Setting parameters in a communication device for network connection

• US 8,249,504 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujii, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): GONZALEZ, AMANCIO
• Application Number:
  US11/282,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20060111097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,470 Days
• Field of Search: 455/420, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/411, 726/26, 726/4, 726/21, 713/175
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices

Abstract

In a communication control method for wireless communication between a first communication device and a second communication device through a wireless communication unit, identification information is notified from the second communication device to the first communication device by using a communication unit other than the wireless communication unit. Wireless communication between the first and second communication devices is performed by the wireless communication unit using the first communication parameter shared in advance, and authentication processing based on identification information is performed. When authentication is acquired by this authentication processing, the second communication parameter to be set with respect to a wireless communication unit is shared by the first and second communication devices through the above wireless communication. Parameters for wireless communication between the first and second communication devices are set in the wireless communication unit by using the second communication parameter shared in this manner.

Claims

1. A communication control method for a pairing process for communication between a first communication device and a second communication device through a wireless communication unit, comprising:

a first notification step of notifying, from the first communication device, the second communication device of authentication information through a direct communication path between the first communication device and the second communication device established by using another communication unit other than the wireless communication unit;

an establishing step of establishing a wireless network for sharing the network identifier, encryption method and authentication method between the first communication device and the second communication device by using said wireless communication unit;

an authentication step of performing the authentication process between the first communication device and the second communication device based on the authentication information, through the wireless network established in the establishing step;

a sharing step of sharing a communication parameter between the first communication device and the second communication device through the wireless network when authentication is successful in the authentication step; and

a setting step of setting the communication parameter shared in the sharing step for wireless data communication,

wherein the first communication device starts a first timer when the connection between the first communication device and the second communication device is established by using the another communication unit in said first notification step, the second communication device starts a second timer when the second communication device receives the authentication information by using the another communication unit in said first notification step, the first communication device terminates the pairing process in response to time up of the first timer, and the second communication device terminates the pairing process in response to time up of the second timer.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of notifying, from the second communication device, the first communication device of a success of sharing communication parameter shared in the sharing step through the direct communication path.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a detection step of detecting that the first communication device and the second communication device are connected to each other by said another communication unit, wherein the first notification step is activated upon detection of connection in the detection step.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said another communication unit uses one of a directly connected condition by wire and a connected condition using near field communication connection.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the sharing step, the communication parameter is transmitted from the second communication device to the first communication device through the wireless network.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein in the sharing step, the communication parameter is transmitted upon being encrypted.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the authentication information is group identification information by which a group to which the second communication device belongs is identified, and

the method further comprises a transmission step of transmitting a communication parameter to another device which has requested the second communication device for the communication parameter by using the group identification information.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the transmission step is executed for a predetermined time limit.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising a second notification step of notifying the first communication device of a device to which the communication parameter is transmitted in the transmission step as a device which has succeeded in sharing the communication parameter.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising a counting step of counting the number of devices to which the communication parameter has been transmitted from the second communication device, wherein in the transmission step, processing is stopped when a counting result in the counting step exceeds a preset numerical value.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein another device which has requested the second communication device for the communication parameter by using the group identification information has unit for automatically generating group identification information.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the establishing step, the wireless network is established by setting another communication parameter shared in advance to said wireless communication unit and the method further comprises an another establishing step of establishing an another wireless network for wireless data communication by setting the communication parameter shared in the sharing step to said wireless communication unit.

13. A control method for pairing process performed by a communication apparatus including a wireless communication unit for performing wireless communication with an external device and another communication unit other than the wireless communication unit, comprising:

a sharing step of sharing authentication information with the external device by receiving the authentication information from the external device through a direct communication path between the communication apparatus and the external device established by using said another communication unit;

an establishing step of establishing a wireless network between said communication apparatus and external device by using said wireless communication unit;

an authentication step of authenticating the external device on the basis of the authentication information shared in the sharing step through the wireless network established in the establishing step;

a first transmission step of transmitting a communication parameter to the external device through the established wireless network when authentication is successful in the authentication step; and

a communication control step of performing communication control for wireless data communication by using the communication parameter transmitted in the transmitting step,

wherein a timer starts in response to reception of the authentication information in said sharing step, and the pairing process is terminated in response to time up of the timer.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising a step of transmitting information indicating a success of sharing the communication parameter to the external device through the direct communication path when transmission of the communication parameter is executed in the first transmission step.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising a detection step of detecting that the external device is connected by said another communication unit, wherein the sharing step is activated upon detection of connection in the detection step.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein said another communication unit uses one of a directly connected condition by wire and a connected condition using near field communication connection.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein in the first transmission step, the communication parameter is transmitted upon being encrypted.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein

the authentication information is group identification information by which a group to which the external device belongs is identified, and

the method further comprises a second transmission step of transmitting a communication parameter to another device which has requested the communication parameter by using the group identification information.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the second transmission step is executed for a predetermined time limit.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising a notification step of notifying the external device of a device to which the communication parameter is transmitted in the second transmission step as a device which has succeeded in sharing the communication parameter.

