Radio LAN access authentication system

A wireless LAN access authentication method in a network system comprising a plurality of wireless LAN network systems and a center station that controls said plurality of wireless LAN network systems in a centralized manner,

• each of said plurality of wireless LAN network systems comprising at least two access point sections accessed by a radio terminal apparatus that transmits/receives a radio signal through a radio section and a gateway apparatus which relays transmission/reception of data signals and control signals between said access point sections, and
• said center station comprising a center station gateway apparatus that relays transmission/reception of data signals and control signals between the gateway apparatuses of said plurality of wireless LAN network systems and an authentication server that performs access authentication on said radio terminal apparatus which has accessed said access point sections and distributes cryptographic keys used for encryption of a radio section through which said access-authenticated radio terminal apparatus carries out communication to said radio terminal apparatus and said access point section,
• said wireless LAN access authentication method comprising:
• an access control step of controlling the situation of access of said radio terminal apparatus in each of said wireless LAN network systems to said authentication server and checking the presence/absence of access of said radio terminal apparatus to said authentication server when said radio terminal apparatus moves to a communication area of a new access point section;
• and
• a cryptographic key control step of controlling cryptographic keys distributed from said authentication server and distributing, when it is confirmed in said access control step that the radio terminal apparatus which has moved to the communication area of the other access point section has already accessed said authentication server, the cryptographic key for the radio section through which said radio terminal apparatus carries out communication to said radio terminal apparatus and said new access point section in the area to which said radio terminal apparatus has moved.

A gateway apparatus in each of wireless LAN networks in a wireless LAN access authentication system in a network system comprising a plurality of wireless LAN network systems and a center station that controls said plurality of wireless LAN network systems in a centralized manner,

• each of said plurality of wireless LAN network systems comprising at least two access point sections accessed by a radio terminal apparatus that transmits/receives a radio signal through a radio section,
• said center station comprising a center station gateway apparatus that relays transmission/reception of data signals and control signals between the gateway apparatuses of said plurality of wireless LAN network systems and an authentication server that performs access authentication on said radio terminal apparatus which has accessed said access point section and distributes cryptographic keys used for encryption of a radio section through which said access-authenticated radio terminal apparatus carries out communication to said radio terminal apparatus and said access point section,
• said gateway apparatus comprising:
• a transmission/reception section that transmits/receives said data signals and said control signals to/from the center station gateway apparatus of said center station;
• an access control section that controls the situation of access of said radio terminal apparatus to said authentication server within each of said wireless LAN networks and checks the presence/absence of access of said radio terminal apparatus to said authentication server when said radio terminal apparatus moves to a communication area of a new access point section;
• and
• a cryptographic key control section that controls said cryptographic keys distributed from said authentication server through said access control section and distributes, when it is confirmed that said radio terminal apparatus which has moved to the communication area of the other access point section has already accessed said authentication server, said cryptographic key for the radio section through which said radio terminal apparatus carries out communication to said radio terminal apparatus and the new access point section in the area to which said radio terminal apparatus has moved.