IoT Device Automatic Association Using Environmental Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IoT devices face challenges in automatic association with user accounts without manual configuration, especially when they lack cellular or non-cellular communication capabilities, making it difficult to connect them to broader networks and associate them with user accounts.
Innovation Solution
IoT devices gather information about their physical surroundings, such as access point identities, signal strengths, and geographic coordinates, and transmit this information to a network entity, which uses this data to associate the device with a user account, leveraging existing associated devices to simplify the configuration process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If IoT devices transmit environmental information to network entities for automatic association, then ease of operation is improved, but use of energy increases due to communication activities
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs environmental scanning and information gathering about physical surroundings (access points, base stations, geographic coordinates) before the actual association process, preparing data in advance that will be used by the network entity to automatically identify and associate the device with a user account, thereby enabling automatic association while managing energy consumption through pre-prepared information
2Adaptability or versatility
If IoT devices gather and transmit environmental information, then adaptability is improved for network association, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus utilizes existing multi-functional components already present in IoT devices - the cellular communication transceiver is used both for its primary communication function and for detecting base station identities and signal strengths, while satellite positioning circuitry provides geographic coordinates. This approach enables environmental information gathering without adding dedicated specialized hardware, thereby improving adaptability while minimizing increases in device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
According to an example aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, with the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to obtain information characterizing physical surroundings of the apparatus, transmit the information characterizing the physical surroundings to a network entity, and responsive to the transmission, receive provisioning information and associate the apparatus with the provisioning information.