Sonic Tone Pairing for Autonomous Wireless Network Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for wireless device networking, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, require manual intervention or standard operating system procedures for pairing, which can be cumbersome and inefficient, especially in environments where quick and autonomous connections are needed.
Innovation Solution
The use of sonic tones to encode and broadcast digitized information, such as SSID, MAC addresses, and passwords, allowing networkable devices to connect to wireless networks like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth without manual intervention, using a method that includes generating and decoding these tones to establish connections autonomously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual pairing procedures are used for wireless device networking, then connection reliability is maintained through user control, but operation complexity increases and connection speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-generating sonic tone sequences that encode wireless network connection information (SSID, password, MAC address) before actual connection is needed. When a device enters the coverage area, the tone sequence is already prepared and can be immediately transmitted through the audio output, enabling instant connection without manual user input or time-consuming configuration procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/manual pairing system with an acoustic information transmission system. Instead of requiring users to manually enter network credentials through keyboards or interfaces, the system uses sonic tones (acoustic waves) to automatically transmit connection information to the target device, which then autonomously completes the pairing process.
2Extent of automation
If standard operating system procedures are used for device pairing, then connection stability is ensured through established protocols, but device complexity increases and automation level decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling devices to autonomously obtain and process connection information from sonic tones without requiring user intervention or complex OS-level pairing procedures. The target device automatically captures the audio signal, decodes the embedded network credentials, and initiates connection to the specified wireless network, making the entire pairing process self-executing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sonic tones as an intermediary medium that carries connection information between devices. Instead of direct device-to-device communication protocols or OS-level pairing handshakes, the system uses audio-encoded data as an intermediate carrier that simplifies the interaction model and reduces the complexity of direct wireless pairing negotiations.
3Productivity
If quick autonomous connections are implemented, then connection speed improves, but information security may be compromised through broadcast transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by encoding different security-level connection information in different sonic tone sequences and transmitting them only to devices within the local audio coverage area. The broadcast nature of audio transmission inherently limits range, and the system can differentiate between public network credentials (broadcast openly) and private credentials (transmitted only to authenticated devices), providing localized security appropriate to each connection context.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid, convenient, and autonomous wireless network connections for networkable devices by decoding sonic tones embedded in audio content, reducing user interaction and enhancing the efficiency of network pairing processes.
Implementation Method 1
The audio speaker may be generating the sonic tone independently or while other audio content is being played on the audio speaker.
Implementation Method 2
A microphone of the networkable device may receive the sonic tone.
Data Source
AI summary
A networkable device is coupled to a wireless IP gateway or paired to a personal area network (PAN) via the use of a sonic tone, which may be a human audible tone, which encodes a symbol sequence representing a binary message useful for implementing connection to a wireless IP gateway or pairing with a PAN. In one embodiment the sonic tone conveys a media access controller (MAC) address, to facilitate connection and/or pairing. Alternatively, or in addition, the sonic tone may encode a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and password for connection to a wireless network (Wi-Fi), or a BLUETOOTH (IEEE 802.15.1) identifier and/or PIN for connection to a BLUETOOTH (IEEE 802.15.1) PAN. In particular implementation of this embodiment the tone is produced by the IP gateway and used to initiate Wi-Fi connection, and/or the tone is produced by the master device of a PAN to initiate BLUETOOTH (IEEE 802.15.1) connection.