Wireless communication device, and method for controlling the same, which authenticates partner device when connecting thereto

• US 20030149875A1
• Filed: 01/30/2003
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hosaka, Chisei
• Granted Patent: US 7,224,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/85 interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

When having been set into, for example, a mode for registering a Bluetooth device address (BD_ADDR) in accordance with the Bluetooth Standard or a mode for registering a Personal Identification Number (PIN) code in accordance with the Bluetooth Standard, a wireless communication device of the present invention can be link-connected with a partner device without performing authentication on the partner device, to receive and register information from the partner device.

Furthermore, if a BD_ADDR of a partner device is already registered, the wireless communication device of the present invention can be link-connected with the partner device without performing authentication of the partner device.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

authentication means for authenticating a partner device when link-connecting to the partner device;

setting means for setting the wireless communication device into a predetermined mode; and

communication means for link-connecting to the partner device without performing authentication thereon using the authentication means, in accordance with whether the wireless communication device has been set into the predetermined mode by the setting means.

2. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined mode is a mode for registering a Bluetooth device address, of the partner device, in accordance with the Bluetooth Standard; and

when the setting means has set the predetermined mode, the wireless communication device is link-connected with the partner device without performing authentication thereon using the authentication means and registers the Bluetooth device address received from the partner device.

3. The wireless communication device according to claim 2, wherein the authentication means is link-connected with a partner device without performing authentication thereon using the authentication means if a Bluetooth device address of the partner device is already registered.

4. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined mode is a mode for registering a Personal Identification Number (PIN) code in accordance with the Bluetooth Standard; and

when the setting means has set the predetermined mode, the wireless communication device is link-connected with the partner device without performing authentication thereon using the authentication means and registers the PIN code received from the partner device.

5. The wireless communication device according to claim 4, wherein the authentication means performs the authentication using a PIN code registered in the predetermined mode.

6. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein when the predetermined mode is set by the setting means, the communication means decreases wireless output power.

7. The wireless communication device according to claim 6, wherein when link-connection with the partner device is established, the communication means increases the output power.

8. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein when having been set into the predetermined mode, the wireless communication device is link-connected with only one partner device and refuses a link-connection request from any devices other than the link-connected partner device.

9. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined mode is released when information sent from the partner device after the link-connection is established is registered.

10. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined mode is a mode for registering information which is sent from the partner device; and

the wireless communication device further comprises output means for outputting the registered information.

11. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined mode is a mode for registering information which is sent from the partner device.

12. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the setting means can selectively set a mode for registering a Bluetooth device address, of the partner device, in accordance with the Bluetooth Standard or a mode for registering a Personal Identification Number (PIN) code in accordance with the Bluetooth Standard.

13. A wireless communication device control method comprising:

an authentication step for authenticating a partner device when link-connecting to the partner device;

a setting step for setting a wireless communication device into a predetermined mode; and

a communication step for link-connecting to the partner device without performing authentication thereon in the authentication step, in accordance with whether the wireless communication device has been set into the predetermined mode in the setting step.