Wireless Lan Transmission System and Wireless Communication Terminal

Abstract

Provided in a wireless LAN transmission system, having convenience and improved security, in which a wireless communication terminal located in a wireless communication area is capable of changing a setting of a connection, and capable of disconnecting the wireless communication terminal from the connection if the connection is unnecessary. A control management section ( 7 ) controls a switching section ( 5 ) based on an initial setting (S 001 ). When a beacon signal transmitted from the wireless communication terminal is detected in a signal monitoring block ( 8 ) (S 002 ), the control management section switches an operation of the switching section ( 5 ) so as to transmit signals outputted from all of at least one access point ( 4 ) to the wireless communication terminal (S 003 ). If the wireless communication terminal issues a communication path-setting-change request while the signals outputted from all of the at least one access point is transmitted to the wireless communication terminal (S 004 ), the control management section examines whether the wireless communication terminal is operated by an authorized user (S 005 ), further determines whether a setting can be changed in accordance with the communication path-setting-change request (S 006 ), and updates a stored setting based on the communication path-setting-change request (S 008 ). Thereafter, the control management section transmits a message indicating that a change in the setting has been completed (S 009 ), and changes the setting of a communication path to the updated setting thereof (S 0101 ), thereby allowing the wireless communication terminal to connect with a desired one of the at least one access point ( 4 ) (S 011 ).

1 . A wireless LAN transmission system capable of allowing a wireless communication terminal existing in a local area to communicate with networks inside and outside the local area, the wireless LAN transmission system comprising: 
 a wireless base station for forming a wireless communication area in the local area, and performing a wireless communication with the wireless communication terminal existing in the wireless communication area corresponding to the wireless base station, by means of the wireless LAN transmission system; and    a control station including at least one wireless LAN access point which is connected to the wireless base station via a wired communication path, wherein    the control station includes: a communication path switching section for transmitting a signal outputted from each of the at least one wireless LAN access point to the wireless base station; a control management section for controlling the communication path switching section and storing the communication path having been set; and a beacon signal detecting section for detecting a beacon signal for active scanning transmitted from the wireless communication terminal via the wireless base station, when a signal transmitted to the wireless communication area in which the wireless communication terminal exists is not a signal transmitted from a predetermined one of the at least one wireless LAN access point, but is a signal transmitted from any of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is not permitted to connect, and    the control management section has a control station for controlling the communication path switching section so as to transmit signals outputted from all of the at least one wireless LAN access point to the wireless base station through which the beacon signal has been transmitted, when the beacon signal is detected in the beacon signal detecting section, and    causes the wireless communication terminal to temporarily connect with any of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is permitted to connect, by changing the communication path based on the beacon signal, and    causes the wireless communication terminal to permanently connect with the predetermined one of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is permitted to connect, based on a communication path-setting-change request transmitted from the wireless communication terminal to the control management section, while the wireless communication terminal is temporarily connected with the any of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is permitted to connect.    
     
     
         2 . The wireless LAN transmission system according to claim  1 , wherein 
 channels, having frequencies different from each other, are respectively set for the at least one wireless LAN access point,    the wireless communication terminal is able to transmit a wireless LAN channel signal corresponding to each of the at least one wireless LAN access point, and    the beacon signal detecting section includes:    a plurality of band path filters having frequency bands in which the wireless LAN channel signal transmitted from the wireless communication terminal is inputted to the band path filters respectively corresponding to the channels, and the wireless LAN channel signal inputted to each of the band path filters is extracted; a signal detecting section for detecting a signal which has passed through each of the band path filters; and    a determination section for determining whether or not the wireless LAN signal inputted to all of the band path filters is extracted within a predetermined time period, and determining that the beacon signal has been transmitted, when it is determined that the wireless LAN signal inputted to all of the band path filters is extracted within the predetermined time period.    
     
     
         3 . The wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 channels, having frequencies different from each other, are respectively set for the at least one wireless LAN access point,    the wireless communication terminal is able to transmit a wireless LAN channel signal corresponding to each of the at least one wireless LAN access point, and    the beacon signal detecting section includes:    two band path filters; and a signal detecting section for detecting a signal which has passed through each of the band path filters, wherein    the two band path filters have frequency bands in which the wireless LAN channel signal transmitted from the wireless communication terminal is inputted to the two band path filters respectively corresponding to the channels having frequencies adjacent to each other, and the wireless LAN channel signal inputted to each of the two band path filters is extracted, and a determination section for determining whether or not the wireless LAN signal inputted to all of the two band path filters is extracted within a predetermined time period, and determining that the beacon signal has been transmitted, when it is determined that the wireless LAN signal inputted to all of the two band path filters corresponding to the channels having the frequencies adjacent to each other is extracted within the predetermined time period.    
     
