Network configuration method and wireless networking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10499220-B2
Application number	US-201414553492-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2014
Priority date	Jan 8, 2014
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

A network configuration method and a wireless networking system utilizing the method are proposed. The proposed method comprises performing a site survey process to search for at least one available wireless network device, obtaining a setting datum corresponding to a wireless access point, selecting one of the available wireless network devices, determining a network connection type corresponding to the selected wireless network device, determining a transferring method according to the corresponding network connection type to transfer the setting datum to the selected wireless network device. The setting datum comprises at least one of a service set identifier (SSID), a wireless encryption method, and a wireless encryption key.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wireless network configuration method for configuring multiple wireless network devices to wirelessly connect to an access point (AP), comprising:
by a main control device, performing a wireless local area network site survey process to receive a MAC address in network beacons or to collect the MAC address in probe responses by sending probe requests actively, and to determine multiple available wireless network devices among the multiple wireless network devices according to the MAC address in the network beacons or probe responses;
by the main control device, obtaining a setting datum corresponding to the AP;
by the main control device, selecting at least two of the multiple available wireless network devices according to the MAC address in the network beacons or probe responses;
by the main control device, determining a corresponding network connection type according to a network connection type of the selected wireless network devices; and
by the main control device, determining a transferring method according to the corresponding network connection type to connect to the selected wireless network devices and to send the setting datum to the selected wireless network devices;
wherein the setting datum is selected from a group consisting of a wireless service set identifier (SSID), a wireless encryption method, and a wireless encryption key,
wherein in the step of determining a corresponding network connection type according to a network connection type of the selected wireless network devices comprising: if the network connection type is ad hoc, the corresponding network connection type is ad hoc, and if the network connection type is access point (AP), the corresponding network connection type is station (STA),
wherein the main control device confirms whether each of the selected wireless network devices wirelessly connects to the access point correctly according a discovery/response message (DRM) request, the main control device wirelessly connects to the access point and the access point broadcasts the DRM request, the DRM includes an IP address of the main control device, and only the selected wireless network device correctly connecting to the access point receives the DRM request.

2. The wireless network configuration method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a transferring method according to the corresponding network connection type to send the setting datum to the selected wireless network devices comprises:
joining an ad hoc network including the selected wireless network devices and broadcasting the setting datum if the corresponding network connection type is ad hoc; and
wirelessly connecting to the selected wireless network devices and sending the setting datum to the selected wireless network devices if the corresponding network connection type is STA.

3. The wireless network configuration method of claim 2 , wherein the step of broadcasting the setting datum is implemented based on transmission control protocol (TCP) over user datagram protocol (UDP) to broadcast the setting datum.

4. The wireless network configuration method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending a confirm message from the AP to the selected wireless network devices to confirm whether the selected wireless network devices are wirelessly connected to the AP successfully.

5. A wireless networking system, comprising:
an AP having a setting datum;
multiple wireless network devices, wherein each of the multiple wireless network devices is for operating in a first network connection type when the setting datum is not obtained, and for operating in a second network connection type when the setting datum is obtained and used for wirelessly connecting to the AP, and the first network connection type is different from the second network connection type; and
a main control device communication connecting to the AP and controlling the AP, for performing a wireless local area network site survey to receive a MAC address in network beacons or to collect the MAC address in probe responses by sending probe requests actively, and to determine multiple available wireless network devices among the multiple wireless network devices according to the MAC address in the network beacons or probe responses, selecting at least two of the multiple available wireless network devices according to the MAC address in the network beacons or probe responses and determining a corresponding network connection type according to the first network connection type of the selected wireless network devices, and determining a transferring method according to the corresponding network connection type to connect to the selected wireless network devices and to send the setting datum to the selected wireless network devices;
wherein the setting datum is selected from a group consisting of a wireless service set identifier (SSID), a wireless encryption method, and a wireless encryption key, and
wherein when the main control device determines the corresponding network connection type according to the first network connection type of the selected wireless network devices, if the first network connection type is ad hoc, the corresponding network connection type is ad hoc, and if the first network connection type is access point (AP), the corresponding network connection type is station (STA),
wherein the main control device confirms whether each of the selected wireless network devices wirelessly connects to the access point correctly according a discovery/response message (DRM) request, the main control device wirelessly connects to the access point and the access point broadcasts the DRM request, the DRM includes an IP address of the main control device, and only the selected wireless network device correctly connecting to the access point receives the DRM request.

6. The wireless networking system of claim 5 , wherein the main control device determining a transferring method according to the corresponding network connection type to send the setting datum to the selected wireless network devices comprises:
joining an ad hoc network including the selected wireless network devices and broadcasting the setting datum if the corresponding network connection type is ad hoc; and
wirelessly connecting to the selected wireless network devices and sending the setting datum to the selected wireless network devices if the corresponding network connection type is STA.

7. The wireless networking system of claim 6 , wherein when the main control device broadcasts the setting datum, transmission control protocol (TCP) over user datagram protocol (UDP) is implemented to broadcast the setting datum.

8. The wireless networking system of claim 5 , the main control device further sends a confirm message from the AP to the selected wireless network devices to confirm whether the selected wireless network devices are wirelessly connected to the AP successfully.

9. The wireless network configuration method of claim 2 , wherein when the network connection type is AP mode, the corresponding network connection type is station (STA) so that the main control device wirelessly connects to the selected wireless network devices directly without via the AP.

10. The wireless networking system of claim 6 , wherein when the network connection type is AP mode, the corresponding network connection type is station (STA) so that the main control device wirelessly connects to the selected wireless network devices directly without via the AP.

11. The wireless network configuration method of claim 1 , further comprising:
by the main control device, connecting to the AP according to the setting datum;
by the main control device, determining whether the

Assignees

• Vivotek Inc

Inventors

• Kuo Chia-Ming
• Weng Shu-Che

Classifications

• H04L41/0806

  for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play · CPC title

• H04W4/50 Primary

  Service provisioning or reconfiguring · CPC title

• H04W12/02

  Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII] · CPC title

• H04W12/35

  Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning · CPC title