Communication apparatus, communication method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for reducing the time for automatic setting of communication parameters

• US 10,666,625 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2016
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Terao, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Plecha, Thaddeus J
• Application Number:
  US15/745,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20180212936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 Joining mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0825 using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A communication apparatus transmits a search signal including information based on a character string input by a user, the search signal being used to search for a providing apparatus that provides a communication parameter. Upon reception of a response to the search signal, the communication apparatus starts communication parameter sharing processing with a providing apparatus that has transmitted the response.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

one or more memories; and

one or more processors in communication with the one or more memories, the one or more processors configured to provide;

an acquiring unit that acquires a predetermined character string input by a user;

a first transmitting unit that transmits a search signal including information based on the character string acquired by the acquiring unit, the search signal being used to search for a providing apparatus that provides a communication parameter;

a receiving unit that receives a response to the search signal;

a first generation unit that generates an encryption key based on the character string acquired by the acquiring unit;

a second generation unit that generates a public key and a private key;

an encryption unit that encrypts the public key generated by the second generation unit by using the encryption key generated by the first generation unit;

a second transmitting unit that transmits the public key encrypted by the encryption unit to the providing apparatus that has transmitted the response; and

a starting unit that starts, on the basis of the response received by the receiving unit, communication parameter sharing processing using at least one of the public key and the private key with the providing apparatus that has transmitted the response.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in the communication parameter sharing processing, a communication parameter is shared on the basis of a public key encryption method using the public key and the private key generated by the second generation unit and a public key and a private key generated by the providing apparatus.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors configured to further provide a generating unit that generates the information by applying a hash function to a part or all of the character string acquired by the acquiring unit.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the hash function is Secure Hash Algorithm-2.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication parameter is used to allow the communication apparatus to join a wireless network that the providing apparatus has joined.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the communication parameter is used to allow the communication apparatus to be connected to an access point in the wireless network that the providing apparatus has joined.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication parameter includes at least one of a service set identifier, an encryption key, an encryption method, an authentication key, and an authentication method.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication parameter is used to perform wireless communication conforming to an IEEE 802.11 standard.

9. A communication method comprising:

acquiring a predetermined character string input by a user;

transmitting a search signal including information based on the character string acquired in the acquiring, the search signal being used to search for a providing apparatus that provides a communication parameter;

receiving a response to the search signal;

generating an encryption key based on the character string acquired;

generating a public key and a private key;

encrypting the public key by using the encryption key;

transmitting the public key to the providing apparatus that has transmitted the response; and

starting, on the basis of the response received in the receiving, communication parameter sharing processing using at least one of the public key and the private key with the providing apparatus that has transmitted the response.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to function as:

an acquiring unit that acquires a predetermined character string input by a user;

a first transmitting unit that transmits a search signal including information based on the character string acquired by the acquiring unit, the search signal being used to search for a providing apparatus that provides a communication parameter;

a receiving unit that receives a response to the search signal;

a first generation unit that generates an encryption key based on the character string acquired by the acquiring unit;

a second generation unit that generates a public key and a private key;

an encryption unit that encrypts the public key generated by the second generation unit by using the encryption key generated by the first generation unit;

a second transmitting unit that transmits the public key encrypted by the encryption unit to the providing apparatus that has transmitted the response; and

a starting unit that starts, on the basis of the response received by the receiving unit, communication parameter sharing processing using at least one of the public key and the private key with the providing apparatus that has transmitted the response.