Patent ID: 7684785
Filing Date: 2010-03-23
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. An access point in a wireless communication network, wherein said access point is a station among a plurality of stations in said wireless communication network, and wherein said wireless communication network comprises at least one mobile terminal and wherein said access point and said mobile terminal are not initially connected with each other, said access point comprising: detecting means for detecting whether or not the mobile terminal transmits a first beacon signal consisting of network management information for allowing the access point to connect to said mobile terminal; authentication means for performing an authentication procedure with said mobile terminal if said detecting means detects that said mobile terminal transmits said first beacon signal, said authentication procedure comprising a mutual authentication process in which each of the access point and the mobile terminal authenticate the other, and upon a successful authentication, transmit a notification message indicating the same to the other; and beacon signal transmitting means for, when the detecting means detects that the mobile terminal is transmitting the first beacon signal, and where the notification message is received from the mobile terminal indicating that the access point has been successfully authenticated by the mobile terminal, transmitting a second beacon signal in place of said first beacon signal of said mobile terminal in the communication network, the mobile terminal having stopped transmitting the first beacon signal in the communication network upon receiving the notification message transmitted by the access point indicating that the mobile terminal has been authenticated by the access point and after having transmitting the notification message to the access point indicating that the access point has been authenticated by the mobile terminal, wherein said second beacon signal consists of network management information for allowing the mobile terminal to connect to said access point, wherein said access point does not transmit the second beacon signal unless the detecting means detects that the mobile terminal is transmitting the first beacon signal in said network, and wherein, when the authentication procedure results in an unsuccessful authentication of the mobile terminal, or when the access point does not receive the notification message from the mobile terminal, the access point remains silent and does not transmit the second beacon signal.