Radio communication system, radio communication control apparatus, radio communication control method, recording medium, and computer program

• US 7,519,985 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shima, Hisato, Kawamura, Harumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kimyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, NIRAV B
• Application Number:
  US10/381,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20040042413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,450 Days
• Field of Search: 380/247, 380/255, 380/270, 380/200, 380/201, 380/229, 380/241, 380/242, 713/155, 713168-170, 713/300, 713/320, 713/310, 713/340, 455/410, 455/411, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/574, 455/26.1, 370/252, 370/254, 726/1, 726/2, 726/36, 726 27- 30, 726/22
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/122 Counter-measures against attacks; Protection against rogue devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

When transmitting data such as audio data which require protection to be provided, difficulty levels of authentication are switched corresponding to processing power of equipments to communicate. Thus, for an equipment of low processing power may perform a Bluetooth communication based on the SDMI. Further, for a communicating counterparty which is an equipment of high processing power, such as a personal computer, sufficient countermeasures against hacking may be taken.

Claims

1. A radio communication control method for controlling transmission of a data stream by a source apparatus to a sink apparatus in a radio cell, the method comprising:

determining processing power of the sink apparatus according to services supported by the sink apparatus based on a self-assessment by the sink apparatus;

classifying, based on the processing power, the sink apparatus as either a first type or a second type;

obtaining a device class from the sink apparatus;

comparing the device class to the classified first type or the classified second type;

selecting, based on the processing power when the device class matches the classified first type or the classified second type, an authentication system for authenticating the source apparatus and the sink apparatus, wherein authentication comprises;

selecting a first authentication method for the first type of sink apparatus; and

selecting a second authentication method for the second type of sink apparatus; and

communicating with the sink apparatus based on the selected first authentication method or the selected second authentication method.

2. The radio communication control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

determining the processing power of the sink apparatus comprises using a self-assessment from the sink apparatus.

3. The radio communication control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the radio cell is established using a Bluetooth wireless network; and

determining the processing power of the sink apparatus comprises using a self-assessment from the sink apparatus, the self-assessment being a stream get capability command.

4. The radio communication control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the radio cell is established using the Bluetooth wireless network; and

determining comprises querying the sink apparatus to determine the processing power of the sink apparatus, the query being a security control command.

5. The radio communication control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the radio cell is established using a Bluetooth wireless network; and

determining the processing power of the sink apparatus comprises using class of device information obtained during an inquiry procedure.

6. The radio communication control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the radio cell is established using the Bluetooth wireless network; and

the processing power is determined according to services obtained by a service discovery corresponding to the sink apparatus.

7. The radio communication control method as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

a sink apparatus that uses an A2DP Bluetooth advanced audio distribution profile is determined to have a low processing power and is classified as the first type of sink apparatus.

8. The radio communication control method as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

a sink apparatus that uses a personal area network profile, a LAN access profile, an object push profile, or a file transfer profile is determined to have a high processing power and is classified as the second type of sink apparatus.

9. A storage medium comprising computer software which, when executed by a processor, performs a method for controlling transmission of a data stream by a source apparatus to a sink apparatus in a radio cell, the method comprising:

determining a processing power of the sink apparatus according to services supported by the sink apparatus based on a self-assessment by the sink apparatus;

classifying, based on the processing power, the sink apparatus as either a first type or a second type;

obtaining a device class from the sink apparatus;

comparing the device class to the classified first type or the classified second type;

selecting, based on the processing power when the device class matches the classified first type or the classified second type, an authentication system for authenticating the source apparatus and the sink apparatus, wherein authenticating comprises;

selecting a first authentication method for the first type of sink apparatus; and

selecting a second authentication method for the second type of sink apparatus; and

communicating with the sink apparatus based on the selected first authentication method or the selected second authentication method.