JP2007043644A - Wireless connection system and wireless connection method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a security level in wireless communication. <P>SOLUTION: A connection setting information for wireless communication is set to a home server 1 and a client apparatus 2. Even if the setting is made once, authentication processing is performed upon next wireless communication. When an authentication is successful, the communication is performed, and the authentication is not successful, the communication can not be performed. The authentication processing is performed by short-range wireless communication using e. g. an RFID tag, by bringing the client apparatus 2 close to the home server 1. Since the authentication processing is performed within a range close to the home server 1, a third person can not perform the authentication processing, thereby preventing an unauthorized entry or the like to a network. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a wireless connection system and a wireless connection method.

  IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11 and Bluetooth (registered trademark) are known as methods for wirelessly connecting a plurality of devices using radio waves. IEEE802.11 is further classified into IEEE802.11a, IEEE802.11b, IEEE802.11g, etc., depending on the transmission method and usage frequency band. For example, IEEE 802.11b is used to establish a so-called wireless LAN (Local Area Network) by wirelessly connecting a plurality of personal computers and access point devices.

  Although the communication distance of IEEE802.11b and Bluetooth as described above is about several tens of meters, a method using an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag is known as means for performing short-range wireless communication. . An RFID tag is also referred to as a wireless tag or a wireless IC tag, and performs communication by reading data from an RFID tag incorporated in another electronic device or the like in response to a request from a reader / writer. For example, 125 kHz, 13.56 MHz, 433 MHz, UHF band (800/900 MHz), 2.45 GHz, and 5.8 GHz are used for this wireless communication.

  By the way, with the widespread use of wireless LANs, securing security in communications using wireless LANs such as unauthorized interception and prevention of data leakage has become an important issue. For example, SSID (Service Set Identifier), WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) key, MAC (Media Access Control) address is set as means for ensuring security, and access from different terminals such as WEP key is restricted. .

  Patent Document 1 listed below describes an invention in which a wireless connection can be automatically set by starting wireless communication by setting an SSID or a WEP key by bringing an IC card close to a close range.

JP 2003-229872 A

  However, in the above-described conventional method, for example, the SSID and WEP key are obtained by unauthorized means, and when they are set, if the set SSID and WEP key are correct, wireless communication is permitted. Even if it is not based on unauthorized means, for example, a person who has left the company can infiltrate the LAN system using the SSID or WEP key that he knew at the time of employment, which was not desirable from the viewpoint of security. .

  Although a password or the like can be used to prevent unauthorized entry into the LAN system, the same problem may occur when the password is obtained by an unauthorized means. As described above, in the method of performing the authentication process using the SSID, WEP key, password, etc., care must be taken in the management of the SSID and WEP key, and when the SSID and WEP key are leaked and used, the LAN system is accessed. There was a problem that it was not possible to prevent unauthorized intrusion.

  In recent years, home LANs that construct LAN systems in homes are becoming popular. A wireless LAN used in a company pays close attention to security in order to prevent data leakage and leakage. However, in a home LAN, attention to security is diminished due to its convenience. In addition, the user of the home LAN does not necessarily have knowledge about the wireless LAN, and there is a risk that complicated settings for security will be avoided. Therefore, it is desirable to prevent unauthorized entry into a LAN system by a simple method even in a home LAN.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to improve security by always performing authentication processing at the start of wireless communication, and prevent unauthorized entry into the LAN system, data outflow, leakage, unauthorized use, and the like. A wireless connection system and a wireless connection method are provided.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, according to a first aspect of the present invention, in a wireless connection system including one or more host devices and one or more client devices, the host device and the client device comply with a predetermined wireless communication standard. When performing wireless communication based on this, close proximity wireless communication is performed by bringing the client device closer to the host device, authentication processing for authenticating connection setting information using close proximity wireless communication is performed, and authentication is performed in the authentication processing. The wireless connection system is characterized in that wireless communication is permitted when is established, and wireless communication is not permitted when authentication is not established.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a wireless communication method performed by one or more host devices and one or more client devices, the host device and the client device perform wireless communication based on a predetermined wireless communication standard. And a proximity wireless communication step in which the client device is brought close to the host device to perform proximity wireless communication, and an authentication step to authenticate connection setting information using the proximity wireless communication, and when authentication is established in the authentication step. The wireless communication method is characterized in that wireless communication is permitted and wireless authentication is not permitted when authentication is not established.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in a wireless connection system including two or more portable devices, when the first portable device and the second portable device perform wireless communication based on a predetermined wireless communication standard, When close proximity wireless communication is performed by bringing one mobile device close to a second mobile device, authentication processing for authenticating connection setting information using close proximity wireless communication is performed, and when authentication is established in the authentication processing The wireless connection system is characterized in that wireless communication is permitted and wireless communication is not permitted when authentication is not established.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the wireless communication method performed by two or more portable devices, when the first portable device and the second portable device perform wireless communication based on a predetermined wireless communication standard, A proximity wireless communication step for performing proximity wireless communication by bringing the first portable device closer to the second portable device, and an authentication step for authenticating connection setting information using the proximity wireless communication. A wireless communication method is characterized in that wireless communication is permitted when authentication is established, and wireless communication is not permitted when authentication is not established.

