Wireless LAN communication terminal and communication control method thereof in wireless LAN system for the same

• US 8,997,175 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Omori, Youko
• Primary Examiner(s): BAYOU, YONAS A
• Application Number:
  US13/810,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20130133029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A wireless LAN communication terminal and its communication control method are provided that make it possible to configure desired security between the terminal and an other-end terminal, without increasing power consumption of the terminals. The wireless LAN communication terminal (103) in a wireless LAN system including an access point (102), if the other-end terminal (101) has connected to the access point 102, acquires from the other-end terminal information about security functions the other-end terminal has and information about a current connection with the access point; compares the security function information and the connection information on the other-end terminal with its own security policy; selects, based on results of the comparisons, either a direct connection (106) with the other-end terminal or a relay connection (105) via the access point so that the security policy is met; and performs communication with the other-end terminal by using the selected connection.

Claims

1. A wireless LAN communication terminal in a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) system including at least one access point, comprising:

an acquisition section that, when an other-end wireless LAN communication terminal on another end of communication has connected to the access point, acquires from the other-end terminal security function information about security functions of the other-end terminal and current connection information about a current connection between the other-end terminal and the access point;

a selection section that compares the security function information and the current connection information on the other-end terminal with a security policy of its own terminal and, based on results of the comparisons, selects either a direct connection with the other-end terminal or a relay connection via the access point so that the security policy is met, wherein the relay connection includes the current connection and wherein when the current connection information meets the security policy, the selection section selects the relay connection and, when the current connection information does not meet the security policy, selects the direct connection or the relay connection using one of the security functions of the other-end terminal that meets the security policy; and

a communication section that performs communication with the other-end terminal by using a selected connection.

2. The wireless LAN communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein when the current connection information does not meet the security policy, the relay connection is selected, using those of security functions of the access point and the security functions of the other-end terminal that meet the security policy.

3. The wireless LAN communication terminal according to claims 1, wherein the communication section, in case of the direct connection, causes its own terminal to function as a wireless LAN access point or requests the other-end terminal to function as a wireless LAN access point.

4. The wireless LAN communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition section acquires the security function information and the connection information on the other-end terminal through the access point or through another communication section different from the wireless LAN system.

5. A communication control method for a wireless LAN communication terminal in a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) system including at least one access point, comprising:

by an acquisition section, when an other-end wireless LAN communication terminal on another end of communication has connected to the access point, acquiring from the other-end terminal security function information about security functions of the other-end terminal and current connection information about a current connection between the other-end terminal and the access point;

by a selection section, comparing the security function information and the current connection information on the other-end terminal with a security policy of its own terminal and, based on results of the comparisons, selecting either a direct connection with the other-end terminal or a relay connection via the access point so that the security policy is met, wherein the relay connection includes the current connection and wherein when the current connection information meets the security policy, the selection section selects the relay connection and, when the current connection information does not meet the security policy, selects the direct connection or the relay connection using one of the security functions of the other-end terminal that meets the security policy; and

by a communication section, performing communication with the other-end terminal by using the selected connection.

6. The communication control method according to claim 5, wherein when the current connection information does not meet the security policy, the relay connection is selected, using those of security functions of the access point and the security functions of the other-end terminal that meet the security policy.

7. The communication control method according to claim 5, wherein the communication section, in case of the direct connection, causes its own terminal to function as a wireless LAN access point or requests the other-end terminal to function as a wireless LAN access point.

8. The communication control method according to claim 5, wherein the acquisition section acquires the security function information and the connection information on the other-end terminal through the access point or through another communication section different from the wireless LAN system.

9. A wireless LAN (Local Area Network) system including at least one access point and a plurality of wireless LAN communication terminals, wherein a wireless LAN communication terminal includes:

an acquisition section that, when an other-end wireless LAN communication terminal on another end of communication has connected to the access point, acquiring from the other-end terminal security function information about security functions of the other-end terminal and current connection information about a current connection between the other-end terminal and the access point;

a selection section that compares the security function information and the current connection information on the other-end terminal with a security policy of its own terminal and, based on results of the comparisons, selects either a direct connection with the other-end terminal or a relay connection via the access point so that the security policy is met, wherein the relay connection includes the current connection and wherein when the current connection information meets the security policy, the selection section selects the relay connection and, when the current connection information does not meet the security policy, selects the direct connection or the relay connection using one of the security functions of the other-end terminal that meets the security policy; and

a communication section that performs communication with the other-end terminal by using the selected connection.

10. The wireless LAN system according to claim 9, wherein when the connection information does not meet the security policy, the relay connection is selected, using those of security functions of the access point and the security functions of the other-end terminal that meet the security policy.

11. The wireless LAN system according to claim 9, wherein the communication section, in case of the direct connection, causes its own terminal to function as a wireless

LAN access point or requests the other-end terminal to function as a wireless LAN access point.

12. The wireless LAN system according to claim 9, wherein the acquisition section acquires the security function information and the connection information on the other-end terminal through the access point or through another communication section different from the wireless LAN system.