Automatic Wireless Pairing via Point of Sale Credentials
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in pairing wireless devices to wireless networks, often requiring expensive technical support due to cumbersome manual configuration processes.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of automatic pairing technology, where security credentials are retrieved and sent to newly purchased wireless devices, allowing them to connect to the user's network without manual effort, using a security server that associates purchase records with customer information and only permits trusted entities to access the credentials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual configuration is used for pairing wireless devices to networks, then network security can be maintained through credential verification, but the pairing process becomes troublesome and requires technical support
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by storing network security credentials in advance and automatically retrieving them during the pairing process. The point of sale system pre-configures the association between device identifiers and network credentials, so that when a device is purchased, the pairing information is already prepared and can be automatically transmitted without manual user configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a point of sale system and security server as intermediaries between the user and the network pairing process. These intermediary systems automatically handle credential retrieval, validation, and transmission, eliminating the need for users to manually configure network settings while maintaining security through server-side verification.
2Ease of operation
If automatic pairing is implemented to simplify the process, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases due to security servers and credential management
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by allowing wireless devices to automatically pair with networks without user intervention. The device identifier is automatically captured at purchase, credentials are retrieved and validated automatically, and pairing information is transmitted automatically. This eliminates manual configuration steps while the complexity is managed centrally by automated systems rather than being distributed to end users.
Data Source
AI summary
Wireless pairing is automatically performed based on a purchase of a wireless product. When the wireless product is purchased, a unique product identifier and/or an account number (such as a credit card number) may be used to obtain one or more corresponding wireless network security credentials. Once the wireless network security credentials are identified, the wireless product may be paired to a wireless network based on the wireless network security credentials.