  According to the present invention, the security of authentication processing can be increased, and for example, unauthorized intrusion of a third party into a network constructed by a wireless LAN can be prevented. Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to increase the security of communication by the wireless LAN by a simple method without using a complicated encryption technique or the like.

  Furthermore, according to the present invention, by mounting a reader / writer function on a portable device, it is possible to transmit and receive data between portable devices using proximity wireless communication.

  Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 conceptually shows a wireless connection system in a home LAN to which the present invention is applied. In the wireless connection system according to the first embodiment, a client device 2 including various electronic devices is wirelessly connected to a home server 1 that is an example of a host device to perform communication. The client device 2 is, for example, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), a digital still camera, a camcorder (a term that stands for camera and recorder), a portable audio device, a laptop personal computer, a PC (Personal Computer) card, a USB (Universal Serial). Bus) Multimedia portable devices such as sticks and USB dongles.

  The home server 1 stores not only document files but also video contents such as video images and recorded television programs, and audio contents such as music. In addition to content storage, the home server 1 can be equipped with a television broadcast or radio broadcast tuner function or a WWW (World Wide Web) cache function. The client device 2 can use various contents stored in the home server 1 by wirelessly connecting to the home server 1 and performing communication.

  For example, if the client device 2 is a portable audio device, it can communicate with the home server 1 by wireless connection, download audio content stored in the home server 1 and listen to it anywhere in the house. Further, if the client device 2 is a PDA, for example, video content stored in the home server 1 and a received television broadcast can be viewed anywhere in the house. Further, if the client device 2 is a digital camera, the photographed image data is recorded in the home server 1, so that, for example, any family member can view the image data anywhere in the house. Although FIG. 1 illustrates one home server, a plurality of home servers 1 may be installed.

  Further, the home server 1 and the client device 2 can perform close proximity wireless communication. Proximity wireless communication is communication performed by bringing the client device 2 closer to the home server 1. The communicable range of close proximity wireless communication is 1 m or less. Since 1 m around the home server 1 is usually in the house, for example, close proximity wireless communication with the home server 1 cannot be performed from outside the house.

  This close proximity wireless communication is performed using, for example, an RFID tag. The home server 1 functions as a reader / writer and communicates with the client device 2 on which the RFID tag is mounted via radio waves.

  FIG. 2 shows a communication-related configuration of the home server 1. The communication configuration of the home server 1 includes an antenna 12, a radio frequency (RF) module 13, a base band (BB) module 14, and a client device that are wirelessly connected to the client device 2 to communicate and transmit / receive data. 2 includes a system antenna 15 that performs close proximity wireless communication, an RF module 16, and a BB module 17. The home server 1 includes a MAC module 18 and a memory 19, and the MAC module 18 includes a physical interface (I / F) 20, a physical I / F 21, and a memory controller 22. The home server 1 includes storage means such as a hard disk in addition to the communication-related configuration described above, but the description is omitted because it is not directly related to the present invention.

  FIG. 3 shows a communication-related configuration of the client device 2. The communication-related configuration of the client apparatus 2 is substantially the same as the communication-related configuration of the home server 1. An antenna 32, an RF module 33, and a BB module 34 that perform wireless connection with the home server 1 to perform data transmission and reception, an antenna 35, an RF module 36, and a BB module 37 that perform close proximity wireless communication with the home server 1. It is set as the structure containing. The MAC module 38 includes a memory 39 and the MAC module 38 includes a physical I / F 40, a physical I / F 41, and a memory controller 42. Other configurations have specific configurations depending on the type of the client device 2.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a communication processing procedure in the first embodiment of the present invention. In step S1, for example, it is determined whether or not an SSID or WEP key has been set. If it has not been set, the process proceeds to step S2.

