JP2015103990A - Radio device, radio system, method, and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique in which setting can be performed easily to a radio device which operates as a station.SOLUTION: A radio device for communicating using a wireless LAN has: a radio communication section which communicates in one of the operation modes of an access point mode and a station mode; and a communication setting section for performing settings for the radio communication section to perform radio communication. The communication setting section, after setting the operation mode of the radio communication section to the access point mode, acquires setting information from a terminal device which operates in the station mode, and on the basis of the acquired setting information, performs settings for the radio communication section to communicate in the station mode.

Description

  The present invention relates to a wireless device.

  As a wireless device that includes a wireless LAN interface and is connected to a terminal device (for example, a smartphone) via a wireless LAN, for example, a wireless storage device exists. A wireless storage device is a device that stores data received from a terminal device connected by a wireless LAN. For example, the wireless storage device operates as an access point (master device), and the terminal device operates as a station (slave device). However, the wireless storage device usually does not have a router function. Therefore, the terminal device is disconnected from the Internet when connected to the wireless storage device via the wireless LAN.

JP2012-090205A JP 2004-363700 A

  In order to avoid the terminal device being disconnected from the Internet, for example, it is conceivable to operate the terminal device as an access point (see Patent Document 1) and operate the wireless storage device as the station. However, since the wireless storage apparatus generally does not include an input device such as an operation button or a touch panel, setting information (SSID (Service Set Identifier), encryption type, and encryption key for connecting to the access point is used. ) Is difficult to set in the wireless storage device. Therefore, there is a demand for a technique that can easily set a wireless device operating as a station. Such a problem is not limited to the wireless storage device, and is a problem common to other wireless devices such as a camera and a printer having a wireless LAN interface.

  In addition, in the conventional wireless device, reduction of processing load, reduction of communication amount, improvement of usability, etc. are desired.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to solve at least a part of the problems described above, and the invention can be implemented as the following forms.

(1) According to the first aspect of the present invention, a wireless device that performs communication by wireless LAN is provided. The wireless device includes a wireless communication unit that performs communication in either one of an operation mode of an access point mode and a station mode, and a communication setting unit that performs settings for the wireless communication unit to perform wireless communication, The communication setting unit sets an operation mode of the wireless communication unit to an access point mode, acquires setting information from a terminal device operating in a station mode, and the wireless communication unit is configured based on the acquired setting information. Make settings for communication in station mode. When a wireless device of this type is operating in the access point mode, it can obtain setting information from a terminal device operating in the station mode, so that the wireless device is not equipped with an input device. Even if it exists, the setting for operating in the station mode can be easily performed.

(2) In the wireless device of the above aspect, the communication setting unit may acquire a plurality of setting information from the terminal device. In such a form, it is possible to cope with various network environments by properly using a plurality of setting information.

(3) In the wireless device of the above aspect, the plurality of setting information may include information for communicating with the terminal device operating in an access point mode. In such a form, when the terminal device operates in the access point mode, the wireless device can be operated as a station of the terminal device.

(4) In the wireless device of the above aspect, the plurality of setting information may include information for the terminal device operating in the client mode to communicate with the access point device. In such a form, the wireless device can belong to the same network as the terminal device. Therefore, the wireless device and the terminal device can communicate with each other via the access point device.

(5) In the wireless device of the above aspect, each of the plurality of setting information may be associated with a priority order used for communication setting. In such a form, when there are a plurality of access points, it is possible to automatically select a connection destination access point based on the priority order.

(6) The wireless device of the above aspect may further include a storage unit that stores data received from the terminal device. With this form, the wireless device can be configured as a wireless storage device.

(7) In the wireless device of the above aspect, the storage unit may be externally connected to the wireless device. With such a form, various storage media can be applied as the storage unit.

  A plurality of constituent elements of each aspect of the present invention described above are not indispensable, and some or all of the effects described in the present specification are to be solved to solve part or all of the above-described problems. In order to achieve the above, it is possible to appropriately change, delete, replace with another new component, and partially delete the limited contents of some of the plurality of components. In order to solve part or all of the above-described problems or to achieve part or all of the effects described in this specification, technical features included in one embodiment of the present invention described above. A part or all of the technical features included in the other aspects of the present invention described above may be combined to form an independent form of the present invention.

