Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W48/00—Access restriction; Network selection; Access point selection
  • H04W48/02—Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W8/00—Network data management
  • H04W8/22—Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
  • H04W8/24—Transfer of terminal data
  • H04W8/245—Transfer of terminal data from a network towards a terminal
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W84/00—Network topologies
  • H04W84/18—Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Definitions

• the present invention relates to communication apparatus, communication method, program and storage medium.
• communication parameters such as network identifier, encryption method, encryption key, authentication method and authentication key can be given as many cumbersome parameter settings needed to be conducted manually by a user.
• a device when there are more than one device participating to the network, a device is selected for providing parameters (hereinafter: providing apparatus) among the devices, and then provides the communication parameters to the other devices (hereinafter: receiving apparatus) from the providing apparatus .
• Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-352282 discloses an example of parameter auto configuration method when there are more than two devices.
• the auto-parameter setting is started by pressing a setup starting button on the device, auto parameter setting is conducted with the devices started the set-up phase in a similar manner within the setup period.
• Present invention intends to solve the problems arise when multiple providing apparatus is conducting communication parameter auto configuration. As an example, it prevents unexpected communication device connections while conducting the network parameter auto configuration .
• a communication apparatus includes: providing means for providing communication parameters to a receiving apparatus to be provided with communication parameters; determination means for determining whether there are a plurality of providing apparatuses that provide the communication parameters; and notifying means for, in case the determination means determines that there are the plurality of apparatuses, notifying the receiving apparatus that the providing means have already provided with the communication parameters of a notification that instructs the apparatus to halt the usage of the provided communication parameters.
• a communication apparatus includes: receiving means for receiving communication parameters from a providing apparatus that provides the communication parameters; halting means for halting the usage of the communication parameters received by the receiving means, if the communication apparatus is notified of a communication parameter halting notification by the providing apparatus after the receiving means has received the communication parameters from the providing apparatus.
• a communication method for a communication apparatus includes the steps of: providing communication parameters to a receiving apparatus to be provided with communication parameters; determining whether there are a plurality of providing apparatuses that provide the communication parameters; and notifying, in case that it is determined in the step of determining that there are the plurality of apparatuses, the receiving apparatus that has already been provided with the communication parameters in the step of providing of a notification that instructs the apparatus to halt the usage of the provided communication parameters.
• a communication method for a communication apparatus includes the steps of: receiving communication parameters from a providing apparatus that provides the communication parameters; halting means for halting the usage of the communication parameters received by the receiving means, if the communication apparatus is notified of a communication parameter halting notification by the providing apparatus after the communication parameters have been received from the providing apparatus.
• a program for causing a communication method for a communication apparatus to be executed by a computer includes: providing communication parameters to a receiving apparatus to be provided with communication parameters; determining whether there are a plurality of providing apparatuses that provide the communication parameters; and notifying, in case that it is determined in the step of determining that there are the plurality of apparatuses, the receiving apparatus that has already been provided with the communication parameters in the step of providing of a notification that instructs the apparatus to halt the usage of the provided communication parameters.
• a program for causing a communication method for a communication apparatus to be executed by a computer includes: receiving communication parameters from a providing apparatus that provides the communication parameters; halting means for halting the usage of the communication parameters received by the receiving means, if the communication apparatus is notified of a communication parameter halting notification by the providing apparatus after the communication parameters have been received from the providing apparatus.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a device construction according to the present invention
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the software functions in a providing apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the software functions in a receiving apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 4 shows network architecture of an embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process flow in a receiving apparatus in auto parameter configuration
• FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a process flow in a providing apparatus in communication parameter auto configuration is conducted;
• FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a process flow in a providing apparatus when halt confirmation process is conducted
• FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a communication parameter usage halting process flow of the receiving apparatus.
• FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram showing the T/JP2000/053300
• terminal A operations of terminal A, terminal B, terminal C, and terminal D of the present embodiment.
• Fig. 1 is a block figure representing the hardware architecture of a terminal described below.
• 101 represents the whole system of the terminal.
• 102 is a control unit that controls the whole system by executing a control program stored in a storage unit 103.
