COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD

• US 20140098952A1
• Filed: 12/06/2013
• Published: 04/10/2014
• 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 9,900,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/31
• 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 participation unit configured to participate in a first group which communicates using a first encryption key, as a slave station; and

a forming unit configured to form, when the participation unit participates in the first group, a second group which communicates using a second encryption key which differs from the first encryption key.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the forming unit forms the second group as a master station.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, in a case where the forming unit have formed the second group, the communication apparatus is in a state of belonging to the first group and the second group.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the forming unit starts, in a case of receiving a group forming request, a process to form the second group.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the forming unit sets at least one of group identification information, frequency channel to be used for communications, and an encryption method to be used for communications, and forms the second group.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the forming unit starts a process to form the second group in accordance with an instruction from a first other communication apparatus which is a master station of the first group.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the forming unit forms the second group to make a second other communication apparatus participate in communications, the second other communication apparatus is an apparatus which detected the other first other communication apparatus.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an encryption method used in the first encryption key and an encryption method used in the second encryption key are different.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a limiting unit configured to limit a relay between data which is communicated in the first group and data which is communicated in the second group.

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

participating in a first group which communicates using a first encryption key, as a slave station; and

forming, when communication apparatus is participated in the first group in the participating step, a second group which communicates using a second encryption key which differs from the first encryption key.

11. An non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program which causes a computer to execute a control method, the method comprising:

participating in a first group which communicates using a first encryption key, as a slave station; and

forming, when communication apparatus is participated in the first group in the participating step, a second group which communicates using a second encryption key which differs from the first encryption key.