JP2007102373A - Wireless communication equipment and music reproduction device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide wireless communication equipment facilitating input operation of an authentication code for establishing wireless communication connection. <P>SOLUTION: A wireless headphone 1 and an audio player 2 are equipped with pressure sensor parts 141, 142. The pressure sensor parts 141, 142 each can output a pressure as a numerical value, and the same numerical value is outputted when the same pressure is applied to each of the pressure sensor parts 141, 142. Accordingly, when the pressure sensor parts press each other, each the pressure sensor part outputs the same numerical value, and the output value is used as the authentication code for establishing wireless communication. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a wireless communication device capable of wireless communication with other devices, and more particularly to an authentication processing method for a wireless communication device that requires an authentication process in advance for establishing wireless communication.

Conventionally, a wireless communication device requires authentication of the other device when communicating with a counterpart device. At this time, in the case of wireless communication based on the Bluetooth standard, the user must enter a PIN (personal identification number).
Is directly input to both wireless communication devices to create an authentication key for wireless connection between the two.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-179609 (FIG. 1)

  However, since the PIN code as described above needs to input characters and numbers, the input operation becomes complicated in a portable device having few input means. In addition, when inputting letters and numbers, there are cases where an input error is made or others are seen, which raises a security problem.

Accordingly, in order to solve the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a wireless communication device that can easily perform an input operation of an authentication code for establishing a wireless communication connection.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a wireless unit that performs wireless communication with another device, and an authentication unit that performs authentication processing via the wireless unit when establishing wireless communication with another device. A memory for storing an authentication code used for authentication processing of the authentication unit, a pressure sensor capable of contact operation with the other device, and a detection value detected when the pressure sensor is brought into contact with the other device. Is converted into the authentication code and stored in the memory.

  Further, in order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a wireless unit that performs wireless communication with another device, and an authentication unit that performs authentication processing via the wireless unit when establishing wireless communication with another device. A memory for storing an authentication code used for authentication processing of the authentication unit, a biometric information acquisition unit for obtaining user-specific information, and converting the biometric information into the authentication code acquired by the biometric information acquisition unit And an encoding processing unit stored in the memory.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a storage device that stores music content, a playback unit that plays back the music content stored in the storage device, and wirelessly outputs the played audio data to the headphones. An authentication unit that performs authentication processing via the wireless unit when establishing wireless communication with the headphones, a memory that stores an authentication code used for authentication processing of the authentication unit, and the headphones A pressure sensor capable of contact operation; and an encoding processing unit that converts a detection value detected when the pressure sensor is brought into contact with the headphones into the authentication code and stores the authentication code in the memory. .

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a storage device that stores music content, a playback unit that plays back the music content stored in the storage device, and wirelessly outputs the played audio data to the headphones. An authentication unit that performs an authentication process through the wireless unit when establishing a wireless connection with the headphones, a memory that stores an authentication code used for the authentication process of the authentication unit, and a user-specific A fingerprint reading unit for obtaining the above information, and an encoding processing unit that acquires the fingerprint information and converts the fingerprint information into the authentication code and stores it in the memory.

An authentication code input operation for establishing a wireless communication connection can be easily performed.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a system configuration of an audio player and wireless headphones in the present embodiment. The wireless headphones 1 and the audio player 2 transmit and receive audio data according to A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) which is a Bluetooth profile. In other words, the audio data transmitted by streaming using the transport channel from the audio player 2 is received by the wireless headphones 1, so that the audio data can be reproduced by the wireless headphones 1.

Further, according to AVRCP (Audio / Video Remote Control Profile), playback control of the audio player 1 is performed by transmitting to the audio player 1 a control signal based on an operation of a button provided in the wireless headphones 2.

In such a system configuration, the feature of this embodiment is that in order to simplify the PIN input necessary for performing the authentication process associated with the establishment of the Bluetooth connection between the audio player and the wireless headphones, the biometrics in both devices An encoded information acquisition result is used as a PIN code.