• the storage unit 103 for storing the control program executed by control unit 102 and information such as communication parameters. Each operation described later is conducted by the execution of the control program stored in the storage unit 103 by control unit 102.
• 104 is a wireless communication unit for conducting wireless communication.
• 105 is a display unit for conducting various types of information display and comprised of visual information output 3300
• Fig. 2 is a block figure showing exemplary software functional blocks executed by a terminal that provides parameters (hereinafter: providing apparatus) ⁇ in parameter configuration which is described later.
• 201 represents the whole terminal.
• 202 is a communication parameter Providing Unit that conducts the communication parameter provision processes. In present embodiment, parameters necessary for conducting wireless communication such as SSID as network identifier, encryption method, cryptographic key, authentication method, and authentication key is been provided.
• 203 is a packet receiving unit used for receiving packets of each type of communications.
• 204 is a packet sending unit used for receiving packets of each type of communications.
• 205 is a Search Signal Sending Unit that sends out a device search request such as probe request.
• probe request can be used as a network detecting signal for a network wishes to be detected. Sending the probe request which is been described later, is conducted by the Search Signal Sending Unit 205. Moreover, the response to received probe request is also conducted by the Search Signal
• Sending Unit 205 various information of the sending device (self information) is included into the device search signal.
• 206 is a Search Signal Receiving Unit that controls the reception of device search signals such as probe request. Receiving the probe request which is described later is conducted by Search Signal Receiving
• [00403207 is a Network Establishing Unit that establishes the network connection.
• the wireless LAN establishment of wireless parameter configuration which is described later is also conducted by the Network
• Unit that conducts the processes of parameter usage halting by sending a notification to receiving unit when parameter halting is conducted.
• Fig. 3 is a block figure showing exemplary software functional blocks executed by a terminal that receives the parameters (hereinafter: receiving apparatus) in parameter configuration which is described later.
• [0043] 301 represents the whole terminal.
• 302 is a 00
• 303 is a packet receiving unit used for receiving packets of each type of communications.
• 304 is a packet sending unit used for receiving packets of each type of communications.
• 305 is a Search Signal Sending Unit that sends out a device search request such as probe request.
• probe request can be used as a network detecting signal for a network wish to be detected. Sending the probe request which is been described later, is conducted by the Search Signal Sending Unit 305. Moreover, the response to received probe request is also conducted by the Search Signal Sending Unit 305.
• 306 is a Search Signal Receiving Unit that controls the reception of device search signals such as probe request. Receiving the probe request which is described later is conducted by Search Signal Receiving Unit 306. Moreover, receiving the probe request response is also conducted by the Search Signal Receiving Unit 306.
• 307 is a Network Controlling Unit that controls the network connection and disconnection.
• connection and disconnection that is described later is also conducted by the Network Controlling Unit 307.
• 308 is a Providing Apparatus Detection Unit that detects the providing apparatus while conducting auto parameter configuration. As discussed later, detection process of the Providing Apparatus is conducted by Providing Apparatus Detection Unit 308.
• 309 is a Communication Parameter Usage Halting Unit that conducts the processes of parameter usage halting. In parameter usage halting discussed later is conducted by Communication Parameter Usage Halting Unit 309. In this halting process, usage of received and stored parameters is halted temporary and may allow usage again on predetermined user operation using user input unit 109 or may delete the parameters from the storage unit 103 to make parameters usage impossible.
• Fig. 4 represents terminal A 401 (hereinafter terminal-A) , terminal B 402 (hereinafter : terminal-B) , terminal C 403 (hereinafter : terminal-C) , and terminal D 404 (hereinafter: terminal-D) . Moreover, in Fig.
• Terminal-A, terminal-B, terminal-C and terminal-D has wireless LAN communication support and conduct wireless communication between each other using wireless LAN ad hoc (hereinafter: ad hoc) communication.
• Terminal-A and terminal-D are communication parameter providing apparatuses and consists of the construction of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 as explained previously.
• Terminal-B and terminal-C are communication parameter providing apparatuses and consists of the construction of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 as explained previously.
