JP2006245769A - Wireless communication method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wireless communication method capable of preventing misconnection and carrying out 1:1 communication between two parties without being disturbed by other parties under a communication environment wherein many unspecified communication modules possibly exist without the need for time and efforts of operations such as PIN code entry at communication start. <P>SOLUTION: Two small-sized carryable external memories A14, B15 store in advance security parameters configured to include a Bluetooth address, a link key, and an encryption key. Then the two external memories A14, B15 are respectively connected to Bluetooth modules 21, 22 between which 1:1 communication are desired. The Bluetooth modules 21, 22 use the security parameters in the connected external memories, so as to be capable of carrying out the communication between two parties. In this case, either of the Bluetooth modules 21, 22 acts like a master module for carrying out the communication. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a wireless communication method, and in particular, one of communication modules such as a Bluetooth module that communicates with each other is used as a master module, and the other Bluetooth module is used as a slave module to receive interference from other modules. The present invention relates to a wireless communication method that makes it possible to perform data communication between one-to-one.

  Bluetooth modules generally process RF transceiver ICs, baseband ICs, digital data, etc., and also control DSPs for the entire module, real-time properties such as HCI, which is a communication interface to protocols for managing wireless links, and voice It is configured to include a synchronization channel called SCO used for an application that requires the. The Bluetooth module can perform audio signal communication, digital data communication, and communication in which these are mixed with one or more other Bluetooth modules.

  In general, the Bluetooth module can communicate with any other Bluetooth module within the reach of radio waves. For this reason, when it is desired to perform one-to-one communication so that eavesdropping or the like is not performed from another module, it is necessary to set a security parameter with the other party for each communication. This security parameter is usually composed of a 48-bit Bluetooth address, a 128-bit link key, and an encryption key having a variable length in units of 8 to 128 bits. The link key is used for authentication of the other party during communication, and is created by inputting a code called a PIN code at the start of communication. In this case, it is necessary to input the same PIN code between connected modules with the consent of the user who uses them.

  By using the security parameters as described above, the Bluetooth module prevents a connection error in a communication environment in which an unspecified number of Bluetooth modules may exist, and provides a one-to-one correspondence between two parties. Communication can be performed without being disturbed by others.

A technique described in Non-Patent Document 1 or the like is known as a conventional technique related to a function using a security parameter in a Bluetooth module as described above.
Kazuhiro Miyazu “Bluetooth Guidebook” (Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, September 20, 2000, pp. 75-76)

  In the one-to-one communication between the two parties using the security parameters according to the above-described prior art, each time a communication is started, both parties who wish to communicate enter a PIN code to create a link key. The other party must authenticate each other, and there is a problem that it takes much time to operate the terminal having the Bluetooth module at the start of communication.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and communication in which a large number of unspecified communication modules may exist without requiring an operation such as PIN code input at the start of communication. An object of the present invention is to provide a wireless communication method capable of preventing erroneous connection in an environment and performing one-to-one communication between two parties without being disturbed by others.

  According to the present invention, the object is a wireless communication method for performing one-to-one communication between a master module and a slave module via a wireless network, and is necessary for each module to perform one-to-one communication. This is achieved by providing a memory in which various security parameters are stored, and the master module and the slave module perform one-to-one communication using the security parameters.

  The object is achieved by the security parameter including an address, a link key, and an encryption key.

  The object is achieved by the fact that the memory is an externally rewritable ROM.

  Furthermore, the object is achieved by the master module and the slave module being a Bluetooth module and the wireless network being a Bluetooth network.

  According to the present invention, erroneous connection is possible in a communication environment in which there is a possibility that an unspecified number of communication modules such as a Bluetooth module may exist without the need for operations such as PIN code input at the start of communication. Thus, one-to-one communication between arbitrary communication modules can be performed without being disturbed by others.

  Embodiments of a wireless communication method according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining creation of an external memory used for implementing a wireless communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a wireless communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 and 2, numerals 11, 12, 21, and 22 are Bluetooth modules, numerals 13, 23, and 24 are PCs, and numerals 14 and 15 are external memories.

