JP2003070062A - Radio communication apparatus and change method of authentication information of the apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a radio communication apparatus of low cost in which authentication information can be changed easily and to provide a change method of the authentication information, regarding a radio communication apparatus where transmission and reception of data to an opposite-side apparatus are performed by using radio, corresponding to a prescribed radio communication standard, and regarding a changing method of authentication information of the apparatus. SOLUTION: This radio communication apparatus is constituted by installing a front end circuit 22 for radio and an antenna 24, which establish a communication link after authentication information is transmitted to the opposite-side apparatus by radio and an authentication is received and perform transmission and reception of data to the opposite-side apparatus, corresponding to radio communication standard, a DIP switch 14 for switching between a communication mode where transmission and reception of data to the opposite-side apparatus are performed and an authentication information change mode for changing authentication information, and a radio DSP 16 which changes the authentication information, on the basis of an authentication information changing command when, the front end circuit 22 and the antenna 24 receive the command from the opposite-side apparatus, when the authentication information change mode is selected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wireless communication device for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data to and from a partner device in compliance with a predetermined wireless communication standard and a method for changing authentication information thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a personal computer (PC;
Data can be wirelessly transmitted and received between the personal computer) and peripheral devices.
For these devices, Bluetooth (Bluetooth; registered trademark of Ericsson Corporation), which is becoming the standard of short-distance wireless data communication technology, is used.

Bluetooth uses radio waves in the 2.4 GHz band and is intended to wirelessly connect a plurality of devices within a radius of about a dozen meters to send and receive data. For this reason, Bluetooth defines a security function for preventing erroneous connection or wiretapping between a plurality of devices.

Here, a communication procedure between Bluetooth compatible devices will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 shows Bl
It is a block diagram which shows the apparatus structure at the time of transmitting / receiving data using a Bluetooth compatible device. Bluetooth
The PC 102 is connected to the th-compatible wireless communication device 104. Bluetooth compatible wireless communication device 10
6 is a terminal adapter (TA; Terminal Adapt) for connecting the PC 102 to the ISDN line.
tor) 108 is connected via a serial interface such as an RS-232C interface.
The wireless communication device 106 and the TA 108 are connected using a serial cable 110. Bluetooth
In h, one wireless communication device becomes a master that controls data transmission and reception, and another wireless communication device becomes a slave.
In the configuration shown in FIG. 4, the wireless communication device 104 connected to the PC 102 is the master and the wireless communication device 106 is the slave. The wireless communication device 104 is the PC 102.
In response to a command from the wireless communication device 106, predetermined data is transmitted and received wirelessly.

First, the master wireless communication device 104
Executes inquiry processing to search for communicable slaves existing in the surrounding area. When the inquiry process is completed, the communication link between the wireless communication devices 104 and 106 is initialized, and then a passkey (PIN (PIN (P
personal Identification Nu
The connection authentication is performed by using the (mb) code) as the authentication information. After the initial setting of the communication link, the wireless communication device 10
4 is the wireless communication device 1 transmitted from the wireless communication device 106.
A passkey unique to 06 is obtained and compared with a pre-stored authentication passkey. If both passkeys match, the wireless communication device 10 is subjected to encryption processing using a link key and the like.
Establish a communication link between 4, 106. Thus, B
Both wireless communication devices 104 and 106 compatible with Bluetooth
Is designed to prevent erroneous connection by using a preset passkey as authentication information.

[0006]

By the way, during the inquiry processing by the master wireless communication device 104, all communicable slaves existing within the radius of ten and several meters are recognized. Therefore, the wireless communication device 106 installed in a certain residence may be recognized by a master wireless communication device (not shown) installed in an adjacent residence. Since the passkey for connection authentication is composed of four-digit numbers, there is a possibility that the passkeys are coincidentally coincident and misconnected. For example, if the TA 108 is erroneously connected and used by a resident of an adjacent house, the communication charge will be T
The owner of A108 will be charged. In order to prevent such erroneous connection, it is necessary to change the passkey of the wireless communication device 106.

