Patent ID: 8369231
Filing Date: 2013-02-05
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A communication device comprising: a processor that controls the following: a configuration unit that configures a first network for sharing communication parameters to configure a second network, the communication parameters including at least one of an encryption method, and encryption key, and authentication method, and an authentication key; a storing unit configured to store one or more predetermined device combinations in a predetermined combination selection order; a collecting unit that collects capability information and category information of one or more other communication devices located on the first network, the capability information including a communication parameter service attribute that indicates whether the device has one or more of a communication-parameter-providing capability and a communication-parameter-receiving capability, and the category information indicating whether the device is one or more of an input device and an output device; an extracting unit that performs first extraction that extracts, on the basis of capability information including the communication parameter service attribute of the other communication devices collected by the collecting unit, at least one combination of devices, wherein each of the combination of devices comprises a provider device having the communication-parameter-providing capability that provides the communication parameters to configure the second network, and one or more receiver devices having the communication-parameter-receiving capability that receives the communication parameters from the provider device; performs second extraction that extracts, in a case where the first extraction extracts a plurality of combinations of devices, on the basis of the category information of the other communication devices collected by the collecting unit, at least one combination of devices including an input device and an output device, from among the plurality of the combination of devices extracted by the first extraction; performs third extraction that extracts, in case where the second extraction unit extracts a plurality of combinations of devices, on the basis of the predetermined device combinations stored in the storing unit, a combination of devices corresponding to a predetermined device combination according to the predetermined combination selection order, from among the plurality of the combination of devices extracted by the second extraction; a communication parameter setting unit configured, in a case where at least one of the first, second and third extractions extracts one combination of devices including a provider device and one or more receiver devices, to set communication parameters in the devices included in the extracted one combination of devices; and a notifying unit that notifies, a device that is not included in the extracted combination of devices, of cancellation of a communication parameter setting process for sharing the communication parameters between the provider device and the one or more receiver devices, that notifies the extracted provider device that it is to become the provider device and of an address of the one or more receiver devices, and that notifies the extracted one or more receiver devices that it is to become the receiver device and of an address of the provider device.