Encryption key setting system, access point, encryption key setting method, and authentication code setting system

• US 7,522,729 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2004
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Buffalo Incorporated (Melco Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Buffalo Incorporated (Melco Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ishidoshiro, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, ELLEN C
• Application Number:
  US10/983,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20050201557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• Field of Search: 380/270, 380/273, 380/278
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]

Abstract

Access point 20 starts the WEP key setting process by working registration button 127A of remote controller 30. The range reached by the electric waves transmitted from access point 20 is changed from wireless communication area AR1 which is the normal range to security communication area MR1 which is a narrower range. After that, access point 20 delivers the used WEP key to terminal 50, and after confirming delivery, registers the MAC address of terminal 50. Terminal 50 sets the delivered WEP key itself.

As a result, it is possible to realize with a simple method the new addition of terminals used for a wireless LAN while preventing leaking of data that represents the encryption key.

Claims

1. An encryption key setting system performing encryption, with an encryption key, in advance of communication of wireless communication data through wireless communication using electric waves, said encryption key setting system comprising:

an access point which is a relay for a wireless LAN; and

a terminal which is equipped with a device for wireless LAN connection and comprises a registration button (TB) for;

remote connection to said access point and giving instructions to start setting said encryption key at said access point by operating the registration button (TB);

wherein the access point comprises;

a communication range restriction module that restricts the wireless communication range between said access point and said terminal to be narrower than the normal communication range and;

an encryption key setting module that, when the wireless communication range is restricted by said communication range restriction module, sets said encryption key by wirelessly communicating encryption key data, created by the access point, and representing the contents of said encryption key, between terminals that exist within said communication range and said access point, and wherein the encryption key setting module sets said encryption key by;

transmitting data representing a selected WEP key for use by the terminal; and

determining whether the WEP key data has been successfully delivered to the terminal by utilizing a data return function of said terminal.

2. The encryption key setting system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

a condition deciding module that decides conditions that restricts said wireless communication range to be narrower than the normal communication range based on the instructions of said instruction module,

wherein said communication range restriction module restricts said wireless communication range while the conditions decided by said condition deciding module is detected.

3. The encryption key setting system in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein said communication range restriction module comprises:

first means that performs control to restrict the wireless communication range to be narrower than the normal communication range when said access point receives instructions to the effect of setting an encryption key from said terminal; and

second means that performs control to set back the wireless communication range to the normal communication range when the encryption key setting by said encryption key setting module is completed.

4. The encryption key setting system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said communication range restriction module restricts said wireless communication range by adjusting the transmission output of said access point.

5. The encryption key setting system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said communication range restriction module has a shielding body that shields the terminal and access point for which said encryption key setting is performed in relation to said wireless signal.

6. The encryption key setting system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said access point is equipped with a registration module that registers information that is inherent to the terminal that is subject to communication.

7. The encryption key setting system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said encryption key setting module comprises:

an inherent information receiving module that receives said information inherent to a terminal by said wireless communication in advance of wireless communication of said encryption key data by electric waves; and

a terminal identification module that identifies the terminal for communicating said encryption key based on said received inherent information.

8. The encryption key setting system in accordance with claim 7 further comprising:

a wireless communication module by which said access point and said terminal exchange said information inherent to the terminal by a media other than electric waves, in contrast to the wireless communication using said electric waves,

wherein said terminal identification module identifies said terminal for communicating the encryption key when said inherent information received using wireless communication by said electric waves corresponds to said inherent information received by said wireless communication module.

9. The encryption key setting system in accordance with claim 1, wherein in response to a failed delivery of the WEP key data to the terminal the access point eliminates a MAC address associated with said terminal stored in the access point.

10. The encryption key setting system in accordance with claim 1, wherein, in response to a successful delivery of the WEP key data to the terminal, the communication range restriction module of the access point restores the wireless communication range to the normal communication range.

11. An access point that is a relay for a wireless LAN that performs wireless communication with terminals equipped with a device for connection to a wireless LAN, and that, in advance of communication with said terminal of wireless communication data using electric waves, encrypts wireless communication data that is subject to communication using the set encryption key and performs wireless communication with said terminal using said encrypted wireless communication data, said access point comprising:

a communication range restriction module that receives wireless instructions from a device capable of wireless remote operation in relation to said access point and restricts the wireless communication range with said terminal to be narrower than the normal communication range; and

an encryption key setting module that, when the wireless communication range is restricted by said communication range restriction module, sets said encryption key by wirelessly communicating encryption key data, created by the access point and representing the contents of said encryption key, between terminals that exist within said communication range and said access point, and wherein the encryption key setting module sets said encryption key by;

transmitting data representing a selected WEP key for use by the terminal; and

determining whether the WEP key data has been successfully delivered to the terminal by utilizing a data return function of said terminal.

12. An encryption key setting method setting to terminals an encryption key used during encryption, in advance of communication of wireless communication data by wireless communication using electric waves between an access point which is a relay for a wireless LAN and said terminals equipped with devices for wireless LAN connection, the method comprising:

receiving instructions to start wireless registration processing from a device remote from the access point and capable of wireless remote operation in relation to said access point, said device comprising a terminal and said terminal comprising a registration button (TB);

said access point restricting the wireless communication range between said access point and said terminals to be narrower than a normal communication range when said registration processing start instructions are received following operation of said registration button (TB);

said access point setting said encryption key by doing wireless communication of encryption key data, created by the access point and representing the contents of said encryption key between terminals that exist within said communication range and said access point when said wireless communication range has been restricted; and

transmitting data representing a selected WEP key for use to the terminal; and

determining whether or not the WEP key data has been successfully delivered to the terminal by utilizing a data return function of terminal.

13. The encryption key setting method in accordance with claim 12, wherein in response to a failed delivery of the WEP data to the terminal, the access point eliminates a MAC address associated with said terminal stored in the access point.

14. The encryption key setting method in accordance with claim 12, wherein in response to a successful delivery of the WEP key data to the terminal, the access point restores the wireless communication range to the normal communication range.

15. An authentication code setting system that sets the authentication code, which is required when a terminal which is equipped with a device for wireless LAN connection accesses specific data on a network by wireless communication using electric waves at an access point that is a relay for a wireless LAN, in at least one or the other of said terminals or said access point, said authentication code setting system comprising:

an instruction module that gives instructions to start the setting of said authentication code to said access point by operating an operating unit which is a device for which wireless remote operation is possible in relation to said access point,

a range restricting module that restricts the wireless communication range between said access point and said terminals to be narrower than the normal communication range based on the instructions of said instruction module; and

a setting module that sets said authentication code between terminals that exist within said communication range and said access point by wireless communication of data that represents the contents of said authentication code when the wireless communication range has been restricted by said communication range restriction module, wherein the setting module sets the authentication code by;

transmitting data representing a selected WEP key for use by the terminal; and

determining whether the WEP key data has been successfully delivered to the terminal by utilizing a data return function of said terminal.