Abstract:
A method for network connection is provided. The method uses an identification tag during a network connection process. The method not only makes network connection more easily and convenient, but also gives consideration to security and compatibility.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a method for network connection. More particularly, it relates to a method for wireless network connection. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The Internet is omnipresent in the modern society. Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is getting prevalent due to the benefits of not being equipped with cable. The original WLAN communication standard IEEE 802.11 was released in 1997, and defines the Media Access Control (MAC) and the physical layer. Under the standard, the connection between two communication equipments can proceed with an ad-hoc method and also can proceed with the cooperation between a base station (BS) and an access point (AP). In 1999, the telecommunication industry makes up a Wi-Fi Alliance, so as to solve the issues about the compatibility for the 802.11 standard products and device. 
         [0003]    By the present technology, in order to carry out the connection under the wireless network communication standard, traditionally a user has to manually create a wireless network title, i.e. the Service Set Identifier (SSID), and then enters a set of security key into the access points and client ends respectively so as to prevent a non-admissible login cracking into the wireless network. The user has to know the background knowledge regarding Wi-Fi device and be capable of setting the parameters with respect to a demand to perform the whole procedure. Thus it is not easy for a user to utilize it. In order to ensure the security of wireless network and to make internet connection more convenient for the user, the Wi-Fi Alliance has developed a new certification scheme known as “Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)” in 2007. By utilizing the WPS, without knowing the SSID and security keys or login passwords, users can set the SSID, Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) security keys for AP and client devices capable of using WPS in the internet. At present the WPS has two common ways to set a wireless network, i.e. “PIN Input Configuration method” and “Push Button Configuration (PBC) method.” 
         [0004]    The PIN Input Configuration method means inputting a set of sequence number to establish a connection. The Push Button Configuration (PBC) method means establishing a connection via pushing the online button, and the button thereof could be a virtual button created by software or a real button disposed on a hardware device. When a specific method is selected to establish a connection at a wireless base station, the client end just needs to select the same way to establish the connection. 
         [0005]    The procedures to create a connection of the PIN Input Configuration method and the PBC method are almost the same. But since the PIN Input Configuration method proceeds via directly entering a PIN data of a wireless network interface card and the base station has restricted the transmitting scope of the client, therefore, the speed of establishing a connection is accordingly faster. In contrary, the PBC method proceeds via pushing the connection button of the client to establish a connection within a specific time only after the connection button at the base station is pushed. Thus the client will search first to find out whether there is a base station supporting WPS in the wireless communication range, and at the same time the PBC function of the base station has to be started to match the connection. By contrast, the speed of establishing a connection via the PBC method is slower than that via PIN Input Configuration method so that it is inconvenient. 
         [0006]    In addition, when the PBC method is used for Wireless Distribution System (WDS), it is necessary to set the MAC addresses of others on respective APs for a connection between the APs due to the restrictions of the system architecture and necessary to have the same SSID and security mechanism, which cause the user need to set parameters via an Ethernet network and make the connection slower. Thus, it is also inconvenience for use. 
         [0007]    Therefore, it would be useful to invent a digital photo frame to circumvent all the above issues. In order to fulfill this need the inventors have proposed an invention “method for network connection”. The summary of the present invention is described as follows. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The original idea of the invention is to using a specific identify tag in the connection procedure, which tag is never utilized in the current WPS definitions. By using the specific identify tag, it not only makes network connection much easier and more convenient but is also mindful of the security, and it does even not conflict with the existing system architecture. 
         [0009]    According to the first aspect of the present invention, a method for a network connection between a client terminal and an access point (AP) coupled to a registrar is provided. The method includes the steps of: (A) sending a first message having a specific identification tag from the client terminal to the registrar via the AP; (B) sending a second message having a question tag from the registrar to the client terminal; (C) sending a third message having an answer tag from the client terminal to the registrar; (D) determining whether the question tag and the answer tag match with each other at the registrar; and (E) if the question tag and the answer tag match with each other, sending a private WiFi setting from the registrar to the client terminal so as to connect the client terminal to the AP. 
         [0010]    Preferably, the method is provided, wherein the step (A) further includes a step (A1) of sending a probe request from the client terminal to the AP after the client terminal confirms that the AP sends a beacon. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the method is provided, wherein the question tag and the answer tag are coded by a coding method being selected from a group consisting of a Rivest Cipher 2 (RC2), a Rivest Cipher 4 (RC4), a Rivest Cipher 5 (RC5), a Rivest Cipher 6 (RC6) and an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). 
