Method for establishing a wireless link key between a remote device and a group device

A remote device, comprising:

• means for receiving a group identification and a device identification from a group device over a wireless channel, wherein the group identification is associated with a plurality of group devices and the device identification is associated only with the group device;
• means for determining, using the group identification, whether the group device is associated with a group having a trust association with the remote device;
• means for forwarding a link setup request to the group device, when the group device is determined to be associated with a group having an established trust association with the remote device, for virtually pairing the remote device and the group device using the trust association to establish the wireless link key;
• and
• means for forwarding a pairing request to the group device, when the group device is determined not to be associated with a group having an established trust association with the remote device, for pairing the remote device and the group device to establish the wireless link key.

An apparatus for establishment of a wireless link key, comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• receive a group identification and a device identification from the group device over a wireless channel, wherein the group identification is associated with a plurality of group devices and the device identification is associated only with the group device;
• determine, using the group identification, whether the group device is associated with a group having a trust association with a remote device;
• forward a link setup request to the group device, when the group device is determined to be associated with a group having an established trust association with the remote device, for virtually pairing the remote device and the group device using the trust association to establish the wireless link key;
• and
• forward a pairing request to the group device, when the group device is determined not to be associated with a group having an established trust association with the remote device, for pairing the remote device and the group device to establish the wireless link key.

A computer program product, comprising:

• non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:
• code for causing a computer to receive a group identification and a device identification from the group device over a wireless channel, wherein the group identification is associated with a plurality of group devices and the device identification is associated only with the group device;
• code for causing a computer to determine, using the group identification, whether the group device is associated with a group having a trust association with a remote device;
• code for causing a computer to forward a link setup request to the group device, when the group device is determined to be associated with a group having an established trust association with the remote device, for virtually pairing the remote device and the group device using the trust association to establish the wireless link key;
• and
• code for causing a computer to forward a pairing request to the group device, when the group device is determined not to be associated with a group having an established trust association with the remote device, for pairing the remote device and the group device to establish the wireless link key.

A method for establishing a wireless link key between a group device and a remote device, the method comprising:

• transmitting a group identification and a device identification for the group device over a wireless channel, wherein the group identification is associated with a plurality of group devices and the device identification is associated only with the group device;
• receiving a request from the remote device;
• determining whether the request is a link setup request or a pairing request;
• when the request is determined to be a link setup request, establishing a link key between the group device and the remote device, using an established trust association between the remote device and a group associated with the group device, for virtually pairing the group device with the remote device;
• and
• when the request is determined to be a pairing request, pairing the remote device with the group device to establish the wireless link key.

A group device, comprising:

• means for transmitting a group identification and a device identification for the group device over a wireless channel, wherein the group identification is associated with a plurality of group devices and the device identification is associated only with the group device;
• means for receiving a request from a remote device;
• means for determining whether the request is a link setup request or a pairing request;
• means for establishing a link key between the group device and the remote device, using an established trust association between the remote device and a group associated with the group device, for virtually pairing the group device with the remote device when the request is determined to be a link setup request;
• and
• means for pairing the remote device with the group device to establish the wireless link key when the request is determined to be a pairing request.

An apparatus for establishment of a wireless link key, comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• transmit a group identification and a device identification for the apparatus over a wireless channel, wherein the group identification is associated with a plurality of group devices and the device identification is associated only with the group device;
• receive a request from the remote device;
• determine whether the request is a link setup request or a pairing request;
• establish a link key between the apparatus and the remote device, using an established trust association between the remote device and a group associated with the apparatus when the request is determined to be a link setup request, for virtually pairing the apparatus with the remote device;
• and
• pairing the remote device with the apparatus to establish the wireless link key when the request is determined to be a pairing request.

A computer program product, comprising:

• non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:
• code for causing a computer to transmit a group identification and a device identification for a group device over a wireless channel, wherein the group identification is associated with a plurality of group devices and the device identification is associated only with the group device;
• code for causing a computer to receive a request from a remote device;
• code for causing a computer to determine whether the request is a link setup request or a pairing request;
• code for causing a computer to establish a link key between the group device and the remote device, using an established trust association between the remote device and a group associated with the group device when the request is determined to be a link setup request, for virtually pairing the group device with the remote device;
• and
• code for causing a computer to pair the remote device with the group device to establish the wireless link key when the request is determined to be a pairing request.