Wireless connection authentication method and server

• US 9,832,640 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sovereign Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Osaki, Yuji, Nakayama, Takeshi, Harada, Masaaki, Nakatsukasa, Kunio
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): CORUM JR, WILLIAM A
• Application Number:
  US14/415,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20150172923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/73 Access point logical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A wireless connection authentication method includes: receiving first information transmitted by a first access point according to a message transmitted from a first wireless communications apparatus; receiving second information transmitted by a second access point according to a message transmitted from a second wireless communications apparatus which has already established communication with a second access point; and, if the first access point indicated in the first information and the second access point indicated in the second information are the same access point, determining the same access point as a connection destination access point of the first wireless communications apparatus.

Claims

1. A wireless connection authentication method used in a server performing wireless connection authentication for establishing communication between a first wireless communications apparatus and a wireless access point, the wireless connection authentication method comprising:

receiving a second message that includes first access point information, the second message being transmitted by a first wireless access point as a result of a first message transmitted from the first wireless communications apparatus, and the second message indicating the first wireless access point;

receiving a fourth message that includes second access point information, the fourth message being transmitted by a second wireless access point as a result of a third message transmitted from a second wireless communications apparatus which has already established communication with the second wireless access point that is same as or different from the first wireless access point, and the fourth message indicating the second wireless access point;

comparing the first wireless access point indicated in the first access point information with the second wireless access point indicated in the second access point information, and if the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point are a same wireless access point, determining the same wireless access point as a connection destination access point which is a wireless access point serving as a connection destination of the first wireless communications apparatus; and

executing processing for wireless connection authentication which causes the first wireless communications apparatus and the connection destination access point to share a code to be used in establishing a wireless connection between the first wireless communication apparatus and the connection destination access point,

wherein the first wireless communications apparatus transmits the first message based on user operation on the first wireless communications apparatus to start the process for wireless connection authentication by the first wireless communications apparatus, and

the second wireless communications apparatus transmits the third message based on user operation on the second wireless communications apparatus to designate, as the connection destination access point of the first wireless communications apparatus, the second wireless access point for which the second wireless communications apparatus has already completed an authentication process for establishing a wireless connection.

2. The wireless connection authentication method according to claim 1, further comprising

receiving, from the second wireless communications apparatus, a first code unique to the first wireless communications apparatus,

wherein the executing of the processing includes:

generating a second code using the first code, the second code being used for the wireless connection authentication between the first wireless communications apparatus and the connection destination access point; and

transmitting the second code to the connection destination access point.

3. The wireless connection authentication method according to claim 2,

wherein each of the first message and the second message further includes a third code, and

in the generating of the second code, the second code is generated using the first code and the third code.

4. A wireless connection authentication method for performing wireless connection authentication between a first wireless communications apparatus and a wireless access point, the wireless connection authentication method comprising:

transmitting a first message to a first wireless access point from the first wireless communications apparatus;

transmitting a second message to a server from the first wireless access point that has received the first message, the second message including first access point information indicating the first wireless access point;

transmitting a third message to a second wireless access point from a second wireless communications apparatus, the second wireless communications apparatus having already completed wireless connection authentication with the second wireless access point which is same as or different from the first wireless access point;

transmitting a fourth message to the server from the second wireless access point that has received the third message, the fourth message including second access point information indicating the second wireless access point;

comparing the first wireless access point indicated in the first access point information and the second wireless access point indicated in the second access point information, and if the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point are a same wireless access point, determining the same wireless access point as a connection destination access point which is a wireless access point serving as a connection destination of the first wireless communications apparatus, the comparing and the determining being performed by the server; and

authenticating wireless connection which causes the first wireless communications apparatus and the connection destination access point to share a code to be used in establishing a wireless connection between the first wireless communication apparatus and the connection destination access point,

wherein the first wireless communications apparatus transmits the first message based on user operation on the first wireless communications apparatus to start the authentication of the wireless connection, and

the second wireless communications apparatus transmits the third message based on user operation on the second wireless communications apparatus to designate, as the connection destination access point of the first wireless communications apparatus, the second wireless access point for which the second wireless communications apparatus has completed an authentication process for establishing a wireless connection.