         [0012]    Preferably, the method is provided, wherein the first message further includes a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the client terminal and the second message further includes an SSID and an MAC address of the registrar. 
         [0013]    Preferably, the method is provided, wherein the step (E) further includes a step (E1) of setting a Wireless Distribution System (WDS) according to the first message and the second message if the question tag and the answer tag match with each other. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the method is provided, wherein the step (E) further includes a step (E1) of ceasing a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) procedure if a result of the step (E) is negative. 
         [0015]    Preferably, the method further includes a step (F) of processing a Push Button Configuration (PCB) method. 
         [0016]    Preferably, the method is provided, wherein the first, the second and the third messages are register messages and the specific identify tag includes a specific SSID. 
         [0017]    According to the second aspect of the present invention, a method for a network connection between a first access point (AP) and a second access point (AP) coupled to a registrar is provided. The method includes the steps of: (A) sending a specific identification tag from the first AP to the registrar via the second AP; (B) sending a question tag from the registrar to the first AP; (C) sending an answer tag from the first AP to the registrar; (D) determining whether the question tag and the answer tag match with each other at the registrar; and (E) connecting the first AP and the second AP if the question tag and the answer tag are matched. 
         [0018]    Preferably, the method is provided, wherein the step (A) further includes a step (A1) of transforming the first AP into a client terminal by the specific identification tag. 
         [0019]    Preferably, the method is provided, wherein the specific identification tag is included in a first massage and sent from the first AP to the registrar via the second AP in the step (A), the question tag is included in a second massage and sent from the registrar to the first AP in the step (B), and the answer tag is included in a third massage and sent from the first AP to the registrar in the step (C). Furthermore, the first message could further include a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the first AP, the second message could further include an SSID and an MAC address of the registrar, and the first, the second and the third messages could be register messages. 
         [0020]    Preferably, the method is provided, wherein the step (E) further includes a step (E0) of setting a Wireless Distribution System (WDS) according to the first message and the second message so as to connect the first AP to the second AP. Furthermore, the step (E) could further include a step (E1) of sending a private WiFi setting from the registrar to the first AP so as to connect the first AP to the second AP if the question tag and the answer tag are matched. If the question tag and the answer tag are unpaired, a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) procedure would be ceased. 
         [0021]    Preferably, the method further includes a step (F) of processing a Push Button Configuration (PCB) method. 
         [0022]    According to the third aspect of the present invention, a method for connecting a first node and a second node is provided. The method includes the steps of: (A) sending a specific identification tag from the first node to the second node; (B) sending a question tag from the second node to the first node; (C) sending an answer tag from the first node to the second node; and (D) connecting the first node to the second node if the question tag and the answer tag are satisfied with a specific rule. 
         [0023]    Preferably, the method is provided, wherein the first node is one of a first access point and a first client terminal, the second node is one of a second access point and a second client terminal, and the second node further includes a registrar to determine whether the question tag and the answer tag are satisfied with the specific rule. 
         [0024]    Preferably, the method further includes the steps of: (D0) determining whether the question tag and the answer tag are matched; and (D1) connecting the first node and the second node if a determination of the step (D0) is positive. 
         [0025]    The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood through the following descriptions with reference to the drawings: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a diagram showing the first communication system; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart showing the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is a diagram showing the second communication system; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing the second preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a diagram showing the third communication system; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0032]    The present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention are presented herein for the aspect of illustration and description only; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise from disclosed. 
         [0033]    Please refer to  FIG. 1  which is a diagram showing the first communication system. The communication system  100  includes a client terminal  101 , an AP  102  and a registrar  103  connecting to the AP  102 . Please further direct to  FIG. 2  which is a flowchart showing the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The first preferred embodiment of the invention is a first method  200  for a network connection under the WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) framework. 
         [0034]    First of all, when a virtual or real PBC button is pushed (step  201 ) by a user at the client terminal  101 , the client terminal  101  will search a beacon emitted from the AP  102  (step  202 ) with Wireless Provisioning Services Information Element (WPS IE). When the client terminal  101  confirms the beacon, the client terminal  101  will send a probe request with WPS IE to the AP  102  and the AP  102  will reply a probe response with WPS IE (step  203 ). Next, the client terminal  101  enters the procedure for authentication and linkage and starts EAP over LAN (EAPOL). The client terminal  101  sends a first register message (M 1 ) including a specific identification tag, a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and a MAC address to the AP  102  (step  204 ) and then the AP  102  will transfer M 1  to a registrar  103  (step  205 ). The registrar  103  replies a second register message (M 2 ) including a question tag, a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and a MAC address to the client terminal  101  (step  206 ). Then, the client terminal  101  replies a third register message (M 3 ) including an answer tag to the registrar  103  (step  207 ). Finally, the registrar  103  determines whether the answer tag and the question tag match with each other (step  208 ). If the question tag and the answer tag match with each other, the registrar  103  sends a private WiFi setting to the client terminal  101 , so that the client terminal  101  will connect to the AP  102  after the client terminal  101  receives the private WiFi setting (step  209 A). It is noted that the register message could be any type of message. Besides, the client terminal  101  could directly send messages to the registrar  103 . 
