Smart Device Wi-Fi Access via BSSID Intermediary

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Solution Overview

Problem

Smart devices cannot successfully connect to wireless routers due to unrecognized Service Set Identifiers (SSIDs) caused by differing coding formats between the device and the router.

Innovation Solution

The method involves unicasting a probe request carrying the Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) and receiving a probe response from the wireless access point, which contains the original SSID, allowing the smart device to access the wireless access point using the original SSID and previously received access password.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the mobile phone automatically converts the coding format of the SSID into the default coding format, then the SSID can be displayed and transmitted on the mobile phone, but the wireless router cannot recognize the converted SSID and connection fails

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveSSID display and transmission on mobile phoneVSAvoidconnection success rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces BSSID as an intermediary identifier. Instead of directly transmitting the converted SSID which causes recognition failure, the system uses BSSID (a unique identifier for the wireless access point) as a mediator. The mobile phone transmits the BSSID to the smart device, and the smart device uses this BSSID to directly locate and connect to the wireless access point, bypassing the SSID conversion issue entirely.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the identification parameter from SSID to BSSID. By switching from using SSID (which has encoding format issues) to using BSSID (which is a standardized MAC address format), the system avoids the conversion problem. This parameter change ensures both the mobile phone can display the information and the wireless router can recognize it for connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If smart devices use SSID for wireless network access, then the network can be identified, but the connection fails due to coding format mismatch between device and router

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork identification capabilityVSAvoidconnection success rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses BSSID as an intermediary that bridges the smart device and wireless router. The BSSID serves as a universal identifier that both the smart device and wireless router can recognize and process without format conversion issues, enabling reliable connection while maintaining network identification capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the connection process universal by using BSSID instead of SSID. BSSID is a standardized identifier format that works across different devices and routers without requiring format conversion, making the solution universally applicable to all Wi-Fi networks while ensuring reliable connections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Loss of information

If the mobile phone unicasts SSID and access password to smart device, then the smart device can attempt connection, but the connection fails due to unrecognized SSID format

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess information transmissionVSAvoidconnection success rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces SSID with BSSID as the transmitted identifier. The mobile phone unicasts the BSSID and access password to the smart device. Since BSSID is a standardized format that both devices understand, this eliminates the recognition failure while maintaining complete access information transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3232715B1Method and apparatus for accessing wireless access point
Publication Date: 2020.07.29 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD
  • EP3232715B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3232715B1 patent drawingFigure 4A
  • EP3232715B1 patent drawingFigure 4B

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for accessing a wireless access point, belonging to the technical field of communications. The method includes: receiving (201, 404) access information of the wireless access point broadcasted by a preset device (120), the access information including a Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) and an access password of the wireless access point, and the preset device (120) being a device having successfully accessed the wireless access point; unicasting (202) device finding information according to the BSSID; receiving (203) feedback information sent by the wireless access point, the feedback information carrying therein an original Service Set Identifier (SSID) of the wireless access point; and accessing (204, 409) the wireless access point according to the original SSID carried in the feedback information and the access password.