Communication apparatus and control method

• US 8,634,556 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2009
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Nobuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Yin-Chen
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACKSON, JENISE E
• Application Number:
  US12/349,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20090175446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 380/255, 380/270, 726/3, 709/223
• US Class Current: 380/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

This invention allows connection of an apparatus with a low security level without lowering the security level of a network even when such apparatus issues a connection request. This invention is directed to an access point which makes wireless communications with a station using an encryption method (AES). Upon reception of a connection request message including information indicating an encryption method (WEP) that can be used by a station, the access point checks if the encryption method (WEP) recognized based on the received connection request message is different from the encryption method (AES). When it is determined that the two encryption methods are different, the access point launches a controller which makes wireless communications with the station using that encryption method (WEP).

Claims

1. A first communication apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a connection request from a second communication apparatus to the first communication apparatus, while the first communication apparatus forms a first network using a first encryption method and;

a controller configured to request a third communication apparatus to be activated as a base station to form a second network using a second encryption method designated based on the connection request, when the second encryption method which is requested by the second communication apparatus is different from a first encryption method used.

2. The first apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller designates at least one of any of a frequency channel to be used in the second network, another communication apparatus included in the second network, or identification information of the second network.

3. The first apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller determines whether or not the second network can be generated, and generates the second wireless in network when said formation unit determines that the second wireless network can be generated.

4. The first apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller requests the third communication apparatus to be activated as the based station if security level of the second encryption method is lower than the security level of the first encryption method.

5. The first apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller determines the presence/absence of the third communication apparatus which can generate the second wireless network, and requests the third communication apparatus to generate the second wireless network when the third communication apparatus is present.

6. The first apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a limitation unit configured to limit relaying of data communicated via the first wireless network and data communicated via the second wireless network.

9. The first apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the second network uses a second wireless network identification information which is different from a first wireless network identification information used in the first network.

7. A control method in a first communication apparatus, comprising:

receiving a connection request from a second communication apparatus to the first communication apparatus, while the first communication apparatus forms a first network using a first encryption method; and

requesting a third communication apparatus to be activated as a base station to form a second network using a second encryption method designated based on the connection request, when the second encryption method which is requested by the second communication apparatus is different from a first encryption method.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program which causes a computer to execute a control method, the method comprising:

receiving a connection request from a second communication apparatus to the first communication apparatus, while the first communication apparatus forms a first network using a first encryption method; and

requesting a third communication apparatus to be activated as a base station to form a second network using a second encryption method designated based on the connection request, when the second encryption method which is requested by the second communication apparatus is different from a first encryption method.