  For example, one embodiment of the present invention can be realized as an apparatus including one or more elements of a communication unit and a setting unit. That is, this apparatus may or may not have a communication unit. Further, the apparatus may or may not have the setting unit. For example, the communication unit may be configured as a wireless communication unit that performs communication in one of the operation modes of the access point mode and the station mode. The setting unit may be configured as a communication setting unit that performs settings for the wireless communication unit to perform wireless communication. Such a device can be realized, for example, as a wireless device that performs communication using a wireless LAN, but can also be realized as a device other than the wireless device. According to such a form, it is possible to solve at least one of various problems such as a reduction in processing load, a reduction in communication amount, and improvement in usability. Any or all of the technical features of each form of the wireless device described above can be applied to this device.

  The present invention can also be realized in various forms other than the wireless device. For example, a wireless system, a method for a wireless device to perform communication by wireless LAN, a computer program for a computer having a wireless communication circuit to perform communication by wireless LAN, a non-temporary recording medium in which the computer program is recorded, etc. It can be realized in the form.

It is explanatory drawing which shows schematic structure of a radio | wireless system. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of a terminal device. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of a radio | wireless apparatus. It is a flowchart of a setting process. It is explanatory drawing which shows schematic structure of the radio | wireless system in 2nd Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the terminal device in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart of the setting process performed in 2nd Embodiment.

A. First embodiment:
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a wireless system 10 according to the first embodiment. The wireless system 10 includes a wireless device 100 and a terminal device 200. In the present embodiment, the wireless device 100 is configured as a wireless storage device capable of communication using a wireless LAN. In the present embodiment, the terminal device 200 is configured as a smartphone. The terminal device 200 can be connected to the Internet INT via a mobile communication network such as a 3G line or an LTE line, for example.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the terminal device 200. The terminal device 200 includes a CPU 210. A RAM 220, a ROM 230, a wireless communication unit 250, a mobile communication unit 260, a display device 270, and an input device 280 are connected to the CPU 210. Each of these devices is supplied with power from a battery 290. As described above, the terminal device 200 is configured as a smartphone. Therefore, for example, a liquid crystal display device is applied as the display device 270. As the input device 280, for example, a touch panel is applied.

  The wireless communication unit 250 is a circuit that performs communication using a wireless LAN based on the IEEE 802.11 standard. The wireless communication unit 250 supports operations in the access point mode and the station mode. The terminal device 200 can perform tethering by operating in the access point mode using the wireless communication unit 250. Tethering refers to relaying communication between another device operating in the station mode and the Internet INT. In the present embodiment, communication relay in tethering is performed by wireless LAN communication. Hereinafter, the operation of the terminal device 200 in the access point mode is also referred to as “operating in the tethering mode”.

  The mobile communication unit 260 is a communication circuit for wirelessly connecting to the Internet INT via a mobile communication network such as a 3G line or an LTE line.

  The ROM 230 stores firmware for operating the terminal device 200 as a smartphone. In addition, a setting application program 231 is installed in the ROM 230. The CPU 210 performs communication setting of the wireless device 100 by loading the setting application program 231 recorded in the ROM 230 into the RAM 220 and executing it.

  The ROM 230 further stores setting information 232 for the terminal device 200 to operate in the tethering mode. The setting information 232 includes an SSID (Service Set Identifier), an encryption type, and an encryption key. These values are input, for example, when a user operates a predetermined GUI (Graphical User Interface) displayed on the display device 270 using the input device 280.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the wireless device 100. The wireless device 100 includes a CPU 110. A RAM 120, a ROM 130, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface 140, a wireless communication unit 150, and a storage unit 160 are connected to the CPU 110. Each of these devices is supplied with power from the battery 170.

  The USB interface 140 is an interface to which a host device such as a personal computer is connected via a USB cable. When a host device is connected to the USB interface 140, the wireless device 100 operates as a USB mass storage device. The USB interface 140 can be omitted.

  The wireless communication unit 150 is a circuit that performs wireless LAN communication based on the IEEE 802.11 standard. The wireless communication unit 150 supports operations in the access point mode and the station mode.

  The storage unit 160 is a device that stores data transferred from devices connected by the USB interface 140 or the wireless communication unit 150. As the storage unit 160, for example, a hard disk drive or a flash memory can be applied. The storage unit 160 may be externally connected (externally connected) to the wireless device 100 via a predetermined connection interface (for example, a USB interface or a memory card interface). If the storage unit 160 is externally attached, various storage media such as an external hard disk, a USB flash memory, and a memory card can be applied as the storage unit 160. The wireless device 100 may include both a built-in type storage unit and an external type storage unit as the storage unit.