The features of the present embodiment will be described below using the configuration and operation flowchart of each device.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of the wireless headphones 1 in the present embodiment. The wireless headphone 1 includes a left-ear speaker unit 101 for outputting sound, a right-ear speaker unit 102, an antenna 104 for wireless communication, a headband 103 used when worn on the head, and a user operation. Are input unit 105, biometric information acquisition unit 106 for acquiring biometric information, and display unit 107 such as an LED for notifying the user of a connection state and the like. This is merely an example of a realization method, and the shape and the position and number of each device do not necessarily have to be such.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of the audio player 2. The audio player 2 includes an antenna 120 for wireless communication, a headphone jack 121 for connecting wired headphones, a display unit 122 for displaying various information, an input unit 123 for performing various operations by a user, and biological information. The biometric information acquisition unit 130 is used for acquisition. This is merely an example of a realization method, and the shape and the position and number of each device do not necessarily have to be such.

FIG. 4 is a system configuration diagram of the wireless headphones 1. The wireless headphone 1 includes speaker units 101 and 102, an input unit 105, a biological information acquisition unit 106, a display unit 107, a system control unit 108, a memory 109, a Bluetooth radio unit 110, an audio output unit 111, and a power supply unit 112.

The system control unit 108 is a processor provided to control the operation of the wireless headphones 1, and by executing a program stored in the memory 109, the input unit 105, the biological information acquisition unit 106, the display unit 107, Bluetooth The wireless unit 110, the audio output unit 111, and the power supply unit 112 are controlled.

The memory 109 is composed of, for example, a nonvolatile memory device, and stores a program for controlling the operation of the wireless headphones 1. This program includes A2DP and AVRCP functions, a routine for causing the system control unit 108 to execute biometric information acquisition processing described later, and the like.

The Bluetooth wireless unit 110 is a device that performs wireless communication with the audio player 2 according to a procedure compliant with the Bluetooth standard, and includes a baseband processing unit and an RF unit.

The audio output unit 111 receives audio transmitted by streaming from the audio player 2 via the Bluetooth radio unit 110 and the system control unit 108, and converts it into an electrical signal that can be output as sound from the speaker units 101 and 102. Execute the process.

The biometric information acquisition unit 106 is a module that acquires biometric information, and is here a module that performs fingerprint authentication. The biometric information acquisition unit 106 can read a user's fingerprint, and the system control unit 108 can capture data obtained as a result of the reading. The biometric information acquisition unit 106 can also have a function like the input unit 105 in addition to the biometric information acquisition by a program executed by the system control unit 108.

FIG. 5 is a system configuration diagram of the audio player 2. An audio output unit 128 for outputting sound, a headphone terminal 121 for connecting wired headphones, a display unit 122 for displaying various information, and an input unit 123 for performing operations by the user are provided. ing.

Further, a Bluetooth wireless unit 126 for performing communication by Bluetooth, a program 125 for functioning as an audio player and various data, a memory 125 as a work area at the time of program operation, an HDD 127 for storing music data, and a power source Power supply unit 129, a system control unit 124 that executes and controls a program for operating the audio player 2, and a biological information acquisition unit 130.

  The biometric information acquisition unit 130 is a module that acquires biometric information, and is here a module that performs fingerprint authentication. The biometric information acquisition unit 130 can read a user's fingerprint, and the system control unit 124 can take in the data obtained as a result of the reading. The biometric information acquisition unit 130 can also have a function like the input unit 123 in addition to the biometric information acquisition by a program executed by the system control unit 124. The biometric information acquisition unit 130 is the same as the biometric information acquisition unit 106 included in the wireless headphones 1, or the same data is output when the same fingerprint is read.

FIG. 6 is an authentication sequence diagram at the time of Bluetooth connection. When the Bluetooth wireless unit 110 of the wireless headphone 1 and the Bluetooth wireless unit 126 of the audio player 2 make a Bluetooth connection, authentication is performed in the sequence shown in FIG.

  First, the user gives an instruction to start connection to the wireless headphones 1 through the input unit 123 and the display unit 122 of the audio player 2 (step S1). Next, the radio unit of the audio player 2 outputs a connection request to the radio unit of the wireless headphones 1 (step S2). The wireless unit of the wireless headphone 1 outputs an authentication request to the audio player 2 since authentication is required for starting Bluetooth connection (step S3).

