COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD

• US 20090175446A1
• Filed: 01/06/2009
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Nobuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,634,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

This invention allows connection of an apparatus with a low security level without lowering the security level of a network even when such apparatus issues a connection request. This invention is directed to an access point which makes wireless communications with a station using an encryption method (AES). Upon reception of a connection request message including information indicating an encryption method (WEP) that can be used by a station, the access point checks if the encryption method (WEP) recognized based on the received connection request message is different from the encryption method (AES). When it is determined that the two encryption methods are different, the access point launches a controller which makes wireless communications with the station using that encryption method (WEP).

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a confirmation unit configured to confirm an encryption method requested by a second communication apparatus that requests connection to said communication apparatus; and

a formation unit configured to execute, when the encryption method which is requested by the second communication apparatus and is confirmed by said confirmation unit is a second encryption method different from a first encryption method used in a first network formed by said communication apparatus, processing for forming a second network using the second encryption method.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said formation unit generates the second network using the second encryption method, and connects the second communication apparatus via the second network.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said formation unit determines whether or not the second network can be generated, and generates the second network when said formation unit determines that the second network can be generated.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said formation unit generates the second network, and transmits information associated with the second encryption method.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said formation unit executes processing for making a third communication apparatus generate the second network.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said formation unit determines the presence/absence of the third communication apparatus which can generate the second network, and requests the third communication apparatus to generate the second network when the third communication apparatus is present.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a limitation unit configured to limit relaying of data communicated via the first network and data communicated via the second network.

8. A control method in a communication apparatus, comprising:

confirming an encryption method requested by a second communication apparatus that requests connection to the communication apparatus; and

executing, when the encryption method which is requested by the second communication apparatus and is confirmed in the confirming step is a second encryption method different from a first encryption method used in a first network formed by the communication apparatus, processing for forming a second network using the second encryption method.

9. A program for making a computer execute a control method according to claim 8.