Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W76/00—Connection management
  • H04W76/10—Connection setup
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W36/00—Hand-off or reselection arrangements
  • H04W36/0005—Control or signalling for completing the hand-off
  • H04W36/0055—Transmission or use of information for re-establishing the radio link
  • H04W36/0066—Transmission or use of information for re-establishing the radio link of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W84/00—Network topologies
  • H04W84/18—Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W88/00—Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices
  • H04W88/02—Terminal devices
  • H04W88/06—Terminal devices adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Definitions

• Methods for configuring a device for establishing a first wireless link with a network are described.
• IoT internet of things
• one of the first steps is configuring it so it can communicate in a secure way over a wireless link with any other device and so it can connect with the internet.
• IoT internet of things
• to make a device talk to the internet, or to other devices in a local area network (LAN) requires manual configuration or specific additional expensive hardware (an application gateway for example) that includes preconfigured settings. For example, adding a new device or appliance (e.g.
• the first is the manual configuration via a user interface on the device; for example by means of a screen, a keyboard or remote control.
• the device needs to be able to offer such a user interface which is not always possible in the case of embedded devices.
• the process can be complex and error prone (e.g. when using a remote control).
• PIN Personal Identification Number
• Another method is the PIN Method, where a Personal Identification Number (PIN) has to be read from either a sticker or the display on the new wireless device. This PIN must then be entered into the regulating device of the network, for example into the Access Point (AP) in the case of an IEEE802. i l wireless network.
• the new wireless device can only join the existing, secured network if the end-user knows the password (PIN) of the Access Point present in the network and if the end-user is capable to configure this password manually in the new, wireless device. Also, this method only targets transfer of network security settings. Configuration of other parameters, for example web service accounts, has to go via a separate process after the device has been connected to the network.
• Push-Button-Method Another method is the Push-Button-Method, where the user has to push a button, either a physical or virtual one, on both the Access Point or other network regulating device and the new wireless client device that needs to be configured.
• the Access Point needs to support this button-method, whereas the proposed disclosure works with any Access Point or regulating device (no requirements for the Access Point).
• the Access Point typically is part of the existing infrastructure, this is an important advantage of the proposed disclosure.
• this push-button method requires that the end-user has access to the Access Point, in order to push the button. In many situations, in residential homes, the Access Point is in a technical room (garage, basement%) and not easily accessible. Again, this method only targets transfer of the network security settings not the configuration of other services.
• NFC Near-Field-Communication
• the devices need to support this additional NFC-method, whereas the disclosed disclosure is compatible with the wireless technology of any Access Point (no requirements for the Access Point).
• Another drawback of the NFC method is that the devices need to be close to each other to perform the configuration.
• heavy appliances refrigeration, washing machine
• large outdoor devices such as cars, or for appliances that are not easily accessible (sensors installed behind walls, behind ceilings, or at less accessible heights)
• this method only targets transfer of the network security settings.
• the USB Method the user uses a USB flash drive to transfer data between the new device and the Access Point of the network.
• the Access Point needs to support this USB communication, and the access point needs to be accessible for the end-user.
• the present description discloses methods for configuring a first device, the first device comprising a wireless interface for a first wireless technology, for establishing a first wireless link with a network, according to any of the claims 1 to 17.
• aspects of the present disclosure propose a method to configure a first device for establishing a first wireless link with a network, for example a wireless sensor network or wireless Local Area Network (LAN).
• the configuration is however not limited to this first wireless link.
• Other configuration parameters can also be applied to the first device, for instance proxy settings and login information for web- or cloud services. Therefore, every configuration parameter that this first device has and that can be changed is configurable by the methods disclosed. To do so, the first device is therefore equipped with a wireless interface capable of a first wireless technology.
• This configuration is performed by a second device or configuring device, for example a mobile device like a smartphone, a tablet or desktop computer. This second device can also be a fixed device, for example a desktop computer.
• the second device is equipped by a second wireless interface for a second wireless technology. It will retrieve information about the first device. This information comprises a first set of parameters that are needed for the further configuration.
• the first device is put in a configuration mode, i.e. the first device is ready to receive configuration parameters using the disclosed method described.
