Method, device and system for configuring multiple devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016191501-A1
Application number	US-201414909432-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 1, 2014
Priority date	Aug 1, 2013
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, device and system for configuring multiple devices, where multiple devices are configured simply and securely in a centralized manner. The method includes: acquiring, by a configuration device, device identity information, configuration password information, and network role attributes of at least two devices needing to be configured on a same wireless local area network WLAN; determining a central node device of the WLAN according to the network role attributes of the at least two devices; and sending device identity information and configuration password information of a non-central node device to the central node device, or sending, by the configuration device, device identity information and configuration password information of the central node device to the non-central node device.

First claim

1 . A method for configuring multiple devices, the method comprising:
acquiring, by a configuration device, device identity information, configuration password information, and network role attributes of at least two devices needing to be configured on a same wireless local area network (WLAN); determining, by the configuration device, a central node device of the WLAN according to the network role attributes of the at least two devices; and sending, by the configuration device, device identity information and configuration password information of a non-central node device to the central node device, so that the central node device securely connects to the non-central node device according to the device identity information and the configuration password information of the non-central node device; or sending, by the configuration device, device identity information and configuration password information of the central node device to a non-central node device, so that the non-central node device securely connects to the central node device according to the device identity information and the configuration password information of the central node device, wherein the non-central node device is a device of the at least two devices except the central node device.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
before sending device identity information and configuration password information of a non-central node device to the central node device, the method further comprises:
authenticating, by the configuration device, with the central node device according to configuration password information of the central node device; or
before sending device identity information and configuration password information of the central node device to the non-central node device, the method further comprises:
authenticating, by the configuration device, with the non-central node device according to configuration password information of the non-central node device.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the network role attribute of the device comprises a device type and/or a group owner intent value of the device.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein determining, by the configuration device, a central node device of the WLAN according to the network role attributes of the at least two devices comprises:
if the configuration device determines, according to the device type in the network role attribute of the device, that the device type of the device is a wireless access point (AP), using the device as the central node device of the WLAN.

5 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein determining, by the configuration device, a central node device of the WLAN according to the network role attributes of the at least two devices comprises:
if the configuration device determines, according to the device type in the network role attribute of the device, that the devices needing to be configured on the same WLAN comprise no AP, determining, by the configuration device, the central node device of the WLAN according to the group owner intent value in the network role attribute of the device; or determining, by the configuration device, the central node device of the WLAN according to the device type in the network role attribute and a preset correspondence between the device type and the group owner intent value.

6 . A method for configuring multiple devices, the method comprising:
receiving, by a first device, device identity information and configuration password information of a second device that are sent by a configuration device after the configuration device acquires device identity information, configuration password information, and network role attributes of at least two devices that need to be configured on a same wireless local area network (WLAN) and that comprise the first device, and determines a central node device of the WLAN according to the network role attributes of the at least two devices; and securely connecting, by the first device, to the second device according to the device identity information and the configuration password information of the second device, wherein the first device is the central node device, and the second device is any device of the at least two devices except the central node device; or the second device is the central node device, and the first device is any device of the at least two devices except the central node device.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises:
when the first device is the central node device, authenticating, by the first device, with the configuration device according to configuration password information of the first device before the first device receives the device identity information and the configuration password information of the second device that are sent by the configuration device; or when the second device is the central node device, authenticating, by the first device, with the configuration device according to configuration password information of the first device before the first device receives the device identity information and the configuration password information of the second device that are sent by the configuration device.

8 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the network role attribute of the device comprises a device type and/or a group owner intent value of the device.

9 - 12 . (canceled)

13 . A configuration device for configuring multiple devices, the configuration device comprising:
a processor, configured to determine, based on acquired device identity information, configuration password information, and network role attributes of at least two devices needing to be configured on a same wireless local area network WLAN, a central node device of the WLAN; a transmitter, configured to:
send device identity information and configuration password information of a non-central node device to the central node device, so that the central node device securely connects to the non-central node device according to the device identity information and the configuration password information of the non-central node device, or
send device identity information and configuration password information of the central node device to the non-central node device, so that the non-central node device securely connects to the central node device according to the device identity information and the configuration password information of the central node device; and
wherein the non-central node device is a device of the at least two devices except the central node device.

14 . The configuration device according to claim 13 , wherein the network role attribute of the device comprises a device type and/or a group owner intent value of the device.

15 . The configuration device according to claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to: based on the acquired device identity information, configuration password information, and network role attributes of the at least two devices needing to be configured on the same wireless local area network WLAN, if the processor determines, according to the device type in the network role attribute of the device, that the device type of the device is a wireless access point AP, use the device as the central node device of the WLAN.

16 . The configuration device according to claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to: based on the acquired device identity information, configuration password information, and network role attributes of the at least two devices needing to be configured on the same wireless local area network WLAN, if the processor determines, according to the device type in the net

Assignees

• Huawei Device Co Ltd

Inventors

• Li Xiaoxian
• Ding Zhiming
• Lu Su
• Pang Gaokun

Classifications

• H04W84/12

  WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] · CPC title

• H04L63/0823 Primary

  using certificates (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263) · CPC title

• H04L41/28 Primary

  Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration · CPC title

• H04L41/0803

  Configuration setting · CPC title

• H04W84/20

  Leader-follower arrangements · CPC title