System and method for network configuration and behavior control by proximity enabled devices

• US 11,237,636 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2014
• Issued: 02/01/2022
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Zehler, Peter, Tredoux, Gavan Leonard, Rajendran, Premkumar, Jain, Kanishk
• Primary Examiner(s): Blaufeld, Justin R.
• Application Number:
  US14/513,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20160103494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,667 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/007 only remotely, e.g. at a host computer dedicated computer interfaces to print systems G06F3/1201
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1805 Receiving printer configuration commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1806 Receiving job control commands
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00352 Input means H04N1/00411 takes precedence; input arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00381 Input by recognition or interpretation of visible user gestures manual input means, e.g. digitisers, writing tablets H04N1/00392; gesture input to computers G06F3/017; recognition algorithms G06V40/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 Continuous authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point

Abstract

A method and system of configuring a network using a network application of a mobile device including detecting a gesture sequence that comprises at least one gesture, in response to a user performed action. The detected gesture sequence may be indicative of network configuration rules associated with at least one network device. The method may further include receiving and storing network access credentials, and accessing a network configuration database. The network configuration database may comprise a plurality of gesture sequences and a plurality of associated tasks. The method may also include determining a match for the detected gesture sequence among the plurality of gesture sequences; determining an associated task based on the match; and performing the associated task to achieve the network configuration action. The associated task may include a network configuration action based on the network configuration rules associated with at least one network device.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a network using a mobile device comprising:

by one or more sensors of a mobile device, detecting a gesture sequence that comprises one or more gestures, wherein each gesture of the gesture sequence consists of a motion of the mobile device in response to at least one user performed action; and

by a network application of the mobile device;

accessing a network configuration database that comprises a plurality of gesture sequences and a plurality of associated tasks;

recognizing the detected gesture sequence by identifying a match for the detected gesture sequence among the plurality of gesture sequences in the network configuration database;

using the match to identify an associated task that comprises a network configuration action for configuring at least one network device that is not connected to the network to enable the at least one network device to establish a connection with the network based on network configuration rules associated with the at least one network device; and

performing the network configuration action to enable the at least one network device to establish the connection with the network by;

identifying characteristics of the at least one network device,

authorizing network access and defining a level of access, and

configuring a wireless access point to facilitate network configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising installing the network application on the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before recognizing the detected gesture sequence:

determining that a match for the detected gesture sequence has not been identified among the plurality of gesture sequences in the network configuration database;

prompting a user to define the detected gesture sequence and associate the detected gesture sequence with a task; and

updating the network configuration database to include the detected gesture sequence and the defined associated task.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising by the network application before identifying the match for the detected network configuration action:

determining if the mobile device is connected to the network;

if the mobile device is not connected to the network, prompting a user to perform a default gesture or gesture sequence; and

in response to detecting the default gesture or gesture sequence, connecting the mobile device to the network via a wireless access point.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more sensors comprise an accelerometer; and

detecting the gesture sequence comprises detecting a motion of the mobile device based on one or more of the following user performed actions;

a tap;

a shake;

a change in orientation;

or

a relative motion.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting the gesture sequence further comprises detecting one or more of the following:

proximity of the mobile device to another device;

a predetermined time;

power on status of the mobile device; and

completion of a predetermined activity on the at least one network device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting, via a user interface, an indication of the status of the associated task.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a first network configuration corresponding to the network configuration action and automatically applying the first network configuration in response to detecting the gesture sequence.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected gesture sequence includes detecting proximity between the mobile device and a network device followed by detecting proximity between the mobile device and a wireless access point, and wherein performing the network configuration action comprises pairing the network device to the wireless access point.

10. A system for configuring a network using a mobile device comprising:

a non-transitory, computer readable memory;

one or more processors; and

a computer-readable medium containing programming instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to;

cause one or more sensors of the mobile device to detect a gesture sequence that comprises one or more gestures, wherein each gesture of the gesture sequence consists of a motion of the mobile device in response to at least one user performed action, and

cause a network application of the mobile device to;

access a network configuration database that comprises a plurality of gesture sequences and a plurality of associated tasks;

recognize the detected gesture sequence by identifying a match for the detected gesture sequence among the plurality of gesture sequences in the network access database;

use the match to identify an associated task that comprises a network configuration action for configuring at least one network device that is not connected to the network to enable the at least one network device to access the network based on network configuration rules associated with the at least one network device, and

perform the network configuration action to enable the at least one network device to access the network by;

identifying characteristics of the at least one network device, authorizing network access and defining a level of access, and configuring a wireless access point to facilitate network configuration.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising programming instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to install the network application on the mobile device.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising programming instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network application to, before recognizing the detected gesture sequence:

determine that a match for the detected gesture sequence has not been identified among the plurality of gesture sequences in the network configuration database;

prompt a user to define the detected gesture sequence and associate the detected gesture sequence with a task; and

update the network configuration database to include the detected gesture sequence and the defined associated task.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising programming instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network application to, before identifying the match for the detected network configuration action:

determine if the mobile device is connected to the network;

if the mobile device is not connected to the network, prompt a user to perform a default gesture or gesture sequence; and

in response to detecting the default gesture or gesture sequence, connect the mobile device to the network via a wireless access point.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the one or more sensors comprise an accelerometer; and

detecting the gesture sequence comprises detecting a motion of the mobile device based on one or more of the following user performed actions;

a tap;

a shake;

a change in orientation;

or

a relative motion.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein detecting the gesture sequence further comprises detecting one or more of the following:

proximity of the mobile device to another device;

a predetermined time;

power on status of the mobile device; and

completion of a predetermined activity on the at least one network device.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising programming instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to output, via a user interface, an indication of the status of the associated task.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising programming instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network application to store a first network configuration corresponding to the network configuration action and automatically apply the first network configuration in response to detecting the gesture sequence.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the detected gesture sequence includes detecting proximity between the mobile device and a network device followed by detecting proximity between the mobile device and a wireless access point, and wherein performing the network configuration action comprises pairing the network device to the wireless access point.

19. A method of configuring a print device using a mobile device comprising:

by one or more sensors of a mobile device, detecting a gesture sequence that comprises one or more gestures, wherein each gesture of the gesture sequence consists of a motion of the mobile device in response to at least one user performed action; and

by a network application of the mobile device;

accessing a network configuration database that comprises a plurality of gesture sequences and a plurality of associated tasks;

recognizing the detected gesture sequence by identifying a match for the detected gesture sequence among the plurality of gesture sequences in the network configuration database;

using the match to identify an associated task that comprises a print device configuration action for configuring at least one print device that is not connected to the network to enable the at least one print device to access the network based on print device configuration rules associated with the at least one print device; and

performing the print device configuration action to enable the at least one print device to access the network by;

identifying characteristics of the at least one print device;

authorizing network access and defining a level of access; and

configuring a wireless access point to facilitate network configuration.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting a print document to the print device, from the mobile device, wherein transmitting the print document to the print device comprises detecting a primary gesture sequence, wherein the primary gesture sequence indicates to the network application to perform at least one of the following:

configuring the mobile device;

connecting the mobile device to the print device;

or

transmitting the print document to the print device, from the mobile device.