• the communication parameters (hereinafter: 1 st communication parameters) necessary for conducting data communication in 1 st network 405 is stored. Also, in the storage unit 103 of terminal-D the communication parameters (hereinafter: 2 nd communication parameters) necessary for conducting data communication in 2 nd network 406 is stored.
• terminal-A and terminal-B is conducting communication parameter auto configuration after providing terminal-C 1 st communication parameters from terminal-A, and almost at the same time terminal-D is also conducting communication parameter auto configuration is considered.
• terminal-B is positioned so that it can receive wireless signal from both terminal-A and terminal-D.
• terminal-B exists in a point where 1 st network 405 communication areas intersect with 2 nd network 406 communication area.
• Fig. 5 is a flowchart that describes the process flow of receiving apparatus when auto parameter configuration is executed. When the setting button on receiving apparatus is operated, the flow represented in Fig. 5 started. [0058]After starting the process, the Search Signal Sending Unit 305 of receiving apparatus sends out the probe request (S501) .
• the Search Signal Receiving Unit 306 wait for a predetermined time interval for probe response which includes the information from providing apparatus used for communication parameter auto configuration. (S502)
• Providing Apparatus Detection Unit 308 verifies the number of providing apparatus that sent the probe response with additional information for auto communication parameter configuration within the time interval of step S502.
• Providing Apparatus Detection Unit 308 detects the detection overlap occurred due to a plurality of providing apparatuses and proceeds to step S505.
• Search Signal Sending Unit 305 broadcasts a probe request with additional information of the overlap of providing apparatuses and concludes the process (S505) . Due to this broadcast, the fact that there is a plurality of providing apparatuses can be notified to other terminals.
• Providing Apparatus Detection Unit 308 recognize the providing apparatus and proceed to Step S506 to receive communication parameters.
• Communication Parameter Receiving Unit 302 is identified the network identification of the network established by providing apparatus from the probe response, join to the aforementioned network and request for communication parameters from providing apparatus. This request, which is explained later, is generated by sending the starting message of auto configuration. Then, after receiving the communication parameters from the providing apparatus and storing it to the storage unit 103, the process concludes (S506) . [0067]Additionally, in step S505 Search Signal Sending Unit 305 of receiving apparatus may only send the probe request only to the providing apparatus that sent the probe response with additional information. [0068] Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the process flow of providing unit when communication parameter auto configuration is conducted. When the user operates the setting button of the providing apparatus the process as shown in Fig. 6 is initiated.
• the Network Establishing Unit 207 of providing apparatus checks whether or not the 1st network for ad hoc communication is established or not, if the 1st network is not being established already, establishes the network (S601, S602) .
• receiving apparatus After constructing the network, receiving apparatus wait for a constant time interval to receive wireless signals from surrounding devices (S603) . In case no signal is received after the constant time interval, the process is terminated (S604) . In case a constant time is not being passed, returned to step S603, and again waits for wireless signals.
• the Search Signal Receiving Unit 206 detects whether or not received wireless signal is a probe request.
• communication parameter providing unit 202 determines whether received signal is a communication parameter auto configuration initiating message or not(S612).
• communication parameter providing unit 202 provides 00
• step S613 when communication parameter providing unit 202 finished sending communication parameters to the receiving apparatus, information such as MAC address, that allow identifying the receiving apparatus which received the communication parameters is saved into the storage unit 103.
• Step S605 In case the received signal in Step S605 is a probe request, probe response with additional information for communication parameter auto configuration is sent by the Search Signal Sending Unit 205 (S606) . In addition, probe response with additional information for communication parameter auto configuration is the probe response sent at a time communication parameter auto configuration process is being conducted. In case a probe request is received at a time communication parameter auto configuration is not conducted a probe response without additional information for communication parameter auto configuration is sent.
• communication parameter usage halting unit 208 After sending the probe response, communication parameter usage halting unit 208 detects whether providing apparatus overlapping information contains or not in the additional information received with the probe request (S607) .
• step S603 In case providing apparatus overlapping information is not contained in the additional information, return to step S603 and wait for wireless signals .
