System and method for configuring an extender device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10932130-B2
Application number	US-201815994382-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2018
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

Many customers have difficulty setting up a new extender device in the customer premises environment to improve their multimedia service. Some embodiments include configuring an extender device based on existing WiFi network credentials to minimize errors. Some embodiments include an application for mobile devices that may enable the transfer of network credentials from existing multimedia devices on the WiFi network to configure a new extender device in real time. For example, the configuration may be based on a customer account, a corresponding environment, and corresponding multimedia devices associated with the customer account. The extender device may be configured with the network credentials (e.g., a WiFi service set identifier (SSID) and password) that is common to the corresponding multimedia devices associated with the customer account.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for configuring an extender device, comprising:
a memory; and
one or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to:
detect the extender device, wherein the extender device is unconfigured;
obtain consent to share network credentials of a customer account with the extender device;
verify that the extender device is connected to a WiFi network that is associated with the customer account;
bind the extender device to the customer account;
obtain a network topology of the WiFi network from the extender device;
provide verification data that the extender device is connected to the WiFi network;
obtain network credentials from a multimedia device associated with the network credentials; and
transmit the network credentials to the extender device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein to obtain the consent, the one or more processors are configured to:
establish a connection to a service provider server of the customer account;
present a consent agreement; and
receive the consent to share the network credentials with the extender device.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein to obtain the consent, the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive account credentials of the customer account; and
transmit the account credentials to the service provider server, wherein the account credentials comprise a login and a password.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
prior to obtaining the network credentials from the multimedia device, discover the multimedia device on the WiFi network that is associated with the customer account; and
prior to transmitting the network credentials to the extender device, establish a communication with the extender device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein to provide the verification data, the one or more processors are further configured to:
present an image of the network topology that includes the multimedia device, the extender device, and an access point (AP) associated with the WiFi network.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein to detect the extender device, the one or more processors are configured to:
transmit a discovery message; and
receive a response indicating that the extender device is not configured.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the discovery message is transmitted via a Bluetooth™ protocol or software enabled access point (SoftAP).

8. A method for configuring an extender device, comprising:
detecting the extender device, wherein the extender device is unconfigured;
obtaining consent to share network credentials of a customer account with the extender device;
verifying that the extender device is connected to a WiFi network that is associated with the customer account;
binding the extender device to the customer account;
obtaining a network topology of the WiFi network from the extender device;
providing verification data that the extender device is connected to the WiFi network;
obtaining network credentials from a multimedia device associated with the network credentials; and
transmitting the network credentials to the extender device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the obtaining the consent, comprises:
establishing a connection to a service provider server of the customer account;
presenting a consent agreement; and
receiving the consent to share the network credentials with the extender device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the obtaining the consent, further comprises:
receiving account credentials of the customer account; and
transmitting the account credentials to the service provider server, wherein the account credentials comprise a login and a password.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
prior to obtaining the network credentials from the multimedia device, discovering the multimedia device on the WiFi network that is associated with the customer account; and
prior to transmitting the network credentials to the extender device, establishing a communication with the extender device.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the detecting the extender device comprises:
transmitting a discovery message; and
receiving a response indicating that the extender device is not configured.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the discovery message is transmitted via a Bluetooth™ protocol or software enabled access point (SoftAP).

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by one or more processors in an electronic device cause the one or more processors to perform operations for configuring an extender device, the operations comprising:
detecting the extender device, wherein the extender device is unconfigured;
obtaining consent to share network credentials of a customer account with the extender device;
verifying that the extender device is connected to a WiFi network that is associated with the customer account;
binding the extender device to the customer account;
obtaining a network topology of the WiFi network from the extender device;
providing verification data that the extender device is connected to the WiFi network;
obtaining network credentials from a multimedia device associated with the network credentials; and
transmitting the network credentials to the extender device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the obtaining the consent, comprises:
establishing a connection to a service provider server of the customer account;
presenting a consent agreement; and
receiving the consent to share the network credentials with the extender device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the obtaining the consent, further comprises:
receiving account credentials of the customer account; and
transmitting the account credentials to the service provider server, wherein the account credentials comprise a login and a password.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , further comprising:
prior to obtaining the network credentials from the multimedia device, discovering the multimedia device on the WiFi network that is associated with the customer account; and
prior to transmitting the network credentials to the extender device, establishing a communication with the extender device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the detecting the extender device operation comprises:
transmitting a discovery message; and
receiving a response indicating that the extender device is not configured.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the discovery message is transmitted via a Bluetooth™ protocol or software enabled access point (SoftAP).

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the providing verification data operation comprises:
presenting an image of the network topology that includes the multimedia device, the extender device, and an access point (AP) associated with the WiFi network.

Assignees

• Roku Inc

Inventors

• Chari Amalavoyal Narasimha
• Funk Jim
• Jagannathan Sujatha
• Huang Liang-Jong
• Schmidlapp Jason
• Thomas Tito
• Asnis Ilya

Classifications

• H04L43/08

  Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters · CPC title

• H04L41/12

  Discovery or management of network topologies · CPC title

• H04W12/06 Primary

  Authentication · CPC title

• H04W12/37 Primary

  Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title