The wireless communication device 106 and TA 10 shown in FIG.
8 does not have an input device such as a numeric keypad. Therefore, in order to change the passkey of the wireless communication device 106, it is necessary to connect the PC 102 to the wireless communication device 106 and change the passkey using the PC 102. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a device configuration when changing the passkey of the wireless communication device 106. As shown in FIG. 5, in order to change the passkey of the wireless communication device 106, the serial cable 110 is detached from the TA 108, and the serial cable 112 is connected to the cross serial cable 112.
Need to connect to C102. Next, after installing the dedicated software for changing the passkey in the PC 102, the passkey of the wireless communication device 106 is changed using the dedicated software.

As described above, in order to change the passkey of the wireless communication device 106, the cross serial cable 112 and the dedicated software for changing the passkey are separately required. Therefore, the conventional wireless communication device 106 is the same as the serial cable 1
12 and special software for changing the passkey must be attached and sold, which causes a problem of increase in manufacturing cost on the maker side. Further, the manufacturer needs to newly develop dedicated software for changing the passkey, which causes a problem that the software development cost increases.

Further, on the user side, when changing the authentication information of the wireless communication device 106, it is necessary to change the cable as shown in FIG. The problem of complexity is occurring.

An object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost wireless communication device capable of easily changing authentication information and a method of changing the authentication information.

[0011]

The above object is to wirelessly transmit predetermined authentication information to a partner device, establish a communication link after being authenticated, and establish wireless communication with the partner device in compliance with a predetermined wireless communication standard. A wireless transmission / reception unit for transmitting / receiving data by the device, an operation mode switching unit for switching between a communication mode for transmitting / receiving the data with the partner device and an authentication information change mode for changing the authentication information, and the authentication. In the information change mode, when the wireless transmission / reception unit receives an authentication information change command from the partner device, the wireless transmission / reception unit includes a control unit that changes the authentication information based on the command. It

The above-mentioned wireless communication device of the present invention is characterized in that the operation mode switching section has a DIP switch.

The wireless communication device of the present invention further includes an input / output unit connected to an external device requesting transmission / reception of the data and inputting / outputting a predetermined signal to / from the external device. The operation mode switching unit has a detection function of detecting whether or not the external device is connected to the input / output unit. Further, in the wireless communication device of the present invention, the operation mode switching unit switches to the authentication information change mode when the external device is not connected.

Further, the above-mentioned wireless communication device of the present invention is characterized in that the wireless communication standard is Bluetooth.

Further, the above-mentioned object is to switch the operation mode from a communication mode for transmitting and receiving data to and from a counterpart device authenticated based on the authentication information to an authentication information changing mode for changing the authentication information. , Wirelessly transmitting the authentication information to the partner device and receiving the authentication to establish a communication link, and wirelessly receiving a predetermined authentication information change command from the partner device in correspondence with a predetermined wireless communication standard, This is achieved by a method of changing authentication information of a wireless communication device, which is characterized in that the authentication information is changed based on the authentication information change command.

[0016] Further, the above-mentioned object is to perform the authentication from the communication mode in which predetermined authentication information is wirelessly transmitted to a partner device to be authenticated, a communication link is established, and data is transmitted and received to and from the partner device. The operation mode is switched to the authentication information change mode for changing information, a predetermined authentication information change command is wirelessly received from the partner device in accordance with a predetermined wireless communication standard, and the authentication information change command is changed based on the authentication information change command. This is achieved by a method of changing authentication information of a wireless communication device, which is characterized by changing authentication information.

