Patents Assigned to AFERO, INC.
  • Patent number: 11855839
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for automatically provisioning a new IoT device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Bartlett, Joe Britt, Stephen Sewerynek, Chris Aiuto
  • Patent number: 11848795
    Abstract: An IoT-based system and method are described having an IoT hub including an accelerometer. For example, one embodiment of a system comprises: an Internet of Things (IoT) service, a plurality of IoT devices, each IoT device comprising a first secure communication module, and an IoT hub in communication with the plurality of IoT devices. The IoT hub comprising: a microcontroller unit to execute application-specific program code, a second secure communication module to establish a first secure communication channel with the IoT service and a plurality of second secure communication channels with the plurality of IoT devices, and a sensor to detect physical movements of the IoT hub and to change an operating mode of the IoT hub from a first operating mode to a second operating mode based on the physical movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Shin Matsumura, Houman Forood
  • Patent number: 11694149
    Abstract: A system and method are described for ensuring that a product has been transported in acceptable environmental conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Bartlett
  • Patent number: 11683307
    Abstract: A system and method are described for connecting an IoT device to a wireless router and/or access point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventor: Omar Zakaria
  • Patent number: 11665524
    Abstract: A system and method are described for anonymous IoT device accounts. For example, one embodiment of a system comprises an IoT app to be executed on a mobile device of a user, the IoT app comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) to allow the user to capture one or more identification (ID) codes from one or more IoT devices, the mobile device to transmit the ID codes to an IoT service; a device management module on the IoT service to provision the IoT devices with the IoT service; an account management module on the IoT service to establish an anonymous user account and to associate the anonymous user account with the one or more IoT devices provisioned by the device management module; wherein upon the provisioned IoT devices being associated with the anonymous user account, the GUI of the IoT app is to provide the user with controllable access to the IoT devices prior to the user entering user identification information to the IoT service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Arnberg, Steve Hales, Phillip Myles
  • Patent number: 11626974
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for sharing network credentials. One embodiment of a method comprises: establishing a Bluetooth connection between a first Internet of Things (IoT) device and a mobile device of a first user having an IoT app installed, the mobile device to couple the first IoT device to an IoT service; receiving a request from a user from the mobile device to configure the first IoT device using network credentials from a second IoT device, the second IoT device registered with an account of the user on the IoT service and configured to connect to a secure network of the user with the network credentials; establishing a communication channel between the first IoT device and the second IoT device through the IoT service and the mobile device to obtain the network credentials; and using the network credentials at the first IoT device to securely connect to the secure network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Zimmerman, Joe Britt
  • Patent number: 11469957
    Abstract: A system and method are described for managing attributes in an IoT system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Erhard Riedl, Joe Britt
  • Patent number: 11405230
    Abstract: An IoT-based system and method are described having an IoT hub including an accelerometer. For example, one embodiment of a system comprises: an Internet of Things (IoT) service, a plurality of IoT devices, each IoT device comprising a first secure communication module, and an IoT hub in communication with the plurality of IoT devices. The IoT hub comprising: a microcontroller unit to execute application-specific program code, a second secure communication module to establish a first secure communication channel with the IoT service and a plurality of second secure communication channels with the plurality of IoT devices, and a sensor to detect physical movements of the IoT hub and to change an operating mode of the IoT hub from a first operating mode to a second operating mode based on the physical movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Shin Matsumura, Houman Forood
  • Patent number: 11330473
    Abstract: A system and method are described for performing flow control in an IoT system. For example, one embodiment of a system comprises: a plurality of IoT devices; an IoT hub to establish local wireless connections with the plurality of IoT devices to communicatively couple the plurality of IoT devices to an IoT service; the IoT hub to store flow control parameters for each of the plurality of IoT devices, the flow control parameters determined based on data communication requirements of each of the IoT devices and indicating one or more data communication thresholds for each of the IoT devices; the IoT hub to monitor data communication with each of the IoT devices to determine whether one of the IoT devices has reached a data communication threshold specified by the flow control parameters, wherein in response to a first IoT device reaching its data communication threshold, the IoT hub temporarily preventing communication between the first IoT device and the IoT service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Scott Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 11221731
    Abstract: A system and method are described for sharing IoT devices. For example, one embodiment of a system comprises an Internet of Things (IoT) service in communication with a plurality of IoT devices over a network; a device sharing module to receive an indication from a first user of one or more IoT devices associated with an account of the first user to be shared with a second user; the device sharing module to responsively associate the one or more IoT devices with an account of the second user and to subsequently allow the second user to access the one or more IoT devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Houman Forood, Justin Lee, Eduardo Del Rio, Kerry Quinn
  • Patent number: 11217049
    Abstract: A system and method are described for securing a vehicle. For example, one embodiment of a method comprises: generating a secret related to a radio frequency (RF) signal characteristic to be transmitted by a key fob; securely sharing the secret between a vehicle and a wireless key fob; periodically transmitting a ping signal from the vehicle in a locked or inactive state; receiving a response ping signal to the ping signal, the response ping signal transmitted by the key fob; identifying at least a first RF signal characteristic associated with the response ping signal; determining whether the first RF signal characteristic is valid based on the secret; unlocking and/or activating the vehicle upon determining that the first RF signal characteristic is valid; and maintaining the locked or inactive state and/or requiring additional authentication if the first RF signal characteristic is invalid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Bartlett, Doug Kough
  • Patent number: 11153750
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for sharing WiFi credentials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Altin, Scott Zimmerman, Clif Liu, Stephen Sewerynek
  • Patent number: 11095503
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for automatically provisioning a new IoT device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Bartlett, Joe Britt, Stephen Sewerynek, Chris Aiuto
  • Patent number: 11070574
    Abstract: A system and method are described for preventing security breaches in an IoT system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Afero Inc.
