Patent Publication Number: US-8995413-B2

Title: Setting method for connecting to wireless network access points, and electronic device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 101129058 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on Aug. 10, 2012, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The disclosure relates to a network setting method and an electronic device, and more particularly to a setting method for connecting to wireless network access points, and an electronic device. 
     2. Related Art 
     A network video surveillance device such as a network camera, a network video server and a network video recorder is used more and more popularly, and is gradually entering into daily life. Take the network camera as an example, more and more users are using the network cameras. Moreover, following the development of a wireless network, a network. camera that is equipped with a wireless network function begins to show up in the 3C market. The first step for a user to use a wireless network camera is to install the wireless network camera. Unlike other wireless device such as notebook, tablet computer or smart phone, the wireless network camera does not have the text and graphical input/output user interface such as monitor, keyboard and touch panel for user to input settings directly. In terms of the installation of the wireless network camera, typical hardware architecture is that the wireless network camera is coupled to the wireless network access point (AP) through the Ethernet, and the AP is coupled to a personal computer (PC) or notebook with the Ethernet. For a conventional installation procedure, the PC should access connection with the corresponding AP first, and then, the user will use the PC to access the setup webpage of the AP to obtain related parameters of that AP. Next, the PC should access connection with the wireless network camera, and then, the user should use the PC to access the setup webpage of the wireless network camera and fill in the parameters in the corresponding field. This conventional procedure is inconvenient and requires longer installation time. 
     To solve this problem, Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is introduced. WPS is a computing standard that attempts to allow easy establishment of a secure wireless network. If both the AP and the wireless network camera support WPS feature, user could simply push the WPS buttons of the AP and the wireless network camera at the same time to finish the wireless setup for the wireless network camera. However, if the AP does not support WPS feature, user cannot take the advantage of WPS. 
     SUMMARY 
     In view of the problem mentioned above, the disclosure provides a setting method for connecting wireless network access points, which is applied to a network video surveillance for setting the network video surveillance device to connect to wireless network access points. 
     A setting method for connecting to wireless network access points disclosed in the disclosure includes the following steps. A first electronic device is set to operate in an access point mode. A second electronic device is connected to the first electronic device wirelessly, and setting information of a target access point is sent to the first electronic device by the second electronic device. After the first electronic device obtains the setting information, the first electronic device is switched to operate in a client mode instead of the access point mode. The first electronic device is connected to the target access point according to the setting information. 
     According to an embodiment, the first electronic device is a network video surveillance device such as a network camera, a network video server or a network video recorder that does not have the text and graphical input/output user interface such as the monitor, keyboard, and touch panel. 
     According to an embodiment, the second electronic device is a smart phone, a tablet computer, a notebook or a desktop computer. 
     According to an embodiment, the first electronic device in the access point mode can perform the site survey to search nearby wireless network access points. 
     According to an embodiment, the step of sending the setting information is performed when the first electronic device executes a program and the second electronic device executes a matching program. 
     According to an embodiment, the program executed by the first electronic device is a web server program or other server programs with a network function. 
     According to an embodiment, the matching program executed by the second electronic device is a web browser or a camera installation program. 
     An electronic device with a wireless network function disclosed in the disclosure includes a mode switching unit, a first signal access unit and a processing unit. The mode switching unit is used for switching the electronic device to operate in an access point mode or a client mode. The first signal access unit is used for receiving or sending a wireless network signal. The processing unit is electrically connected to the mode switching unit and the first signal access unit. The processing unit is used for receiving setting information from a client end in the access point mode, and for connecting the electronic device to a target access point according to the setting information in a client mode. 
     According to an embodiment, the step of receiving the setting information from the client end is performed through a program executed by the electronic device. 
     According to an embodiment, the setting method for connecting to wireless network access points in the disclosure is applied to a network video surveillance device such as a network camera, a network video server or a network video recorder, for setting the network video surveillance device to connect to a wireless network. Therefore, the electronic device of the disclosure can complete the connection setting of wireless network without the conventional connection and setting process. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below for illustration only and thus does not limit the disclosure, wherein: 
         FIG. 1A  is a schematic architectural view of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 1B  is a schematic architectural view of a first electronic device and a second electronic device according to an embodiment of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart of a setting method for connecting to wireless network access points, according to an embodiment of the disclosure; and 
         FIG. 3A  to  FIG. 3C  are schematic views for a setting process of setting information according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing. 
     The disclosure is applied to a network video surveillance device such as a network camera, a network video server or a network video recorder, for setting the network video surveillance device to connect to a wireless network access point. 
       FIG. 1A  is a schematic architectural view of the disclosure. The disclosure includes a first electronic device  110 , a second electronic device  120  and a target access point  130 . The first electronic device  110  is, for example, a network camera, a network video server or a network video recorder that does not have the text and graphical input/output user interface such as monitor, keyboard, and touch panel. The second electronic device  120  is, for example, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a notebook or an electronic device with a wireless network function. Hereinafter, one wireless network access point  140  desired to connect to, is defined as a target access point  130 . 
     The first electronic device  110  includes a mode switching unit  111 , a first signal access unit  112 , a processing unit  113  and a first storage unit  114 . Referring to  FIG. 1B , the processing unit  113  is electrically connected to the mode switching unit  111 , the first signal access unit  112  and the first storage unit  114 . 
