Wireless communication system, terminal, message sending method, and program for allowing terminal to execute the method

• US 20050003814A1
• Filed: 03/05/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Hideyuki, Saito, Shin
• Granted Patent: US 7,343,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Upon receiving a beacon, a terminal B sends a RTS control message to a terminal A before sending a registration request message to the terminal A. Upon receiving the RTS control message, the terminal A sends a CTS control message. The terminal B measures the time from when the RTS control message is sent to when the CTS control message is received so as to calculate the distance with the terminal A. If the distance with the terminal A is within a predetermined distance X1, the terminal B sends a registration request message to the terminal A. Similarly, the terminal A measures the distance with the terminal B, and sends a registration request acknowledgement message to the terminal B when the distance with the terminal B is within a predetermined distance X2.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system including a plurality of terminals, comprising:

a first terminal for sending a signal including beacon information; and

a second terminal for performing ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal in response to the signal, and for making a registration request to the first terminal when the determined distance is within a predetermined range.

2. A wireless communication system including a plurality of terminals, comprising:

a first terminal for sending a signal including beacon information; and

a second terminal for performing ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal in response to the signal, and for making a registration request to the first terminal when the determined distance is within a first predetermined range,

wherein the first terminal performs ranging to determine a distance with the second terminal in response to the registration request, and returns an acknowledgement of the registration request to the second terminal when the determined distance is within a second predetermined range.

5. A wireless communication system according to claim 2, wherein:

the second terminal performs ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal in response to the acknowledgement, and makes an issuance request to issue a certificate of privilege to the first terminal when the determined distance is within a third predetermined range; and

the first terminal performs ranging to determine a distance with the second terminal in response to the issuance request, and issues a certificate of privilege to the second terminal when the determined distance is within a fourth predetermined range.

6. A wireless communication system according to claim 5, wherein:

the second terminal performs ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal in response to the issuance of the certificate of privilege, and returns a reception acknowledgement of the certificate of privilege to the first terminal when the determined distance is within a fifth predetermined range; and

the first terminal issues a revocation list of the certificate of privilege when the reception acknowledgement is not returned from the second terminal within a predetermined period after issuing the certificate of privilege.

3. A wireless communication system including a plurality of terminals, comprising:

a fourth terminal for sending a signal including beacon information; and

a third terminal for performing ranging to determine a distance with the fourth terminal in response to the signal, and for making a registration proposal to the fourth terminal when the determined distance is within a predetermined range.

7. A wireless communication system according to claim 3, wherein:

the third terminal performs ranging to determine a distance with the fourth terminal in response to the acknowledgement, and issues a certificate of privilege to the fourth terminal when the determined distance is within a third predetermined range; and

the fourth terminal performs ranging to determine a distance with the third terminal in response to the issuance of the certificate of privilege, and receives the certificate of privilege when the determined distance is within a fourth predetermined range.

8. A wireless communication system according to claim 7, wherein:

the fourth terminal returns an issuing acknowledgement of the certificate of privilege to the third terminal when receiving the certificate of privilege issued from the third terminal; and

the third terminal issues a revocation list of the certificate of privilege when the issuing acknowledgement is not returned from the fourth terminal within a predetermined period after issuing the certificate of privilege.

4. A wireless communication system including a plurality of terminals, comprising:

a fourth terminal for sending a signal including beacon information; and

a third terminal for performing ranging to determine a distance with the fourth terminal in response to the signal, and for making a registration proposal to the fourth terminal when the determined distance is within a first predetermined range,

wherein the fourth terminal performs ranging to determine a distance with the third terminal in response to the registration proposal, and returns an acknowledgement of the registration proposal to the third terminal when the determined distance is within a second predetermined range.

9. A terminal comprising:

receiving means for receiving a predetermined signal;

ranging means for determining a distance with a first terminal when receiving the predetermined signal from the first terminal; and

sending means for sending a predetermined message to the first terminal when the determined distance is within a predetermined range.

10. A terminal according to claim 9, wherein the ranging means determines the distance with the first terminal by performing communication with the first terminal.

11. A terminal according to claim 10, wherein the ranging means determines the distance with the first terminal by sending and receiving access control packets to and from the first terminal.

