1. Field of Invention
The present application relates to a network system. More particularly, the present application relates to an Internet of Things (IoT) system and a control method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of objects, devices or products embedded with electronics, software, sensors and network connectivity. The objects in the IoT are able to detect, interact, communicate and/or control one another remotely across wireless connections, such that the objects in the IoT can be managed or monitored with high efficiency.
An embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a system, which includes a plurality of first electronic devices and a digital signature carrier. Each of the first electronic devices has a network identifier distinct from another. The digital signature carrier is configured for recording a connective information list. The connective information list includes the network identifiers of all of the first electronic devices. A second electronic device includes a digital signature reader. The second electronic device is configured to read the digital signature carrier by the digital signature reader, extract the connective information list comprising the network identifiers and pair the second electronic device with each of the first electronic devices according to the network identifiers.
Another embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a method includes following operations. Network identifiers are gathered from a plurality of first electronic devices, and each of the network identifiers is distinct from another. The network identifiers of all of the first electronic devices are integrated into a connective information list recorded in a digital signature carrier. The digital signature carrier is attached to the first electronic devices.
Another embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a method includes following operations. A digital signature carrier attached on a plurality of first electronic devices is read by a second electronic device. The digital signature carrier records a connective information list. Each of the first electronic devices has a network identifier distinct from another. The connective information list includes the network identifiers of all of the first electronic devices. The second electronic device is paired with each of the first electronic devices according to the network identifiers.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and, the following detailed description are by examples, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
The disclosure can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the embodiment, with reference made to the accompanying drawings as follows:
Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.
Reference is made to
Each of the first electronic devices 111-113 having a network identifier NID1-NID3 distinct from another. The network identifier is a unique identifier to represent a specific device in a network. In general cases, a wireless connection to a target device is not able to be established without obtaining the network identifier of the target device. Each device has a distinct network identifier. In some embodiments, the network identifiers NID1-NID3 are Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of the first electronic devices 111-113. For example, each of the first electronic devices 111-113 includes a Bluetooth transceiver unit (not shown in figures); the network identifiers NID1 is a Bluetooth MAC address “AA:AA:AA:AA:AA:AA” of the first electronic device 111; the network identifiers NID2 is a Bluetooth MAC address “BB:BB:BB:BB:BB:BB” of the first electronic device 112; and, the network identifiers NID3 is a Bluetooth MAC address “CC:CC:CC:CC:CC:CC” of the first electronic device 113. The network identifiers NID1-NID3 are utilized by the Bluetooth transceiver units of the first electronic devices 111-113 to identify each of the electronic devices 111-113 and provide network connectivity.
The first electronic devices 111-113 are not limited to include Bluetooth transceiver units and the network identifiers are not limited to Bluetooth MAC address. In some other embodiments, each of the first electronic devices 111-113 includes a local network transceiver unit, such as WiFi-direct, ZigBee, or any equivalent local network transceiver unit, and the network identifiers will be WiFi MAC addresses, ZigBee MAC addresses, or any equivalent addresses correspondingly.
In some embodiments, the first electronic devices 111-113 are some accessory devices including a smart wristband, a smart watch, a heart rate monitor, a smart weight scale, a versatile camera, a smart glass, a wearable device and/or any equivalent devices with local network connectivity. In some embodiments, the first electronic devices 111-113 are accessory devices related to one another, such that the first electronic devices 111-113 are packed as bundle products 110 for sale.
When a user receive the bundle products 110 including the first electronic devices 111-113, the user may need to connect his own device (e.g., a second electronic device 130) to each of the first electronic devices 111-113, and set up a mesh network between the first electronic devices 111-113 and the second electronic device 130. In some embodiments, the second electronic device 130 is a mobile phone, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a smart watch or any equivalent device with local network connectivity.
Multiple devices in an Internet of Things (IoT) network have to establish wireless connections to one another. Based on current Bluetooth protocol, a user has to manipulate a device for searching another device, and pair these two devices after the search. In a practice to form a mesh network between 4 devices, the user has to repeat the pairing procedures for 6 times. In the practice to form a mesh network between 5 devices, the user has to repeat the pairing procedures for 10 times. It takes a lot time to set up a mesh network between multiple devices because the pairing procedures must be repeated many times in the practice.
In some embodiments, the digital signature carrier 120 is configured for recording a connective information list CIL1. The connective information list CIL1 includes the network identifiers NID1-NID3 of all of the first electronic devices 111-113. The digital signature carrier 120 is attached to the first electronic devices 111-113. In some embodiments, the digital signature carrier 120 is attached onto a package of the bundle products 110, a case of one of the first electronic devices 111-113, or a user manual of the bundle products 110, etc. The following Table 1 demonstrates an example of the connective information list CIL1.
