COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREOF, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20130223630A1
• Filed: 04/04/2013
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Goto, Fumihide
• Granted Patent: US 9,112,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/279
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0816 Key establishment, i.e. cryptographic processes or cryptographic protocols whereby a shared secret becomes available to two or more parties, for subsequent use
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0833 involving conference or group key network architectures or network communication protocols for key management in group communication in a packet data network H04L63/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A first communication apparatus that functions as a providing apparatus that provides an encryption key or as a receiving apparatus that receives an encryption key provided by a providing apparatus, and that performs a key sharing process for sharing an encryption key with another apparatus, confirms whether or not the first communication apparatus functioned as the providing apparatus in the key sharing process performed among a plurality of apparatuses present on a network in which the first communication apparatus is joining; compares identification information of a second communication apparatus that has newly joined the network with identification information of the first communication apparatus; and determines whether or not the first communication apparatus is to function as a providing apparatus in the key sharing process performed between the first and the second communication apparatuses based on the result of the confirmation and the comparison.

Claims

1. A first communication apparatus that functions as a providing apparatus that provides an encryption key or as a receiving apparatus that receives an encryption key provided by a providing apparatus, and that performs a key sharing process for sharing an encryption key with another apparatus, the first communication apparatus comprising:

confirmation means for confirming whether or not the first communication apparatus functioned as the providing apparatus in the key sharing process performed among a plurality of apparatuses present on a network in which the first communication apparatus is joining;

comparing means for comparing identification information of a second communication apparatus that has newly joined the network with identification information of the first communication apparatus; and

determination means for determining whether or not the first communication apparatus is to function as a providing apparatus in the key sharing process performed between the first communication apparatus and the second communication apparatus based on the result of the confirmation performed by the confirmation means and the result of the comparison performed by the comparing means.