Granted Patent B2

US 12,732,806 · App. 18/554,793 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Inventors: Kosuke Aio (Tokyo, JP); Shigeru Sugaya (Tokyo, JP)

Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION

H04W12/041H04W12/037

Abstract

Claims (65)

1 . A communication apparatus configured to communicate with a wireless terminal via a relay device, the communication apparatus comprising:

at least one hardware processor; and

at least one non-transitory memory containing instructions for causing the at least one hardware processor to perform operations comprising:

controlling execution of an encryption key generation process of generating an encryption key used for communication with the wireless terminal on a basis of at least one of whether or not direct communication with the wireless terminal is possible or an encryption scheme that can be supported by the relay device,

wherein the operations further comprise:

requesting the relay device to perform the encryption key generation process in a case where the encryption scheme is an encryption scheme that can be used by the relay device with the wireless terminal, and

performing the encryption key generation process with the wireless terminal via the relay device in a case where the encryption scheme is not an encryption scheme that can be used by the relay device with the wireless terminal.

2 . The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise performing the encryption key generation process directly with the wireless terminal in a case where direct communication with the wireless terminal is possible.

3 . The communication apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, in a case of requesting the relay device to perform the encryption key generation process, the operations further comprise:

generating a random number,

transmitting a request signal to the relay device, the request signal being a signal that requests the relay device to perform the encryption key generation process with the wireless terminal and including address information of the communication apparatus and the random number, and

receiving a response signal including the encryption key generated by the encryption key generation process from the relay device using the address information and the random number.

4 . The communication apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise directly transmitting a connection request signal for relay communication to the wireless terminal before directly performing the encryption key generation process with the wireless terminal.

5 . The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise determining whether or not direct communication with the wireless terminal is possible on a basis of at least one of radio wave environment information of the wireless terminal or a transmission source of a signal received.

6 . The communication apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the operations further comprise acquiring, from the relay device, the radio wave environment information of the wireless terminal and information regarding the encryption scheme that can be supported by the wireless terminal before determining a method of the encryption key generation process.

7 . A communication method in which a communication apparatus that communicates with a wireless terminal via a relay device is configured to perform a process comprising:

controlling execution of an encryption key generation process of generating an encryption key used for communication with the wireless terminal on a basis of at least one of whether or not direct communication with the wireless terminal is possible or an encryption scheme that can be supported by the relay device,

wherein the encryption key generation process comprises:

requesting the relay device to perform the encryption key generation process in a case where the encryption scheme applied is an encryption scheme that can be used by the relay device with the wireless terminal, and

performing the encryption key generation process with the wireless terminal via the relay device in a case where the encryption scheme is not an encryption scheme that can be used by the relay device with the wireless terminal.

8 . A communication apparatus configured to relay communication between a radio base station and a wireless terminal, the communication apparatus comprising:

at least one hardware processor; and

at least one non-transitory memory containing instructions for causing the at least one hardware processor to perform operations comprising:

in a case of being requested by the radio base station to perform an encryption key generation process of generating an encryption key used by the radio base station for communication with the wireless terminal, the performing the encryption key generation process with the wireless terminal and transmitting the encryption key generated by the encryption key generation process to the radio base station,

wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the radio base station, a request signal that is a signal requesting execution of the encryption key generation process with the wireless terminal, the request signal including address information of the radio base station and a random number generated by the radio base station, and

transmitting, to the radio base station, a response signal including the encryption key generated by the encryption key generation process using the address information and the random number, and

wherein the operations further comprise at least one of:

transmitting the address information and the random number to the wireless terminal in the encryption key generation process, or

transmitting, to the wireless terminal, the response signal including the encryption key encrypted by an encryption scheme applied to the radio base station.

9 . The communication apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, to the radio base station, radio wave environment information of the wireless terminal and information regarding an encryption scheme that can be supported by the wireless terminal.

10 . A communication method in which a communication apparatus that relays communication between a radio base station and a wireless terminal is configured, to perform a process comprising:

in a case of being requested by the radio base station to perform an encryption key generation process of generating an encryption key used by the radio base station for communication with the wireless terminal;

performing the encryption key generation process with the wireless terminal and

transmitting the encryption key generated by the encryption key generation process to the radio base station,

wherein the encryption key generation process comprises:

receiving, from the radio base station, a request signal that is a signal requesting execution of the encryption key generation process with the wireless terminal, the request signal including address information of the radio base station and a random number generated by the radio base station, and

transmitting, to the radio base station, a response signal including the encryption key generated by the encryption key generation process using the address information and the random number; and

wherein the encryption key generation process further comprises at least one of:

transmitting the address information and the random number to the wireless terminal in the encryption key generation process, or

transmitting, to the wireless terminal, the response signal including the encryption key encrypted by an encryption scheme applied to the radio base station.

11 . A communication apparatus configured to communicate with a radio base station via a relay device, the communication apparatus comprising:

at least one hardware processor; and

at least one non-transitory memory containing instructions for causing the at least one hardware processor to perform operations comprising:

performing an encryption key generation process of generating an encryption key used for communication with the radio base station directly with the radio base station in a case where direct communication with the radio base station is possible, and

performing the encryption key generation process with the relay device in a case where direct communication with the radio base station is not possible,

wherein the operations further comprise:

requesting the relay device to perform the encryption key generation process in a case where the encryption scheme is an encryption scheme that can be used by the relay device with the base station, and

performing the encryption key generation process with the base station via the relay device in a case where the encryption scheme is not an encryption scheme that can be used by the relay device with the wireless terminal.

12 . The communication apparatus according to claim 11 ,

wherein the operations further comprise:

performing the encryption key generation process directly with the radio base station in a case of directly receiving a connection request signal for relay communication or a message of the encryption key generation process from the radio base station, and

performing the encryption key generation process with the relay device in a case of receiving the message of the encryption key generation process from the relay device.

13 . The communication apparatus according to claim 12 ,

wherein, in a case where the message of the encryption key generation process includes address information of the radio base station, the operations further comprise generating the encryption key using the address information.

14 . The communication apparatus according to claim 11 ,

wherein the operations further comprise:

directly transmitting the connection request signal for relay communication to the radio base station in a case where direct communication with the radio base station is possible, and

transmitting the connection request signal to the relay device in a case where direct communication with the radio base station is not possible.

15 . A communication method in which a communication apparatus that communicates with a radio base station via a relay device is configured to perform a process comprising:

performing an encryption key generation process of generating an encryption key used for communication with the radio base station directly with the radio base station in a case where direct communication with the radio base station is possible, and

performing the encryption key generation process with the relay device in a case where direct communication with the radio base station is not possible,

wherein the encryption key generation process comprises:

requesting the relay device to perform the encryption key generation process in a case where the encryption scheme is an encryption scheme that can be used by the relay device with the base station, and

performing the encryption key generation process with the base station via the relay device in a case where the encryption scheme is not an encryption scheme that can be used by the relay device with the wireless terminal.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (27)