The second electronic device 130 includes a digital signature reader 132. The second electronic device 130 is configured to read the digital signature carrier 120 by the digital signature reader 132, extract the connective information list CIL1 comprising the network identifiers NID1-NID3 and pair the second electronic device 130 with each of the first electronic devices 111-113 according to the network identifiers NID1-NID3.
When the user receives the bundle products 110 including the first electronic devices 111-113, the user activates the digital signature reader 132 on the second electronic device 130 to read the digital signature carrier 120 attached to the bundle products 110. The second electronic device 130 extracts the connective information list CIL1 and obtains the network identifiers NID1-NID3 from the connective information list CIL1. Therefore, the second electronic device 130 will be able to be paired with each one of the first electronic devices 111-113.
For example, each of the second electronic device 130 and the first electronic devices 111-113 includes a Bluetooth transceiver unit (not shown in figures), and the Bluetooth transceiver unit of the second electronic device 130 is paired to all of the Bluetooth transceiver units of the first electronic device 111-113 automatically after the digital signature carrier 120 is read. Therefore, the user is not required to activate the pairing procedure three times to acquire the network identifiers NID1-NID3 and pair the first electronic devices 111-113 one by one.
Reference is made to
As shown in
In some embodiments, operation S206 is performed to record a connective mapping between the first electronic devices 111-113. The connective mapping defines connective relationships among the bundle products 110, which are first electronic devices 111-113. As the connective mapping demonstrated in Table 1, the first electronic device 111 is to be paired with both of the first electronic device 112 and the first electronic device 113; the first electronic device 112 is to be paired with both of the first electronic device 111 and the first electronic device 113; and, the first electronic device 113 is to be paired with both of the first electronic device 111 and the first electronic device 112. In other words, the connective mapping in the connective information list CIL1 defines links of the mesh network between the bundle products 110.
In some embodiments, the digital signature carrier 120 is a barcode label or a Quick Response (QR) code label. The digital signature producer 140 is configured to print the barcode label or the QR code label. Operation S208 is performed to attach the digital signature carrier 120 to the first electronic devices 111-113. In some practices, the barcode label or the QR code label is adhered to a surface of the package of the bundle products 110 or one of the first electronic devices 111-113. In some other practices, the barcode label or the QR code label is adhered to or printed in a user manual of the bundle products 110. The digital signature reader 132 of the second electronic device 130 includes an image-capturing unit, e.g., a barcode reader, a QR code reader, or a camera unit. The image-capturing unit is configured to scan the barcode label, or the Quick Response (QR) code label.
In some other embodiments, the digital signature carrier 120 is a Near Field Communication (NFC) tag or a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag. The digital signature producer 140 is configured to write the connective information list CIL1 into the NFC tag or the RFID tag. Operation S208 is performed to attach the digital signature carrier 120 to the first electronic devices 111-113. In some practices, the NFC tag or the REID tag is adhered to the package of the bundle products 110. In some practices, the NFC tag or the RFID tag is embedded in at least one of the bundle products 110. The digital signature reader 132 of the second electronic device 130 includes a NFC receiver or a RFID receiver. The NFC reader or the RFID reader is configured to read the NFC tag or the RFID tag wirelessly.
Reference is also made to
When the user receives the bundle products 110 including the first electronic devices 111-113, operation S302 is performed to read the digital signature carrier 120 attached on the first electronic devices 111-113 by the second, electronic device 130. The digital signature reader 132 extracts the connective information list CIL1 including the network identifiers NID1-NID3 corresponding to the first electronic devices 111-113. Based on the obtained network identifiers NID1-NID3, operation S304 is performed to pair the second electronic device 130 with each of the first electronic devices 111-113. After, the electronic device 130 is paired with the first electronic devices 111-113, wireless connections C21, C22 and C23 are established between the electronic device 130 and each of the first electronic devices 111-113.
In some embodiments, the connective information list CIL1 further records the connective mapping (as shown in Table 1). The connective mapping indicates the connective relationships between the first electronic devices 111-113. In some embodiments to complete the mesh network of the IoT network, the first electronic devices 111-113 are required to connect to one another and share information. For example, the heart rate monitor will send a heart rate history of the user to the smart wristband, such that the smart wristband, can determine whether the user is actually running. For another example, the smart wristband will send a step count of the user to the weight scale, such that the weight scale can analyze the relationship between weight and exercise history of the user.
Operation S306 is performed to send a connective command from the second electronic device 130 to at least two of the first electronic devices 111-113 according to the connective mapping. Operation S308 is performed to trigger the at least two of the first electronic devices 111-113 to be paired with one another according to the connective command.
According to the connective mapping demonstrated in Table 1 the first electronic devices 111 and 112 are triggered to be paired with each other, such that the wireless connection C13 is established. The first electronic devices 111 and 113 are triggered to be paired with each other, such that the wireless connection C11 is established. The first electronic devices 112 and 113 are triggered to be paired with each other, such that the wireless connection C12 is established.
