Setup of multiple IOT devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9426153-B2
Application number	US-201414529745-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2014
Priority date	Sep 8, 2014
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the setup of multiple devices on a local area network. Specifically, various techniques and systems are provided for utilizing a network device to efficiently add a new device to a local area network using an existing network device. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention include a computer-implemented method. The method comprises receiving, at a network device on a network, credentials identifying a network gateway in the network; receiving a communication including an indication that a new network device has generated a new access point; transmitting a query, wherein the query includes a request to determine whether the new network device is associated with the network; receiving a communication including a response to the query indicating that the new network device is associated with the network; establishing a connection with the new access point of the new network device; and transmitting the credentials identifying the network gateway, wherein the credentials are used for the new network device to join the network.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
receiving, at an existing network device on a network, a request to identify identification information associated with a new network device;
transmitting a query, wherein when the query is received, the query is displayable on an access device connected to the network;
receiving an answer to the query, wherein the answer includes identification information associated with the new network device;
transmitting a response to the request; and
receiving a subsequent request to connect to the network, wherein the request includes network credentials.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, by an existing network device on a network, network credentials identifying the network.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an indication that the new network device has generated a setup access point;
transmitting a request for an existing network device to connect to the setup access point; and
establishing a connection with the new network device after receiving the subsequent request to connect to the network.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is an authentication request configured to confirm the identification of the network.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a communication including an indication that the new network device will, based on the received response to the request, join the network.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the communication, including the indication that the new network device will join the network, also includes an indication that the transmitted response included correct identification information associated with the new network device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a communication including an indication that the new network device will not, based on the received response to the request, join the network.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a setup beacon including information identifying the new network device.

9. A computing device, comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:
receiving, at an existing network device on a network, a request to identify identification information associated with a new network device;
transmitting a query, wherein when the query is received, the query is displayable on an access device connected to the network;
receiving an answer to the query, wherein the answer includes identification information associated with the new network device;
transmitting a response to the request; and
receiving a subsequent request to connect to the network, wherein the request includes network credentials.

10. The computing device of claim 1 , further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:
transmitting, by an existing network device on a network, network credentials identifying the network.

11. The computing device of claim 9 , further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:
receiving an indication that the new network device has generated a setup access point;
transmitting a request for an existing network device to connect to the setup access point; and
establishing a connection with the new network device after receiving the subsequent request to connect to the network.

12. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the request is an authentication request configured to confirm the identification of the network.

13. The computing device of claim 9 , further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:
receiving a communication including an indication that the new network device will, based on the received response to the request, join the network.

14. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the communication, including the indication that the new network device will join the network, also includes an indication that the transmitted response included correct identification information associated with the new network device.

15. The computing device of claim 9 , further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:
receiving a communication including an indication that the new network device will not, based on the received response to the request, join the network.

16. The computing device of claim 9 , further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including:
receiving a setup beacon including information identifying the new network device.

17. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:
receive, at an existing network device on a network, a request to identify identification information associated with a new network device;
transmit a query, wherein when the query is received, the query is displayable on an access device connected to the network;
receive an answer to the query, wherein the answer includes identification information associated with the new network device;
transmit a response to the request; and
receive a subsequent request to connect to the network, wherein the request includes network credentials.

18. The computer-program product of claim 17 , further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:
transmit, by an existing network device on a network, network credentials identifying the network.

19. The computer-program product of claim 17 , further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:
receive an indication that the new network device has generated a setup access point;
transmit a request for an existing network device to connect to the setup access point; and
establish a connection with the new network device after receiving the subsequent request to connect to the network.

20. The computer-program product of claim 17 , wherein the request is an authentication request configured to confirm the identification of the network.

21. The computer-program product of claim 17 , further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:
receive a communication including an indication that the new network device will, based on the received response to the request, join the network.

22. The computer-program product of claim 17 , wherein the communication, including the indication that the new network device will join the network, also includes an indication that the transmitted response included correct identification information associated with the new network device.

23. The computer-program product of claim 17 , further comprising instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to:
receive a communication including an indication that the new network device will not, based on the received response to the request, join the network.

24. The computer-program product of claim 17 , further comprising instructions

Assignees

• Belkin International Inc

Inventors

• Kim Ryan Yong
• Pathuri Venkata Subba Rao

Classifications

• H04L67/141

  Setup of application sessions (admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70) · CPC title

• H04L63/0876 Primary

  based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint · CPC title

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• H04W12/06

  Authentication · CPC title

• H04L63/08

  for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32) · CPC title