  In step S2, a setting process is performed. The setting process is performed by proximity wireless communication using an RFID tag, for example. In the memory 19 of the home server 1, connection setting information such as an SSID and a WEP key is registered in advance. At the time of setting, connection setting information is read from the memory 19 of the home server 1 and supplied to the BB module 17 via the physical I / F 21. In the BB module, data including connection setting information is modulated and transmitted from the antenna 15 via the RF module 16. The modulation method is, for example, amplitude modulation (ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying)), frequency modulation (FSK (Frequency Shift Keying)), phase modulation (PSK (Phase Shift Keying)), or the like.

  The client device 2 is brought closer to the home server 1 at the time of setting. By bringing the client device 2 closer to the home server 1, it is possible to receive radio waves transmitted from the home server 1. The radio wave transmitted from the antenna 15 of the home server 1 is received by the antenna 35 of the client device 2. Then, the RF module 36 performs demodulation processing and supplies the MAC module 38 via the BB module 37. The connection setting information is converted into a predetermined format by the memory controller 42 of the MAC module 38 and recorded in the memory 39 to complete the setting.

  Note that a family between devices may be formed between the home server 1 and the client device 2, and connection setting information may be recorded in advance in the memory 39 of the client device 2. Since the setting information for connection is recorded in advance, the processing of step S1 and step S2 can be omitted.

  Conventionally, when the setting information for connection is set in this way, at the time of the next connection, an authentication process is automatically performed to determine whether or not the setting information for connection is appropriate. Therefore, when the connection setting information is acquired by a third party who is not permitted to connect, there is a possibility that unauthorized connection using the connection setting information may be permitted.

  Therefore, in the present invention, authentication processing is performed when the client device once subjected to the setting processing is connected to a host device such as a home server, and communication by wireless connection can be performed only when authentication is established. did. Furthermore, since a LAN system constructed by a wireless LAN is generally a physically limited space, authentication processing is performed by close proximity wireless communication so that only a person in the space can perform the authentication process.

  Returning to the flowchart of FIG. In step S3, the client apparatus 2 for which connection setting information has already been set is brought closer to the home server 1. Authentication processing is then performed.

  This authentication process is performed by proximity wireless communication using an RFID tag. By bringing the client device 2 closer to the home server 1, the antenna 35 of the client device 2 can receive a weak radio wave transmitted from the antenna 15 of the home server 1.

  An electromotive force is generated in the RFID tag by the radio wave received by the antenna 35 of the client device 2. The received radio wave is demodulated by the RF module 36 of the client device 2, baseband signal processing is performed by the BB band module 37 and supplied to the MAC module 38. The connection setting information recorded from the memory 39 is read out and supplied to the BB module 37 via the physical I / F 41. Baseband signal processing is performed by the BB module 37, modulation processing is performed by the RF module 36, and radio waves are transmitted from the antenna 35.

  The radio wave transmitted from the antenna 35 is received by the antenna 15 of the home server 1. The received radio wave is demodulated in the RF module 16, baseband signal processed in the BB module 17, and supplied to the MAC module 18. The home server 1 compares the connection setting information extracted from the radio wave transmitted from the client device 2 with the connection setting information recorded in the memory 19. It is assumed that authentication is established when the connection setting information matches, and authentication is not established when they do not match.

  If the authentication is not successful, the process proceeds to step S5. In step S5, for example, a display indicating that connection to a monitor provided in the home server 1 or the client device 2 cannot be made is displayed. Also, a notification that connection cannot be made may be made by a warning sound.

  If authentication is established, the process proceeds to step S6. In step S6, since the authentication is established, a wireless connection is established between the home server 1 and the client device 2, and communication conforming to, for example, IEEE 802.11 is performed. For communication at this time, the antenna 12, the RF module 13, and the BB module 14 are used in the home server 1, and the antenna 32, the RF module 33, and the BB module 34 are used in the client device 2.

  For example, when the use of the client device 2 is finished and the power is turned off, the communication between the client device 2 and the home server 1 is terminated and the wireless connection is disconnected. When communication is performed again, the processes after step S3 are repeated.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure of authentication processing performed between the home server 1 and the client device 2. In step S11, a probe request is made from the client device 2 to the home server 1. In step S12, a probe response is made to the client apparatus 2 in response to the probe request.

