Secure remote-less configuration of a media playback device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11523158-B2
Application number	US-202117532546-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2021
Priority date	Jul 21, 2020
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to embodiments for securely reconfiguring a media playback device. For example, a method may include determining whether a media playback device is being controlled by a user. In response to determining that the media playback device is not being controlled by the user, the method may further include: causing display of a pictograph that includes an encrypted payload with information for wirelessly connecting to the media playback device and is configured to be scanned by a client device; determining whether a request from the client device to wirelessly connect to the media playback device is a valid request; in response to the request being valid, wirelessly connecting the client device to the media playback device via a soft access point; and receiving, at the media playback device, information for reconfiguring the media playback device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing device, comprising:
an image capture device configured to capture a pictograph displayed by a media playback device, wherein the pictograph comprises a payload comprising encrypted information for connecting the computing device to the media playback device and a cryptographic certificate to identify the media playback device by a server;
an application operated by a processor communicatively coupled to the image capture device, wherein the application is configured to:
send a content of the payload via a network to the server for validating the payload to identify the media playback device;
receive a reconfiguration request from the server, wherein the reconfiguration request includes information for connecting the computing device to the media playback device, wherein the information included in the reconfiguration request is obtained from the server by decrypting the encrypted information of the payload;
send the reconfiguration request to the media playback device, wherein the information included in the reconfiguration request is validated by the media playback device; and
in response to a validation of the information included in the reconfiguration request, connect the computing device to the media playback device.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the application is further configured to reconfigure the media playback device by updating wireless settings of the media playback device.

3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the application is further configured to receive a username and a password from a user to authenticate the user by the server, and wherein the username and the password are for a user account associated with the media playback device.

4. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the information included in the reconfiguration request includes a service set identifier (S SID) and a passphrase, and the encrypted information of the payload includes an encrypted SSID and an encrypted passphrase.

5. The computing device of claim 4 , wherein the validation of the information included in the reconfiguration request is determined by matching the SSID and the passphrase contained in the reconfiguration request to a corresponding SSID and a corresponding passphrase stored in the media playback device.

6. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is connected to the media playback device via a soft access point, and the payload comprises a network name and a passphrase for the soft access point.

7. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the pictograph comprises a quick response (QR) code.

8. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the image capture device includes a camera for scanning the pictograph.

9. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the image capture device supports one or more image resolutions.

10. A computer-implemented method for a computing device, comprising:
capturing, by an image capture device, a pictograph displayed by a media playback device, wherein the pictograph comprises a payload comprising encrypted information for connecting the computing device to the media playback device and a cryptographic certificate to identify the media playback device by a server;
sending a content of the payload via a network to the server for validating the payload to identify the media playback device;
receiving a reconfiguration request from the server, wherein the reconfiguration request includes information for connecting the computing device to the media playback device, wherein the information included in the reconfiguration request is obtained from the server by decrypting the encrypted information of the payload;
sending the reconfiguration request to the media playback device, wherein the information included in the reconfiguration request is validated by the media playback device; and
in response to a validation of the information included in the reconfiguration request, connecting the computing device to the media playback device.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
reconfiguring the media playback device by updating wireless settings of the media playback device.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving a username and a password from a user to authenticate the user by the server, and wherein the username and the password are for a user account associated with the media playback device.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the information included in the reconfiguration request includes a service set identifier (SSID) and a passphrase, and the encrypted information of the payload includes an encrypted SSID and an encrypted passphrase.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the validation of the information included in the reconfiguration request is determined by matching the SSID and the passphrase contained in the reconfiguration request to a corresponding SSID and a corresponding passphrase stored in the media playback device.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the pictograph comprises a quick response (QR) code.

16. A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one computing device, cause the at least one computing device to perform operations comprising:
capturing, by an image capture device, a pictograph displayed by a media playback device, wherein the pictograph comprises a payload comprising encrypted information for connecting the at least one computing device to the media playback device and a cryptographic certificate to identify the media playback device by a server;
sending a content of the payload via a network to the server for validating the payload to identify the media playback device;
receiving a reconfiguration request from the server, wherein the reconfiguration request includes information for connecting the at least one computing device to the media playback device, wherein the information included in the reconfiguration request is obtained from the server by decrypting the encrypted information of the payload;
sending the reconfiguration request to the media playback device, wherein the information included in the reconfiguration request is validated by the media playback device; and
in response to a validation of the information included in the reconfiguration request, connecting the at least one computing device to the media playback device.

17. The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium of claim 16 , the operations further comprising:
reconfiguring the media playback device by updating wireless settings of the media playback device.

18. The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium of claim 16 , the operations further comprising:
receiving a username and a password from a user to authenticate the user by the server, and wherein the username and the password are for a user account associated with the media playback device.

19. The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the information included in the reconfiguration request includes a service set identifier (SSID) and a passphrase, and the encrypted information for connecting the at least one computing device includes an encrypted SSID and an encrypted passphrase.

20. The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the validation of the information included in the reconfiguration request is determined by matching the SSID and the passphrase contained in the reconfiguration request to a corresponding SSID and a corresponding passphras

Assignees

• Roku Inc

Inventors

• Esfahani Cameron
• King Brian
• Young Mark
• Bishop Alex

Classifications

• H04N21/43637

  involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth®, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] (arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114) · CPC title

• H04N21/443

  OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB · CPC title

• H04N21/4532 Primary

  involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences (monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18) · CPC title

• H04W76/10

  Connection setup · CPC title

• H04N21/25816 Primary

  involving client authentication (restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06) · CPC title