Communication apparatus, communication method, and storage medium

1 . A communication apparatus, comprising:

a main system to perform first authentication processing; and

a subsystem to perform second authentication processing, wherein

the main system includes power saving control circuitry configured to control the main system to transition to a power saving state, the power saving state in which the communication apparatus consumes power that is lower than power consumed when the communication apparatus is in a normal state, and the normal state in which the main system performs the first authentication processing,

the subsystem includes:

communication circuitry configured to transmit and receive data through a network, and

processing circuitry configured to determine whether the subsystem can process a packet of the data received by the communication circuitry, when the main system is in the power saving state,

the first authentication processing is for joining the network with a first authentication method which utilizes a digital certificate,

the second authentication processing is for joining the network with a second authentication method which utilizes a secure password, the second authentication method different from the first authentication method, and

when the processing circuitry determines that the subsystem can process the packet of the data received by the communication circuitry due to the packet relating to the second authentication method, the processing circuitry processes the packet of the data without controlling the main system to transition to the normal state.

2 . The communication apparatus of claim 1 ,

the processing of the packet by the processing circuitry includes performing an encryption key update processing relating to the second authentication processing.

3 . The communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second authentication method, used by the subsystem to perform the second authentication processing, does not require processing relating to a digital certificate.

4 . The communication apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

authentication control circuitry configured to control the main system to perform the first authentication processing, and

the main system shares authentication information created in the first authentication processing with the subsystem.

5 . The communication apparatus of claim 4 , wherein when the authentication information has been shared with the subsystem by the main system, the processing circuitry determines that the subsystem can process the packet of the data received by the communication circuitry when the packet is related to performance of an encryption key update using the authentication information.

6 . The communication apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the authentication information includes a pre-shared key and a data frame encryption key.

7 . The communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the subsystem includes state control circuitry configured to control the main system to transition to the normal state in response to the processing circuitry having determined that the packet of the data received by the communication circuitry cannot be processed by the subsystem.

8 . The communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power saving control circuitry controls the main system to transition to the power saving state in response to at least one of the first authentication processing being performed by the main system, and the second authentication processing is performed by the subsystem.

9 . The communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the network includes a wireless local area network (LAN).

10 . The communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry determines that the subsystem can process the packet of the data received by the communication circuitry when the packet is related to the second authentication processing.

11 . The communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first authentication method used by the main system to perform the first authentication processing requires processing the digital certificate.

12 . The communication apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry determines that the subsystem cannot process the packet of the data received by the communication circuitry when the packet is related to an encryption key update processing relating to the first authentication processing and controls the main system to transition to the normal state.

13 . The communication apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the subsystem includes sub-authentication circuitry configured to perform the second authentication processing, and

the sub-authentication circuitry is maintained in an inactive state when the main system is in the normal state.

14 . A communication method, comprising:

controlling, by a main system, the main system to transition to a power saving state, the power saving state in which a communication apparatus consumes power that is lower than power consumed when the communication apparatus is in a normal state, and the normal state in which the main system performs a first authentication processing;

transmitting and receiving, by a subsystem which performs a second authentication processing, data through a network;

determining, by the subsystem, whether the subsystem can process a packet of the received data, when the main system is in the power saving state, wherein the first authentication processing is for joining the network with a first authentication method which utilizes a digital certificate, and the second authentication processing is for joining the network with a second authentication method which utilizes a secure password, the second authentication method different from the first authentication method; and

when the determining indicates that the subsystem can process the packet of the received data due to the packet relating to the second authentication method, processing, by the subsystem, the packet of the data without controlling the main system to transition to the normal state.

15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program including instruction, which, when executed by one or more processors of a communication apparatus to perform a method comprising:

controlling, by a main system of the communication apparatus, the main system to transition to a power saving state, the power saving state in which the communication apparatus consumes power that is lower than power consumed when the communication apparatus is in a normal state, and the normal state in which the main system performs a first authentication processing;

transmitting and receiving, by a subsystem of the communication apparatus which performs a second authentication processing, data through the network;

determining, by the subsystem, whether the subsystem can process a packet of the received data, when the main system is in the power saving state, wherein the first authentication processing is for joining the network with a first authentication method which utilizes a digital certificate, and the second authentication processing is for joining the network with a second authentication method which utilizes a secure password, the second authentication method different from the first authentication method; and

when the determining indicates that the subsystem can process the packet of the received data due to the packet relating to the second authentication method, processing, by the subsystem, the packet of the data without controlling the main system to transition to the normal state.