         [0035]    In the above embodiment, the specific identification tag is the tag that has never been utilized in the current WPS definitions so that it could avoid the conflicts with the existing system architecture and even enhance security for keeping the secrecy. In addition, in some network machines, AP  102  would have at least one set of connection setting for the default (i.e. at least one set of SSID and security keys) in order to meet the special demands. However, in order that any client terminal  101  cannot be connected to the AP  102  for other sets of connection setting, the design of the specific identification tag of the preferred embodiment could inform the AP  102  to connect for a specific SSID and thus the AP  102  would send the specific data to the client terminal  101  via the WPS. 
         [0036]    In this case, for example, the identification tag of M 1  could be set as “1110 1 56 (HEX)”, the question tag of M 2  could be set as “R=(RND(x) % 0x10000), Qv=RC4 (R), Q=1110 8 Qv”, and the answer tag of M 3  could be set as “Get Q′ tag is 1110 8 Qt, A1=RC4(Qt), Av=RC4(A1+0x0718), A=1110 8 Av”. After receiving M 3 , the registrar  103  can parse the answer tag to verify, “Get A′ tag is 1110 8 At, A2=RC4(At), A3=RC4(Qv+0x0718)”. If A2=A3, the answer tag and the question tag match with each other and the client terminal  101  is verified and authentic so that the private WiFi setting would be sent out. If A2 and A3 do not match or are unpaired, the WPS procedure would be ceased (step  209 B). It is noted that the specific identification tag could include a specific SSID so as to inform the AP  102  to connect for the specific SSID. Besides, there could be two SSIDs for a client terminal  101 , and one SSID is included in M 3  and the other is included in the specification tag. 
         [0037]    The question tag and the answer tag could be coded by a Rivest Cipher 2 (RC2), a Rivest Cipher 4 (RC4), a Rivest Cipher 5 (RC5), a Rivest Cipher 6 (RC6), an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) or other coding methods. 
         [0038]    Please refer to  FIG. 3  which is a diagram showing the second communication system. The communication system  300  includes a first AP  301 , a second AP  302  and a registrar  303  connecting to the second AP  302 . Please refer to  FIG. 4  which is a flowchart showing the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The second preferred embodiment of the invention is a second method  400  for a network connection between the two APs under the WDS (Wireless Distribution System) framework. Since a prior art needs to set up the two APs ( 301  and  302 ) for the association (i.e., setting the MAC of the first AP  301  on the second AP  302  and setting the MAC of the second AP  302  on the first AP  301 ), an Ethernet network has to be set up by a user who knows the MAC address, the SSID and the security key. Therefore, the first AP  301  could be transformed to a client terminal and the steps similar to the first embodiment could be performed for connecting the first AP  301  and the second AP  302 . 
         [0039]    First of all, when a virtual or real PBC button is pushed (step  401 ) by a user at the first AP  301 , the first AP  301  will search a beacon emitted from the second AP  302  (step  402 ) with Wireless Provisioning Services Information Element (WPS IE). When the first AP  301  confirms the beacon, the first AP  301  will send a probe request with WPS IE to the second AP  302  and the second AP  302  will reply a probe response with WPS IE (step  403 ). Next, the first AP  301  enters the procedure of an authentication and an association and starts EAP over LAN (EAPOL). The first AP  301  sends a first register message (M 1 ) including a specific identification tag, a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and a MAC address to the second AP  302  (step  404 ) and then the second AP  302  will transfer the M 1  to the registrar  303  (step  405 ). The registrar  303  replies a second register message (M 2 ) including a question tag, a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and a MAC address to the first AP  301  (step  406 ). Then, the first AP  301  replies a third register message (M 3 ) including an answer tag to the registrar  303  (step  407 ). Finally, the registrar  303  determines whether the answer tag and the question tag match with each other (step  408 ). If the question tag and the answer tag match with each other, the registrar  303  sets a list of Wireless Distribution System (WDS) according to the M 1  and the M 2  (including the SSIDs and MAC addresses of the first and second AP  301  and  302 ) so as to connect the first AP  301  to the second AP  302  (step  409 A). It is noted that the register message could be any type of message. Besides, the first AP  301  could directly send messages to the registrar  303 . For the other example, the M 1  with the specific identification tag could further include a SSID and a MAC address of the first AP  301 , the M 2  with the question tag could further include a SSID and a MAC address of the second AP  302  or the registrar  303 , and these messages are register messages. 