The method for changing authentication information of a wireless communication device according to the present invention is characterized in that the operation mode is switched based on an operation mode switching signal wirelessly transmitted from the partner device. Further, in the above method of changing authentication information of a wireless communication device of the present invention, the wireless communication standard is Bluetooth. further,
The method for changing authentication information of a wireless communication device according to the present invention is characterized in that the authentication information change command is input as an AT command.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A wireless communication device and a method of changing its authentication information according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, a device configuration when transmitting and receiving data using the wireless communication device 6 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the Bluetooth compatible wireless communication device 6 according to the present embodiment is connected to the TA 8 via a serial interface such as an RS-232C interface.

A Bluetooth-compatible wireless communication device 4
Is connected to the PC 2. The wireless communication device 4 is, for example, a PC card mounted in a PC card slot of the PC 2. The wireless communication device 4 connected to the PC 2 is a master, and the wireless communication device 6 is a slave. The wireless communication device 4 is instructed by the PC 2 to execute Bluetooth.
The wireless communication device 6 transmits and receives predetermined data wirelessly corresponding to. As a result, the PC 2 receives the ISDN (Integrated Services) via the TA 8.
It can be connected to a Digital Network line.

Next, the wireless communication device 6 according to the present embodiment
The configuration will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a system block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the wireless communication device 6 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the wireless communication device 6
Has a serial interface 12 of an input / output unit that transfers data to and from the TA 8. The serial interface 12 is a wireless DSP (Digital Signal Procedures) of the control unit via a signal line 30.
Sor) 16 is connected. The signal line 30 shows an aggregate of a plurality of signal lines, and is shown by one solid line for convenience in the drawing. The same applies to the illustration of other signal lines.

The wireless DSP 16 controls the serial interface 12 via the signal line 30. Signal line 30
Wireless DSP via serial interface 12
Used as data and control signal lines to be transferred between 16 and TA8. The wireless DSP 16 not only obtains information on the TA 8 connected via the serial interface 12, but also obtains information from a wireless front-end circuit 22 to be described later, and sends the information to the TA 8 via the serial interface 12. Information or predetermined data based on the information can be transmitted. Further, the wireless DSP 16 controls not only the serial interface 12 but also each circuit in the wireless communication device 6.

The wireless communication device 6 is provided with a ROM 20 and a RAM 18 in which data and the like used for various processes in the wireless DSP 16 are stored. The ROM 20 stores a program that causes the wireless DSP 16 to perform a predetermined processing operation. The ROM 20 also stores a passkey used as authentication information. A flash memory or the like is used for the ROM 20, for example. On the other hand, RAM18
Is configured to temporarily store various data necessary for communication processing and the like. The RAM 18 is, for example, an SRAM (S
static RAM) is used.

The wireless DSP 16 includes a dip (DIP; Dual Inline Pac) of an operation mode switching unit.
The switch 14 is connected. The DIP switch 14 can switch the operation mode of the wireless communication device 6 to either a communication mode for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data or a passkey change mode for changing a passkey. DIP switch 14
In addition, various settings of the wireless communication device 6 can be performed.

The wireless DSP 16 is also connected to the wireless front end circuit 22 of the wireless transmission / reception unit. The wireless DSP 16 is an HCI (Host Control).
command and data to the wireless front-end circuit 22 and an event sent from the wireless front-end circuit 22 by a communication protocol including the erInterface).

The wireless front-end circuit 22 is provided for wirelessly transmitting and receiving commands and data transmitted from the wireless communication device 4. The wireless front-end circuit 22 is controlled by the wireless DSP 16 so that the LMP
(Link Management Protocol
Wireless front-end circuit (not shown) of the wireless communication device 4 such as host connection request and connection authentication processing based on l)
Communication connection processing is performed between and. The wireless front-end circuit 22 and the wireless front-end circuit of the wireless communication device 4 are wirelessly communicated with each other by an antenna 24 that constitutes a wireless transceiver unit together with the wireless front-end circuit 22. The wireless communication device 4 does not have the DIP switch 14 of the operation mode switching unit, except that
It has the same configuration as the wireless communication device 6.

