Server apparatus, network-based appliance, and program product
First Claim
1. A server apparatus for supplying information to an appliance connected to an internal network, comprising:
- a first communication means for communicating with an appliance via the internal network, using a first communication parameter set in the internal network;
a second communication means for performing direct wireless communication with the appliance without using the internal network, using a second communication parameter set on an appliance basis;
communication mode setting means for setting which of the first communication means and the second communication means is used for communication with the appliance;
a third communication means for communicating with an external network;
communication parameter obtaining means for obtaining the second communication parameter from the external network via the third communication means;
communication parameter storing means for storing the second communication parameter obtained by the communication parameter obtaining means; and
communication parameter transmitting means for transmitting the first communication parameter set in the internal network to an appliance on the internal network corresponding to the second communication parameter via the second communication means, using the second communication parameter obtained via the communication parameter obtaining means.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An object of the present invention is to set a wireless LAN communication parameter with respect to an appliance connected to an in-home network smoothly and easily. Prior to purchasing an appliance, a user registers an in-home network in a center server, and receives a user ID and an e-mail address. Thereafter, when the user purchases an appliance from a vendor by presenting his/her own user ID, a user ID and a device encryption key of the appliance are transmitted from the vendor to the center server. The center server transmits the received information to an e-mail address (home server) of the user ID. The home server searches for a corresponding appliance in an ad hoc mode using the received device encryption key. At this time, when the purchased appliance has already been on the network, communication is established, and a user encryption key (wireless communication parameter) is given from the home sever to the appliance.
83 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A server apparatus for supplying information to an appliance connected to an internal network, comprising:
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a first communication means for communicating with an appliance via the internal network, using a first communication parameter set in the internal network;
a second communication means for performing direct wireless communication with the appliance without using the internal network, using a second communication parameter set on an appliance basis;
communication mode setting means for setting which of the first communication means and the second communication means is used for communication with the appliance;
a third communication means for communicating with an external network;
communication parameter obtaining means for obtaining the second communication parameter from the external network via the third communication means;
communication parameter storing means for storing the second communication parameter obtained by the communication parameter obtaining means; and
communication parameter transmitting means for transmitting the first communication parameter set in the internal network to an appliance on the internal network corresponding to the second communication parameter via the second communication means, using the second communication parameter obtained via the communication parameter obtaining means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A network-based appliance connected to an internal network, comprising:
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communication parameter storing means for storing a first communication parameter set in the internal network;
a first communication means for communicating with another appliance via the internal network, using the first communication parameter stored in the communication parameter storing means;
a second communication means for performing direct wireless communication with another appliance without using the internal network, using a second communication parameter set on an appliance basis;
communication mode setting means for setting which of the first communication means and the second communication means is used for communication with the appliance;
communication parameter obtaining means for obtaining the second communication parameter of another appliance from a server apparatus on the internal network via the first communication means; and
communication parameter transmitting means for transmitting the first communication parameter stored in the communication parameter storing means to an appliance on the internal network corresponding to the second communication parameter via the second communication means, using the second communication parameter obtained via the communication parameter obtaining means.
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7. A program product for providing a server apparatus connected to an internal network with:
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a first communication processing function for communicating with an appliance via the internal network, using a first communication parameter set in the internal network;
a second communication processing function for performing direct wireless communication with the appliance without using the internal network, using a second communication parameter set on an appliance basis;
a communication mode setting function for setting which of the first communication processing function and the second communication processing function is used for communication with the appliance;
a third communication processing function for communicating with an external network;
a communication parameter obtaining function for obtaining the second communication parameter from the external network via the third communication processing function;
a communication parameter storing function for storing the second communication parameter obtained by the communication parameter obtaining function in a memory; and
a communication parameter transmitting function for transmitting the first communication parameter set in the internal network to the appliance on the internal network corresponding to the second communication parameter by the second communication processing function, using the second communication parameter obtained by the communication parameter obtaining function. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A program product for providing a server apparatus having:
- a first communication processing function for communicating with an appliance via an internal network, using a first communication parameter set in the internal network;
a second communication processing function for performing direct wireless communication with the appliance without using the internal network, using a second communication parameter set on an appliance basis;
a communication mode setting function for setting which of the first communication processing function and the second communication processing function is used for communication with the appliance; and
a third communication processing function for communicating with an external network, with;
a communication parameter obtaining function for obtaining the second communication parameter from the external network via the third communication processing function;
a communication parameter storing function for storing the second communication parameter obtained by the communication parameter obtaining function in a memory; and
a communication parameter transmitting function for transmitting the first communication parameter set in the internal network to the appliance on the internal network corresponding to the second communication parameter by the second communication processing function, using the second communication parameter obtained by the communication parameter obtaining function. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
- a first communication processing function for communicating with an appliance via an internal network, using a first communication parameter set in the internal network;
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17. A program product for providing a computer of a network-based appliance connected to an internal network with:
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a communication parameter storing function of storing a first communication parameter set in the internal network in a memory;
a first communication processing function for communicating with another appliance via the internal network, using a first communication parameter set in the memory;
a second communication processing function for performing direct wireless communication with another appliance without using the internal network, using a second communication parameter set on an appliance basis;
a communication mode setting function for setting which of the first communication processing function and the second communication processing function is used for communication with the appliance;
a communication parameter obtaining function for obtaining the second communication parameter of another appliance from a server apparatus on the internal network by the first communication processing function; and
a communication parameter transmitting function for transmitting the first communication parameter set in the memory to the appliance on the internal network corresponding to the second communication parameter by the second communication processing function, using the second communication parameter obtained by the communication parameter obtaining function.
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18. A program product for providing a computer of a network-based appliance having:
- a communication parameter storing function of storing a first communication parameter set in the internal network in a memory;
a first communication processing function for communicating with another appliance via the internal network, using a first communication parameter set in the memory;
a second communication processing function for performing direct wireless communication with another appliance without using the internal network, using a second communication parameter set on an appliance basis; and
a communication mode setting function for setting which of the first communication processing function and the second communication processing function is used for communication with the appliance, with;
a communication parameter obtaining function for obtaining the second communication parameter of another appliance from a server apparatus on the internal network by the first communication processing function; and
a communication parameter transmitting function for transmitting the first communication parameter stored in the memory to the appliance on the internal network corresponding to the second communication parameter by the second communication processing function, using the first communication parameter obtained by the communication parameter obtaining function.
- a communication parameter storing function of storing a first communication parameter set in the internal network in a memory;
Specification