Communication apparatus, communication system, method of controlling communication apparatus, and storage medium

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the communication apparatus to:

obtain authentication information from each of a first other communication apparatus and a second other communication apparatus;

perform authentication processing based on the obtained authentication information;

identify a first owner of the first other communication apparatus and a second owner of the second other communication apparatus;

evaluate relatedness information of a relatedness between a first communication device group including the first other communication apparatus and a third other communication apparatus, and a second communication device group including the second other communication apparatus and a fourth other communication apparatus based on the owner of the first other communication apparatus and the owner of the second other communication apparatus;

generate information of the first communication device group to control access to the third other communication apparatus based on the relatedness information; and

provide the information of the first communication device group to the fourth other communication apparatus.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the communication apparatus to:

determine whether or not to provide, based on a result of the authentication processing, information of the third other communication apparatus associated with the first other communication apparatus to the fourth other communication apparatus associated with the second other communication apparatus, and

based on a result of the determination, provide information of the third other communication apparatus to the fourth other communication apparatus.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the communication apparatus to, by matching first authentication information of the first other communication apparatus with second authentication information of the second other communication apparatus, perform the authentication processing.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the information of the third other communication apparatus includes a communication parameter.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the communication apparatus to hold relatedness information for relatedness between a first communication device group including the first other communication apparatus and the third other communication apparatus, and a second communication device group including the second other communication apparatus and the fourth other communication apparatus.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the communication apparatus to, based on the relatedness information, control a range of communication apparatuses for which to permit the provision of the information.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the communication apparatus to, in a case where the provision of the information is completed, notify at least one out of the first other communication apparatus, the second other communication apparatus, the third other communication apparatus, or the fourth other communication apparatus of the completion of the provision of the information.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the communication apparatus to, in a case where the provision of the information fails, notify at least one out of the first other communication apparatus, the second other communication apparatus, the third other communication apparatus, or the fourth other communication apparatus of the failure of the provision of the information.

9. A communication system including a communication apparatus, a first other communication apparatus, and a second other communication apparatus, wherein

the communication apparatus comprises:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the communication apparatus to:

obtain authentication information from each of a first other communication apparatus and a second other communication apparatus;

perform authentication processing based on the obtained authentication information;

identify a first owner of the first other communication apparatus and a second owner of the second other communication apparatus;

evaluate relatedness information of a relatedness between a first communication device group including the first other communication apparatus and a third other communication apparatus, and a second communication device group including the second other communication apparatus and a fourth other communication apparatus based on the owner of the first other communication apparatus and the owner of the second other communication apparatus;

generate information of the first communication device group to control access to the third other communication apparatus based on the relatedness information; and

provide the information of the first communication device group to the fourth other communication apparatus.

10. A method of controlling a communication apparatus, the method comprising:

obtaining authentication information from each of a first other communication apparatus and a second other communication apparatus;

performing authentication processing based on the obtained authentication information;

identifying a first owner of the first other communication apparatus and a second owner of the second other communication apparatus;

evaluating relatedness information of a relatedness between a first communication device group including the first other communication apparatus and a third other communication apparatus, and a second communication device group including the second other communication apparatus and a fourth other communication apparatus based on the owner of the first other communication apparatus and the owner of the second other communication apparatus;

generating information of the first communication device group to control access to the third other communication apparatus based on the relatedness information; and

providing the information of the first communication device group to the fourth other communication apparatus.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to execute a method of controlling a communication apparatus, the method comprising:

obtaining authentication information from each of a first other communication apparatus and a second other communication apparatus;

performing authentication processing based on the obtained authentication information;

identifying a first owner of the first other communication apparatus and a second owner of the second other communication apparatus;

evaluating relatedness information of a relatedness between a first communication device group including the first other communication apparatus and a third other communication apparatus, and a second communication device group including the second other communication apparatus and a fourth other communication apparatus based on the owner of the first other communication apparatus and the owner of the second other communication apparatus;

generating information of the first communication device group to control access to the third other communication apparatus based on the relatedness information; and

providing the information of the first communication device group to the fourth other communication device group.

12. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the communication apparatus to perform the authentication processing by determining whether the first other communication apparatus or the second other communication apparatus is included in a rejection list.

13. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the information of the first communication device group provided to the fourth other communication apparatus includes information of all devices in the first communication device group.

14. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the information of the first communication device group provided to the fourth other communication apparatus includes information of a portion of the devices in the first communication device group.

15. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the communication apparatus to permit the fourth other communication apparatus to communicate with the third other communication apparatus based on the relatedness information.

16. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the owner of the first other communication apparatus and the owner of the second other communication apparatus is one or more of a user, an organization, or a group of devices.

17. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the relatedness information indicates a type of relatedness that allows access to all devices in a communication device group.

18. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the relatedness information indicates a type of relatedness that allows access to a portion of devices in a communication device group.

19. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the relatedness information is stored in a server separate from the communication apparatus and is obtained by the communication apparatus prior to evaluation of the relatedness information.