Next, a communication procedure for transmitting / receiving data using the wireless communication device 6 will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The operation mode of the wireless communication device 6 is DIP.
It is assumed that the switch 14 is in the communication mode.

First, the master wireless communication device 4 executes an inquiry process for searching for communicable slaves existing in the vicinity. Through the inquiry processing, the wireless communication device 6 is recognized by the wireless communication device 4. When the inquiry process is completed, the communication link is initialized by the passkey after initializing the communication link between the wireless DSPs 16 via the wireless front-end circuits 22 of both the wireless communication devices 4 and 6. At the time of this connection authentication, the wireless DSP 16 in the slave wireless communication device 6 reads the passkey stored in the ROM 20 and transmits it to the master wireless communication device 4.

After the initial setting of the communication link, the master wireless communication device 4 receives the passkey unique to the wireless communication device 6 transmitted from the slave wireless communication device 6. The PC 2 connected to the wireless communication device 4 stores the authentication passkey of the wireless communication device 6 input at the time of the first connection. The wireless communication device 4 compares the received passkey with the stored authentication passkey. If the two passkeys match, the communication link between the wireless communication devices 4 and 6 is established through encryption processing using a link key or the like. Through the above procedure, it becomes possible to wirelessly send and receive data between the PC 2 and the TA 8.

Next, the wireless communication device 6 according to the present embodiment
A method of changing the authentication information of 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a method of changing the authentication information of the wireless communication device 6 according to this embodiment. First, the operation mode of the wireless communication device 6 is set to D with the device configuration shown in FIG.
The IP switch 14 switches the communication mode to the passkey change mode. Wireless DSP 16 of wireless communication device 6
If the operation mode is the passkey change mode, the communication link is established between the wireless communication devices 4 and 6 by the above procedure (step S1).

Next, a passkey change command is input to the PC2 using the keyboard of the PC2. The passkey change command is a general-purpose communication terminal control software that is standardly attached to an OS (Operating System) (for example,
It is input by AT command (Haze command) using Hilgraeve Hyper Terminal. For example, when changing the passkey from "1234" to "5678", the passkey change command is "ATPASSKE
Y & 1234,5678 ". Note that such general-purpose communication terminal control software is installed in the PC 2 in advance. The PC 2 outputs a passkey change command to the wireless communication device 4. The wireless communication device 4 wirelessly transmits the passkey change command received from the PC 2 to the wireless communication device 6.

The wireless DSP 16 of the wireless communication device 6 receives the passkey change command from the wireless communication device 4 via the antenna 24 and the wireless front end circuit 22 (step S2). Upon receiving the passkey change command, the wireless DSP 16 changes the passkey written in the ROM 20 based on the passkey change command (step S3). After changing the passkey, for example, first R
The data is temporarily stored in the AM 18, and is written in the ROM 20 after the communication link by Bluetooth is disconnected.

In the present embodiment, the above procedure is stored in the ROM 20 of the wireless communication device 6 as firmware. Therefore, since the authentication information can be changed without changing the device configuration by replacing the cable or the like, it is easy to change the authentication information. Further, since it is not necessary to attach the cross serial cable 112 to the wireless communication device 6 for sale, the manufacturing cost is reduced. Further, general-purpose communication terminal control software is used for transmitting the authentication information change command. Therefore, there is no need to develop dedicated software for changing the authentication information, which reduces the software development cost.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but various modifications can be made. For example, in the above embodiment, TA
Although the wireless communication device 6 and the wireless communication device 6 are separate devices, the present invention is not limited to this, and the TA 8 may have the wireless communication device 6 built therein.

Further, in the above embodiment, the TA 8 and the wireless communication device 6 are connected via the serial interface, but the present invention is not limited to this, and is connected via another interface such as USB. May be.

