System and method for automatic wireless network authentication in an internet of things (IOT) system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10721208-B2
Application number	US-201816055375-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2018
Priority date	Jan 4, 2016
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method are described for a secure IoT wireless network configuration. For example, one embodiment of an Internet of Things (IoT) hub comprises: a local wireless communication interface to establish local wireless connections with one or more IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs; a network router to establish network connections over the Internet on behalf of the IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs; an authentication module pre-configured with a passphrase and a hidden service set identifier (SSID), the authentication module to receive a connection requests from the IoT devices and/or an IoT extender hubs and to grant the connection requests when the IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs use the pre-configured passphrase and hidden SSID; and a firewall of the IoT hub to block all outgoing and incoming connection requests other than those directed to designated servers of an IoT service with known host names.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An Internet of Things (loT) hub comprising:
a first local wireless communication interface comprising a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) interface to establish first local wireless connections with one or more IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs using a BTLE communication protocol;
a WiFi communication interface to establish WiFi connections with one or more of IoT devices, IoT extender hubs, or other WiFi devices the WiFi communication interface pre-programmed with a hidden Service Set Identifier (SSID) matching an SSID pre-programmed in a new IoT device, the new IoT device not associated with a user account;
a network router to establish network connections over the Internet on behalf of all or a subset of the IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs;
an authentication module to receive connection requests from the IoT devices and/or an IoT extender hubs and to grant the connection requests when the IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs use proper authentication including a designated WiFi passphrase for those IoT devices or IoT extender hubs connecting to the WiFi interface; and
a firewall of the IoT hub to block all outgoing and incoming connection requests other than those directed to designated servers of an IoT service with known host names;
wherein the IoT hub receives a request to register the new IoT device with an IoT service, the IoT service to associate the IoT device with the user account and to transmit the WiFi passphrase associated with the WiFi communication interface to the IoT device via the IoT hub, and wherein the new IoT device establishes a secure connection with the WiFi interface using the WiFi passphrase and the pre-programmed SSID.

2. The IoT hub as in claim 1 wherein the authentication module is further configured to deny connection requests other than those from IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs having known medium access control (MAC) addresses.

3. The IoT hub as in claim 1 wherein the WiFi interface comprises an 802.11ac interface.

4. The IoT hub as in claim 1 wherein the firewall is to be updated over the Internet to include new host names of designated servers of the IoT service.

5. The IoT hub as in claim 1 wherein the authentication module is pre-configured with a passphrase and a hidden service set identifier (SSID), the authentication module to grant the connection requests to those IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs which use the pre-configured passphrase and hidden SSID.

6. A method comprising:
establishing first local wireless connections between an IoT hub and one or more IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs using a first local wireless communication protocol using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) interface;
establishing second local wireless connections with one or more of IoT devices, IoT extender hubs, or other WiFi devices using a WiFi communication interface, the WiFi communication interface pre-programmed with a hidden Service Set Identifier (SSID) matching an SSID pre-programmed in a new IoT device, the new IoT device not associated with a user account;
receiving connection requests from the IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs use proper authentication including a designated WiFi passphrase for those IoT devices or IoT extender hubs connecting to the WiFi interface;
receiving a request to register the new IoT device with an IoT service, the IoT service to associate the IoT device with the user account and to transmit the WiFi passphrase associated with the WiFi communication interface to the IoT device;
granting the connection requests when the IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs use the WiFi passphrase and the hidden SSID, and responsively connecting the IoT devices and/or IoT hubs to an IoT service; and
blocking all outgoing and incoming connection requests, other than those directed to designated servers of the IoT service with known host names.

7. The method as in claim 6 further comprising:
blocking all local wireless connection requests other than those from IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs having known medium access control (MAC) addresses.

8. The method as in claim 6 wherein the WiFi protocol comprises an 802.11ac protocol.

9. The method as in claim 6 further comprising:
updating the IoT hub over the Internet to include new host names of designated servers of the IoT service.

10. The method as in claim 6 further comprising:
establishing second local wireless connections with one or more other IoT devices using a second local wireless communication protocol.

11. The method as in claim 10 wherein the second local wireless communication protocol comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) protocol.

12. The method as in claim 6 wherein the authentication module is pre-configured with a passphrase and a hidden service set identifier (SSID), and wherein proper authentication comprises the IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs using the pre-configured passphrase and hidden SSID.

13. A system comprising:
an IoT service;
a plurality of IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs to attempt to connect with the IoT service over the Internet;
an Internet of Things (loT) hub comprising:
a first local wireless communication interface comprising a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) interface to establish first local wireless connections with one or more IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs using a BTLE communication protocol;
a WiFi communication interface to establish WiFi connections with one or more of IoT devices, IoT extender hubs, or other WiFi devices the WiFi communication interface pre-programmed with a hidden Service Set Identifier (SSID) matching an SSID pre-programmed in a new IoT device, the new IoT device not associated with a user account;
a network router to establish network connections over the Internet on behalf of all or a subset of the IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs;
an authentication module to receive connection requests from the IoT devices and/or an IoT extender hubs and to grant the connection requests when the IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs use proper authentication including a designated WiFi passphrase for those IoT devices or IoT extender hubs connecting to the WiFi interface; and
a firewall of the IoT hub to block all outgoing and incoming connection requests other than those directed to designated servers of an IoT service with known host names; and

wherein the IoT hub receives a request to register the new IoT device with the IoT service, the IoT service to associate the IoT device with the user account and to transmit the WiFi passphrase associated with the WiFi communication interface to the IoT device via the IoT hub, and wherein the new IoT device establishes a secure connection with the WiFi interface using the WiFi passphrase and the pre-programmed SSID.

14. The system as in claim 13 wherein the authentication module is further configured to deny connection requests other than those from IoT devices and/or IoT extender hubs having known medium access control (MAC) addresses.

15. The system as in claim 13 wherein the WiFi interface comprises an 802.11ac interface.

Assignees

• Afero Inc

Inventors

• Liu Clif
• Pointer Robey
• Quinn Kerry

Classifications

• H04L67/562

  Brokering proxy services · CPC title

• H04W12/71

  Hardware identity · CPC title

• H04W12/06

  Authentication · CPC title

• H04W48/02

  Access restriction performed under specific conditions · CPC title

• H04W84/047

  using dedicated repeater stations · CPC title