  The ROM 130 stores a computer program (firmware) for operating the wireless device 100. The CPU 110 operates as the communication setting unit 112 by loading the firmware recorded in the ROM 130 into the RAM 120 and executing it. The communication setting unit 112 performs settings for the wireless communication unit 150 to perform wireless communication. In addition, the CPU 110 performs control to store data received from a device connected via the USB interface 140 or a device connected via the wireless communication unit 150 in the storage unit 160.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of setting processing executed between the wireless device 100 and the terminal device 200. At the start of this setting process, the wireless device 100 operates in the access point mode (step S100), and the terminal device 200 operates in the station mode and is connected to the wireless device 100 (step S200). The wireless device 100 and the terminal device 200 can be connected by an automatic connection technology such as AOSS (AirStation One-Touch Secure System (registered trademark)) or WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup). Of course, it is also possible to connect the wireless device 100 and the terminal device 200 manually instead of automatically. Here, “connected” between the wireless device 100 and the terminal device 200 means that the same settings as the settings of the SSID, encryption type, and encryption key set in the wireless device 100 operating in the access point mode are set in the station mode. Setting the terminal device 200 to operate means that the terminal device 200 is wirelessly connected to the wireless device 100.

  When the setting application program 231 is executed in the terminal device 200, the terminal device 200 transmits the setting information 232 preset in the terminal device 200 to the wireless device 100 according to the program (step S210). The setting information 232 includes an SSID, an encryption type, and an encryption key when the terminal device 200 is operated in the tethering mode. For example, the user can input each value of the setting information 232 to the terminal device 200 by using the input device 280 provided in the terminal device 200. In step S210, the terminal device 200 may encrypt and transmit the setting information 232 using a known encryption technique such as AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) or RC4 (Rivest Cipher 4).

  When the setting information 232 is transmitted to the wireless device 100, the terminal device 200 sets the operation mode to the tethering mode in accordance with the setting application program 231 (step S220). The SSID, encryption type, and encryption key used in this tethering mode are the same as the SSID, encryption type, and encryption key included in the setting information 232 transmitted to the wireless device 100 in step S210.

  When the setting information 232 is transmitted from the terminal device 200, the communication setting unit 112 of the wireless device 100 receives the setting information 232 (step S110). Then, based on the received setting information 232, the communication setting unit 112 performs settings for the wireless communication unit 150 to perform communication in the station mode (step S120). Once the setting is made, the communication setting unit 112 causes the wireless communication unit 150 to operate in the station mode according to the setting (step S130). Then, the wireless device 100 is connected to the terminal device 200 operating in the tethering mode without requiring any special operation. This is because the setting information 232 received in step S110 includes the same value as the default value for the terminal device 200 to operate in the tethering mode (SSID, encryption type, encryption key).

  According to the first embodiment described above, the wireless device 100 acquires the setting information 232 from the terminal device 200 operating in the station mode when operating in the access point mode. Therefore, even when the wireless device 100 does not include an input device, settings for operating the wireless device 100 in the station mode can be easily performed. In particular, in the present embodiment, setting information 232 used when the terminal device 200 operates in the tethering mode is transmitted to the wireless device 100. Therefore, the user can connect the wireless device 100 to the terminal device 200 that operates in the tethering mode without performing any setting operation on the wireless device 100. In the present embodiment, the same setting information as the setting information 232 used when the terminal device 200 operates in the tethering mode is used as default setting information set in the wireless device 100. The setting information transmitted to the wireless device 100 may be manually changed by the user.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the terminal device 200 operates as an access point by its own tethering function, and can communicate with the Internet INT while ensuring the connection with the wireless device 100. Therefore, user convenience can be improved.

B. Second embodiment:
In the first embodiment, after the setting process illustrated in FIG. 4 is completed, the terminal device 200 serves as an access point, and the wireless device 100 operates as the station. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, after the setting process is completed, both the wireless device 100 and the terminal device 200 can be connected to independent access point devices.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of the wireless system 10a in the second embodiment. The wireless system 10a includes a wireless device 100, a terminal device 200a, and an access point device 300. The access point device 300 has a router function. With this router function, the access point device 300 can relay communication between a station (for example, the terminal device 200a) connected to the access point device 300 and the Internet INT.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the terminal device 200a according to the second embodiment. The difference between the terminal device 200 a in the present embodiment and the terminal device 200 in the first embodiment is that a plurality of setting information 232 is recorded in the ROM 230, and the priority order is recorded for each setting information 232. It is a point that has been. Since other configurations are the same as those of the terminal device 200 of the first embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the setting process executed in the second embodiment. Also in the second embodiment, at the start of this setting process, the wireless device 100 operates in the access point mode (step S100a), and the terminal device 200a operates in the station mode and is connected to the wireless device 100 (step S100a). S200a).