12. A terminal according to claim 10, wherein the ranging means determines the distance with the first terminal by a response signal from the first terminal in response to the communication with the first terminal.

13. A terminal comprising:

receiving means for receiving a signal including beacon information;

ranging means for determining a distance with a first terminal upon receiving the signal from the first terminal; and

registration request message sending means for sending a registration request message when the determined distance is within a predetermined range.

15. A terminal according to claim 13, wherein the ranging means determines the distance with the first terminal by performing communication with the first terminal.

16. A terminal according to claim 15, wherein the ranging means determines the distance with the first terminal by sending and receiving access control packets to and from the first terminal.

17. A terminal according to claim 15, wherein the ranging means determines the distance with the first terminal by a response signal from the first terminal in response to the communication with the first terminal.

18. A terminal according to claim 13, wherein the registration request message sending means sends a public key certificate of the terminal together with a registration request message when sending the registration request message.

14. A terminal comprising:

receiving means for receiving a signal including beacon information;

ranging means for determining a distance with a first terminal upon receiving the signal from the first terminal; and

registration proposal message sending means for sending a registration proposal message when the determined distance is within a predetermined range.

19. A terminal according to claim 14, wherein the registration proposal message sending means sends a public key certificate of the terminal together with a registration proposal message when sending the registration proposal message.

20. A message sending method comprising:

a step of receiving a predetermined signal from a first terminal;

a step of performing ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal; and

a step of sending a predetermined message to the first terminal when the determined distance is within a predetermined range.

21. A message sending method according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined signal includes beacon information.

22. A message sending method comprising:

a step of receiving a signal including beacon information from a first terminal;

a step of performing ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal; and

a step of sending a predetermined registration proposal message to the first terminal when the determined distance is within a predetermined range.

23. A message sending method comprising:

a step of receiving a signal including beacon information from a first terminal;

a step of performing ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal at a first time;

a step of sending a registration request message to the first terminal when the determined distance at the first time is within a first predetermined range;

a step of receiving a registration request acknowledgement message from the first terminal in response to the registration request message;

a step of performing ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal at a second time; and

a step of sending a certificate-of-privilege issuing request message to the first terminal when the determined distance at the second time is within a second predetermined range.

24. A message sending method comprising:

a step of receiving a signal including beacon information from a first terminal;

a step of performing ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal at a first time;

a step of sending a registration proposal message to the first terminal when the determined distance at the first time is within a first predetermined range;

a step of receiving a registration proposal acknowledgement message from the first terminal in response to the registration proposal message;

a step of performing ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal at a second time; and

a step of issuing a certificate of privilege to the first terminal and sending a certificate-of-privilege issuing message to the first terminal when the determined distance at the second time is within a second predetermined range.

25. A program allowing a terminal to execute:

a step of receiving a predetermined signal from a first terminal;

a step of performing ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal; and

a step of sending a predetermined message to the first terminal when the determined distance is within a predetermined range.

26. A program according to claim 25, wherein the predetermined signal includes beacon information.

27. A program allowing a terminal to execute:

a step of receiving a signal including beacon information from a first terminal;

a step of performing ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal; and

a step of sending a registration proposal message to the first terminal when the determined distance is within a predetermined range.

28. A program allowing a terminal to execute:

a step of receiving a signal including beacon information from a first terminal;

a step of performing ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal at a first time;

a step of sending a registration request message to the first terminal when the determined distance at the first time is within a first predetermined range;

a step of receiving a registration request acknowledgement message from the first terminal in response to the registration request message;

a step of performing ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal at a second time; and

a step of sending a certificate-of-privilege issuing request message to the first terminal when the determined distance at the second time is within a second predetermined range.

29. A program allowing a terminal to execute:

a step of receiving a signal including beacon information from a first terminal;

a step of performing ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal at a first time;

a step of sending a registration proposal message to the first terminal when the determined distance at the first time is within a first predetermined range;

a step of receiving a registration proposal acknowledgement message from the first terminal in response to the registration proposal message;

a step of performing ranging to determine a distance with the first terminal at a second time; and

a step of issuing a certificate of privilege and sending a certificate-of-privilege issuing message to the first terminal when the determined distance at the second time is within a second predetermined range.