System and method for negotiating group membership for audio controllers

1. A method for adding a second audio device into a wireless network comprising a wireless network router, a first audio device, and a controller application running on a controller device, comprising the steps of:

receiving by a first audio device on the network notice that a second audio device not on the network is available;

providing a bridge network by the first audio device;

establishing a bridge channel between the first audio device and the second audio device via the bridge network;

providing network credentials to the second audio device over the bridge channel;

using the provided network credentials, establish a network connection for second audio device;

providing a DHCP request to the first audio device by the second audio device via the bridge network;

forwarding the DHCP request by the first audio device to the wireless network router via the wireless network;

receiving the provided network credentials by the first audio device from the wireless network router via the wireless network;

detecting, by the second audio device, the bridge network;

connecting, by the second audio device, to the bridge network;

notifying the controller application the first audio device has established a bridge channel with the second audio device; and

via a GUI on the controller application, requesting the user to initiate an audio device network handshake over the bridge channel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first audio device receives from the controller application the notice the second audio device is available.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of discovering the second audio device on the network by the controller application.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of detecting, by the second audio device, the bridge network.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of connecting, by the second audio device, to the bridge network.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of via a GUI on the controller application, requesting the user to initiate an audio device network handshake over the bridge channel.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of initiating the DHCP request by the second audio device via an actuator on the second audio device.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of discovering the second audio device on the network by the controller application.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

receiving by the controller application from the first audio device, configuration information for an internet access point;

sending, by the controller application, the configuration information for the internet access point to the second device;

using the configuration information for the internet access point, by the second device, to connect to the access point.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of requesting from the first audio device, the configuration information for the internet access point.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

receiving by the controller application from the user, a name for the second audio device;

requesting, by the controller application, a configuration information token from the second device;

receiving, by the controller application, the configuration information token from the second device; and

receiving, by the second audio device, the name for the second audio device from the controller application.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of comparing, by the controller application, information from the configuration token with a preconfigured configuration.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of adding, by the controller application, the second audio device to a group comprising the first audio device.

14. A system operating within a wireless communication network, comprising:

a first audio device comprising:

a first communication processor and a first network interface configured to communicate via the wireless communication network; and

a first processor and a first memory configured to store non-transitory instructions which, when executed by the first processor, perform the steps of:

receiving notice that a second audio device not on the wireless communication network is available;

providing a bridge network via the communication processor;

establishing a bridge channel with the second audio device via the bridge network; and

providing credentials for the wireless communication network to the second audio device over the bridge channel;

the second audio device comprising:

a second communication processor and a second network interface; and

a second processor and a second memory configured to store non-transitory instructions which, when executed by the second processor, perform the steps of:

detecting the bridge network via the second interface;

establishing a bridge channel with the first audio device via the bridge network;

receiving credentials for the wireless communication network from the second audio device over the bridge channel; and

using the received network credentials, joining the wireless communication network via the second interface; and

a controller device in communication with the wireless communication network comprising:

a third communication processor and a third network interface; and

a third processor and a third memory configured to store non-transitory instructions which, when executed by the third processor, perform the steps of:

providing a controller application comprising a graphical user interface (GUI), the controller application configured to perform the steps of:

notifying the first audio device the second audio device not on the wireless communication network is available;

receiving configuration information via the GUI regarding the second audio device, wherein the second audio device is not configured to communicate over the wireless communication network;

after the second audio device has joined the wireless communication network, discovering the second audio device on the wireless communication network; and

adding the second audio device on the wireless communication network to a group.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein:

the first audio device is further configured to perform the step of notifying the controller application the first audio device has established a bridge channel with the second audio device; and

the controller device is further configured to perform the step of, via a GUI, requesting the user to initiate a bridge channel handshake between the first audio device and the second audio device.