• communication parameter halting unit 208 refer to storage unit 103, determines whether receiving apparatus already received communication parameters or not. Then, in case there are already communication parameters received receiving apparatuses, these receiving apparatuses are determined (S608). [0080] In case there are no receiving apparatus already communication parameters are provided, the process is concluded (S609) .
• communication parameter usage halting unit 208 In case communication parameter provision has already conducted receiving apparatus is detected, communication parameter usage halting unit 208 a message that notify not using the parameters provided is sent to the receiving apparatus (S610) . Usage halt message, may uni-cast to each receiving apparatuses or may be broadcasted to the receiving apparatuses. [0082]After sending the usage halt message, the communication parameter usage halting unit 208 conducts the halt confirming process, which is explained later ( S611 ) .
• providing apparatus get informed by the receiving apparatus whether providing apparatus are overlapped, however providing apparatus may detect providing apparatus overlap by detecting the other providing apparatus on its own.
• providing apparatus sends out a probe request, in case probe response with additional information for communication parameter auto configuration is received, the existence of surrounding providing apparatus can be detected. Otherwise, replying to probe request sent by other receiving apparatus, with a probe response with additional information for communication parameter auto configuration, and when the aforementioned probe response received, detecting the surrounding providing apparatus may conducted.
• FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of halt confirmation process when providing apparatus ends the auto parameter configuration process executed in step S611 in Fig. 6.
• communication parameter usage halting unit 208 waits for a constant time to receive the usage halt notification message from the receiving apparatus
• communication parameter usage halting unit 208 conducts a network scan (S703) . Providing apparatus conduct the scan by sending a probe request and checking whether or not probe response is received or not.
• FIG. 8 is a flowchart describing a communication parameter usage halting process flow of the receiving apparatus .
• Communication parameter usage halting unit 309 of receiving apparatus sends the usage halting reply to providing apparatus (S801) .
• the receiving apparatus leaves the aforementioned network using the network control unit 307(S802).
• the communication parameter usage halting unit 309 discards the communication parameters saved in storage unit 103 provided by the providing apparatus (S803) .
• a method that allows identifying usage of the received communication parameters from providing apparatus may be used.
• the received apparatus recognize the parameters can not be used temporary, by adding information that indicates the aforementioned parameter can not be used may be given.
• the received apparatus receives the parameter from the same providing apparatus enabling the parameters saved in the storage unit 103 by removing the information that indicating unused may be conducted.
• user may be allowed to change the information indicating parameters are not in use, saved in storage unit 103, by using the user input unit 109 .
• Fig. 9 is a sequence diagram representing the funptionality of each terminal.
• terminal-A and terminal-B is conducting communication parameter auto configuration after providing the terminal-C 1 st communication parameters from the terminal-A, and almost at the same time the terminal-D is also conducting communication parameter auto configuration .
• the terminal-B When the setting button on the terminal-B is operated by the user, the terminal-B starts the process shown in Fig. 5. Then, the terminal-B sends a probe request (Probe. Req.) to find a providing apparatus (F902) .
• a probe request Probe. Req.
• the terminal-A which received the probe request sent in step F905 send a usage halt message to terminal-C which has already undergone parameter provision, and starts the process of Fig. 7 (F906) .
• providing apparatus sends parameter usage halt message to already parameter provided receiving apparatuses, in the communication parameter auto configuration process in case providing apparatus are overlapped.
• receiving apparatus using parameters from- unexpected providing apparatus and getting connected to wrong networks can be prevented.
• conducting the communication parameter auto configuration safely and surely is possible.
• USB includes wireless USB, wireless 1394, WINET, etc.
• the present invention incorporates the following case. That is, the functions of the above-described embodiment are implemented when the operating system (OS) running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program codes.
• OS operating system
• the present invention also incorporates the following case. That is, the program codes read out from the storage medium are written in the memory of a function expansion card inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. After that, the functions of the above-described embodiment are implemented when the CPU of the function expansion card or function expansion unit performs part or all of actual processing based on the instructions of the program codes.

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• 2008
  • 2008-02-19 JP JP2008037415A patent/JP5197060B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2009
  • 2009-02-18 WO PCT/JP2009/053300 patent/WO2009104796A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2009-02-18 US US12/811,376 patent/US8542652B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
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