Communication system, information processing device, connection device, and connection device designation method for designating connection device for communication device to connect to

• US 20050018686A1
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Umemura, Naoki, Igarashi, Kai
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

When connecting a wireless LAN terminal to a specific wireless access point, an inquiry is made to a server about the specific wireless access point, via the wireless access point which the wireless LAN terminal is connecting to, and then connection information for connecting to the specific wireless access point is automatically received, whereby wireless communication are established between the wireless LAN terminal and the specific wireless access point. Furthermore, in a case where wireless LAN terminals which are permitted to connect are registered into each wireless access point, when a wireless access point receives a connection request from a wireless LAN terminal that is not permitted to connect, an inquiry is made to another wireless access point regarding whether there is a wireless access point which that wireless LAN terminal is permitted to connect to. Then, if a wireless access point which that wireless LAN terminal is permitted to connect to is found as a result of the inquiry, then connection information for connecting to that wireless access point is notified to the wireless LAN terminal.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

storing means for storing information pertaining to a connection device which a communication device should connect to;

determining means for determining a connection device which is connected to a first connection device and which the communication device should connect to, based on information stored in the storing means; and

notifying means for notifying to the communication device information for connecting to the connection device determined by the determining means.

2. A communication system according to claim 1, further comprising an administrative device having the storing means,

wherein the administrative device performs the determination performed by the determining means.

3. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the determining means performs the determination when the communication device performs an authentication process with the administrative device via the first connection device.

4. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the notifying means notifying the information includes one of frequency information for connecting to the connection device, identification information for identifying the connection device, and enciphering information.

5. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the determining means performs the determination based on user information pertaining to the user of the communication device.

6. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the storing means stores the connection device that the communication device should connect to according to units of time.

7. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the notifying means notifies the information pertaining to multiple connecting devices in a case where the determining means determines that there are multiple connection devices which the communication device should connect to.

8. A communication system according to claim 7, wherein the communication device performs a display to select one of the multiple connection devices notified.

9. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the storing means stores the information pertaining to the connection device that the communication device should connect to separately by the area where the communication device is arranged.

10. A communication system according to claim 9, further comprising instructing means for giving instructions so that multiple communication devices connect to multiple connection devices in an evenly distributed fashion in a case where the determining means determines that in the same area there are multiple connection devices which the communication device should connect to.

11. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the multiple connection devices has the storing means; and

each connection device stores information pertaining to a communication device to which that connection device permits a connection.

12. A communication system according to claim 11, wherein the determining means performs the determination by means of the first connection device inquiring to another connection device about permission for the communication device to make a connection.

13. A communication system according to claim 12, wherein the first connection device further comprises registering means for registering the connection device performing the inquiry.

14. A communication system according to claim 13, wherein the determining means performs the inquiry to a connection device other than the connection device registered in the registering means in a case where the determining means could not determine the connection device which the communication device should connect to after an inquiry made based on the registration in the registering means.

15. A communication system according to claim 13, wherein the connection device that received the inquiry from the first connection device updates contents registered in the registering means.

16. A communication system according to claim 12, wherein the first connection device performs the inquiry performed by the determining means in a case where the first connection device does not permit the communication device to connect.

17. An information processing device, comprising:

storing means for storing information pertaining to a connection device which a communication device should connect to;

determining means for determining a connection device which is connected to a first connection device and which the communication device should connect to, based on information stored in the storing means; and

notifying means for notifying to the communication device information for connecting to the connection device determined by the determining means.

18. An information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the determining means performs the determination when the communication device performs an authentication process with the information processing device via the first connection device.

19. An information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the notifying means notifying the information includes one of frequency information for connecting to the connection device, identification information for identifying the connection device, and enciphering information.

20. An information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the determining means performs the determination based on user information pertaining to the user of the communication device.

21. An information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the storing means stores the information pertaining to the connection device that the communication device should connect to according to units of time.

22. An information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the notifying means notifies multiple connecting devices in a case where the determining means determines that there are multiple connection devices which the communication device should connect to.

23. An information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the storing means stores the information pertaining to the connection device that the communication device should connect to separately by the area where the communication device is arranged.

24. An information processing device according to claim 23, further comprising instructing means for giving instructions so that multiple communication devices connect to multiple connection devices in an evenly distributed fashion in a case where the determining means determines that in the same area there are multiple connection devices which the communication device should connect to.

25. A connection device, comprising:

storing means for storing information pertaining to a communication device to which the connection device permits a connection;

determining means for determining a connection device which is connected to the connection device and which the communication device should connect to, in accordance with the information stored in the storing means; and

notifying means for notifying to the communication device information for connecting to the connection device determined by the determining means.

26. A connection device according to claim 25, wherein the determining means performs the determination by means of the connection device inquiring to another connection device about permission for the communication device to make a connection.

27. A connection device according to claim 26, further comprising registering means for registering the connection device performing the inquiry.

28. A connection device according to claim 27, wherein the determining means performs the inquiry to a connection device other than the connection device registered in the registering means in a case where the determining means could not determine the connection device which the communication device should connect to after an inquiry made based on the registration in the registering means.

29. A connection device according to claim 26, wherein the connection device updates contents registered in the registering means when the connection device receives the inquiry from another connection device.

30. A connection device according to claim 26, wherein the connection device performs the inquiry performed by the determining means in a case where the connection device does not permit the communication device to connect.

31. A connection device designation method, comprising:

a managing step for managing a connection device which a communication device should connect to;

a determining step for determining a connection device which is connected to a first connection device and which the communication device should connect to, based on information managed in the managing step; and

a notifying step for notifying to the communication device information for connecting to the connection device determined in the determining step.