response to the query, wherein the response is used to determine whether the new network device is authorized to join the network; and

transmitting the credentials identifying the network gateway after the response to the query is received.

17. The computing device of claim 11, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

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

18. The computing device of claim 11, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

generating an original access point;

receiving a request from a computing device to connect to the original access point; and

establishing a connection with the computing device.

19. The computing device of claim 18, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

receiving input corresponding to a request to connect the computing device to the first device access point.

20. The computing device of claim 11, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:

receiving a query including a request to provide identification information associated with the new network device; and

transmitting a response to the query including the requested identification information associated with the new network device, wherein when the response is received, the response is used to authenticate the network.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

receive, at a network device on a network, credentials identifying a network gateway in the network;

receive a communication including an indication that a new network device has generated a new access point;

transmit a query, wherein the query includes a request to determine whether the new network device is associated with the network;

receive a communication including a response to the query indicating that the new network device is associated with the network;

establish a connection with the new access point of the new network device; and

transmit the credentials identifying the network gateway, wherein the credentials are used for the new network device to join the network.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

transmit a query including a request for identifying a network gateway in the network; and

receive a response to the query, wherein the response includes the credentials identifying the network gateway in the network.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the new network device uses the credentials to connect to the network gateway in the network.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

receive a communication from the new network device that the new network device is communicatively coupled to the network.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

confirm that the new network device is authorized to join the network.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

transmit a query including a request to authorize the new network device to join the network;

receive a response to the query, wherein the response is used to determine whether the new network device is authorized to join the network; and

transmit the credentials identifying the network gateway after the response to the query is received.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

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

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

generate an original access point;

receive a request from a computing device to connect to the original access point; and

establish a connection with the computing device.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

receive input corresponding to a request to connect the computing device to the first device access point.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:

receive a query including a request to provide identification information associated with the new network device; and

transmit a response to the query including the requested identification information associated with the new network device, wherein when the response is received, the response is used to authenticate the network.