  In step S13, an authentication request is issued from the client device 2 to the home server 1. In step S14, an SSID authentication request is made from the home server 1 to the client device 2 in response to the authentication request.

  In step S15, in response to the SSID authentication request from the home server 1, the SSID is transmitted from the client device 2 to the home server 1 and an authentication response is made. When the authentication is established, an authentication response indicating that the authentication is established is performed in step S16.

  Since the authentication process is established, the home server 1 and the client device 2 establish a wireless connection and perform communication. That is, in step S17, an association request is made from the client device 2 to the home server 1. In step S18, an association response is sent from the home server 1 to the client device 2 in response to the association request.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the authentication procedure. FIG. 6 shows an example of an authentication procedure using a WEP key. In steps S21 to S23, a probe request, a probe response, and an authentication request are performed in the same manner as in the above-described example.

  Subsequently, in step S24, the home server 1 makes an encryption request to the client device 2 using the WEP key. In step S25, the client device 2 sends an encryption response with the WEP key to the home server 1 in response to the encryption request.

  When the authentication is established, an authentication response to the effect that the authentication is established is performed from the home server 1 to the client device 2 in step S26. Subsequently, communication is started between the home server 1 and the client device 2. In step S <b> 27, an association request is made from the client device 2 to the home server 1. In step S28, an association response is made from the home server 1 to the client device 2 in response to the association request.

  As described above, the security level can be remarkably improved by performing the authentication process by the close proximity wireless communication every time the wireless connection is performed. That is, since the communicable range of the proximity wireless communication using the RFID tag is 1 m or less, for example, about 10 cm, a third party outside this range cannot perform the authentication process. For example, in the example of the home LAN in the first embodiment described above, an unauthorized third party cannot perform an authentication process because the area within 1 m around the home server 1 is in the house. It becomes impossible to enter a network using a wireless LAN.

  In addition, if a host device (for example, an access point) is installed in a place where a third party cannot enter even within the company and authentication processing is performed, for example, the connection settings that a person who has left the company knows at the time of employment Intrusion into the LAN system using information can be prevented.

  Further, as described above, the wireless connection system according to the present invention does not use a complicated encryption technique, so that the configuration of the apparatus is not complicated. Although it is necessary to bring the client device closer to the host device at the time of authentication processing, once authentication is established, the authentication is effective until communication is disconnected, so that an excessive burden is not imposed on the user.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment described above, a reader / writer used for close proximity wireless communication is mounted on a host device such as a home server, and a close proximity wireless communication tag such as an RFID tag is mounted on a small client device such as a PDA. Is established. The reader / writer and the tag are used for authentication between the host device and the client device, and after the authentication is established, data is transmitted and received by wireless communication. Therefore, for example, in order to send and receive data between portable devices that are a plurality of client devices, it is necessary to first authenticate with the host device and send and receive data via the host device.

  Conventionally, control of wireless communication and proximity wireless communication has been performed by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that controls the entire portable device. Therefore, the load has been concentrated on the CPU of the portable device.

  Therefore, in the second embodiment of the present invention, a reader / writer function and a tag are mounted on a portable device, authentication is performed between portable devices, and data is directly transmitted / received without using a host device. I was able to do it.

  Further, the CPU mounted on the wireless communication module controls the wireless communication and the proximity wireless communication, and the CPU of the mobile device controls the CPU mounted on the wireless communication module, thereby reducing the load on the CPU of the mobile device. I made it.

  The configuration of an example of a wireless connection system according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The wireless connection system according to the second embodiment can perform wireless communication and proximity wireless communication between a plurality of portable devices 52a and 52b. First, authentication is performed between the mobile devices 52a and 52b using proximity wireless communication, and data stored in the mobile device is transmitted and received using wireless communication.

  The portable devices 52a and 52b are multimedia portable devices such as a PDA, a portable audio device, a laptop personal computer, and a PC card, for example, similarly to the client device 2 in the first embodiment described above. The mobile devices 52a and 52b can store video content and audio content. In addition to content storage, a tuner function for television broadcasting and radio broadcasting, and a WWW cache function can also be installed. The portable devices 52a and 52b can perform transmission / reception and the like of various types of stored content data by performing wireless communication with other portable devices.

