# US 11,451,545 B2 · Cloud device identification and authentication > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,451,545 B2 - Document ID: US11451545B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/404,269 - Filed: 2021-08-17 - Published: 2021-12-02 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-07 - Assignees: Ubiquiti Inc. - Applicants: Ubiquiti Inc. - Inventors: Matthew A. Hardy; Randall W. Frei; Jonathan P. Bauer; Mahesh Paolini-Subramanya - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451545B2 ## CPC - H04L 63/0876: {based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint} - H04L 41/0806: for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play - H04L 41/5054: Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components - H04L 67/10: in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) - H04L 67/1097: for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS] - H04W 4/50: Service provisioning or reconfiguring - H04W 12/04: Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA] - H04W 12/06: Authentication - H04W 12/35: {Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning} - H04W 24/02: Arrangements for optimising operational condition - H04L 41/5096: {wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Methods and apparatuses for authentication and/or provisioning of wireless network devices, and in particular, methods and apparatuses for authentication and/or provisioning of wireless network devices that are communicating with and may be monitored and/or controlled by a remote (e.g., cloud) server. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of provisioning a network device for use with a network using a handheld device, the method comprising: detecting, with a discovery tool, connection of one or more unprovisioned network devices, wherein the one or more unprovisioned network devices correspond to known devices on a list of known devices; prompting a user to adopt the one or more unprovisioned network devices; receiving, from the user, a device site selection for a logical networking environment within which the one or more unprovisioned network devices is to operate; receiving, from the user, cloud login information and organization information for the one or more unprovisioned network devices; provisioning the one or more unprovisioned network devices to operate in the selected device site via a first wireless network based, at least in part, on the device site selection, the cloud login information, and the organization information; establishing an authentication key shared between the network device and the handheld device during a trusted session; and communicating the authentication key to a remote server to enable the remote server to authenticate the network device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a list of device sites to the user, and receiving the device site selection is in response to displaying the list of device sites to the user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the list of device sites is displayed on the handheld device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the list of device sites is based on a determined geographic location of the network device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the geographic location is determined by the handheld device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting the user to select the one or more unprovisioned network devices from a list of unprovisioned network devices, wherein the receiving of the device site selection from the user is in response to the prompting. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein detection of the one or more unprovisioned network devices is via an ad hoc network between the unprovisioned network device and the handheld device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: collecting GPS coordinates associated with network devices; and placing the network devices on a map based on the collected GPS coordinates. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein selection of the unprovisioned network device includes identifying the network device using a unique identifier on the network device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the identifying includes capturing an optical code on the network device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning includes providing a secret string to the unprovisioned network device to establish a trusted session with the unprovisioned network device, the secret string associated with a network address for the unprovisioned network device. ### Claim 12 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to: detect one or more unprovisioned network devices unable to communicate with a first wireless network, wherein the one or more unprovisioned network devices correspond to known devices on a list of known devices; prompt a user to adopt the one or more unprovisioned network devices; select, by a user, one of the one or more unprovisioned network devices; receive, from the user, a device site selection for a logical networking environment within which the selected unprovisioned network device is to operate; receive, from the user, cloud login information and organization information for the selected unprovisioned network device; provision the unprovisioned network device to operate in the selected device site via the first wireless network based, at least in part, on the device site selection, the cloud login information, and the organization information; establish an authentication key shared between the network device and the handheld device during a trusted session; and communicate the authentication key to a remote server to enable the remote server to authenticate the network device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions cause the computing device to display a list of device sites to the user, wherein reception of the device site selection is in response to displaying the list of device sites to the user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions cause the computing device to prompt the user to select the unprovisioned network device from a list of unprovisioned network devices, wherein reception of the device site selection from the user is in response to the prompt to select the unprovisioned network device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein detection of the unprovisioned network device is via an ad hoc network between the unprovisioned network device and the computing device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein instructions cause the computing device to: collect GPS coordinates associated with network devices; and place the network devices on a map based on the collected GPS coordinates. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein instructions to select at least one of the unprovisioned network devices include instructions to cause the computing device to identify the network device using a unique identifier on the network device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein instructions to cause the computing device to identify the network device using a unique identifier on the network device include instructions to cause the computing device to capture an optical code on the network device.