Wireless Network System, Terminal Management Device, Wireless Relay Device, and Communications Method

• US 20160050567A1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: ASANO, Takahiro, KIMURA, Toshihiro
• Granted Patent: US 10,575,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15 Active relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• 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 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Provided is a technology for allowing only a wireless terminal satisfying a security policy to be connected to an in-company network without causing a significant increase in costs. The terminal management device including a determination part communicating with a wireless terminal via a different communication network from the wireless network system, and determining whether or not the wireless terminal satisfies a predetermined security policy, and a connection information transmission part transmitting connection information for connection to the wireless relay device to the wireless terminal which is determined to satisfy the security policy by the determination part is provided in a wireless network system that includes a wireless access point device constituting an in-company network and connecting a wireless terminal for which predetermined connection information has been set.

Claims

1. A wireless network system including a wireless relay device and a terminal management device, wherein the terminal management device comprises:

a determination part, configured to communicate with a wireless terminal via a different communication network from the wireless network system, and determine whether or not the wireless terminal satisfies a predetermined security policy; and

a connection information transmission part, configured to transmit connection information for connection to the wireless relay device to the wireless terminal which is determined to satisfy the security policy by the determination part.

2. The wireless network system according to claim 1, wherein the connection information transmission part transmits the connection information via the different communication network from the wireless network system.

3. The wireless network system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detection device that detects that the wireless terminal enters a service area of the wireless network system,

wherein the terminal management device uses the determination part to perform a determination as to the security policy on the wireless terminal which is detected to enter the service area of the wireless network system by the detection device.

4. The wireless network system according to claim 3, wherein the wireless relay device functions as the detection device.

5. A terminal management device comprising:

a determination part, configured to communicate with a wireless terminal via a different communication network from a wireless network system including a wireless relay device, and determine whether or not the wireless terminal satisfies a predetermined security policy; and

a connection information transmission part, configured to transmit connection information for connection to the wireless relay device to the wireless terminal which is determined to satisfy the security policy by the determination part.

6. A wireless relay device included in a wireless network system, the wireless relay device comprising:

a terminal notification part, configured to notify a high-level device of a terminal identifier of a wireless terminal when radio wave intensity of a request message received from the wireless terminal exceeds a predetermined threshold value and the terminal identifier of the wireless terminal has been registered in advance; and

an updating part, configured to update a filter for limiting wireless terminals of communicating via the wireless relay device according to an instruction from the high-level device.

7. The wireless relay device according to claim 6, wherein the request message is a probe request, the terminal identifier is a MAC address, and the filter is a MAC address filter.

8. The wireless relay device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a communication part, configured to connect to the wireless terminal which has obtained connection information for connection to the wireless relay device via a different communication network from the wireless network system, and perform communication using the wireless network system with the wireless terminal.

13. The wireless relay device according to claim 6, wherein the wireless relay device is a wireless access point device.

14. The wireless relay device according to claim 6, wherein the wireless relay device is a wireless switching hub.

15. The wireless relay device according to claim 6, wherein the wireless relay device is a wireless router.

9. A communications method comprising:

communicating with a wireless terminal via a different communication network from a wireless network system including a wireless relay device, and determining whether or not the wireless terminal satisfies a predetermined security policy; and

transmitting connection information for connection to the wireless relay device to the wireless terminal which is determined to satisfy the security policy.

11. The communications method according to claim 9, wherein the connection information is transmitted via the different communication network from the wireless network system.

12. The communications method according to claim 9, further comprising:

detecting that the wireless terminal enters a service area of the wireless network system,

wherein a determination is performed as to the security policy on the wireless terminal which is detected to enter the service area of the wireless network system.

10. A communications method in a wireless relay device included in a wireless network system, the communications method comprising:

notifying a high-level device of a terminal identifier of a wireless terminal when radio wave intensity of a request message received from the wireless terminal exceeds a predetermined threshold value and the terminal identifier of the wireless terminal has been registered in advance; and

updating a filter for limiting wireless terminals of communicating via the wireless relay device according to an instruction from the high-level device.

16. The communications method according to claim 10, wherein the request message is a probe request, the terminal identifier is a MAC address, and the filter is a MAC address filter.

17. The communications method according to claim 10, further comprising:

connecting to the wireless terminal which has obtained connection information for connection to the wireless relay device via a different communication network from the wireless network system; and

performing communication using the wireless network system with the wireless terminal.