  For the near field communication, for example, an RFID tag is used. When the portable devices 52a and 52b are equipped with a reader / writer and an RFID tag and perform close proximity wireless communication, one portable device functions as a reader / writer and communicates with the other portable device. In the following description, a case where the mobile device 52a functions as a reader / writer and communicates with the mobile device 52b will be described as an example. A case will be described in which wireless LAN and RFID are used as wireless communication and proximity wireless communication, respectively, and 13.56 MHz is used as a frequency used in RFID.

  FIG. 8 shows an example of the configuration of portable devices 52a and 52b applicable to the second embodiment of the present invention. Note that the portable devices 52a and 52b (hereinafter referred to as the portable device 52 when there is no need to distinguish between them) are devices in which a reader / writer function is mounted on the client device 2 in the first embodiment described above. For this reason, the same components as those in FIG. 3 in the communication-related configuration of the portable device 52 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted. Moreover, description is abbreviate | omitted about the parts which are not related to this invention among the structures of the portable apparatus 52, such as an operation part and a display part.

  The portable device 52 mainly includes an antenna 32, an RF module 33, a BB module 34, an antenna 35, an RF module 36, a BB module 37, a MAC module 38, a memory 39, a CPU 47, and an I / F 50. The MAC module 38 mainly includes a physical I / F 40, a physical I / F 41, a memory controller 42, a CPU 43, and an I / F 46. The antenna 32, the RF module 33, the BB module 34, the antenna 35, the RF module 36, the BB module 37, the memory 39, the physical I / F 40, the physical I / F 41, and the memory controller 42 are the same as in FIG. The description is omitted.

  The CPU 47 controls each unit of the portable device 52 according to a program stored in advance in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 49 using a RAM (Random Access Memory) 48 as a work memory. The I / F 50 outputs the data received from the I / F 46 to the CPU 47 and supplies the command supplied from the CPU 47 to the CPU 43 via the I / F 46.

  The CPU 43 controls each unit of the MAC module 38 according to a program stored in advance in the ROM 45 using the RAM 44 as a work memory. Further, the CPU 43 executes various processes related to wireless communication and proximity wireless communication in accordance with instructions from the CPU 47. For example, authentication processing of data received from the communication destination portable device 52 and generation of a command to be transmitted to the communication destination portable device 52 are performed.

  The I / F 46 supplies data acquired by wireless communication or proximity wireless communication to the CPU 47 via the I / F 50 and outputs a command supplied from the CPU 47 via the I / F 50 to the CPU 43.

  Next, a procedure of communication processing in the second embodiment of the present invention will be schematically described. Note that the communication processing procedure is the same as the procedure shown in FIG.

  First, close proximity wireless communication is performed by bringing the mobile devices 52a and 52b close to each other, and settings such as an SSID and a WEP key are performed on the mobile device 52b on the receiving side. Connection setting information such as an SSID and a WEP key is registered in advance in the portable device 52a on the transmission side. At the time of setting, the setting information for connection is read from the memory 39 of the portable device 52a (hereinafter referred to as the memory 39a). The data is modulated using a predetermined modulation method, for example, ASK modulation, and transmitted from the antenna 35 (hereinafter referred to as the antenna 35a) of the portable device 52a.

  Here, data is transmitted to the portable device 52b equipped with the RFID tag, and power for driving the RFID tag is supplied. When using 13.56 MHz as the frequency of the RFID, the power to the portable device 52b is usually supplied using an electromagnetic induction method.

  In the electromagnetic induction method, when a current flows through the coiled antenna 35a of the portable device 52a, a magnetic field is generated perpendicular to the antenna 35a. The portable device 52b transmits this magnetic field to the antenna 35 (hereinafter referred to as the antenna 35a). When it is received by the antenna 35b, an electromotive force is generated in the antenna 35b so that a current flows.

  Further, data modulated by ASK modulation is superimposed on the electromagnetic wave transmitted from the portable device 52a, and the portable device 52b is driven by the magnetic field generated by the portable device 52a and is output from the portable device 52a. To retrieve data from.

  The portable device 52b receives the data transmitted from the portable device 52a, performs a demodulation process, and extracts connection setting information. Then, the extracted connection setting information is recorded in the memory 39 of the portable device 52b (hereinafter referred to as the memory 39b), and the setting is completed.

  The connection setting information is not limited to the setting method described above, and may be recorded in advance in the memory 39 of the portable device 52b, for example.

