Apparatus and method for seamless commissioning of wireless devices

• US 9,591,690 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2016
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Mathews, Jeffrey P., Taylor, Lee R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Masur, Paul H
• Application Number:
  US15/159,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20160270147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 292 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 application is provided on a smart wireless device for commissioning a target device disposed in proximity to the smart wireless device onto a wireless local area network (WLAN). The application is configured to display a user interface, format and communicate one or more WLAN configuration packets that convey WLAN configuration data associated with the WLAN according to a predetermined format, and receive information indicating that the target device has successfully entered the WLAN. The application is also configured to after the smart wireless device enters the WLAN, communicate device configuration data to the target device. The device configuration data include smart wireless device information that identifies the smart wireless device for facilitating communication between the smart wireless device and the target device over the WLAN.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a smart wireless device for commissioning a target device onto a wireless local area network (WLAN), the smart wireless device including a first processor and a first memory storing the one or more programs for execution by the first processor, the one or more programs further including an application, wherein the application, when executed by the smart wireless device, is configured to cause the smart wireless device to perform operations comprising:

displaying a user interface for commissioning the target device, wherein the target device is disposed in proximity to the smart wireless device and includes a second processor and a second memory storing programs for execution by the second processor, the programs stored in the second memory including program instructions that direct the second processor to decode and process WLAN configuration packets for commissioning the target device itself onto the WLAN and to decode and process smart wireless device information that identifies the smart wireless device for facilitating communication between the smart wireless device and the target device over the WLAN;

formatting and communicating, to the target device, one or more WLAN configuration packets that convey WLAN configuration data associated with the WLAN according to a predetermined format, wherein the WLAN is accessible to the smart wireless device;

receiving information indicating that the target device has successfully entered the WLAN; and

communicating device configuration data to the target device, the device configuration data including smart wireless device information that identifies the smart wireless device for facilitating communication between the smart wireless device and the target device over the WLAN.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more WLAN configuration packets are communicated optically from the smart wireless device to the target device.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the one or more WLAN configuration packets are modulated within optical signals generated by a camera flash.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the one or more WLAN configuration packets are modulated within optical signals generated by a display backlight of the smart wireless device.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more WLAN configuration packets are communicated via a wireless radio independently of the WLAN.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the wireless radio is based on one of Bluetooth, radio frequency identification (RFID), ZigBee, radio frequency for consumer electronics (RF4CE), Z-Wave, and near field communication technologies.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the application is configure to, when executed by the smart wireless device, cause the smart wireless device to perform operations further comprising:

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

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the application, when executed by the smart wireless device, is configured to cause the smart wireless device to perform one of a group of operations consisting of:

obtaining the WLAN configuration data from its own active connection to the WLAN;

receiving user inputs of the WLAN configuration data via a touchscreen or keyboard of the smart wireless device;

automatically deriving the WLAN configuration data by contact with a server; and

obtaining the WLAN configuration data in a configuration data record.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the target device does not include a user interface.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the device configuration data include one or more of Internet Protocol address, proxy, and gateway configuration of the smart wireless device.

11. A smart wireless device, comprising:

a first processor;

a first memory storing programs for execution by the first processor, the programs further including an application for commissioning a target device onto a wireless local area network (WLAN), the application, when executed by the smart wireless device, being configured to cause the smart wireless device to perform operations comprising;

displaying a user interface for commissioning the target device, wherein the target device is disposed in proximity to the smart wireless device and includes a second processor and a second memory storing programs for execution by the second processor, the programs stored in the second memory including program instructions that direct the second processor to decode and process WLAN configuration packets for commissioning the target device itself onto the WLAN and to decode and process smart wireless device information that identifies the smart wireless device for facilitating communication between the smart wireless device and the target device over the WLAN;

formatting and communicating, to the target device, one or more WLAN configuration packets that convey WLAN configuration data associated with the WLAN according to a predetermined format, wherein the WLAN is accessible to the smart wireless device;

receiving, information indicating that the target device has successfully entered the WLAN; and

communicating device configuration data to the target device, the device configuration data including smart wireless device information that identifies the smart wireless device for facilitating communication between the smart wireless device and the target device over the WLAN.

12. The smart wireless device of claim 11, wherein the one or more WLAN configuration packets are communicated optically from the smart wireless device to the target device.

13. The smart wireless device of claim 12, wherein the one or more WLAN configuration packets are modulated within optical signals generated by a display backlight of the smart wireless device.

14. The smart wireless device of claim 11, wherein the one or more WLAN configuration packets are communicated via a wireless radio independently of the WLAN.

15. The smart wireless device of claim 14, wherein the wireless radio is based on one of Bluetooth, radio frequency identification (RFID), ZigBee, radio frequency for consumer electronics (RF4CE), Z-Wave, and near field communication technologies.

16. The smart wireless device of claim 14, wherein the wireless radio is associated with a proprietary RF communication standard.

17. A method for commissioning a target device onto a wireless local area network (WLAN), comprising:

at a smart wireless device including a first processor and a first memory storing programs for execution by the first processor, the programs further including an application for commissioning a target device onto a wireless local area network (WLAN);

displaying a user interface for commissioning the target device, wherein the target device is disposed in proximity to the smart wireless device and includes a second processor and a second memory storing programs for execution by the second processor, the programs stored in the second memory including program instructions that direct the second processor to decode and process WLAN configuration packets for commissioning the target device itself onto the WLAN and to decode and process smart wireless device information that identifies the smart wireless device for facilitating communication between the smart wireless device and the target device over the WLAN;

formatting and communicating, to the target device, one or more WLAN configuration packets that convey WLAN configuration data associated with the WLAN according to a predetermined format, wherein the WLAN is accessible to the smart wireless device;

receiving information indicating that the target device has successfully entered the WLAN; and

communicating device configuration data to the target device, the device configuration data including smart wireless device information that identifies the smart wireless device for facilitating communication between the smart wireless device and the target device over the WLAN.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

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

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising one of a group of operations consisting of:

obtaining the WLAN configuration data from its own active connection to the WLAN;

receiving user inputs of the WLAN configuration data via a touchscreen or keyboard of the smart wireless device;

automatically deriving the WLAN configuration data by contact with a server; and

obtaining the WLAN configuration data in a configuration data record.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the information indicating that the target device has successfully entered the WLAN is received via the WLAN from the target device, and the device configuration data is communicated to the target device via the WLAN.