Automatic device pairing
US10952263B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 20, 2017 |
| Grant date | Mar 16, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 8, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W84/12
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The disclosure concerns automatic pairing of a user's new device wirelessly with the user's private wireless access point. An open WLAN is used to connect a wireless pairing client (WPC) in the device with a pairing initiation server (PIS) in an ISP's network. If the open WLAN uses a “captive portal” to redirect HTTPS requests to a login page, a “pinhole” is provided so that HTTP requests addressed to the PIS are not redirected. The device stores the SSID of a suitable open WLAN and connects automatically when powered up. The WPC makes an HTTP request, including an ID for the device, to the PIS. The PIS uses the device ID to retrieve an IP address of the user's access point. The PIS then sends instruction to WPS Pairing Initiator Clients, the device and the access point to initiate a Wi-Fi Protected Setup PBC procedure. The result is that, if they are in range of each other, the device will pair with the user's private wireless LAN using WPS PBC but without the need for the user herself needing to act beyond simply powering up the new device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.