In some embodiments, the connective command from the second electronic device 130 to the first electronic device 111 includes the network identifiers NID2 and NID3, such that the first electronic device 111 will obtain the necessary information to pair with the first electronic devices 112 and 113. The connective commands to the first electronic device 112 and to the first electronic device 113 can be reckoned accordingly.
However, the connective mapping between the first electronic devices 111-113 is not limited to link every path between any two of the first electronic devices 111-113. The connective mapping is defined according a requirement of the practical applications. It is assumed that the first electronic devices 111 and 112 do not share information between each other, and the connective mapping recorded into the connective information list CIL1 is demonstrated as the following Table 2:
Reference is also made to
In some embodiments, the connective command from the second electronic device 130 to the first electronic device 111 includes the network identifier NID3, such that the first electronic device 111 will obtain the necessary information to pair with the first electronic device 113. The connective commands to the first electronic device 112 and to the first electronic device 113 can be reckoned accordingly.
Based on aforesaid embodiments, after the user receives the bundle products 110, the user can manipulate the second electronic device 130 to read the digital signature carrier 120 (e.g., the barcode label, the QR code label, the NFC tag or the RFID tag) attached on the bundle products 110, such that the second electronic device 130 will be paired with each one of the first electronic devices 111, 112 and 113 in the bundle products 110 automatically without reading the network identifiers NID1-NID3 and, pairing the devices one by one. Furthermore, the first electronic devices 111-113 are selectively triggered by the connective command to be paired with one another according to the connective mapping of the connective information list CIL1. If a link between two of the first electronic devices 111-113 is not necessary according to practical applications, the connective mapping is set accordingly to eliminate the direct connection.
Reference is further made to
Based on aforesaid embodiments in
In some embodiments, the second electronic device 130 has a Bluetooth transceiver unit to connect with the first electronic devices 111-113, and the second electronic device 130 has a WiFi transceiver unit to connect to a wireless access point. In some practices, the second electronic device 130 will maintain a record or a log file about previously connected wireless access points. Once the second electronic device 130 connects to a new wireless access point, the second electronic device 130 will keep the wireless access point in record.
The first electronic devices 111-113 are connected to the second electronic device 130 over the Bluetooth connections. In addition, the first electronic devices 111-113 in some embodiments also have network connectivity over WiFi. As the demonstrational case illustrated in
As shown in
If the first electronic device 113 has no information about the WiFi access points 151, 152 and 153, the first electronic device 113 has to try to access the WiFi access points 151-153 one by one, to determine whether the WiFi access points 151-153 are accessible in a practice.
As shown in
In the demonstrational case, it is assumed that the second electronic device 130 has previously connected to the wireless access point 152. Operation S314 is performed to select a service set identifier from the service set identifiers of the WiFi access points 151-153. In the demonstrational case, it is assumed that the second electronic device 130 has previously connected to the wireless access point 152. Therefore, the service set identifier corresponding to the wireless access point 152 previously connected with the second electronic device 130 will be selected.
Operation S316 is performed to provide a package SSIDm of the service set identifier selected in operation S314 from the second electronic device 130 to the first electronic device 113 over the wireless connection C23.
Because the second electronic device 130 has been previously connected to the wireless access point 152, the second electronic device 130 has a record about a password or an authentication key to the wireless access point 152. In some embodiments, the password or the authentication key are also provided in the package SSIDm along with the service set identifier corresponding to the wireless access point 152 from the second electronic device 130 to the first electronic device 113.
Operation S318 is performed to form a wireless connection between the first electronic device 113 and the wireless access point 152 previously connected with the second electronic device 130 according to the service set identifier provided in the package SSIDm. In addition, the first electronic device 113 will acquire the password or the authentication key to access the wireless access point 152 from the package SSIDm in some embodiments.
Based on aforesaid embodiments, after the user receives the bundle products 110, the user can manipulate the second electronic device 130 is read the digital signature carrier 120 (e.g., the barcode label, the QR code label, the NFC tag or the RFID tag) attached on the bundle products 110, such that the mesh network among the second, electronic device 130 and the first electronic devices 111-113 in the bundle products 110 is established automatically. Furthermore, one of the first electronic devices 111-113 can easily access to a wireless access point if the wireless access point has been previously connected with the second electronic device 130.
Reference is made to
Each of the first electronic devices 511-522 having a network identifier NID1-NID12 distinct from another. The network identifier is a unique identifier to represent a specific device in a network. In some embodiments, the network identifiers NID1-NID12 are Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of the first electronic devices 511-522.
