Network configuration for devices with constrained resources

• US 9,510,391 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Baum, Avraham, Zaks, Artur, Machness, Ram, Nitzani, Nir
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Jr., Otis L
• Application Number:
  US14/478,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20140369239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks

Abstract

A method includes receiving a wireless beacon from an ad hoc network at a wireless device, wherein the wireless beacon includes a data structure that encodes at least a portion of a wireless identifier of an access point. The method includes configuring the wireless device from the data structure received from the wireless beacon. The method also includes establishing a wireless network between the access point and the wireless device utilizing at least a portion of the wireless identifier encoded in the data structure.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a wireless beacon from a local configuration device over an ad hoc network at a wireless device, wherein the wireless beacon includes a data structure that encodes at least a portion of a wireless identifier of an access point;

configuring the wireless device for communication with the access point according to the at least the portion of the wireless identifier of the access point;

establishing a connection between the wireless device and the access point utilizing a wireless network established based on the at least a portion of the wireless identifier;

receiving another wireless beacon at the wireless device, wherein the other wireless beacon comprises a next-time data structure, wherein the next-time data structure comprises updated security information; and

reconfiguring the already configured wireless device for communication with the access point according to the updated security information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless identifier included in the next-time data structure is a service set identifier (SSID).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data structure includes an SSID prefix, an SSID size field to indicate a length for the SSID prefix, and a vendor identifier to indicate a manufacturer of the access point.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the next-time data structure further comprises a security type field to indicate a security protocol associated with the updated security information comprising a security key that establishes a secure connection between the wireless device and the access point.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the security protocol comprises a wireless encryption protocol (WEP), a Wi-Fi protected access protocol (WPA), a pre-shared key protocol (PSK), or a Wi-Fi protected access 2 pre-shared key protocol (WPA2 PSK).

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a profile in a connections manager of a configuration device to specify the wireless identifier.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the updated security configuration comprises a security type, a security key size, and a security key.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the other wireless beacon is received by the wireless device over a designated communications port.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the designated communications port is a user datagram protocol (UDP) port.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering beacon signals to remove signals that are below a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) threshold.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing multiple vendor prefixes when configuring the wireless device for network operations.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the multiple vendor prefixes include normal priority prefix and a high priority prefix.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the wireless device with a default shared secret code for network configurations.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing an input/output point on the wireless device to effectuate reset operations on the wireless device for network configurations.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving a wireless beacon over an ad hoc network from a local configuration device at a wireless device, the wireless beacon having a configuration data structure comprising at least a portion of a wireless identifier an access point;

configuring the wireless device according to at least the portion of the wireless identifier for the access point;

establishing a connection with the access point utilizing a wireless connection established based on the at least the portion of the new wireless identifier for the access point;

receiving another wireless beacon comprising a next-time data structure at the wireless device over a designated communications port, the next-time data structure comprises an updated security profile for communication with the access point; and

re-configuring the wireless device according to the updated security profile specified in the next-time data structure.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first configuration data structure includes an SSID prefix, an SSID size field to indicate a length for the SSID prefix, and a vendor identifier to indicate which vendor manufactured the access point.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the updated security profile includes a security type field to indicate which type of security protocol to employ and a security key that is employed to establish secure connections between the wireless device and the access point.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the designated communications port is a user datagram protocol (UDP) port.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that when executed cause a processor to:

process a wireless beacon at a wireless device for a configuration of the wireless device, wherein the wireless beacon includes a data structure that encodes at least a portion of a wireless identifier of an access point, wherein the wireless beacon is received over an ad hoc network from a local configuration device;

configure the wireless device based on the data structure;

establish a connection with the access point based on the configuration of the wireless device;

receive a second wireless beacon comprising a next-time data structure at the wireless device over a designated communications port, the next-time data structure specifying an updated security protocol for the connection;

re-configure the wireless device according to the updated security protocol; and

reestablish the connection utilizing the updated security protocol.