  Next, the portable device 52b is brought close to the portable device 52a, and an authentication process is performed to determine whether or not the connection setting information is appropriate. When the portable device 52b is brought close to the portable device 52a, an electromotive force is generated in the RFID tag of the portable device 52b. By this electromotive force, the RFID tag of the portable device 52b is driven, and the setting information for connection recorded from the memory 39b is read. Then, the read connection setting information is modulated by a predetermined modulation method and transmitted from the antenna 35b.

  The data transmitted from the portable device 52b is received by the antenna 35a of the portable device 52a and subjected to demodulation processing. Then, the portable device 52a compares the demodulated connection setting information with the connection setting information recorded in the memory 39a in advance. As a result of comparison, if the connection setting information matches, authentication is established, and if they do not match, authentication is not established.

  For the authentication process, for example, a WEP key is used. Note that the authentication procedure is the same as that in FIG. 6, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted here. A probe request is made from the portable device 52b to the portable device 52a, and a probe response is made from the portable device 52a to the portable device 52b in response to the probe request. Subsequently, an authentication request is made from the mobile device 52b to the mobile device 52a.

  Subsequently, an encryption request using the WEP key is made from the portable device 52a to the portable device 52b, and an encryption response using the WEP key is sent from the portable device 52b to the portable device 52a in response to the encryption request.

  When the authentication is established, an authentication response indicating that the authentication is established is performed from the portable device 52a to the portable device 52b, and communication is started between the portable device 52a and the portable device 52b. Subsequently, an association request is made from the portable device 52b to the portable device 52a, and an association response is made from the portable device 52a to the portable device 52b in response to the association request.

  When the authentication is established, the proximity wireless communication is switched to the wireless communication under the control of the CPU 43 based on a command from the CPU 47, and data is transmitted / received between the portable devices 52a and 52b.

  As described above, by mounting the reader / writer and the RFID tag on the portable devices 52a and 52b, data can be directly exchanged between the portable devices 52a and 52b.

  Further, the CPU 43 can reduce the load on the CPU 47 by controlling the wireless communication and the proximity wireless communication in accordance with a command from the CPU 47 that controls the portable device 52 as a whole.

  In this example, the portable device 52a functions as a reader / writer and communicates with the portable device 52b. However, this is not limited to this example. For example, the mobile device 52b may function as a reader / writer and communicate with the mobile device 52a.

  In the second embodiment described above, the case where two portable devices 52a and 52b are used has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the case where communication processing is performed using three or more portable devices is also possible. The same applies.

  Next, the shape of the portable device 52 applicable to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. When 13.56 MHz is used as the frequency of the RFID for close proximity wireless communication, the power supply method to the RFID tag is the electromagnetic induction method as described above, so the RFID antenna shape is a coil shape. It is formed by winding. In the case of a conventional portable device 52 equipped with a wireless LAN and an RFID, an antenna and a tag chip used for the RFID are usually arranged in a space independent of the wireless LAN module. Therefore, the portable device 52 requires a space for arranging the wireless LAN module and a space for arranging the RFID antenna, and it is difficult to downsize the portable device 52.

  Therefore, in the second embodiment of the present invention, in order to efficiently use the space inside the portable device 52, the wireless communication module and the proximity wireless communication module are arranged in a portion surrounded by the antenna formed in a coil shape. I tried to do it.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of the arrangement of communication modules 55 applicable to the second embodiment of the present invention. The communication module 55 includes a wireless communication module 56 mainly composed of the antenna 35, the RF module 33 and the BB module 34, and a proximity wireless communication module 57 composed of the RF module 36 and the BB module 37.

  When 13.56 MHz is used as the frequency of the RFID, the antenna 35 is formed with a coil-shaped pattern of a predetermined size. The dimension of the antenna 35 at this time is, for example, about 30 mm × 40 mm. A wireless communication module 56 and a close proximity wireless communication module 57 are disposed in a portion surrounded by the antenna 35. The proximity wireless communication module 57 and the antenna 35 are connected.

  Thus, by arranging the wireless communication module 56 and the close proximity wireless communication module 57 in the portion surrounded by the antenna 35, the space inside the portable device 52 can be used efficiently, and the portable device 52 can be downsized. it can.

  As described in the second embodiment of the present invention, by installing the reader / writer function in the portable device 52, various uses can be made besides transmitting and receiving data between a plurality of portable devices. . For example, by bringing a portable device equipped with a reader / writer function close to a poster in which an RFID tag is embedded, data recorded on the RFID tag of the poster, for example, information related to the poster or browsing of an Internet site can be used. It becomes possible. Further, when the reader / writer function is installed in a portable device, it is possible to exchange with other applications in which an RFID tag is installed.

