British Telecommunications Public Limited Company

En-Twyn Limited

James Gardiner

Simon Patrick Ringland

Andrew Delamare

The disclosure concerns automatic pairing of a user's new device wirelessly with the user's private wireless access point. An open WLAN is used to connect a wireless pairing client (WPC) in the device with a pairing initiation server (PIS) in an ISP's network. If the open WLAN uses a 'captive portal' to redirect HTTPS requests to a login page, a 'pinhole' is provided so that HTTP requests addressed to the PIS are not redirected. The device stores the SSID of a suitable open WLAN and connects automatically when powered up. The WPC makes an HTTP request, including an ID for the device, to the PIS. The PIS uses the device ID to retrieve an IP address of the user's access point. The PIS then sends instruction to WPS Pairing Initiator Clients, the device and the access point to initiate a Wi-Fi Protected Setup PBC procedure. The result is that, if they are in range of each other, the device will pair with the user's private wireless LAN using WPS PBC but without the need for the user herself needing to act beyond simply powering up the new device.

Automatic device pairing

A power socket terminal network, comprising: at least one power socket stave terminal, having: at least one power socket coupled to a power line, for providing power to a device; a switch for turning said at least one power socket on and off; a wireless communication module, for providing wireless communications; and at least one power socket master terminal, having: at least one power socket coupled to a power line, for providing power to a device; a switch for turning said at least one power socket on and off; a power line communications module, for providing power line communications via said power line; and a wireless communications module, for providing wireless communications; wherein said at least one power socket slave terminal is arranged to communicate wirelessly, using said wireless communications module, with said at least one power socket master terminal.

Growing community of inventors

London, United Kingdom

James Gardiner