Next, the audio player 2 makes a PIN input request for authentication to the UI unit (step S4). Next, the UI unit activates a biometric information acquisition process described later, and outputs the result as a PIN input response to the wireless unit (step S5). The wireless unit makes a response to the authentication request in step S3 by using the PIN input response in step S5, and outputs an authentication request to the wireless headphones (step S6). Next, the wireless headphone 1 makes a PIN input request for authentication to the UI unit (step S7).

Next, the UI unit activates a biometric information acquisition process, which will be described later, and outputs the result as a PIN input response to the wireless unit (S8). Next, the wireless unit makes a response to the authentication request in S6 using the PIN input response in S8. When the authentication of the wireless connection is completed by this procedure, the wireless connection is completed and wireless communication is possible (S10). In the biometric information acquisition process executed by the wireless headphone 1 and the audio player 2, the user uses the same finger as shown in the case of performing biometric information acquisition for each device as shown in FIG. Assumed to be performed.

FIG. 7 is a diagram in the case where biometric information acquisition is performed. When a biometric information acquisition process described later is activated, the user can use the biometric information acquisition unit 106 of the wireless headphones 1 and the biometric information acquisition unit 130 of the audio player 2. Suppose that the same finger is used to read the fingerprint for each.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the biometric information acquisition process. When the process starts, first, the user is notified that the biometric information acquisition process has started (step S10). The notification is performed on the display unit 107 in the case of the wireless headphones 1, and is performed on the display unit 122 in the case of the audio player 2.

Next, it is determined whether the reading of the fingerprint is completed by the operation of reading the fingerprint by the user (step S11). Here, the process waits until fingerprint reading is completed (NO in step S11), but if it is not completed within a certain time, a timeout occurs and the authentication process ends (timeout in step S11). When the reading of the fingerprint is completed (YES in step S11), an encoding process is performed using the data of the fingerprint reading result (step S12). In the encoding process, encoded data of less than the maximum digits of the Bluetooth PIN code is generated.

The last encoded data is returned as a processing result as a PIN code (step S13), and this processing ends. It is assumed that the same processing is performed in each of the wireless headphones 1 and the audio player 2 except for the notification processing in step S10.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment in which the biological information acquisition unit is replaced with a pressure sensor unit.

The wireless headphone 1 includes a pressure sensor unit 141 instead of the biological information acquisition unit 106. Further, the audio player 2 includes a pressure sensor unit 142 instead of the biological information acquisition unit 130. The pressure sensor units 141 and 142 can output the pressure as a numerical value, and when the same pressure is applied to each, the same numerical value is output. Therefore, as shown in the figure, when the pressure sensor unit 141 and the pressure sensor unit 142 are pressed against each other, each pressure sensor unit outputs the same numerical value.

It is assumed that the numerical value of the pressure output by the pressure sensor can be adjusted so as to output a numerical value that changes within the range indicated by the effective digits of the Bluetooth PIN input.

FIG. 10 is an authentication processing sequence diagram at the time of connection when a pressure sensor is used. The basic sequence is the same as the processing sequence at the time of connection when the biometric information acquisition of FIG. 6 is used. The different process is in step S201 where a pressure value acquisition process described later is started in the wireless headphones 1 after the connection request in step S2. Thereafter, when the pressure value acquisition process is activated in the audio player 1 by a PIN input request (step S4) in the audio player 1, the user presses each pressure sensor unit as shown in FIG. 9 to acquire the pressure value. The same PIN code is output for each process. Therefore, the connection authentication is successful, the Bluetooth connection is completed, and data communication is possible.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the pressure value acquisition process.

When the process starts, first, the user is notified that the pressure value acquisition process has started (step S20). The notification is performed on the display unit 107 in the case of the wireless headphones 1, and is performed on the display unit 122 in the case of the audio player 2.

Next, it is determined whether or not the reading of the pressure value has been completed (step S11). Here, the process waits until the reading of the pressure value is completed (NO in step S21), but if it is not completed within a certain time, a timeout occurs and the process ends (timeout in step S21). Here, the user recognizes that the pressure value acquisition processing has been started in both the wireless headphones 1 and the audio player 2, and presses each pressure sensor unit as shown in FIG.

