US 2006/0133613 A1 · Authentication method of ad hoc network and wireless communication terminal thereof

Abstract

On ad hoc networks in which connection relationships among communication terminals constantly change, the processing load increases when authentication is performed each time a connection relationship changes. According to this invention, when communication terminals possess the same common key, mutual authentication is conducted with that common key, and when communication terminals do not possess the same common key, mutual authentication is conducted with a public key. Communication terminals that conducted mutual authentication exchange and retain a common key that they selected and common keys received from other communication terminals. When neither communication terminal possesses a common key at authentication, one terminal creates a common key and distributes it to the other terminal, and when one terminal has a common key it creates that common key and distributes it to the other terminal. Further, a common key possessed by a communication terminal corresponding to a relay node is broadcast periodically.

Claims12

Dependent claims

An authentication method of an ad hoc network that is configured by wireless communication terminals communicating with each other, wherein,

the wireless communication terminal has:
means that performs a first mutual authentication between wireless communication terminals;
means that performs a second mutual authentication between wireless communication terminals using a common key;
means that sends common key information relating to a common key for mutual authentication;
means that receives common key information relating to a common key for mutual authentication;
and
means that stores a common key for mutual authentication;
and wherein, when a first wireless communication terminal and a second wireless communication terminal on the ad hoc network conduct mutual authentication, the authentication method comprises the steps of:
determining whether or not a common key that is commonly possessed by the first wireless communication terminal and the second wireless communication terminal exists;
conducting the first mutual authentication when a common key that is commonly possessed does not exist;
and
conducting mutual authentication when a common key that is commonly possessed exists, by use of means that uses the common key to conduct the second mutual authentication between the wireless communication terminals with the common key.

9 more elements

A wireless communication terminal of an ad hoc network that is configured by wireless communication terminals communicating with each other, wherein the wireless communication terminal has:

means that performs a first mutual authentication between wireless communication terminals;
means that performs a second mutual authentication between wireless communication terminals using a common key;
means that sends a common key information message relating to a common key for mutual authentication;
means that receives a common key information message relating to a common key for mutual authentication;
means that stores a common key for mutual authentication;
and
means that determines, when performing mutual authentication with another wireless communication terminal on the ad hoc network, whether or not a common key that is commonly possessed by the other wireless communication terminal exists;
wherein, when the means that determines whether or not a common key that is commonly possessed by the other wireless communication terminal exists determines that a commonly possessed common key does not exist, mutual authentication is conducted with the other wireless communication terminal by means that conducts the first mutual authentication between the wireless communication terminals,
and when the means that determines whether or not a common key that is commonly possessed by the other wireless communication terminal exists determines that a commonly possessed common key exists, mutual authentication is conducted by means that uses the common key to conduct the second mutual authentication between wireless communication terminals using the common key.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Authentication method of ad hoc network and wireless communication terminal thereof

Life of this patent

Authentication method of ad hoc network and wireless communication terminal thereof

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12