  Although the first and second embodiments of the present invention have been specifically described above, the present invention is not limited to the first and second embodiments described above, and the technical aspects of the present invention are not limited thereto. Various modifications based on the idea are possible. The connection setting information may include a user ID and a password in addition to the SSID and the WEP key. Further, a WPA (Wireless Protected Access) function or a public key infrastructure (PKI) may be used.

  In the first embodiment described above, the description has been made in relation to the wireless connection by the wireless LAN compliant with the IEEE 802.11 standard, but the present invention can also be applied to the wireless connection of other methods. For example, the wireless connection system according to the present invention can also be applied to a wireless connection by a PAN (Personal Area Network) including Bluetooth, UWB (Ultra Wide Band) and the like. In addition, in the description of the short-range wireless communication using the RFID tag described above, a radio wave method using electromagnetic waves or an electromagnetic induction method is used. However, other methods such as an electromagnetic coupling method may be used in addition to these. it can.

It is a basic diagram which shows the outline | summary of the radio | wireless connection system in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the communication relation of the home server in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the structure of the communication relation of the client apparatus in 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the radio | wireless connection of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the authentication process in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the other example of the authentication process in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a basic diagram which shows the structure of an example of the wireless connection system by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a basic diagram which shows the structure of an example of the portable apparatus applicable to the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a basic diagram which shows an example of arrangement | positioning of the communication module applicable to the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Home server 2 Client apparatus 12, 15 Antenna 13, 16 RF module 14, 17 BB module 19 Memory 32, 35 Antenna 33, 36 RF module 34, 37 BB module 39 Memory 52a, 52b Portable device 55 Communication module

Claims (9)

In a wireless connection system consisting of one or more host devices and one or more client devices,
When the host device and the client device perform wireless communication based on a predetermined wireless communication standard, close proximity wireless communication is performed by bringing the client device closer to the host device,
An authentication process is performed to authenticate the connection setting information using the proximity wireless communication,
A wireless connection system, wherein when the authentication is established in the authentication process, the wireless communication is permitted, and when the authentication is not established, the wireless communication is not permitted. In claim 1,
A wireless connection system in which the client device includes an information recording medium in which the connection setting information is recorded. In claim 2,
The information recording medium is a wireless connection system which is an RFID tag. In claim 1,
A wireless connection system in which the range of the proximity wireless communication is 1 m or less. In a wireless communication method performed by one or more host devices and one or more client devices,
A proximity wireless communication step of performing proximity wireless communication by bringing the client device closer to the host device when the host device and the client device perform wireless communication based on a predetermined wireless communication standard;
And authentication step for authenticating connection setting information using the above-mentioned proximity wireless communication,
A wireless communication method, wherein when the authentication is established in the authentication step, the wireless communication is permitted, and when the authentication is not established, the wireless communication is not permitted. In a wireless connection system consisting of two or more portable devices,
When the first portable device and the second portable device perform wireless communication based on a predetermined wireless communication standard, close proximity wireless communication is performed by bringing the first portable device closer to the second portable device. I,
An authentication process is performed to authenticate the connection setting information using the proximity wireless communication,
A wireless connection system, wherein when the authentication is established in the authentication process, the wireless communication is permitted, and when the authentication is not established, the wireless communication is not permitted. In claim 6,
Each of the first portable device and the second portable device is
A coiled antenna that transmits and receives the setting information for connection during the proximity wireless communication;
A proximity wireless communication unit that is disposed in a portion surrounded by the antenna and performs predetermined signal processing on the setting information for connection;
A wireless connection system, comprising: a wireless communication unit disposed in a portion surrounded by the antenna and performing predetermined signal processing on data transmitted and received by the wireless communication. In claim 6,
The wireless connection system, wherein the wireless communication and the proximity wireless communication are controlled by a common control unit. In a wireless communication method performed by two or more portable devices,
When the first portable device and the second portable device perform wireless communication based on a predetermined wireless communication standard, close proximity wireless communication is performed by bringing the first portable device closer to the second portable device. Proximity wireless communication step;
And authentication step for authenticating connection setting information using the above-mentioned proximity wireless communication,
A wireless communication method, wherein when the authentication is established in the authentication step, the wireless communication is permitted, and when the authentication is not established, the wireless communication is not permitted.

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