Auto-provisioning device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9913143-B1
Application number	US-201615362493-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 28, 2016
Priority date	Nov 28, 2016
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A provisioning device may be shipped to a client and used to automatically provision an IoT device to join a local network to communicate with a remote service provider. In response to a trigger input, the provisioning device creates a wireless hotspot that is recognizable by an IoT device as a provisioning hotspot. The provisioning device receives a signal from the IoT device indicating that the IoT device is available to be provisioned. The provisioning device obtains provisioning data and transmits the provisioning data to the IoT device. The IoT device uses the provisioning data to connect to a local wireless network and to establish a connection to the remote service provider. The IoT device may then use one or more IoT services of the service provider.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A provisioning device comprising:
a network interface; and
a controller, wherein the controller is configured to:
in response to receiving a trigger input:
provide, via the network interface, an indication that the provisioning device is available to provision an internet-connectable device to join a local network to communicate with a remote service provider via the internet;
receive, via the network interface, an indication that a particular internet-connectable device is available to be provisioned to join the local network to communicate with the remote service provider via the internet, wherein the particular internet-connectable device is not currently provisioned to join the local network to communicate with the remote service provider via the internet;

in response to receiving the indication:
obtain provisioning data, wherein the provisioning data comprises local network credentials and a network address for the remote service provider usable to provision the particular internet-connectable device to join the local network to communicate with the remote service provider via the internet; and
transmit, via the network interface, at least a portion of the provisioning data to the particular internet-connectable device to provision the particular internet-connectable device to join the local network to communicate with the remote service provider via the internet.

2. The provisioning device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the provisioning device further comprises a cellular network interface, and wherein to obtain the provisioning data, the controller is configured to:
connect, via the cellular network interface, to the remote service provider; and
download, via the cellular network interface, at least a portion of the provisioning data from the remote service provider.

3. The provisioning device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the network interface is a wireless network interface and the local network credentials are wireless network credentials, and wherein at least the portion of provisioning data further comprises:
user account information usable to associate the particular internet-connectable device to a particular user account at the remote service provider.

4. The provisioning device as recited in claim 1 , wherein to provide the indication that the provisioning device is available to provision the internet-connectable device, the provisioning device is configured to generate a wireless hotspot signal that indicates the provisioning device is available to provision the internet-connectable device, and wherein to receive the indication that the particular internet-connectable device is available to be provisioned, the provisioning device is configured to detect a wireless signal from the internet-connectable device.

5. The provisioning device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the provisioning device is reusable and is shipped from the remote service provider to a client location, and wherein the provisioning device further comprises:
a rechargeable battery, wherein the rechargeable battery provides power to the provisioning device in response to receiving the trigger input; and
exterior packaging configured to protect the provisioning device during shipment from the remote service provider to the client location.

6. A method, comprising:
performing, by a provisioning device:
providing an indication that the provisioning device is available to provision an internet-connectable device;
receiving an indication that a particular internet-connectable device is available to be provisioned;
in response to receiving the indication:
obtaining provisioning data, wherein the provisioning data comprises local network credentials and a network address for a service provider usable to provision the particular internet-connectable device to join a local network to communicate with the service provider via the internet; and
transmitting at least a portion of the provisioning data to the particular internet-connectable device to provision the particular internet-connectable device to join the local network to communicate with the service provider via the internet.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , further comprising:
performing, by the provisioning device:
connecting to the service provider;
providing user credentials to the service provider, wherein the user credentials are associated with user account data at the service provider; and
subsequent to providing the user credentials to the service provider, downloading at least a portion of the provisioning data from the service provider.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein connecting to the service provider comprises:
connecting to the service provider via a cellular network interface or a wireless network interface of the provisioning device.

9. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein:
the local network is a local wireless network; and
the provisioning data further comprises user account information usable to associate the particular internet-connectable device to a particular user account at the service provider.

10. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the provisioning data is pre-loaded onto the provisioning device before the device is shipped to a client of the service provider.

11. The method as recited in claim 6 , further comprising:
receiving, from the particular internet-connectable device, an indication that provisioning of the particular internet-connectable device failed; and
sending, to the service provider, an indication that provisioning of the particular internet-connectable device failed.

12. The method as recited in claim 6 , further comprising:
in response to receiving, by the provisioning device, a trigger input:
performing, by the provisioning device, the providing of the indication, the receiving of the indication, the obtaining of the provisioning data, and the transmitting at least the portion of the provisioning data, wherein the trigger input comprises a touch input from a user or a vocal input from the user.

13. An internet-connectable device comprising:
a network interface; and
a controller, wherein the controller is configured to:
in response to receiving an indication that a provisioning device is available to provision a given internet-connectable device, provide to the provisioning device an indication that the internet-connectable device is available to be provisioned;
receive provisioning data from the provisioning device, wherein the provisioning data comprises local network credentials and a network address for a remote service provider usable to provision the internet-connectable device to join the local network to communicate with the remote service provider via the internet;
provision the internet-connectable device to join the local network to communicate with the remote service provider via the internet, based at least on the received provisioning data; and
in response to provisioning the internet-connectable device, join the local network and communicate with the remote service provider via the internet.

14. The internet-connectable device as recited in claim 13 , wherein the network interface is a wireless network interface and the local network is a local wireless network, and wherein the controller is further configured to:
prior to establishment of a connection between the internet-connectable device and the remote service provider, establish a connection between the internet-connectable device and the local wireless network, based at least on the local network credentials.

15. The internet-connectable device as recited in

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Roche Kyle Michael
• Sorenson Iii James Christopher

Classifications

• H04W88/04

  adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user · CPC title

• H04W8/245

  from a network towards a terminal · CPC title

• H04W8/265

  for initial activation of new user · CPC title

• H04L41/0806 Primary

  for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play · CPC title

• H04W8/22

  Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities · CPC title