Further, although the operation mode switching unit has the DIP switch 14 in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. The operation mode switching unit has a detection function of detecting the presence or absence of TA8 (external device) connected to the wireless communication device 6, and may switch the operation mode depending on the presence or absence of TA8. That is, the wireless communication device 6
If the TA 8 is connected to the wireless communication device 6, the wireless communication device 6 may be in the communication mode, and if the TA 8 is not connected to the wireless communication device 6, the wireless communication device 6 may be in the authentication information change mode.

Further, although the TA 8 is connected to the slave wireless communication device 6 in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. It is difficult to input a passkey such as a router, a modem or a printer into the wireless communication device 6
Other PC peripheral devices such as peripheral devices may be connected.

Further, in the above embodiment, the communication link between the wireless communication devices 4 and 6 is established after switching the operation mode of the wireless communication device 6 from the communication mode to the passkey change mode. It is not limited to this. After establishing the communication link between the wireless communication devices 4 and 6, the operation mode of the wireless communication device 6 is changed from the communication mode to the passkey change mode based on a predetermined operation mode switching signal wirelessly transmitted from the wireless communication device 4. You may make it switch.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a low-cost wireless communication device capable of easily changing authentication information and a method of changing the authentication information.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a device configuration when transmitting and receiving data using a wireless communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a wireless communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a method for changing authentication information of a wireless communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a device configuration when transmitting and receiving data using a conventional wireless communication device.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a device configuration when a passkey of a conventional wireless communication device is changed.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 PC 4, 6 Wireless communication equipment 8 TA 10 serial cable 12 I / O interface 14 DIP switch 16 wireless DSP 18 RAM 20 ROM 22 Wireless front-end circuit 24 antenna

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. Wireless transmission / reception in which predetermined authentication information is wirelessly transmitted to a partner device to be authenticated, a communication link is established, and data is wirelessly transmitted / received to / from the partner device in accordance with a predetermined wireless communication standard. Section, an operation mode switching section that switches between a communication mode for transmitting and receiving the data to and from the partner device and an authentication information change mode for changing the authentication information, and the wireless mode in the authentication information change mode. A wireless communication device, comprising: a transmitter / receiver which, when receiving an authentication information change command from the partner device, changes the authentication information based on the command. 2. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the operation mode switching unit has a DIP switch. 3. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, further comprising an input / output unit that is connected to an external device that requests transmission and reception of the data and that inputs and outputs a predetermined signal to and from the external device. The operation mode switching unit has a detection function of detecting whether or not the external device is connected to the input / output unit. 4. The wireless communication device according to claim 3, wherein the operation mode switching unit switches to the authentication information change mode when the external device is not connected. 5. The wireless communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the wireless communication standard is Bluetooth. 6. An operation mode is switched from a communication mode in which data is transmitted / received to / from a partner device authenticated based on authentication information to an authentication information change mode for changing the authentication information, Wirelessly transmitting to the partner device to establish the communication link after receiving the authentication, and receiving a predetermined authentication information change command wirelessly from the partner device in accordance with a predetermined wireless communication standard, and changing the authentication information. A method of changing authentication information of a wireless communication device, characterized by changing the authentication information based on a command. 7. The authentication information is changed from a communication mode in which predetermined authentication information is wirelessly transmitted to a partner device to be authenticated, a communication link is established, and data is transmitted and received to and from the partner device. To change the operation mode to the authentication information change mode for receiving a predetermined authentication information change command wirelessly from the partner device in accordance with a predetermined wireless communication standard, and change the authentication information based on the authentication information change command A method for changing authentication information of a wireless communication device, comprising: 8. The method for changing authentication information of a wireless communication device according to claim 7, wherein the operation mode is switched based on an operation mode switching signal wirelessly transmitted from the partner device. 9. The method for changing authentication information of a wireless communication device according to claim 6, wherein the wireless communication standard is Bluetooth. Method. 10. The method for changing authentication information of a wireless communication device according to claim 6, wherein the authentication information change command is input as an AT command. How to change your credentials.