21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising a counting step of counting the number of devices to which the communication parameter has been transmitted from the communication apparatus, wherein in the second transmission step, processing is stopped when a counting result in the counting step exceeds a preset numerical value.

22. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a control program for causing a computer to execute the communication control method defined in claim 13.

23. The method according to claim 13, wherein in the establishing step, the wireless network is established by setting another communication parameter shared in advance to said wireless communication unit and the method further comprises an another establishing step of establishing an another wireless network for wireless data communication by setting the communication parameter transmitted in the transmitting step to said wireless communication unit.

24. A control method for pairing process by a communication apparatus including a wireless communication unit for performing wireless communication and another communication unit other than the wireless communication unit, comprising:

a sharing step of sharing authentication information with an external device by transmitting the authentication information to the external device through a direct communication path between the communication apparatus and the external device established by using said another communication unit;

an establishing step of establishing a wireless network between said communication apparatus and the external device by using said wireless communication unit;

a transmission step of transmitting the authentication information to the external device for authentication by the wireless network established in the establishing step;

a receiving step of receiving a communication parameter from the external device through the established wireless network when authentication is successful; and

a setting step of setting the communication parameter received in the receiving step for wireless data communication,

wherein a timer starts in response to establishment of the direct communication path in said sharing step, and the pairing process is terminated in response to time up of the timer.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising a display step of displaying information indicating a success of sharing the communication parameter when the communication parameter is received in the receiving step.

26. The method according to claim 24, further comprising a step of receiving information indicating whether sharing of the communication parameter has succeeded or failed with respect to an external device through the direct communication path.

27. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a control program for causing a computer to execute the communication control method defined in claim 24.

28. The method according to claim 24, wherein in the establishing step, the wireless network is established by setting another communication parameter shared in advance to said wireless communication unit, and the method further comprises an another establishing step of establishing an another wireless network for wireless data communication by setting the communication parameter shared in the sharing step to said wireless communication unit.

29. A communication system which performs a pairing process for wireless communication between a first communication device and a second communication device, comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to allow wireless communication between the first communication device and the second communication device;

another communication unit other than said wireless communication unit, which allows a direct communication between the first communication device and the second communication device;

sharing unit configured to cause the first communication device and the second communication device to share authentication information by notifying, from the first communication device, the second communication device of authentication information through the direct communication path between the communication apparatus and the external device established by using said another communication unit;

establishing unit configured to establish a wireless network for communicating a communication parameter between the first communication device and the second communication device by using said wireless communication unit;

a first timer which is started by the first communication device when said sharing unit establishes the connection between the first communication device and the second communication device;

a second timer which is started by the second communication device when the second communication device receives is notified of the authentication information;

authentication unit configured to perform authentication process based on the authentication information between the first communication device and the second communication device through the established wireless network;

a communication unit configured to cause the first communication device and the second communication device to communicate the communication parameter through the established wireless network when authentication is successful by said authentication unit,

wherein the first communication device terminates the pairing process in response to time up of the first timer, and the second communication device terminates the pairing process in response to time up of the second timer.

30. A communication apparatus for performing a pairing process, which includes a wireless communication unit for performing wireless communication and another communication unit other than the wireless communication unit, comprising:

a reception unit configured to receive authentication information from an external device through a direct communication path between the communication apparatus and the external device established by using said another communication unit;

a timer which starts in response to reception of the authentication information by said reception unit;

an establishing unit configured to establish a wireless network with the external device by using said wireless communication unit;

an authentication unit configured to perform authentication using the authentication information received by said reception unit through the wireless network established by said establishing unit;

a sharing unit configured to share a communication parameter with the external device when authentication is successful by said authentication unit,

wherein the pairing process is terminated in response to time up of said timer.

31. A communication apparatus for pairing process, including a wireless communication unit for performing wireless communication and another communication unit other than the wireless communication unit, comprising:

a transmission unit configured to transmit authentication information to an external device through a direct communication path between the communication apparatus and the external device established by using said another communication unit;

a timer which starts when the direct communication path is established by said transmission unit;

an establishing unit configured to establish a wireless network with the external device by using said wireless communication unit;

an authentication unit configured to sending the authentication information through the wireless network established by said establishing unit, to make the external device perform authentication;

a sharing unit configured to share a communication parameter with the external device when authentication is successful by said authentication unit,

wherein the pairing process is terminated in response to time up of said timer.