Mesh Network Commissioning

Abstract

In embodiments of mesh network commissioning, a commissioning device establishes a secure commissioning communication session between the commissioning device and a border router of a mesh network to securely establish network communication sessions for joining one or more joining devices to the mesh network. The commissioning device can activate joining for the mesh network, and receive a request from a joining device to join the mesh network. The commissioning device can establish a secure joiner communication session between the commissioning device and the joining device, authenticate the joining device using an encrypted device identifier, and join the joining device to the mesh network.

1 . A method of securely joining a joining device to a mesh network, the method comprising:
 receiving information including an identifier of the joining device;   storing, by a commissioning device, the identifier of the joining device;   receiving a message from the joining device requesting to join the mesh network;   in response to the receiving the message, determining, using the stored identifier, that the joining device is authorized to join the mesh network; and   transmitting network information to the joining device, the network information effective to enable the joining device to join the mesh network.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting the network information is effective to enable the joining device to communicate securely with other devices in the mesh network. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the joining device and the commissioning device derive a key from the identifier of the joining device, and wherein the derived key is used to secure the transmitting the network information. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the derived key is only used for joining the device to the mesh network. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the information includes a manufacturer of the joining device, a device type of the joining device, a color of the joining device, a manufacture date of the joining device, a serial number of the joining device, an entry key of the joining device, other information that may be used to identify the joining device, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the information is received out of band of the mesh network. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the information is scanned from a QR code affixed to the joining device. 
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving additional information including one or more identifiers of one or more other joining devices;   storing, by the commissioning device, the identifiers of the other joining devices; and   wherein the determining that the joining device is authorized to join the mesh network includes determining that the request from the joining device matches one of the stored identifiers.   
     
     
         9 . A mesh network device implemented as a commissioning device, the mesh network device comprising:
 a mesh network interface configured for communication in a mesh network;   a memory and processor system to implement a commissioning application that is configured to:
 receive information including an identifier of a joining device; 
 store the identifier of the joining device in the memory; 
 receive, via the mesh network interface, a message from the joining device requesting to join the mesh network; 
 in response to the reception of the message, determine, using the stored identifier, that the joining device is authorized to join the mesh network; and 
 transmit, via the mesh network interface, network information to the joining device, the network information effective to enable the joining device to join the mesh network. 
   
     
     
         10 . The mesh network device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the transmission of the network information is effective to enable the joining device to communicate securely with other devices in the mesh network. 
     
     
         11 . The mesh network device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the joining device and the commissioning device are configured to derive a key from the identifier of the joining device, and wherein the derived key is used to secure the transmission of the network information. 
     
     
         12 . The mesh network device as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the derived key is only used for joining the device to the mesh network. 
     
     
         13 . The mesh network device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the information includes a manufacturer of the joining device, a device type of the joining device, a color of the joining device, a manufacture date of the joining device, a serial number of the joining device, an entry key of the joining device, other information that may be used to identify the joining device, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The mesh network device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the information is received out of band of the mesh network. 
     
     
         15 . The mesh network device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the information is scanned from a QR code affixed to the joining device. 
     
     
         16 . The mesh network device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the commissioning application is configured to:
 receive additional information including one or more identifiers of one or more other joining devices;   store the identifiers of the other joining devices; and   wherein the determination that the joining device is authorized to join the mesh network includes determining that the request from the joining device matches one of the stored identifiers.   
     
     
         17 . A mesh network system, comprising:
 a joining device configured to request joining a mesh network; and   a commissioning device configured to:
 receive information including an identifier of the joining device; 
 store the identifier of the joining device in the memory; 
 receive, via the mesh network interface, a message from the joining device requesting to join the mesh network; 
 in response to the reception of the message, determine, using the stored identifier, that the joining device is authorized to join the mesh network; and 
 transmit, via the mesh network interface, network information to the joining device, the network information effective to enable the joining device to join the mesh network. 
   
     
     
         18 . The mesh network system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the commissioning device is configured to:
 receive additional information including one or more identifiers of one or more other joining devices;   store the identifiers of the other joining devices; and   wherein the determination that the joining device is authorized to join the mesh network includes determining that the request from the joining device matches one of the stored identifiers.   
     
     
         19 . The mesh network system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the joining device and the commissioning device are configured to derive a key from the identifier of the joining device, wherein the derived key is used to secure the transmission of the network information, and wherein the derived key is only used for joining the device to the mesh network. 
     
     
         20 . The mesh network system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the information is received out of band of the mesh network, and wherein the information is scanned from a QR code affixed to the joining device.