When the pressure value acquisition is completed by this operation (YES in step S21), the numerical value obtained by reading the pressure value is returned as a PIN code as a processing result (step S22), and this process is terminated. It is assumed that the same processing is performed in each of the wireless headphones 1 and the audio player 2 except for the notification processing in S20.

In the above-described embodiment, the configuration of the audio player and the wireless headphones is used. However, a method of performing authentication by inputting a PIN code in each wireless device like a wireless communication connection such as Bluetooth is used. For example, the present invention can also be applied to devices such as PCs, mobile phones, and car navigation systems equipped with wireless communication devices.

In addition, an application of using a device capable of acquiring data such as a scanner or a barcode reader is also possible.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the PIN code input at the time of authentication can be done by simply holding the finger or pressing the pressure sensors together. The time required for authentication can be shortened far more than when inputting.

Further, since the value input as the PIN is more complicated than the value input with the numeric keypad, security is improved.

Further, by using a biometric information acquisition device or a pressure sensor, it is not necessary to mount a numeric keypad for inputting a PIN code on the device, so that it can be easily applied to a small device.

The conceptual diagram which shows the system configuration | structure of the audio player and wireless headphones in this embodiment. The conceptual diagram of the wireless headphones in this embodiment. The conceptual diagram of an audio player. 1 is a system configuration diagram of wireless headphones. The system block diagram of an audio player. The authentication sequence figure at the time of Bluetooth connection. The conceptual diagram in the case of performing biometric information acquisition. The flowchart of a biometric information acquisition process. It is a figure which shows the operation example at the time of replacing the biometric information acquisition part with the pressure sensor part. The authentication processing sequence figure at the time of the connection at the time of using a pressure sensor. Flow chart of pressure value acquisition process

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Wireless headphone, 2 ... Audio player, 101, 102 ... Speaker unit, 103 ... Headband, 104 ... Antenna, 105 ... Input part, 106 ... Biometric information acquisition part, 107 ... Display part, 120 ... Antenna, 121 ... Headphone Terminals 122... Display unit, 123... Input unit, 130.

Claims (5)

A wireless unit that performs wireless communication with other devices;
An authentication unit that performs an authentication process via a wireless unit when establishing wireless communication with another device;
A memory for storing an authentication code used for authentication processing of the authentication unit;
A pressure sensor capable of contact operation with the other device;
A detection value detected when the pressure sensor is brought into contact with the other device, an encoding processing unit that converts the detected value into the authentication code and stores it in the memory;
A wireless communication device comprising: A wireless unit that performs wireless communication with other devices;
An authentication unit that performs an authentication process via a wireless unit when establishing wireless communication with another device;
A memory for storing an authentication code used for authentication processing of the authentication unit;
A biometric information acquisition unit for obtaining user-specific information;
An encoding processing unit that acquires the biometric information acquisition unit and converts the biometric information into the authentication code and stores it in the memory;
A wireless communication device comprising: The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the encoding processing unit converts the biological information acquired by the biological information acquisition unit into a PIN code used in Bluetooth wireless communication. A storage device for storing music content;
A playback unit for playing back music content stored in the storage device;
A wireless unit that wirelessly outputs the reproduced audio data to the headphones; and
An authentication unit that performs an authentication process via a wireless unit when establishing wireless communication with the headphones;
A memory for storing an authentication code used for authentication processing of the authentication unit;
A pressure sensor capable of contact operation with the headphones;
A detection value detected when the pressure sensor is brought into contact with the headphones, an encoding processing unit that converts the detected value into the authentication code and stores it in the memory;
A wireless communication device comprising: A storage device for storing music content;
A playback unit for playing back music content stored in the storage device;
A wireless unit that wirelessly outputs the reproduced audio data to the headphones; and
An authentication unit that performs an authentication process via the wireless unit when establishing a wireless connection with the headphones;
A memory for storing an authentication code used for authentication processing of the authentication unit;
A fingerprint reader for obtaining user-specific information;
An encoding processing unit that obtains the fingerprint reading unit and converts fingerprint information into the authentication code and stores it in the memory;
A music playback device comprising:

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