Establishing a secure wireless network with a minimum human intervention

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9787550-B2
Application number	US-201514803953-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2015
Priority date	Jun 5, 2004
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

An example method disclosed herein includes receiving, at a controller device, a user input; based on the user input, displaying a prompt to direct a user to press one or more buttons on a playback device; subsequently, receiving from the playback device over a first network, network information associated with the playback device; determining, based on the received network information, that the playback device is not a part of a secure playback network; based on a determination that the network information is not a part of a secure playback network, generating network parameters for a secure second network; subsequently, (i) joining the secure second network based on the generated network parameters, and (ii) causing the playback device to join the secure second network based on the generated network parameters; and displaying an indication that the controller device and the playback device have joined the secure second network.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon that when executed cause a controller device to perform functions comprising:
receiving a command to configure a playback device;
based on the received command, causing a graphical display to display a prompt that indicates an instruction to press one or more buttons of the playback device;
after displaying the prompt that indicates the instruction to press one or more buttons of the playback device, entering into a listening mode;
while in the listening mode, receiving from the playback device, an indication that the playback device is available, wherein the playback device transmits the indication to the controller device in response to a pressing of the one or more buttons of the playback device;
responsive to the indication, transmitting a query message to the playback device, the query message requesting current network configuration information corresponding to the playback device;
receiving from the playback device via a network interface, network configuration information corresponding to the playback device in response to the query message;
determining, based on the received network configuration information, that the playback device is not configured to join a secure first network; and
based on determining that the playback device is not configured to join the secure first network:
generating network parameters for a secure second network;
joining the secure second network based on the generated network parameters;
causing the playback device to join the secure second network based on the generated network parameters; and
causing the graphical display to display an indication that the controller device and the playback device have joined the secure second network.

2. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein determining that the playback device is not configured to join the secure first network comprises:
determining that the received network configuration information comprises an empty network security parameter field.

3. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein entering the listening mode comprises:
entering the listening mode for a predetermined duration of time.

4. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the functions further comprise:
sending to the playback device over the secure second network, one or more commands to cause the playback device to perform a media playback function.

5. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the prompt that indicates the instruction to press one or more buttons of the playback device is a first prompt, and wherein the functions further comprise:
causing the graphical display to display a second prompt that indicates a request for a display name corresponding to the playback device; and
transmitting to the playback device, data responsive to the request.

6. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the functions further comprise:
before causing the graphical display to display the indication that the controller device and the playback device have joined the secure second network, receiving from the playback device, a message confirming that the playback device has joined the secure second network.

7. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 6 , wherein receiving the message confirming that the playback device has joined the secure second network comprises:
receiving the message from the playback device via the secure second network.

8. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 1 , wherein the functions further comprise:
determining, based on the received network configuration information, that the playback device is configured to join the secure first network; and
based on determining that the playback device is configured to join the secure first network, attempting to cause the playback device to join the secure first network.

9. A method comprising:
receiving, via a controller device, a command to configure a playback device:
based on the received command, causing, via the controller device, a graphical display to display a prompt that indicates an instruction to press one or more buttons of the playback device;
after displaying the prompt that indicates the instruction to press one or more buttons of the playback device, entering into a listening mode;
while in the listening mode, receiving from the playback device, an indication that the playback device is available, wherein the playback device transmits the indication to the controller device in response to a pressing of the one or more buttons of the playback device;
responsive to the indication, transmitting a query message to the playback device, the query message requesting current network configuration information corresponding to the playback device;
receiving, via the controller device from the playback device via a network interface, network configuration information corresponding to the playback device in response to the query message;
determining, based on the received network configuration information, that the playback device is not configured to join a secure first network; and
based on determining that the playback device is not configured to join the secure first network:
generating, via the controller device, network parameters for a secure second network;
the controller device joining the secure second network based on the generated network parameters;
causing, via the controller device, the playback device to join the secure second network based on the generated network parameters; and
causing, via the controller device, the graphical display to display an indication that the controller device and the playback device have joined the secure second network.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining that the playback device is not configured to join the secure first network comprises:
determining, via the controller device, that the received network configuration information comprises an empty network security parameter field.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the command to configure the playback device is a first command, and wherein the method further comprises:
sending, from the controller device to the playback device via the secure second network, one or more second commands to cause the playback device to perform a media playback function.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the prompt that indicates the instruction to press one or more buttons of the playback device is a first prompt, and wherein the method further comprises:
causing, via the controller device, the graphical display to display a second prompt that indicates a request for a display name corresponding to the playback device; and
transmitting, from the controller device to the playback device, data responsive to the request.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
before causing the graphical display to display the indication that the controller device and the playback device have joined the secure second network, receiving, via the controller device from the playback device, a message confirming that the playback device has joined the secure second network.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining, based on the received network configuration information, that the playback device is configured to join the secure first network; and
based on determining that the playback device is configured to join the secure first network, attempti

Assignees

• Sonos Inc

Inventors

• Millington Nicholas A J
• Hainsworth Paul V

Classifications

• G06F3/0481

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title

• H04L67/02

  based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] · CPC title

• G06F3/04847

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title

• H04L67/141

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

• H04L2012/2841

  Wireless · CPC title