     The mode switching unit  111  is used for switching the first electronic device  110  to operate in an access point mode or a client mode. When the first electronic device  110  is in the access point mode, the processing unit  113  executes a web server program  115 . When the first electronic device  110  executes the web server program  115 , the first electronic device  110  provides a corresponding web page and a form. The details of the web page and the form will be described later. 
     When the first electronic device  110  is switched to operate in the client mode, the first electronic device  110  connects to the target access point  130  according to setting information for a wireless network. The setting information is stored in the first electronic device  110 . The mode switching unit  111  provides a user interface, so that a user can use the user interface of the mode switching unit  111  to reset the first electronic device  110  to operate in the access point mode. The user interface of the mode switching unit  111  can be embodied by physical elements such as physical buttons or switches, and can also be embodied by software such as virtual buttons or switches shown on a display device. 
     The processing unit  113  receives or sends wireless network signals through the first signal access unit  112 . In other words, the first electronic device  110  communicates with the second electronic device  120  or the target access point  130  through the wireless network communication supported by the first signal access unit  112 . The wireless network communication employs one standard of the IEEE 802.11 family. The first storage unit  114  is used for storing the web server program  115  and the setting information of the target access point  130 . 
     The second electronic device  120  includes a control unit  121 , a second signal access unit  122  and a second storage unit  123 . The control unit  121  is electrically connected to the second signal access unit  122  and the second storage unit  123 . The second signal access unit  122  is used for receiving or sending wireless network signals. The second electronic device  120  communicates with the first electronic device  110  through the second signal access unit  122 . The second storage unit  123  stores a matching program  124 . The matching program  124  receives information provided by the web server program  115 , and the user can also upload relevant information to the web server program  115  through the matching program  124 . The matching program  124  is, for example, a web browser or an installation program, and the installation program is software for setting the first electronic device  110  to communicate with the target access point  130 . The detailed operation of the disclosure is described as follows. 
       FIG. 2  is a flow chart of the operation of the disclosure. The setting method for the wireless network of the first electronic device  110  in  FIG. 1B  according to the disclosure includes the following steps. 
     In step S 210 , the first electronic device  110  is set to operate in an access point mode, and a web server program of the first electronic device  110  is executed. 
     In step S 220 , a second electronic device  120  in  FIG. 1B  is connected to the first electronic device  110  wirelessly. 
     In step S 230 , a web browser of the second electronic device  120  is executed, and the second electronic device  120  sends setting information of a target access point  130  in  FIG. 1A  to the first electronic device  110  through a web page. 
     In step S 240 , after the first electronic device  110  acquires the setting information, the first electronic device  110  is switched to operate in a client mode instead of the access point mode. 
     In step S 250 , the first electronic device  110  is connected to the target access point  130  according to the setting information. 
     Specifically, the first electronic device  110  is set to operate in the access point mode firstly with a default SSID and related wireless settings such as an encryption manner, an encryption key, and a communication channel. In the access point mode, the first electronic device  110  starts to search for nearby wireless network access points  140 . The first electronic device  110  records service set identifiers (SSIDs) of found wireless network access points  140  one by one to establish an access point list. Furthermore, in the access point mode, the first electronic device  110  also executes a web server program  115 . When a client end communicates with the first electronic device  110  through a web page, the web server program  115  sends the access point list to the client end. In this and some embodiments, the step of searching for nearby wireless network access points  140  may be not performed. In this and some embodiments, and the step of searching for nearby wireless network access points  140  may be performed when the user inputs a search command through a web page or software. 
     Subsequently, the second electronic device  120  is connected to the first electronic device  110  through the wireless network using the SSID and related wireless settings of the first electronic device  110 , and executes a matching program  124 . Hereinafter, which the matching program  124  is a web browser is taken as an example. The web server program  115  sends the access point list to the matching program  124 . The user can know nearby wireless network access points  140  through the matching program  124 . The user selects desired one of the wireless network access points  140  from the access point list of the matching program  124  as a target access point  130 . After the target access point  130  is selected, the matching program  124  presents a setting information page of the target access point  130 . The setting information is, for example, a SSID, an encryption manner, or an encryption key. If the first electronic device  110  does not perform the step of searching for wireless network access points  140 , the user can set a known wireless network access point  140  as the target access point  130 , and input a SSID of the target access point  130 . 
       FIG. 3A  to  FIG. 3C  are the schematic views for a setting process of setting information according to an embodiment of the disclosure. The matching program  124  presents a received access point list  310  on a display unit of the second electronic device  120 , as shown in  FIG. 3A . Next, the user selects any one of the wireless network access points  140  from the access point list  310  as a target access point  130 , as shown by the marked one in  FIG. 3B . When the user selects a target access point  130 , the matching program  124  presents another page, so that the user can input the setting information of the target access point  130  on the presented another page, as shown in  FIG. 3C . After inputting the setting information, the user uploads the setting information to the web server program  115  through the matching program  124 . 
     After the web server program  115  receives the setting information sent from the matching program  124 , the first electronic device  110  is switched to operate in the client mode instead of the access point mode, and communicates with the target access point  130  according to the setting information. 
     The setting method for connecting to wireless network access points according to the disclosure is applied to a network video surveillance device for setting the network video surveillance device to connect to a wireless network. The electronic device of the disclosure can complete the connection setting of wireless network without the conventional connection and setting process.