System and method for securely connecting network devices using optical labels

Abstract

A platform, apparatus and method are described for pairing devices. For example, one embodiment of a system for pairing devices comprises: a first data processing device having a machine-readable optical label associated therewith and including a first wireless communication interface; a second data processing device having a second wireless communication interface and an optical reader for reading identification data from the optical label associated with the first data processing device, the second wireless communication interface including pairing logic to use the identification data to pair with the first data processing device by establishing a secure communication channel between the first and second wireless communication interfaces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for pairing devices comprising:
 a first data processing device having a machine-readable optical label associated therewith and including a first wireless communication interface;   a second data processing device having a second wireless communication interface and an optical reader for reading identification data from the optical label associated with the first data processing device, the second wireless communication interface including pairing logic to use the identification data to pair with the first data processing device by establishing a secure communication channel between the first and second wireless communication interfaces.   
     
     
         2 . The system as in  claim 1  wherein the identification data is used as a pairing code within the context of a pairing protocol implemented by the first and second wireless communication interfaces to establish a secure, paired connection between the first and second wireless communication interfaces. 
     
     
         3 . The system as in  claim 2  wherein the wireless communication interfaces comprise Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) communication interfaces. 
     
     
         4 . The system as in  claim 1  wherein the machine-readable optical label comprises a barcode or a quick response (QR) code and wherein the optical reader comprises a barcode/QR code reader. 
     
     
         5 . The system as in  claim 1  wherein the first data processing device comprises an internet of things (IoT) device and wherein the second data processing device comprises an IoT hub communicatively coupling the IoT device to an IoT service over a wide area network (WAN). 
     
     
         6 . The system as in  claim 1  wherein the IoT device shares an encryption key with the IoT hub to allow the IoT hub and/or the IoT service to encrypt commands and data sent to the IoT device. 
     
     
         7 . The system as in  claim 6  wherein the encryption key is included within a subscriber identity module (SIM) included with the IoT device. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 associating a machine-readable optical label with a first data processing device having a first wireless communication interface;   reading identification data from the machine-readable optical label with an optical reader of a second data processing device having a second wireless communication interface; and   using the identification data to pair with the first data processing device by establishing a secure communication channel between the first and second wireless communication interfaces.   
     
     
         9 . The method as in  claim 8  wherein the identification data is used as a pairing code within the context of a pairing protocol implemented by the first and second wireless communication interfaces to establish a secure, paired connection between the first and second wireless communication interfaces. 
     
     
         10 . The method as in  claim 9  wherein the wireless communication interfaces comprise Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) communication interfaces. 
     
     
         11 . The method as in  claim 8  wherein the machine-readable optical label comprises a barcode or a quick response (QR) code and wherein the optical reader comprises a barcode/QR code reader. 
     
     
         12 . The method as in  claim 8  wherein the first data processing device comprises an internet of things (IoT) device and wherein the second data processing device comprises an IoT hub communicatively coupling the IoT device to an IoT service over a wide area network (WAN). 
     
     
         13 . The method as in  claim 8  wherein the IoT device shares an encryption key with the IoT hub to allow the IoT hub and/or the IoT service to encrypt commands and data sent to the IoT device. 
     
     
         14 . The method as in  claim 13  wherein the encryption key is included within a subscriber identity module (SIM) included with the IoT device. 
     
     
         15 . A machine-readable medium having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a machine causes the machine to perform the operations of:
 reading identification data from a machine-readable optical label associated with a first data processing device having a first wireless communication interface, the identification data read with an optical reader of a second data processing device having a second wireless communication interface; and   using the identification data to pair with the first data processing device by establishing a secure communication channel between the first and second wireless communication interfaces.   
     
     
         16 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 15  wherein the identification data is used as a pairing code within the context of a pairing protocol implemented by the first and second wireless communication interfaces to establish a secure, paired connection between the first and second wireless communication interfaces. 
     
     
         17 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 16  wherein the wireless communication interfaces comprise Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) communication interfaces. 
     
     
         18 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 15  wherein the machine-readable optical label comprises a barcode or a quick response (QR) code and wherein the optical reader comprises a barcode/QR code reader. 
     
     
         19 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 15  wherein the first data processing device comprises an internet of things (IoT) device and wherein the second data processing device comprises an IoT hub communicatively coupling the IoT device to an IoT service over a wide area network (WAN). 
     
     
         20 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 15  wherein the IoT device shares an encryption key with the IoT hub to allow the IoT hub and/or the IoT service to encrypt commands and data sent to the IoT device. 
     
     
         21 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 20  wherein the encryption key is included within a subscriber identity module (SIM) included with the IoT device. 
     
     
         22 . A system comprising:
 an IoT device provided to a user with an optical label;   an Internet of Things (IoT) hub comprising a local communication interface to connect with the IoT device over a local communication channel;   an IoT service communicatively coupled to the IoT hub over a wide area network (WAN);   wherein to establish a secure connection with the IoT device over the local communication channel, the user is to provide the IoT hub with data from the optical label comprising a key usable to encrypt communication with the IoT device.   
     
     
         23 . The system as in  claim 22  wherein the optical label comprises a barcode or QR code. 
     
     
         24 . The system as in  claim 23  wherein the user is to capture the barcode or QR code with a mobile device and transmit the data from the barcode or QR code from the mobile device to the IoT hub. 
     
     
         25 . The system as in  claim 24  wherein the data from the barcode or QR code is transmitted from the mobile device to the IoT hub over a wireless local area network communication channel. 
     
     
         26 . The system as in  claim 25  wherein the data from the barcode or QR code is transmitted from the mobile device to the IoT service over the Internet and then transmitted from the IoT service to the IoT hub.