Wireless communication terminal and connection setup method of wireless network

• US 8,576,748 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Akihiko, Tsuchiya, Hitoshi, Shibuya, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ghafoerkhan, Faiyazkhan
• Application Number:
  US12/756,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20100260069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/256
• 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: 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 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

A wireless communication terminal comprises a trigger receiving unit, a participation request receiving unit, and a connection setup unit. The trigger receiving unit receives a predetermined trigger. The participation request receiving unit receives requests to participate in a wireless network from an external terminal which does not participate in the wireless network in which the wireless communication terminal has participated, using wireless communication. The connection setup unit makes each of participation requests received by the participation request receiving unit from a plurality of external terminals correspond to one trigger received by the trigger receiving unit. The connection setup unit performs a connection setup which makes each of the plurality of external terminals participate in the wireless network in response to each of the participation requests, in the order in which the participation requests are received.

Claims

1. A wireless communication terminal that communicates in a wireless network comprising:

a trigger receiving unit configured to receive a generation start trigger, an end trigger, a newly generating trigger, and a switching trigger;

a connection setup unit configured to;

transmit, during a period between the trigger receiving unit receiving the generation start trigger and the end trigger, a wireless network setup information sequentially to a plurality of first external terminals that transmit participation requests to the wireless communication terminal in order to establish a first ad-hoc wireless network between the plurality of first external terminals; and

generate, after the first ad-hoc wireless network is established but before the end trigger is received by the trigger receiving unit, a new wireless network setup information when the newly generating trigger is received by the trigger receiving unit for establishing a second ad-hoc wireless network in response to a new participate request from a second external terminal and for performing a wireless connection setup with the second external terminal;

a memory unit configured to store the wireless network setup information transmitted to the plurality of external terminals and the new wireless network setup information generated; and

the connection setup unit further configured to, after the first ad-hoc wireless network is established but before the end trigger is received by the trigger receiving unit, read the wireless network setup information stored in the memory unit when a switching trigger is received by the trigger receiving unit for switching the first ad-hoc wireless network to a third ad-hoc wireless network for establishing the third ad-hoc wireless network in response to a new participate request from a third external terminal and for performing a wireless connection setup with the third external terminal.

2. The wireless communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit configured to display a first information, which indicates that the participation requests to participate in the first ad-hoc wireless network that has been displayed are currently being received, when the connection setup unit read the wireless network setup information from the memory unit, or the connection setup unit newly generated the wireless network setup information, the display unit being configured not to display the first information, which indicates that the participation requests to participate in the first ad-hoc wireless network that has been displayed are currently being received, when the trigger receiving unit receives any one of the end trigger, the switching trigger, and the newly generating trigger.

3. The wireless communication terminal according to claim 2,

wherein the display unit displays at least one of a second information and a PIN code, which is defined as a WPS protocol, that are for distinguishing the wireless network, as the first information indicating that the participation requests to participate in the first ad-hoc wireless network that has been displayed are currently being received.

4. The wireless communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein the display unit displays only a third information to distinguish the wireless network corresponding to a wireless network existing within a communication range from the items of the second information for distinguishing the wireless network.

6. The wireless communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the connection setup unit transmits the wireless network setup information including an encoding key used in communication to the first external terminal.

7. The wireless communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the trigger receiving unit receives at least one of the newly generating trigger and the switching trigger from a user with an operation button.

5. A connection setup method of wireless network, comprising:

receiving a generation start trigger, a newly generating trigger, an end trigger, and a switching trigger at a trigger receiving unit; and

transmitting, during a period between the trigger receiving unit receiving the generation start trigger and the end trigger, a wireless network setup information sequentially to a plurality of first external terminals that transmit participation requests to a wireless communication terminal in order to establish a first ad-hoc wireless network between the plurality of first external terminals; and

generating, after the first ad-hoc wireless network is established but before the end trigger is received by the trigger receiving unit, a new wireless network setup information when the newly generating trigger is received by the trigger receiving unit for establishing a second ad-hoc wireless network in response to a new participate request from a second external terminal and for performing a wireless connection setup with the second external terminal;

storing in a memory unit the wireless network setup information transmitted to the plurality of external terminals and the new wireless network setup information generated; and

after the first ad-hoc wireless network is established but before the end trigger is received by the trigger receiving unit, reading the wireless network setup information stored in the memory unit when a switching trigger is received by the trigger receiving unit for switching the first ad-hoc wireless network to a third ad-hoc wireless network for establishing the third ad-hoc wireless network in response to a new participate request from a third external terminal and for performing a wireless connection setup with the third external terminal.