A novel three stage network joining protocol for home automation

Modern advances in electronics and communication technology have given rise to the development of several home automation technologies and systems. Current home automation systems have several drawbacks including high cost, not being of a Do It Yourself (DIY) nature, and there is currently no safe way for a simple Internet of Things (IoT) device to join a Local Area Network (LAN) without the addition of extra user interface hardware. The simplest IoT devices, for example a mains power switch, could contain just a cheap Wi-Fi interface and very limited computing capability. Such devices are already available for under US $4 but are not usable in the IoT context as they lack the ability to join a Wi-Fi network in a secure DIY manner. The ability to securely join IoT Devices to Wi-Fi networks is an on-going area of research. This thesis describes a novel three-stage network joining protocol, which that allows IoT devices to securely join a Wi-Fi network even if they completely lack a user interface. This protocol can eliminate a central controller for a home automation system and allow users to purchase off the shelf devices from a range of manufactures and control them by a PC or mobile device in a very simple manner.<br><br> This new method will significantly reduce costs as the system and does not require expert configuration or a central controller. This in turn may help revitalize the home automation industry, which has not seen great penetration into suburban homes. The protocol is implemented using a WPA2 based LAN, an Android phone and a Raspberry Pi which represents an IoT device lacking any form of keyboard and display. The method allows cost reductions for simple IoT devices and is suitable for immediate adoption by manufacturers of IoT devices.