5. The wireless connection authentication method according to claim 4, further comprising:

obtaining a first code by the second wireless communications apparatus according to a user operation, the first code being unique to the first wireless communications apparatus;

transmitting the first code from the second wireless communications apparatus to the server;

generating a second code by the server using the first code, the second code being used for the wireless connection authentication between the first wireless communications apparatus and the connection destination access point;

transmitting the second code to the connection destination access point from the server; and

generating a fourth code by the first wireless communications apparatus, using a third code which is same as the first code,

wherein in the authenticating, the first wireless communications apparatus and the connection destination access point authenticate the wireless connection between the first wireless communications apparatus and the connection destination access point according to whether or not the second code and the fourth code are same.

6. The wireless connection authentication method according to claim 5, further comprising

generating a fifth code by the first wireless communications apparatus,

wherein each of the first message and the second message further includes the fifth code, in the generating of the second code, the second code is generated using the first code and the fifth code, and

in the generating of the fourth code, the fourth code is generated using the third code and the fifth code.

7. The wireless connection authentication method according to claim 4,

wherein the transmitting of the third message is executed after the transmitting of the first message.

8. The wireless connection authentication method according to claim 7, further comprising

transmitting a wireless signal from the first wireless communications apparatus after transmitting of the first message to the first wireless access point,

wherein, the second wireless communications apparatus transmits the third message to the second wireless access point if the second wireless communications apparatus receives the wireless signal.

9. The wireless connection authentication method according to claim 4,

wherein the transmitting of the first message is executed after the transmitting of the third message.

10. A server which authenticates wireless connection for establishing communication between a first wireless communications apparatus and a wireless access point, the server comprising:

a first receiving unit configured to receive a second message that includes first access point information transmitted by a first wireless access point as a result of a first message transmitted from the first wireless communications apparatus, and the second message indicating the first wireless access point;

a second receiving unit configured to receive a fourth message that includes second access point information transmitted by a second wireless access point as a result of a third message transmitted from a second wireless communications apparatus which has already established communication with the second wireless access point that is same as or different from the first wireless access point, and the fourth message indicating the second wireless access point;

a determining unit configured to compare the first wireless access point indicated in the first access point information with the second wireless access point indicated in the second access point information, and if the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point are a same wireless access point, determine the same wireless access point as a connection destination access point which is a wireless access point serving as a connection destination of the first wireless communications apparatus; and

an authentication processing unit configured to execute processing for wireless connection authentication which causes the first wireless communications apparatus and the connection destination access point to share a code to be used in establishing a wireless connection between the first wireless communication apparatus and the connection destination access point,

wherein the first wireless communications apparatus transmits the first message based on user operation on the first wireless communications apparatus to start the process for wireless connection authentication, and

the second wireless communications apparatus transmits the third message based on user operation on the second wireless communications apparatus to designate, as the connection destination access point of the first wireless communications apparatus, the second wireless access point for which the second wireless communications apparatus has completed an authentication process for establishing a wireless connection.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium which stores a program that causes a computer to execute a wireless connection authentication method used in a server performing wireless connection authentication for establishing communication between a first wireless communications apparatus and a wireless access point, the wireless connection authentication method comprising:

receiving a second message that includes first access point information, the second message being transmitted by a first wireless access point as a result of a first message transmitted from the first wireless communications apparatus, and the second message indicating the first wireless access point;

receiving a fourth message that includes second access point information, the fourth message being transmitted by a second wireless access point as a result of a third message transmitted from a second wireless communications apparatus which has already established communication with the second wireless access point that is same as or different from the first wireless access point, and the fourth message indicating the second wireless access point;

comparing the first wireless access point indicated in the first access point information with the second wireless access point indicated in the second access point information, and if the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point are a same wireless access point, determining the same wireless access point as a connection destination access point which is a wireless access point serving as a connection destination of the first wireless communications apparatus; and

executing processing for wireless connection authentication which causes the first wireless communications apparatus and the connection destination access point to share a code to be used in establishing a wireless connection between the first wireless communication apparatus and the connection destination access point, wherein the first wireless communications apparatus transmits the first message based on user operation on the first wireless communications apparatus to start the process for wireless connection authentication by the first wireless communications apparatus, and the second wireless communications apparatus transmits the third message based on user operation on the second wireless communications apparatus to designate, as the connection destination access point of the first wireless communications apparatus, the second wireless access point for which the second wireless communications apparatus has already completed an authentication process for establishing a wireless connection.