         [0040]    In the above embodiment, the specific identification tag is also not used in the WPS definitions at present so that it could avoid the conflicts with the existing system architecture and even enhance security for keeping the secrecy. The difference between the first and the second preferred embodiments is that the specific identification tag of the M 1  emitted by the first AP  301  could be set to “1110 1 42 (HEX)”. The specific identification tag could be used to disguise the real identity of the first AP  301  as a virtual client terminal (i.e., transforming the first AP  301  to the virtual client terminal) so as to connect to the second AP  302 . The question tag of M 2  could be set to “R=(RND(x) % 0x10000), Qv=RC4 (R), Q=“1110 8 Qv”, and the answer tag of M 3  could be set to “Get Q′ tag is 1110 8 Qt, A1=RC4(Qt), Av=RC4(A1+0x1223), A=1110 8 AV”. After receiving M 3 , the registrar  303  can parse the answer tag to verify, “Get A′ tag is 1110 8 At, A2=RC4(At), A3=RC4(Qv+0x1223)”. If A2=A3, the answer tag and the question tag match with each other and the virtual client terminal is authentic, so that the WDS for each other could be set up by the M 1  and M 2  (MAC addresses of each other) when the WPS process finishes. If A2≠A3, the WPS process would be broken (step  409 B). It is noted that the specific identification tag could include a specific SSID. 
         [0041]    It is noted that the same tag is used in the first and the second preferred embodiments but the coding and decoding methods thereof are different (i.e., Av=RC4(A1+0x0718) and Av=RC4(A1+0x1223)) so as to achieve the effects of distinguishment and security. The question tag and the answer tag in the second preferred embodiment could be also coded by a Rivest Cipher 2 (RC2), a Rivest Cipher 4 (RC4), a Rivest Cipher 5 (RC5), a Rivest Cipher 6 (RC6), an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) or other coding methods. In addition, after the first AP  301  is transformed into the virtual client terminal and gains the SSID and MAC address of the second AP  302  form the M 2 , the virtual client terminal could be transformed back to the first AP  301  at any step of the second embodiment to connect the second AP  302 . 
         [0042]    Please refer to  FIG. 5  which is a diagram showing the third communication system. The communication system  500  includes a first node  501  and a second node  502 . The second node  502  further includes a registrar  5021 . Please refer to  FIG. 6  which is a flowchart showing the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. The third preferred embodiment of the invention is a second method  600  for a network connection. 
         [0043]    First of all, the first node  501  sends a specific identification tag to the second node  502  (step  601 ) and then the second node  502  sends a question tag to the first node  501  (step  602 ). Then, the first node  501  sends an answer tag to the second  502  (step  603 ). Finally, it is determined whether the question tag and the answer tag are satisfied with a specific rule (step  604 ). If the question tag and the answer tag are satisfied with the specific rule, the first node  501  is connected to the second node  502  (step  605 A). If the question tag and the answer tag are not satisfied with the specific rule, the first node  501  cannot be connected to the second node  502  (step  605 B). It is noted that the first node  501  could be an AP or a client terminal and the second node  502  could be an AP or a client terminal. The above rule could be performed based on whether the first node  501  and the second node  502  match or not. The tags could be respectively included in different messages. The specific identification tag could include a specific SSID and the message including the specific identification tag could have a normal SSID rather than the specific SSID. For the other example, the message with the specific identification tag could further include a SSID and a MAC address of the first node  501 , the message with the question tag could further include an SSID and an MAC address of the second node  502 , and these messages are register messages. Besides, the registrar  5021  could be configured outside the second node  502 . 
         [0044]    Based on the above embodiment, a specific identification tag could be used in the process of connecting. It not only makes network connection easier and more convenient but also enhances the security, and it even has no conflicts with the existing system architecture. 
         [0045]    While the invention has been described in terms of what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention need not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures. Therefore the above description and illustration should not be taken as limiting the scope of the present invention which is defined by the appended claims.