Apparatus and method for seamless commissioning of wireless devices

• US 10,505,797 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2018
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Mathews, Jeffrey P., Taylor, Lee R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Masur, Paul H
• Application Number:
  US15/960,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20180241625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

An electronic device includes a first processor; a first commissioning element to communicate with external devices using wireless communication and a first memory storing programs for commissioning a target device onto a communication network. The communication network has configuration data including a network identifier and a network key. The programs provide a user interface for commissioning the target device. The target device includes a second processor, a second wireless radio, and a second commissioning element to receive the network configuration data. The target device decodes the network configuration data to commission the target device onto the communication network. The electronic device sends the network configuration data to the target device and receives confirmation that the target device has successfully connected to the communication network. The electronic device displays the success in a user interface.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by an electronic device for commissioning a target device onto a communication network, the electronic device including a first processor, a first wireless radio configured to communicate over the communication network, a first commissioning element configured to communicate network configuration data, and a first memory configured to store the one or more programs for execution by the first processor, the one or more programs being configured to, when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising:

providing a user interface for commissioning the target device, wherein the target device includes a second processor, a second wireless radio, and a second commissioning element configured to receive the network configuration data, the second processor being configured to decode and process the network configuration data for commissioning the target device onto the communication network;

formatting and communicating to the target device, via the first commissioning element, the network configuration data associated with the communication network according to a predetermined format, the network configuration data including an identifier of the communication network and a network key for the communication network that enables connection to the communication network by the target device; and

receiving information indicating that the target device has successfully connected to the communication network.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first commissioning element is a display of the electronic device.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the communicating comprises modulating visible output light intensity of the display to communicate the network configuration data.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the modulating further comprises modulating the visible output of the display using optical signals generated by a display backlight of the electronic device.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the communicating comprises modulating optical signals generated by a camera flash of the electronic device to communicate the network configuration data.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first commissioning element is a wireless radio.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the wireless radio employs one or more radio technologies and/or communication protocols selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, WiFi, IEEE 802.15.4, radio frequency identification (RFID), radio frequency for consumer electronics (RF4CE), near field communication (NFC), ZigBee radio, and Z-Wave radio.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

a first processor;

a first commissioning element configured to communicate information to external devices using one or more wireless communication technologies;

a first memory storing programs for execution by the first processor, the programs including an application for commissioning a target device onto a communication network, the communication network having network configuration data including an identifier of the communication network and a network key for the communication network, the application including instructions for performing at the electronic device operations comprising;

providing a user interface for commissioning the target device, wherein the target device includes a second processor and a second wireless radio, and the target device is configured under control of the second processor to receive, decode and process the network configuration data for commissioning the target device onto the communication network;

formatting and wirelessly communicating to the target device, via the first commissioning element, the network configuration data; and

receiving information indicating that the target device has successfully connected to the communication network; and

indicating via the user interface that the target device has successfully connected to the communication network.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the first commissioning element is a display of the electronic device and the communicating comprises modulating visible output light intensity of the display to communicate the network configuration data.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein one or more network configuration packets data are communicated optically from the electronic device to the target device.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein one or more network configuration packets are modulated within optical signals generated by a backlight display of the electronic device.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein one or more network configuration packets are communicated via a wireless radio independently of the communication network.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the wireless radio is based on one of Bluetooth, radio frequency identification (RFID), ZigBee, radio frequency for consumer electronics (RF4CE), Z-Wave, mesh networking technologies, and near field communication technologies.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the wireless radio is associated with a standardized RF communication standard.

15. A method for commissioning a target device onto a communication network, comprising:

at an electronic device including a first processor, a first wireless radio configured to communicate over the communication network, a first commissioning element configured to communicate network configuration data, and a first memory storing one or more programs for execution by the first processor;

providing a user interface for commissioning the target device, wherein the target device includes a second processor, a second wireless radio, and a second commissioning element configured to receive the network configuration data, the second processor being configured to decode and process the network configuration data for commissioning the target device onto the communication network;

formatting and communicating to the target device, via the first commissioning element, the network configuration data associated with the communication network according to a predetermined format, the network configuration data including an identifier of the communication network and a network key for the communication network that enables connection to the communication network by the target device; and

receiving information indicating that the target device has successfully connected to the communication network.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving from the target device an audio indication of a commissioning status for commissioning the target device into the communication network, wherein the audio indication is broadcast from a speaker of the target device.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising at the electronic device:

obtaining the network configuration data from its own active connection to the communication network;

receiving user inputs of the network configuration data via a touchscreen or keyboard of the electronic device;

deriving the network configuration data by contact with a server; and

obtaining the network configuration data in a configuration data record.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the information indicating that the target device has successfully entered the communication network.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the target device does not include a user interface.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the device configuration data include one or more of an IP address, a proxy, and gateway configuration of the electronic device.