• configuration mode does not necessarily imply that the device is not able to operate.
• a wireless connection is set up between the first and the second device based on the first set of parameters that were acquired by the second device.
• a wireless connection can be a wireless communication channel between the first and second device comprising several physical layers, a network layer and a security layer.
• the wireless connection can be a WLAN link between the second device and a bridge and then a wireless sensor link between this link and the first device; over these links, there is network layer such as IP and on top of that there is a secure communication layer such as SSH or HTTPS.
• a second set of parameters is retrieved from the first device by the second device.
• the second set of parameters includes all the configuration values of the first device.
• this second set of parameters is updated in the second device, for example automatically based on stored information, by user input or by downloading them from the internet.
• the second set of parameters is updated it is sent back to the first device over the wireless connection.
• the first device then applies the parameters and goes into operational mode, for example by a reboot.
• the first device applies at least a subset of the second set of parameters as its configuration enabling it to establish the first wireless link.
• the set of second parameters contains other parameters than those needed to establish the first wireless link, for example login information for web- or cloud services.
• the first device has been correctly configured to establish the first wireless link with a network and is fully operational to perform at least the basic functions it is designed for. In operational mode, it is not possible to configure the first device by the disclosed methods.
• retrieving the information comprising the first set of parameters is done reading a visual fingerprint that is associated with the first device. For example, a picture of the device is taken by the second device and based on this picture the second device will retrieve the first set of parameters from an internet service.
• the fingerprint is a bar code, for example a two dimensional QR-code that is attached to or provided with the first device. The second device then scans this bar code.
• the bar code can comprise a device identification (ID) to enable the lookup of the first set of parameters on the internet or the first set of parameters can be completely embedded in the bar code itself.
• the first device is adapted for using the second wireless technology and the wireless connection between the first device and the second device is achieved by setting up a wireless link between them using the second wireless technology.
• the first device has a WLAN interface and a Zigbee interface.
• the WLAN interface is then used for the wireless connection with the second device.
• the second set of parameters is used by the first device to securely connect with a Zigbee wireless sensor network.
• the second wireless technology is the same as the first wireless technology.
• the first device and the second device are both using WLAN.
• the WLAN interface is then first used to get the second set of configuration parameters from the second device.
• the first device could for example temporarily act as a network controller.
• the configuration parameters are used to put the first device in a secure wireless LAN network.
• the configuration parameters could then comprise for example the WEP or WPA security key used by the access point.
• an add-on device capable of the second wireless technology is added to the first device during at least the configuration.
• the first device could for example be a wireless sensor equipped with a USB port.
• a WLAN dongle is used to setup the wireless connection with the second device.
• the second device is adapted for using the first wireless technology and wherein establishing the wireless connection is achieved by setting up a wireless link between the first device and the second device using the first wireless technology.
• the adaptation is achieved by adding an add-on device capable of the first wireless technology to the second device.
• the first device is a wireless Zigbee sensor and the second device is a smartphone equipped with a micro-USB port.
• a micro-USB dongle equipped with a Zigbee interface is then inserted in the micro-USB port of the smartphone and a Zigbee wireless link is set up between the first and the second device for the transfer of the second set of parameters.
• a wireless link between the two devices is established by setting up the first device as a wireless network coordinator and setting up the second device as a wireless client.
• the first set of parameters is used by the second device to configure this wireless link between the first device and the second device.
• the network coordinator could also be done the other way around where the second device acts as network coordinator.
• the first set of parameters then contain information on how the second device has to setup the network coordinator,
• the first device is then configured to, for example in the case of WLAN, connect to the access point with a specific name as SSID.
• a wireless link between the two devices is established by setting up a peer-to-peer connection between the two devices.
• this could be done by setting up an ad-hoc network between the two devices. All information needed to setup the ad-hoc network is then available from the first said of parameters.
• the wireless connection between the first device using the first wireless technology and the second device using the second wireless technology is achieved by first setting up a wireless link using the first wireless technology between the first device and a bridge device.
• This bridge should be capable of bridging between the first wireless technology and the second wireless technology, for example a Zigbee to WLAN bridge.
