Simplification of attaching devices to secured wireless networks

• US 9,794,782 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2014
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2014
• 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: Pathuri, Venkata Subba Rao
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Tae
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEJIA, FELICIANO S
• Application Number:
  US14/514,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20160112870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 709203, 709224, 713155, 726 4, 726 5
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• 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: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• 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

Abstract

Described herein are systems and methods for connecting devices to secured networks, such as secured wireless networks, by storing credentials for the network and passing the credentials to a new device, such as, for example, when the new device is attempting to connect to the secured network for the first time.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, input corresponding to determination of network credentials for connecting wireless client devices to a wireless network gateway;

establishing, using the network credentials, a wireless network connection between the computing device and the wireless network gateway, wherein the computing device is a wireless client device;

storing the network credentials;

establishing a direct wireless communications link between the computing device and a new wireless client device for exchanging data directly between the computing device and the new wireless client device;

transmitting, by the computing device, the network credentials after establishing the direct wireless communications link, wherein transmitting includes using the direct wireless communications link, and wherein receiving the network credentials at the new wireless client device authorizes the new wireless client device to automatically retransmit the network credentials to additional new wireless client devices;

receiving, by the computing device, data indicating that the network credentials have been automatically retransmitted to an additional new wireless client device; and

generating, by the computing device, a notification indicating that the network credentials have been automatically retransmitted to the additional new wireless client device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device includes non-transitory memory, wherein the network credentials are stored in the non-transitory memory and wherein transmitting includes transmitting the stored network credentials from the non-transitory memory.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a location where the network credentials are stored, wherein transmitting the network credentials includes facilitating communication from the location where the network credentials are stored.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an authorization notification on the computing device, wherein the authorization notification requests authorization for transmitting the network credentials to the new wireless client device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting input, at the computing device, the input corresponding to authorization for transmitting the network credentials to the new wireless client device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the authorization for transmitting the network credentials to the new wireless client device permits automatic retransmission of the network credentials by the new wireless client device to additional new wireless client devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying the new wireless client device prior to transmitting the network credentials, wherein verifying includes detecting additional input associated with an access device, wherein the additional input corresponds to verification of the new wireless client device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying the new wireless client device prior to transmitting the network credentials, wherein verifying includes receiving, using the direct wireless communications link, a device identifier for the new wireless client device or a security key for the new wireless client device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the network credentials correspond to updated network credentials for connecting wireless client devices to the wireless network gateway after a security setting change, and wherein transmitting the network credentials facilitates providing the updated network credentials to one or more wireless client devices associated with the wireless network gateway.

10. A system, comprising:

one or more data processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions, which when executed on the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to perform operations including;

receiving, at a wireless client device, input corresponding to determination of network credentials for connecting wireless client devices to a wireless network gateway;

establishing, using the network credentials, a wireless network connection between the wireless client device and the wireless network gateway;

storing the network credentials;

establishing a direct wireless communications link between the wireless client device and a new wireless client device for exchanging data directly between the wireless client device and the new wireless client device;

transmitting the network credentials after establishing the direct wireless communications link, wherein transmitting includes using the direct wireless communications link, and wherein receiving the network credentials at the new wireless client device authorizes the new wireless client device to automatically transmit the network credentials to additional new wireless client devices;

receiving data indicating that the network credentials have been automatically transmitted to an additional new wireless client device; and

generating a notification indicating that the network credentials have been automatically transmitted to the additional new wireless client device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the system further comprises:

non-transitory memory, wherein storing the network credentials includes storing the network credentials in the non-transitory memory, and wherein transmitting includes transmitting the stored network credentials from the non-transitory memory.

12. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

determining a location where the network credentials are stored, wherein transmitting the network credentials includes facilitating communication from the location where the network credentials are stored.

13. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

generating an authorization notification, wherein the authorization notification requests authorization for transmitting the network credentials to the new wireless client device.

14. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

detecting input corresponding to authorization for transmitting the network credentials to the new wireless client device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the authorization for transmitting the network credentials permits automatic retransmission of the network credentials by the new wireless client device to additional new wireless client devices.

16. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

verifying the new wireless client device prior to transmitting the network credentials, wherein verifying includes detecting additional input associated with an access device, wherein the additional input corresponds to verification of the new wireless client device.

17. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

verifying the new wireless client device, wherein verifying includes receiving, using the direct wireless communications link, a device identifier for the new wireless client device or a security key for the new wireless client device.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the network credentials correspond to updated network credentials for connecting wireless client devices to the wireless network gateway after a security setting change, and wherein transmitting the network credentials facilitates providing the updated network credentials to one or more wireless client devices associated with the wireless network gateway.

19. A computer-program product, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising instructions configured to cause a computing device to perform operations including:

receiving, at the computing device, input corresponding to determination of network credentials for connecting wireless client devices to a wireless network gateway;

establishing, using the network credentials, a wireless network connection between the computing device and the wireless network gateway, wherein the computing device is a wireless client device;

storing the network credentials;

establishing a direct wireless communications link between the computing device and a new wireless client device for exchanging data directly between the computing device and the new wireless client device;

transmitting, by the computing device, the network credentials after establishing the direct wireless communications link, wherein transmitting includes using the direct wireless communications link, and wherein receiving the network credentials at the new wireless client device authorizes the new wireless client device to automatically retransmit the network credentials to additional new wireless client devices;

receiving, by the computing device, data indicating that the network credentials have been automatically retransmitted to an additional new wireless client device; and

generating, by the computing device, a notification indicating that the network credentials have been automatically retransmitted to the additional new wireless client device.

20. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein the computing device includes non-transitory memory, wherein storing the network credentials includes storing the network credentials in the non-transitory memory, and wherein transmitting includes transmitting the stored network credentials from the non-transitory memory.

21. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein the operations further include:

determining a location where the network credentials are stored, wherein transmitting the network credentials includes facilitating communication from the location where the network credentials are stored.

22. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein the operations further include:

generating an authorization notification, wherein the authorization notification requests authorization for transmitting the network credentials to the new wireless client device.

23. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein the operations further include:

detecting input, at the computing device, the input corresponding to authorization for transmitting the network credentials to the new wireless client device.

24. The computer-program product of claim 23, wherein authorization for transmitting the network credentials to the new wireless client device permits automatic retransmission of the network credentials by the new wireless client device to additional new wireless client devices.

25. The computer-program product of claim 23, wherein the operations further include:

verifying the new wireless client device prior to transmitting the network credentials, wherein verifying includes detecting additional input associated with an access device, wherein the additional input corresponds to verification of the new wireless client device.

26. The computer-program product of claim 23, wherein the operations further include:

verifying the new wireless client device prior to transmitting the network credentials, wherein verifying includes receiving, using the direct wireless communications link, a device identifier for the new wireless client device or a security key for the new wireless client device.

27. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein the network credentials correspond to updated network credentials for connecting wireless client devices to the wireless network gateway after a security setting change, and wherein transmitting the network credentials facilitates providing the updated network credentials to one or more wireless client devices associated with the wireless network gateway.

28. A computer implemented method, comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, initial network credentials for connecting wireless client devices to a wireless network gateway;

establishing, using the initial network credentials, a wireless network connection between the computing device and the wireless network gateway;

storing the initial network credentials;

establishing a first direct wireless communications link between the computing device and a new wireless client device, wherein direct wireless communications links facilitate exchanging data directly between two devices;

transmitting, by the computing device, the initial network credentials, wherein the initial network credentials are transmitted using the first direct wireless communications link, wherein receiving the initial network credentials facilitates storing the initial network credentials at a wireless client device;

receiving, at the computing device, updated network credentials, wherein the updated network credentials correspond to a change in network credentials for the wireless network gateway from the initial network credentials to the updated network credentials;

establishing a second direct wireless communications link between the computing device and the new wireless client device; and

transmitting, by the computing device, the updated network credentials, wherein the updated network credentials are transmitted using the second direct wireless communications link, and wherein receiving the updated network credentials at the new wireless client device facilitates automatic retransmission of the updated network credentials to an additional wireless client device storing the initial network credentials.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein automatic retransmission of the updated network credentials facilitates automatic continued connection to the wireless network gateway by the new wireless client device and the additional wireless client device.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein receiving the updated network credentials occurs prior to changing network credentials for the wireless network gateway from the initial network credentials to the updated network credentials.