Provisioning of wireless connectivity for devices using NFC

• US 8,014,722 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2009
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Nick, Benjamin E., Guday, Shai, Abel, Miller T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao; Minh D
• Application Number:
  US12/637,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20100093278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/432.2, 455/466, 455/411, 455/433, 455/436, 709/246, 370/259, 370/260, 370/328
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates connecting a wireless device to a secure network. A device can establish a near field communication link with a verified device on a network, wherein the near field communication link can be a secure and/or encrypted link to provision the device without comprising security constraints within the network. An installation component can invoke the transfer of provisioning data to the network via the near filed communication link to secure a wireless connection for the device to the network.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates connecting to a wireless network via a verified device that is provisioned to operate on the wireless network via a first wireless connection that is not a near field communication link, comprising:

a wireless device that establishes a near field communication link with the verified device; and

an installation component that invokes an exchange of provisioning data between the device and the verified device via the near field communication link and uses the provisioning data to establish a second wireless connection distinct from the near field communication link between the device and the verified device whereby the device may communicate with the wireless network via said second wireless connection, the installation component establishing the second wireless connection as an ad hoc network between the wireless device and the verified device to enable connectivity therebetween.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the provisioning data includes installation protocols, authentication protocols, data related to acquiring a connection with the wireless network, device configuration data, and/or device related data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the provisioning data is employed by the installation component to authenticate the device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the verified device is indirectly connected to the near field communication link.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the installation component is incorporated into the wireless device and/or the verified device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is at least one of the following:

a computer;

a network;

a keyboard;

a speaker;

a mouse;

a monitor;

a headset;

a pair of headphones;

a remote;

a router;

an access point;

a printer;

a hard drive;

a modem;

a phone;

a cellular communication device;

a portable digital assistant (PDA); and

a microphone.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second wireless connection is at least one of a wireless local area network (WLAN), Bluetooth™

, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), and ultra-wideband (UWB).

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device and/or the verified device include sensors that enables the wireless device and/or verified device to detect each other as being in sufficient proximity of each other to establish said near field communication link.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the installation component comprises a data store that stores said provisioning data.

9. A system that facilitates connecting to a wireless network via a verified device that is provisioned to operate on the wireless network via a first wireless connection that is not a near field communication link, comprising:

a wireless device that establishes a near field communication link with the verified device; and

an installation component that invokes an exchange of provisioning data between the device and the verified device via the near field communication link and uses the provisioning data to establish a second wireless connection distinct from the near field communication link between the device and the verified device whereby the device may communicate with the wireless network via said second wireless connection, wherein the installation component comprises a security component that provides an additional security layer to ensure valid utilization of close proximity data transfer with respect to the near field communication link.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the security layer includes at least one of the following security techniques:

a smart card;

a certificate;

a cryptographic key;

a user name and password;

a personal identification number (PIN);

a login;

a time-based proximity;

a biometric indicia;

a human interactive proof (HIP); and

a voice recognition.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the security component ensures valid utilization of the close proximity data transfer over the near field communication link based on close temporal proximity of the exchange of provisioning data to another event.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the installation component further comprises a manager component that manages at least one of the wireless device connectivity to the wireless network, association of one of a plurality of wireless connections associated with the wireless network, and a proximity setting related to the near field communications.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the manager component utilizes statistical analysis to determine the most efficient wireless connection for the wireless device from a plurality of wireless connections associated with the wireless network based upon identifying the wireless connection with the highest signal strength to the wireless device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the manager component denies establishment of the wireless connection upon a signal strength of the wireless device to the wireless network being below a threshold and establishing the wireless connection upon the signal strength not being below the threshold.

16. A system that facilitates connecting to a wireless network via a verified device that is provisioned to operate on the wireless network via a first wireless connection that is not a near field communication link, comprising:

a wireless device that establishes a near field communication link with the verified device; and

an installation component that invokes an exchange of provisioning data between the device and the verified device via the near field communication link and uses the provisioning data to establish a second wireless connection distinct from the near field communication link between the device and the verified device whereby the device may communicate with the wireless network via said second wireless connection,

wherein the verified device comprises a master device that has been previously connected to the wireless network, wherein a plurality of said devices can connect to a wireless connection associated with the network utilizing provisioning data provided via a near field connection link with the master device.

17. A system that facilitates connecting to a wireless network via a verified device that is provisioned to operate on the wireless network via a first wireless connection that is not a near field communication link, comprising:

a wireless device that establishes a near field communication link with the verified device; and

an installation component that invokes an exchange of provisioning data between the device and the verified device via the near field communication link and uses the provisioning data to establish a second wireless connection distinct from the near field communication link between the device and the verified device whereby the device may communicate with the wireless network via said second wireless connection,

wherein the wireless device, once authenticated, becomes a verified device that is configured to establish a second near field communication link with a second device on the wireless network by invoking transfer of provisioning data to the wireless network via the second near field communication link.

18. A system that facilitates connecting to a wireless network via a verified device that is provisioned to operate on the wireless network via a first wireless connection that is not a near field communication link, comprising:

a wireless device that establishes a near field communication link with the verified device;

an installation component that invokes an exchange of provisioning data between the device and the verified device via the near field communication link and uses the provisioning data to establish a second wireless connection distinct from the near field communication link between the device and the verified device whereby the device may communicate with the wireless network via said second wireless connection; and

an intelligent component that is utilized by the installation component to facilitate provisioning the device to the wireless network and/or the verified device by employing probabilistic and/or statistical based analysis to infer that a user of the wireless device wishes to connect to the wireless network.

19. A method that facilitates connecting a wireless device to a wireless network, comprising:

a processor executing instructions to perform the following steps;

establishing a near field communication link between the wireless device and a verified device on the wireless network, wherein the verified device is provisioned to operate on the wireless network via a first wireless connection that is different from the near field communication link;

securely exchanging provisioning data between the wireless device and the verified device across the near field communication link;

establishing a second wireless connection distinct from the near field communication link between the wireless device and the verified device using said provisioning data, whereby the wireless device may communicate with the wireless network via said second wireless connection; and

ensuring valid utilization of the close proximity data transfer over the near field communication link based on close temporal proximity of the exchange of provisioning data to another event.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

authenticating the wireless device using the provisioning data.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

implementing a security technique to ensure valid use of the near field communication link by the wireless device; and

determining an efficient wireless connection for the wireless device to utilize on the wireless network.

22. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that when executed by a processor facilitates the connection of a wireless device to a wireless network, said instructions, when executed, causing said processor to perform the following steps:

establish a near field communication link between the wireless device and a verified device on the wireless network, wherein the verified device is provisioned to operate on the wireless network via a first wireless connection that is different from the near field communication link;

securely exchange provisioning data between the wireless device and the verified device across the near field communication link;

establish a second wireless connection distinct from the near field communication link between the wireless device and the verified device using the provisioning data, whereby the wireless device may communicate with the wireless network via said second wireless connection; and

ensuring valid utilization of the close proximity data transfer over the near field communication link based on close temporal proximity of the exchange of provisioning data to another event.

23. A medium as in claim 22, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause said processor to authenticate the wireless device using the provisioning data.