WIRELESS LAN ACCESS POINT

• US 20090059878A1
• Filed: 08/26/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Buffalo Incorporated (Melco Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Buffalo Incorporated (Melco Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tamura, Yoshiteru
• Granted Patent: US 8,437,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/205 involving negotiation or determination of the one or more network security mechanisms to be used, e.g. by negotiation between the client and the server or between peers or by selection according to the capabilities of the entities involved negotiation of communication capabilities H04L69/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A wireless LAN (Local Area Network) access point includes: a housing; and a plurality of sub-access points provided in the housing. The plurality of sub-access points being operable independently of one another.

Claims

1. A wireless LAN (Local Area Network) access point comprising:

a plurality of sub-access points to which different unique identifiers are respectively assigned and which are operable independently of one another,

wherein the plurality of sub-access points include a plurality of normal sub-access points that support a plurality of encryption schemes respectively associated with different security levels, and

wherein one or more encryption schemes of the plurality of encryption schemes are assigned to each of the plurality of normal sub-access points to allow each of the plurality of normal sub-access points to perform wireless communication using one of the assigned encryption schemes, such that highest security levels of the respective normal sub-access points are different from one another.

2. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 1,

wherein each of the normal sub-access points is wirelessly connectable to a terminal device,

wherein the wireless LAN access point further comprises a selector configured to select an encryption scheme used in a wireless communication between one normal sub-access point and the terminal device, regardless of an encryption scheme used in a wireless communication between another normal sub-access point and another terminal device.

3. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 2,

wherein, when the selector is requested to select encryption scheme for one normal sub-access point, the selector negotiates encryption schemes with the terminal device based on the encryption schemes assigned to the one normal sub-access point and one or more encryption schemes supported by the terminal device and then selects an encryption scheme used in the wireless connection between the one normal sub-access point and the terminal device based on the negotiation, and

wherein the plurality of sub-access points include a special sub-access point configured to exchange an encryption key with the terminal device to perform the negotiation.

4. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 3,

wherein the special sub-access point is commonly used for the negotiations of the plurality of normal sub-access points.

5. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 1, further comprising an activation control unit configured to activate or deactivate each of the normal sub-access points independently.

6. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 5,

wherein the activation control unit is configured to determine, for each of the normal sub-access points, whether there is a terminal device connectable to the each normal sub-access point, and deactivate the normal sub-access point if the normal sub-access point is connectable to no terminal device.

7. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 6,

wherein the activation control unit executes the determination and deactivation in response to a first request to establish a connection between the wireless LAN access point and a first terminal device.

8. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 7,

wherein the activation control unit executes the determination and deactivation after establishing the connection.

9. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 8,

wherein the activation control unit activates one or more predetermined normal sub-access points in response to a second request to establish a connection between the wireless LAN access point and a second terminal device different from the first terminal device.

10. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 9, further comprising a request input device to input at least one of the first request and the second request.

11. The wireless LAN access point according to claim 1, comprising a physical MAC (Medial Access Controller),

wherein the physical MAC is operable as a plurality of virtual MACs that logically configures the plurality of sub-access points, respectively,

wherein the different unique identifiers are assigned to the virtual MACs, and

wherein the physical MAC processes data for the virtual MACs with the encryption scheme selected for the respective normal sub-access points in a time sharing manner.

12. A wireless LAN (Local Area Network) access point comprising:

a housing; and

a plurality of sub-access points provided in the housing, the plurality of sub-access points being operable independently of one another.

13. A computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon and readable by a computer, said computer program, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to perform operations for a wireless LAN (Local Area network) access point that comprises a plurality of sub-access points provided in a housing and being operable independently of one another, said operations comprising:

selecting an encryption scheme for one sub-access point regardless of an encryption scheme selected for another normal sub-access point.