• the bridge device can be preconfigured to establish the wireless link with the first device.
• the second device makes a wireless link with the bridge device using the second wireless technology.
• the second device uses the first set of parameters, associated with the bridge device.
• the bridge could also be vendor neutral for example and not at all preconfigured. In that case, the bridge itself could establish a first wireless link with the AP, as well as the device could establish a secure first link with the bridge, both based on a visual fingerprint.
• Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the disclosure
• Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the disclosure
• Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of the disclosure
• Figure 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the disclosure
• Figure 5 shows a fifth embodiment of the disclosure
• Figure 6 shows a sequence diagram of a first embodiment of the disclosure
• Figure 7 shows a sequence diagram of a second embodiment of the disclosure
• Figure 8 shows a sequence diagram of a third embodiment of the disclosure
• Figure 9 shows a sequence diagram of a fourth embodiment of the disclosure
• Figure 10 shows a sequence diagram of a fifth embodiment of the disclosure
• Two devices are to have a wireless link between each other when they both have a wireless interface that uses the same wireless technology and they can communicate with each other using these wireless interfaces.
• a wireless connection can be a connection without connecting wires or connection lines or cables.
• a wireless connection can be a connection by means of radio waves.
• a wireless connection could for example comprise several physical layers and network layers, or tunnel over other wireless technology. It can also comprise certain security layers, for example SSH or HTTPS or use secure tunnelling such as VPN.
• wireless access point is used throughout the text beyond the scope of a wireless LAN Access Point (AP). It should be interpreted as a wireless network coordinator that coordinates a wireless network and were wireless clients need to connect to in order to communicate with each other. Detailed description of example embodiments.
• AP wireless LAN Access Point
• a device comprising A and B should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B, rather with respect to the present disclosure, the only enumerated components of the device are A and B, and further the claim should be interpreted as including equivalents of those components.
• the appliance (1) needs to be configured. It has a wireless interface (7) that can be an external piece of hardware or integrated in the device.
• This appliance needs to be configured in order to connect to an access point (8) that controls the access to an existing secure wireless network (11).
• the access point (8) also includes an internet gateway in order to connect with the internet (9) and thus with cloud or web services that can monitor and control the appliance or provide information about the appliance once it is connected with the secure wireless network (11).
• the method uses a smart phone with a wireless interface (10) using the same wireless technology as the appliance (1). This smart phone is already connected to the existing secure wireless network (11) and hence the internet (9).
• the smartphone also runs a custom program or application that can perform the whole configuration process.
• the appliance (1) is in an unconfigured or Off state (100).
• the appliance is put in a configuration mode (101). This is for example automatically done when booting (102) the appliance for the first time or by putting it manually into the configuration mode (101).
• configuration mode the appliance will act temporarily as a wireless access point.
• the application to configure the appliance is started on the smartphone (200).
• the smartphone reads a fingerprint attached to the appliance (201), or provided together with the appliance (in manual, via a web-page ).
• the application processes the fingerprint (202) and obtains so a first set of parameters about the access point settings of the appliance during configuration such as the wireless communication technology it uses, the network-level or application-level security mechanism it uses during its configuration (for example HTTPS with login/password over unsecure wireless link), its network identification, its configuration address and its wireless security settings. Also a first set of capabilities of the appliance that are needed during configuration can be provided with the fingerprint. Using this information, the smartphone switches between its default wireless client connection (203) and a new wireless client connection (4) and connects (204) with the appliance over the wireless link (12). This connection can be set up as a hidden (or public) secured network, using the information from the fingerprint, or as an open network.
• the network could broadcast its identifier, where this identifier contains the appliance id and the need for configuration.
• the security credentials also from the fingerprint info
• the smartphone gets (207) a second set of parameters from the appliance. This set can comprise all the capabilities or supported services and configuration settings of the appliance.
• the smartphone looks up available settings or parameter values in its smart phone application or looks them up directly in the secure home network.
• the parameter values can also be presented to the user for confirmation (209) or the user can optionally provide input (208).
• this second set of parameters is updated, the new configuration is sent back to the appliance (210).
• a protocol such as HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) can be used.
