Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Smartthings - binding thing to user

Some 'things' need to be bound to a user identity in order to allow for differentiated authorizations or reporting.

Follows is how this binding works for Smartthings

I placed my order at Smartthings.com. When the package arrived, it included a registration code. I assume all the thing serial numbers (or equivalent identifiers) is indexed by that code as part of the packaging & shipping process.

Though I'm not sure, I don't believe the registration code was bound to my account at issuance time (even though it could have been because I was logged in at the time). Binding will happen post shipping.




I then download and install the Smartthings app (here Android). Below is the initial login screen


After logging in, I am prompted to plug in the Smartthings hub, connect it by ethernet to the home router, and then enter the registration code into the app


User account is bound to code, and code is bound to device identifiers - so consequently user account can be bound to device identifiers.

It is through the temporary identifier of the code that Smarthings is able to know that a given motion sensor is under my account and so apply a permissions model based on this binding, ie I can manage them but nobody else (unless I stipulate so). Even more basic, when the Smartthings cloud receives sensor data from a particular thing/hub combination, it is able to associate that data with my account.

I recently purchased a Fitbit Aria scale. The Aria used a completely different mechanism to associate the scale with my existing Fitbit account. Area seems ripe for usability testing.

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