    Inventors: Shannon Holland, Robey Pointer, Stephen Sewerynek, Nickolas Heckman, Chris Auito, Lucas Finkelstein, Scott Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 10992672
    Abstract: A system and method are described for connecting an IoT device to a wireless router and/or access point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventor: Omar Zakaria
  • Patent number: 10924920
    Abstract: A system and method are described for validating an IoT device. For example, a method in accordance with one embodiment comprises: generating a first random value to be used as a first offset into a first block of program code of an Internet of Things (IoT) device; transmitting a challenge request message to the IoT device, the challenge request including the first offset or data based on the first offset; receiving a challenge response message transmitted by the IoT device, the challenge response message comprising first authentication data for the first block of IoT device program code; and using the first authentication data to attempt to validate the first block of program code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Bartlett, Cliff Liu, Chris Aiuto, Kerry Quinn, Nickolas Heckman
  • Patent number: 10924461
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for implementing a 2-way beacon. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a beacon to transmit a first advertisement packet associated with 1-way functions available from the beacon and to further transmit a second advertisement packet associated with 2-way functions available from the beacon; the first advertisement packet to cause an app and/or hub to be initialized on a mobile device; and the second advertisement packet to cause the beacon to establish a first secure communication channel to a cloud service through the app and/or hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Britt, Benjamin K. Gibbs, Dan Altin
  • Patent number: 10873634
    Abstract: A system and method are described for loaning IoT devices. For example, one embodiment of a method comprises receiving a command submitted by a first user to loan a plurality of Internet of Things (IoT) devices associated with a first user account to a second user, establishing a secure communication channel between an IoT service and an IoT app on an IoT device used by the second user, and receiving an identification code from the IoT app to provide the IoT app access to the plurality of IoT devices over the secure communication channel, wherein the IoT app is to capture the identification code from an optical code, the IoT service to use the identification code to identify the plurality of IoT devices, wherein the IoT service prevents access to the plurality of IoT devices by the first user while the second user has access to the IoT devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Arnberg, Steve Hales, Phillip Myles
  • Patent number: 10861002
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method are described embedding an IoT device within a credit card of a user. For example, one embodiment of an Internet of Things (IoT) credit card system comprises: a plurality of IoT hubs located within stores; an IoT device embedded within a credit card, the IoT device comprising a battery and a secure communication module to communicate with the IoT hubs; an IoT service to receive location data related to the IoT hubs to which the IoT device has connected, the location data usable to determine the stores and/or locations within stores visited by the user; and a database within the IoT service to store an indication of the stores visited by the user and/or the locations within stores visited by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventor: Joe Britt
  • Patent number: 10841874
    Abstract: An embedded Internet of Things (IoT) hub for integration with an appliance and associated systems and methods. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: an embedded Internet of Things (IoT) hub comprising a wide area network (WAN) interface to couple the embedded IoT hub to an IoT service over a network, and a local wireless communication interface to communicatively couple the IoT hub to one or more IoT devices; an IoT hub slot interface coupled to the embedded IoT hub and comprising a first plurality of pins or pads to interface with corresponding pins or pads within an IoT hub slot of an appliance when the embedded IoT hub is inserted into the IoT hub slot; and a modular antenna interface coupled to the embedded IoT hub and comprising a second plurality of pins or pads to interface with corresponding pins or pads on a modular antenna to be coupled to the embedded IoT hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Afero, Inc.
    Inventors: Omar Zakaria, Joe Britt, Houman Forood