• HTTP HyperText Transfer Protocol
• CoAP Constrained Application Protocol
• the appliance on its turn then applies the configuration (211). It then sends a confirmation (213) to the smartphone which can then disconnect the connection (4).
• the appliance leaves its configuration mode (101) and turns to an operational mode (214) in which it switches to a wireless client mode and connects (215) to the secured home network (11) via the wireless link (3) using the just acquired configuration.
• the appliance can then connect to web and cloud services (216) which can also be reached by the smartphone (2) or any other device.
• the smartphone After configuration, also the smartphone returns to its normal configuration and connects again with the secured wireless network (11). It can then connect to the configured appliance (e.g. by using the MAC address of appliance when using an IEEE 802.11 wireless network) and starts to monitor the appliance, or send remote control messages.
• the device (1) that needs to be configured is again an appliance with a wireless interface (7) using a certain first wireless technology. Similar to the above embodiment, this interface can be an external piece of hardware or integrated in the device. It again needs to be configured in order to securely connect to a first access point (8) that controls the access to an existing first secure wireless network (11).
• the first access point (8) also includes an internet gateway in order to connect with the internet (9) and thus with cloud or web services that can monitor and control the appliance or provide information about the appliance.
• the method also uses a smart phone (2) with a wireless interface (7) using a different second wireless technology as the appliance (1) and connected to a second wireless network (14) by a second access point (13).
• the second access point also provides a gateway to the internet (9) and can also access (300) the first access point (8).
• the first wireless technology can for example be a wireless sensor technology such as Zigbee or IEEE802.15.4 where the appliance is sensor node and the first access point is a gateway sensor node.
• the second wireless technology can for example be a wireless LAN using the 802.11 MAC layer with for example a 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Physical layer.
• the method for configuring the appliance illustrated in Figure 7 is similar to the method according to the first embodiment. The difference is that the appliance now sets up a connection with the smartphone using the second wireless technology. Therefore, when it switches to operation mode (214) at the end, it will connect to the access point (8) using the first wireless technology.
• the method to configure the appliance (1) is the same as in the second embodiment except for how the wireless connection (4) is setup between the appliance (1) and the smart phone (2) in order to enable the configuration of the appliance (1).
• the appliance does not have a second wireless interface (15) embedded.
• the appliance has an external expansion port, for example a USB port, where an add-on device (20), for example a USB dongle, is added that has access point capabilities for the second wireless technology.
• an add-on device (20) for example a USB dongle
• the add-on device or dongle is physically connected or attached to the appliance (400)(401).
• the add-on device (20) then gets its security settings to act as an access point from the appliance (402) and the dongle starts as an access point (403).
• the further configuration process is then the same as in the second embodiment and a wireless link (22) is setup between the interface (21) of the appliance and the interface (10) of the smartphone (204).
• This embodiment has the advantageous that the appliance can have a very simple radio interface, for example a Zigbee End Device without any access point capabilities for connection to the first wireless Zigbee network together with a USB interface. It has also the advantage of scalability. Only one USB dongle is needed to configure a whole range of sensors or appliances as long as they have a USB interface.
• the method to configure the appliance (1) is the same as in the third embodiment except for how the wireless connection (4) is setup between the appliance (1) and the smart phone (2) in order to enable the configuration of the appliance (1).
• an add-on device (31) is used on the smart phone.
• This add-on device equips the smart phone with the capabilities of the first wireless technology by a wireless interface (32).
• a micro-USB dongle can be added to the micro- USB port of the smart phone enabling it to communicate with the appliance or sensor over Zigbee.
• a wireless link (33) is then established between the interface (7) of the appliance and the interface (32) of the add-on device (31) of the smartphone.
• the establishment of the connection and configuration of the appliance is then similar to the first embodiment.
• the method to establish the wireless connection (4) is illustrated in Figure 9. While the appliance (1) is put into configuration mode (101), the dongle or add-on device (31) is attached (500) and connected (501) to the smartphone. The dongle is then set as a configuration device (502) and is configured to connect to any appliance compatible with the dongle (504). Then, the smartphone and hence the dongle identifies itself as a configuration device to the appliance (506). The appliance on its turns sends a device ID (507) to the dongle, hence smartphone. From then on, the configuration is similar to the previous embodiments. The advantage of this embodiment is that the dongle can be used for a large set of appliances.