  When the setting application program 231 is executed in the terminal device 200a, the terminal device 200a transmits setting information 232 preset in the terminal device 200a to the wireless device 100 according to the program (step S210a). In the present embodiment, a plurality of setting information 232 stored in advance in the terminal device 200 a is transmitted to the wireless device 100. Each setting information 232 includes priority, SSID, encryption type, and encryption key. The plurality of setting information 232 includes, for example, setting information for operating the terminal device 200a in the tethering mode (hereinafter also referred to as “first setting information”), and wirelessly to the access point device 300 using the terminal device 200a as a station. And setting information for LAN connection (hereinafter also referred to as “second setting information”). In addition to these two pieces of setting information, the plurality of setting information 232 may also include setting information for connecting the terminal device 200a to a registered access point device other than the access point device 300 via a wireless LAN. . The priority order included in each setting information 232 defines which setting information is preferentially applied to the wireless device 100. The priority is set in advance by the user according to the network environment of the wireless system 10a. The user can set a priority order for the terminal device 200a by using the input device 280 provided in the terminal device 200a. In addition, when the setting information 232 transmitted from the terminal device 200a to the wireless device 100 is one, the priority order may not be recorded.

  When transmitting a plurality of setting information 232 to the wireless device 100, the terminal device 200a changes the setting according to the above-described priority order (step S220a). Specifically, if the priority order of the second setting information is first, the terminal device 200a connects to the access point device 300 according to the setting information while operating in the station mode. If the priority of the first setting information is the first, the terminal device 200a changes the operation mode to the tethering mode and relays the Internet INT connection of another station (wireless device 100).

  When a plurality of setting information 232 is transmitted from the terminal device 200a, the communication setting unit 112 of the wireless device 100 receives the setting information 232 (step S110a). And the communication setting part 112 performs the setting for the radio | wireless communication part 150 to communicate by station mode based on each received setting information 232 and its priority (step S120a). After setting, the communication setting unit 112 operates the wireless communication unit 150 in the station mode according to the setting (step S130a). Then, if the priority of the second setting information is the first, the wireless device 100 connects to the access point device 300 as shown in FIG. If the priority of the first setting information is the first, the connection is made to the terminal device 200a operating in the tethering mode, as in the first embodiment.

  According to the second embodiment described above, the wireless device 100 acquires the setting information 232 from the terminal device 200a operating in the station mode when operating in the access point mode. Therefore, similarly to the first embodiment, even when the wireless device 100 does not include an input device, settings for operating the wireless device 100 in the station mode can be easily performed. In the present embodiment, since the wireless device 100 can perform communication settings based on a plurality of setting information 232, it can cope with various network environments. When the terminal device 200a has setting information 232 (second setting information) for connecting to the access point device 300, the wireless device 100 acquires the setting information 232 from the terminal device 200a. Therefore, the wireless device 100 can belong to the same network as the terminal device 200a. Therefore, the wireless device 100 and the terminal device 200a can be easily connected via the access point device 300. In the present embodiment, since the priority is recorded in each of the plurality of setting information 232, the wireless device 100 can automatically select a connection destination access point. In addition, the terminal device 200a operates as a station and connects to the access point device 300, so that communication with the Internet INT can be performed while securing the connection with the wireless device 100. Therefore, user convenience can be improved.

C. Variation:
<Modification 1>
In the second embodiment, when a plurality of setting information 232 is transmitted from the terminal device 200 a to the wireless device 100, the priority order is recorded in each setting information 232. On the other hand, for example, if the setting information transmitted from the terminal device 200a is only the first setting information and the second setting information described above, the priority order is not recorded in each setting information. May be. In this case, the wireless device 100 selects the second setting information as default setting information to be set for itself. Further, when the second setting information is not included and only the first setting information is received, the setting is performed based on the first setting information. With such a configuration, the wireless device 100 operates to connect to the access point device 300 as much as possible instead of the terminal device 200a. Therefore, various devices included in the wireless system 10a can be connected to the wireless device 100. Can be shared and used.

<Modification 2>
In the second embodiment, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, both the wireless device 100 and the terminal device 200 a are connected to the access point device 300 as stations. On the other hand, for example, the terminal device 200a may operate as a station of the access point device 300 while operating as an access point for the wireless device 100. That is, the terminal device 200a may be configured such that the access point mode and the station mode function simultaneously. In order to make the access point mode and the station mode function simultaneously, for example, the terminal device 200a includes one wireless communication unit 250 as hardware, and controls the wireless communication unit 250 as an access point and a station in software. Can be realized. Further, the terminal device 200a may include two wireless communication units 250 as hardware, one of which operates in the access point mode and the other operates in the station mode.