  The embodiment of the present invention uses an external memory configured such that a flash memory, a ROM such as an EPROM, which is rewritable and portable so as to be portable, can be connected to a Bluetooth module as a communication module. A pair of memories is stored in advance as security parameters having the same link key in these external memories, each of the pair of external memories is connected to an arbitrary Bluetooth module, and each of the external memories is connected to a Bluetooth module. One is used as a master module and the other is used as a slave module to perform one-to-one communication.

  First, a method for storing security parameters in an external memory will be described with reference to FIG. The process of storing the security parameter in the external memory is performed at a production factory, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the processing for storing the security parameters in the external memory connects the prepared external memory A14 and the external memory B15 to the PC 13, and stores the security parameters in the external memories A14 and B15. For this purpose, the two Bluetooth modules 11 and 12 used for this purpose are connected to the PC 13 and performed from the PC 13. The two Bluetooth modules 11 and 12 are shielded to prevent the security parameters from leaking outside.

  In the above description, the PC 13 first assigns a Bluetooth address to the two Bluetooth modules 11 and 12. Then, the two Bluetooth modules 11 and 12 are connected by this Bluetooth address. At this time, a PIN code having a unique code is used. As a result, the link key and the encryption key as described in the section of the prior art are generated by the connection between the Bluetooth modules 11 and 12, so that the PC 13 generates the generated link key, the encryption key, and the assigned Bluetooth address. Are stored in the external memory A14 and the external memory B15 as security parameters. At that time, the PC 13 only generates a Bluetooth address and a PIN code, and does not store other information.

  When the external memory A14 and the external memory B15 created as described above are connected to arbitrary Bluetooth modules, these Bluetooth modules are linked to the security parameter link key and the Bluetooth address stored in the external memories A14 and B15. Thus, one-to-one communication can be performed. In this case, prior to the start of communication, it is not necessary to input a PIN code, and it is possible to perform independent communication that is encrypted between each other and that is not disturbed by other Bluetooth modules.

  FIG. 2 shows the communication status of the two Bluetooth modules connected to the external memory A14 and the external memory B15 created as described above. The figure shows a situation where the external memory B15 created above is connected to the Bluetooth module B22 to which the memory A14 is connected and the PC 24 is connected as a host, and the two Bluetooth modules A14 and B15 communicate with each other.

  As described above, the two Bluetooth modules 21 and 22 can perform one-to-one communication without being obstructed by other Bluetooth modules in accordance with the security parameters stored in the external memories A and B. Moreover, by carrying the external memories A14 and B15 and connecting them to an arbitrary Bluetooth module, it is possible to cause those Bluetooth modules to perform one-to-one communication with security.

  In the example shown in FIG. 2, a PC as a host is connected to each of the Bluetooth modules. As another example of use, one Bluetooth module connected to a monitoring PC in the FA system is externally connected. The external memory B15 can be connected to the other Bluetooth module connected to the memory A14 and connected to the sensor on the production line. In the embodiment of the present invention, when used as such a usage pattern, the external memory B15 is connected to a Bluetooth module connected to a sensor or the like at an arbitrary location on the production line, and the monitoring memory located near the Bluetooth module is connected. By connecting the external memory A14 to the Bluetooth module connected to the PC, information from the sensor desired by the user can be reliably taken into the PC.

  According to the embodiment of the present invention described above, security parameters including a Bluetooth address, a link key, and an encryption key are stored in advance in two small and portable external memories, and the two external memories are stored. There is a possibility that an unspecified number of Bluetooth modules may exist without connecting the Bluetooth module that wants to perform one-to-one communication without requiring the trouble of inputting a PIN code at the start of communication. In a certain communication environment, erroneous connection can be prevented and one-to-one communication between two parties can be performed without being disturbed by others.

It is a figure explaining creation of the external memory used in order to implement the radio communications method by one embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure explaining the radio | wireless communication method by one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

11, 12, 21, 22 Bluetooth module 13, 23, 24 PC
14, 15 External memory

Claims (4)

  In a wireless communication method in which one-to-one communication is performed between a master module and a slave module via a wireless network, each module has a memory in which security parameters necessary for performing one-to-one communication are stored. The wireless communication method is characterized in that the master module and the slave module perform one-to-one communication using the security parameter.   The wireless communication method according to claim 1, wherein the security parameter includes an address, a link key, and an encryption key.   3. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, wherein the memory is a rewritable external ROM.   4. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, wherein the master module and the slave module are Bluetooth modules, and the wireless network is a Bluetooth network.

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