WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, WIRELESS HOST, AND WIRELESS DEVICE

• US 20110004920A1
• Filed: 06/16/2010
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: EJIMA, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,365,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/082 applying multi-factor authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A wireless communication system includes a wireless host and a wireless device. The wireless device includes a user authentication unit that authenticates a requesting user that is using the wireless host based on a result of comparison between a requesting-user ID of the requesting user received from the host and a user ID of a user that is permitted to establish communication with the wireless device. When the requesting user is authenticated by the user authentication unit, information required prior to connection is stored in the wireless device and the wireless host. The wireless device permits to continue the association process with the wireless host, when the information required prior to connection received from the wireless host and the information required prior to connection stored in the wireless device match.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system comprising:

a wireless host that issues a request for wireless communication; and

a wireless device that receives the request, wherein

the wireless host includes a communication unit that transmits, before transmitting a communication request that requests wireless communication with the wireless device to the wireless device, a requesting-user ID for identification of a requesting user that is using the wireless host,

the wireless device includes;

a communication unit that receives the requesting-user ID from the wireless host;

a user-ID storing unit that stores a user ID of a user that is permitted to establish communication with the wireless device;

a user authentication unit that authenticates the requesting user based on a result of comparison between the requesting-user ID received by the communication unit of the wireless device and the user ID stored in the user-ID storing unit; and

an information required prior to connection storing unit that stores, when the requesting user is authenticated by the user authentication unit, information required prior to connection that indicates that the requesting user is authenticated,

when the requesting user is authenticated by the user authentication unit, the communication unit of the wireless device transmits the information required prior to connection to the wireless host,

the communication unit of the wireless host transmits the information required prior to connection to the wireless device in an association process for wireless connection with the wireless device,

the wireless device further includes an information required prior to connection verifying unit that compares the information required prior to connection received by the wireless device and the information required prior to connection stored in the information required prior to connection storing unit, and

when the information required prior to connection received by the wireless device and the information required prior to connection stored in the information required prior to connection storing unit match, the communication unit of the wireless device continues the association process with the wireless host.

2. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein when the information required prior to connection received by the wireless device and the information required prior to connection stored in the information required prior to connection storing unit do not match, the communication unit of the wireless device discontinues the association process with the wireless host.

3. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the association process is a process in compliance with communication standard for near field association model.

4. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the wireless host further includes an input receiving unit that receives an input entered by the requesting user, and

the communication unit of the wireless host transmits the requesting-user ID to the wireless device when the input receiving unit receives an input that requests the information required prior to connection, the input being entered by the requesting user.

5. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the wireless host further includes an information required prior to connection storing unit that stores the information required prior to connection, and

the communication unit of the wireless host transmits the information required prior to connection stored in the information required prior to connection storing unit of the wireless host to the wireless device.

6. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the information required prior to connection contains an authentication ID for identification of an authentication operation performed by the user authentication unit.

7. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the information required prior to connection contains a host ID for identification of the wireless host.

8. The wireless communication system according to claim 7, wherein the host ID is information that is for use in the association process and that differs from another host ID that is information for identification of the wireless host.

9. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the information required prior to connection contains the requesting-user ID.

10. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless device further includes an updating unit that adds, deletes, and modifies a user ID to, from, and in the user-ID storing unit according to an instruction issued by a system administrator by using a Web server function.

11. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the wireless device further includes an input receiving unit that receives an input entered by a system administrator, and

when the input receiving unit receives an input that requests the information required prior to connection, the communication unit of the wireless device requests the wireless device to pass the information required prior to connection, and, when the information required prior to connection received by the wireless device and the information required prior to connection stored in the information required prior to connection storing unit match, the communication unit continues the association process with the wireless host.

12. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the wireless host is a wireless USB host that issues the request for wireless communication in compliance with wireless USB standard;

the wireless device is a wireless USB device;

the information required prior to connection is wireless USB host identifying information;

the information required prior to connection storing unit is a wireless USB host identifying information storing unit; and

the information required prior to connection verifying unit is a wireless USB host identifying information verifying unit.

13. A wireless host that issues a request for wireless communication to a wireless device, the wireless host comprising:

a communication unit that transmits, before transmitting a communication request that requests wireless communication with the wireless device to the wireless device, a requesting-user ID for identification of a requesting user that is using the wireless host; and

an information required prior to connection storing unit that stores, when the communication unit receives an information required prior to connection that indicates that the requesting user has been authenticated from the wireless device, the information required prior to connection, wherein

the communication unit transmits the information required prior to connection to the wireless device in an association process for wireless connection with the wireless device, and when continuance of the association process is permitted by the wireless device, the communication unit continues the association process.

14. A wireless device that receives a request for wireless communication from a wireless host, the wireless device comprising:

a communication unit that receives a requesting-user ID for identification of a requesting user that uses the wireless host from the wireless host;

a user-ID storing unit that stores a user ID of a user that is permitted to establish communication with the wireless device;

a user authentication unit that authenticates the requesting user based on a result of comparison between the requesting-user ID received by the communication unit and the user ID stored in the user-ID storing unit; and

an information required prior to connection storing unit that stores, when the requesting user is authenticated by the user authentication unit, information required prior to connection that indicates that the requesting user has been authenticated, wherein

when the requesting user is authenticated by the user authentication unit, the communication unit transmits the information required prior to connection to the wireless host,

the wireless device further includes an information required prior to connection verifying unit that compares the information required prior to connection received by the wireless device and the information required prior to connection stored in the information required prior to connection storing unit in an association process for wireless connection with the wireless host, and

when the information required prior to connection received by the wireless device and the information required prior to connection stored in the information required prior to connection storing unit match, the communication unit continues the association process with the wireless host.