• the dongle can be preconfigured to setup the connection (4) by performing the steps (502) till (507).
• the application then has a seamless connection with the appliance (1) and can identify it by the send ID (507). Based on the ID the smartphone can then start the configuration based on the security credentials it acquired from the fingerprint.
• the method to configure the appliance (1) is the same as in the third embodiment except for how the wireless connection (4) is setup between the appliance (1) and the smart phone (2) in order to enable the configuration of the appliance (1).
• the appliance (1) cannot be setup as an access point using the first wireless technology and it does offer an expansion port to add capabilities for the second wireless technology. This can be the case if the appliance (1) is for example a very simple wireless sensor that can only act as a wireless client. In that case, during configuration of the sensor, it is setup such that it automatically connects with the strongest unsecured Access Point device.
• an access point device or bridge device (43) that has interfaces for both the first wireless technology (42) (Zigbee for example) and the second wireless technology (41) (IEEE802. i l for example) and that can bridge the communication between these technologies, is brought into the vicinity of the sensor to ensure emitting the strongest signal (600).
• the access points then automatically establish (602) a wireless link (45) with the appliance, as the appliance is setup by default to connect with the strongest access point.
• the appliance then sends ID information (605) to the bridge device (43).
• the bridge then configures itself as an access point on his second interface (41) using the second wireless technology. This configuration can be embedded in the device or it could be send by the appliance during the setup of the connection (605).
• the further configuration is similar to the second embodiment.
• the smartphone will connect to the bridge and establish a secure connection (205) with the appliance by using the credentials from the fingerprint.
• the advantage of this embodiment is that it easily scales for the deployment of sensor devices.
• the visual fingerprint is scanned for each of the sensors.
• the configuration device smarttphone
• Every sensor is discovered, establishing a wireless connection (4) between the configuration device and the sensor.
• This channel is used to add the client configuration settings from the first secured network and other configuration parameters. Using a password from the fingerprint, the channel can be secured.
• the previous embodiments are not limited to the use of a smartphone as configuring device or second device.
• Any other device that can run custom software and that provides a wireless interface (10) can operate as configuring device, e.g. a tablet, laptop computer, desktop computer... Some of these devices can incorporate more than one wireless interface, enabling them to setup several wireless links at once. Therefore, when switching network (203) during the configuration the second device can keep its connection with the existing network (217).
• the fingerprint that is used in all of the embodiments and that is needed to provide the first set of parameters doesn't need to be attached to the device (1). It can also be provided with the device. It also doesn't need to be unique for the specific device, but can apply to a whole range of devices. In that way, it can be sufficient to read the fingerprint only once when installing a number of devices from the same family. For example, when installing a sensor network comprising different sensors with different functions they can all have the same fingerprint as the set of parameters needed to connect to them during configuration is the same.
• One way of implementing the fingerprint is by embedding the first set of parameters in a Quick Response or QR bar code. This is a two-dimensional bar code that can comprise an amount of binary data or text. The configuring device (2) then scans this QR bar code and decodes the information from the bar code during (202).
• the fingerprint can also be a single identification (ID) of the device or a group of devices.
• ID can for example be embedded in the SSID when using a WLAN wireless link with the second device.
• the SSID could for example be "Configure_Me_Senseo5" comprising the device ID in the SSID.
• the ID could be the MAC address of the first device.
• the second set of parameters as used in the embodiments preferably comprises at least the configuration parameters of the first device to enable it to connect to the secured wireless network.
• These second set of parameters can also comprise extra configuration parameters such as login information for cloud or web services. However, these extra parameters can also be applied to the first device after its configuration mode. Then, the second device can access the first device through the network (11) and apply the extra parameters.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=48741115

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (1)

Cited By (5)

Citations (5)

• 2013
  • 2013-06-28 WO PCT/EP2013/063621 patent/WO2014005939A1/fr not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (5)

Similar Documents

Legal Events