For example, each of the first electronic devices 511-522 includes a Bluetooth transceiver unit (not shown in figures); the network identifiers NID1 is a Bluetooth MAC address “AA:AA:AA:AA:AA:AA” of the first electronic device 511; the network identifiers NID2 is a Bluetooth MAC address “BB:BB:BB:BB:BB:BB” of the first electronic device 512; the network identifiers NID3 is a Bluetooth MAC address “CC:CC:CC:CC:CC:CC” of the first electronic device 513; the network identifiers NID4 is a Bluetooth MAC address “DD:DD:DD:DD:DD:DD” of the first electronic device 514; the network identifiers NID5 is a Bluetooth MAC address “EE:EE:EE:EE:EE:EE” of the first electronic device 515; the network identifiers NID6 is a Bluetooth MAC address “FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF” of the first electronic device 516. Other first electronic devices 517-522 also have unique network identifiers for distinguishing each others.
The first electronic devices 511-522 are not limited to include Bluetooth transceiver units and the network identifiers are not limited to Bluetooth MAC address. In some other embodiments, each of the first electronic devices 511-522 includes a local network transceiver unit, such as WiFi-direct, ZigBee, or any equivalent local network transceiver unit, and the network identifiers will be WiFi MAC addresses, ZigBee MAC addresses, or any equivalent addresses correspondingly.
In some embodiments, the first electronic devices 511-522 are some accessory devices including a smart wristband, a smart watch, a heart rate monitor, a smart weight scale, a versatile camera, a smart glass, a wearable device and/or any equivalent devices with local network connectivity. In some embodiments, the first electronic devices 511-522 are accessory devices related to one another. In some embodiments, the first electronic devices 511-513 are packed as a set of bundle products 510a for sale. The first electronic devices 514-516 are packed as another set of bundle products 510b for sale. The first electronic devices 517-518 are packed as still another set of bundle products 510c for sale. The first electronic devices 519-522 are packed as still another set of bundle products 510d for sale.
In some embodiments, the bundle products 510a, 510b, 510c and 510d includes related devices for different purpose or different commercial strategies. For example, the bundle products 510a include a smart wristband, a heart rate monitor and a smart weight scale. The bundle products 510b include another smart wristband, another heart rate monitor and another smart weight scale. The bundle products 510c include a versatile camera and a smart glass. The bundle products 510d include another heart rate monitor, another smart weight scale, another versatile camera and another smart glass.
The following Table 3 demonstrates an example of the connective information list CIL2.
In some embodiments, operation S606 in
Operation S608 in
Reference is further made to
When the user receives the bundle products 510b including the first electronic devices 514-516, operation S702 is performed to pair the second electronic device 530 with one of the first electronic devices 514-516 of the bundle products 510b. For example, the user can manipulate the user interface on the second electronic device 530 and configure the second electronic device 530 to be paired with the first electronic device 515. In some embodiments, this pairing process can be authorized by typing password/code or pressing specific buttons on two devices. When the second electronic device 530 and the first electronic device 515 are paired, operation S704 is performed by the local communication unit 532 of the second electronic device 530 to fetch the network identifier NID5 of the first electronic device 515. In some embodiments, a wireless connection C25 is established between the second electronic device 530 and the first electronic device 515.
Based on the network identifier NID5, operation S706 is performed to search the remote server database 550 for corresponding connective information list according to the network identifier NID5 of the first electronic device 515. In this case, the connective information list CIL2 contains the same network identifier NID5. In response to the searching, the connective information list CIL2 is transmitted from the remote server database 550 to the second electronic device 530. After the second electronic device 530 acquires the connective information list CIL2, operation S708 is performed to pair the second electronic device 530 with others of first electronic devices 514 and 516 according to the connective information list CIL2. Wireless connections C24 and C26 are established between the second electronic device 530 and the first electronic devices 514 and 516.
Operation S710 is performed to send a connective command from the second electronic device 530 to at least two of the first electronic devices 514-516 according to the connective mapping. Operation S712 is performed to trigger the at least two of the first electronic devices 514-516 to be paired with one another according to the connective command.
According to the connective mapping demonstrated in Table 3, the first electronic devices 514 and 515 are triggered to be paired with each other, such that the wireless connection C45 is established. The first electronic devices 514 and 516 are triggered to be paired with each other, such that the wireless connection C46 is established. The first electronic devices 515 and 516 are triggered to be paired with each other, such that the wireless connection C56 is established.
Based on aforesaid embodiments, when user buy one set of bundled products 510b and pair the second electronic device 530 with one device in the bundled products 510b, and the second electronic device 530 is able to obtain the connective information list CIL2 from the remote server database 550. Based on the connective information list CIL2, the wireless connections C24-C26 between the second electronic device 530 and the electronic devices 514-516 are established, and the wireless connections C45, C46 and C56 among the bundled products 510b are established automatically in some embodiments.
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims.
This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/109,059, filed Jan. 29, 2015, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/200,134, filed Aug. 3, 2015, which are herein incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62109059 | Jan 2015 | US | |
62200134 | Aug 2015 | US |