<Modification 3>
In the above embodiment, the wireless device 100 is configured as a wireless storage device, but the aspect of the wireless device 100 is not limited to the wireless storage device. For example, the wireless device 100 may be configured as a printer, a scanner, or a camera having a wireless LAN function.

<Modification 4>
In the above-described embodiment, power is supplied from the battery 170 to each device included in the wireless device 100. On the other hand, the battery 170 may be omitted from the configuration of the wireless device 100, and power may be supplied to each device from a commercial power source. In addition, the wireless device 100 can supply power stored in the battery 170 to other devices (for example, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a portable router, etc.), a USB connector for supplying power, or another type of power connector. May be provided.

<Modification 5>
In the said embodiment, the terminal devices 200 and 200a are comprised as a smart phone. In contrast, the terminal devices 200 and 200a may be any devices as long as they can operate in either the access point mode or the client mode. For example, various devices such as a portable router device connectable to a mobile communication network, a tablet terminal, a portable information terminal, a game machine, and a personal computer can be applied as a wireless terminal.

<Modification 6>
In the above embodiment, functions realized by software may be realized by hardware. Further, the function realized by hardware may be realized by software.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and can be realized with various configurations without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, the technical features in the embodiments and the modifications corresponding to the technical features in each embodiment described in the summary section of the invention are to solve some or all of the above-described problems, or In order to achieve part or all of the effects, replacement or combination can be performed as appropriate. Further, if the technical feature is not described as essential in the present specification, it can be deleted as appropriate.

10, 10a ... Wireless system 100 ... Wireless device 110 ... CPU
112 ... Communication setting unit 120 ... RAM
130 ... ROM
140: USB interface 150 ... wireless communication unit 160 ... storage unit 170 ... battery 200, 200a ... terminal device 210 ... CPU
220 ... RAM
230 ... ROM
231 ... Setting application program 232 ... Setting information 250 ... Wireless communication unit 260 ... Mobile communication unit 270 ... Display device 280 ... Input device 290 ... Battery 300 ... Access point device INT ... Internet

Claims (10)

A wireless device for performing communication by wireless LAN,
A wireless communication unit that performs communication in one of the operation modes of the access point mode and the station mode;
A communication setting unit for performing settings for the wireless communication unit to perform wireless communication; and
With
The communication setting unit
After setting the operation mode of the wireless communication unit to the access point mode, obtain setting information from the terminal device operating in the station mode,
Based on the acquired setting information, the wireless communication unit performs settings for performing communication in a station mode.
Wireless device. The wireless device according to claim 1,
The communication setting unit is a wireless device that acquires a plurality of setting information from the terminal device. The wireless device according to claim 2,
The wireless device, wherein the plurality of setting information includes information for communicating with the terminal device operating in an access point mode. A wireless device according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein
The wireless device, wherein the plurality of setting information includes information for the terminal device operating in a client mode to communicate with an access point device. A wireless device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein
Each of the plurality of setting information is associated with a priority order used for communication setting. A wireless device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising:
Furthermore, a radio | wireless apparatus provided with the memory | storage part which memorize | stores the data received from the said terminal device. The wireless device according to claim 6,
The storage unit is a wireless device externally connected to the wireless device. A wireless system,
A wireless device;
Including a terminal device that communicates with the wireless device via a wireless LAN,
The wireless device includes:
A wireless communication unit that performs communication in one of the operation modes of the access point mode and the station mode;
A communication setting unit for performing settings for the wireless communication unit to perform wireless communication; and
With
The communication setting unit
After setting the operation mode of the wireless communication unit to the access point mode, obtaining setting information from the terminal device operating in the station mode,
Based on the acquired setting information, the wireless communication unit performs settings for performing communication in a station mode.
Wireless system. A method for a wireless device to perform communication by wireless LAN,
After setting the operation mode to access point mode, obtain the setting information from the terminal device operating in the station mode,
Based on the acquired setting information, setting for performing communication in the station mode,
Method. A computer comprising a wireless communication circuit is a computer program for performing communication by wireless LAN,
After setting the operation mode of the wireless communication circuit to an access point mode, a function for acquiring setting information from a terminal device operating in the station mode;
Based on the acquired setting information, a function for performing settings for the wireless communication circuit to perform communication in a station mode;
A computer program that causes a computer to realize

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