     
         4 . The wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the beacon signal detecting section includes: a conversion section for frequency-converting a signal; at least two band path filters for passing the frequency-converted signal; and a signal detecting section for detecting the signal which has passed through each of the band path filters, wherein    the beacon signal detecting section has a determination section for determining whether or not the frequency-converted signal passes through all of the band path filters within a predetermined time period, and determining that the beacon signal has been transmitted, when it is determined that the frequency-converted signal passes through all of the band path filters within the predetermined time period.    
     
     
         5 . A wireless LAN transmission system capable of allowing a wireless communication terminal existing in a local area to communicate with networks inside and outside the local area, the wireless LAN transmission system comprising: 
 a wireless base station for forming a wireless communication area in the local area, and performing a wireless communication with the wireless communication terminal existing in the wireless communication area corresponding to the wireless base station, by means of the wireless LAN transmission system; and    a control station including at least one wireless LAN access point which is connected to the wireless base station via a wired communication path, wherein    the control station includes: a communication path switching section for transmitting a signal outputted from each of the at least one wireless LAN access point to the wireless base station; a control management section for controlling the communication path switching section and storing the communication path having been set; and a signal detecting section for detecting a signal transmitted from the wireless communication terminal via the wireless base station, wherein    when the signal transmitted from the wireless communication terminal is not detected in the signal detecting section within a predetermined time period, the control management section changes the communication path so as not to transmit signals outputted from all of the at least one wireless LAN access point to the wireless base station.    
     
     
         6 . The wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 5 , wherein 
 the signal detecting section detects a signal corresponding to a channel set for each of the at least one wireless LAN access point, and    when the signal corresponding to the channel set for each of the at least one wireless LAN access point is not detected within a predetermined time period, the control management section changes the communication path so as not to transmit the signal corresponding to the channel set for each of the at least one wireless LAN access point.    
     
     
         7 . A wireless LAN transmission system capable of allowing a wireless communication terminal existing in a local area to communicate with networks inside and outside the local area, the wireless LAN transmission system comprising: 
 a wireless base station for forming a wireless communication area in the local area, and performing a wireless communication with the wireless communication terminal existing in the wireless communication area corresponding to the wireless base station, by means of the wireless LAN transmission system; and    a control station including at least one wireless LAN access point which is connected to the wireless base station via a wired communication path, wherein    channels, having frequencies different from each other, are respectively set for the at least one wireless LAN access point,    the control station includes: a communication path switching section for transmitting a signal outputted from each of the at least one wireless LAN access point to the wireless base station; a control management section for controlling the communication path switching section and storing the communication path having been set; and a beacon signal detecting section for detecting a beacon signal for active scanning transmitted from the wireless communication terminal via the wireless base station, when a signal transmitted to the wireless communication area in which the wireless communication terminal exists is not a signal transmitted from a predetermined one of the at least one wireless LAN access point, but is a signal transmitted from any of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is not permitted to connect, and    the control management section has a control station for controlling the communication path switching section so as to transmit signals outputted from all of the at least one wireless LAN access point to the wireless base station through which the beacon signal has been transmitted, when the beacon signal is detected in the beacon signal detecting section, and    causes the wireless communication terminal to temporarily connect with any of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is permitted to connect, by changing the communication path based on the beacon signal, and    causes the wireless communication terminal to permanently connect with the predetermined one of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is permitted to connect, based on a communication path-setting-change request transmitted from the wireless communication terminal to the control management section, while the wireless communication terminal is temporarily connected with the any of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is permitted to connect, and    changes, when the beacon signal detecting section does not detect signals corresponding to all of the channels or a signal corresponding to a predetermined one of the channels, the communication path so as not to transmit the signals outputted from all of the at least one access point or the signal outputted from one of the at least one access point set for the predetermined one of the channels, to the wireless base station through which the beacon signal has been transmitted.    
     
     
         8 . The wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 the control management section changes, at a predetermined time interval, the communication path so as not to transmit the signals outputted from all of the at least one access point or the signal outputted from the one of the at least one access point set for the predetermined one of the channels, to the wireless base station, and    changes the communication path so as to transmit the signals outputted from all of the at least one wireless LAN access point to the wireless base station, when the beacon signal is detected in the beacon signal detecting section, and    operates in accordance with a communication path setting, which is stored in the control management section when a predetermined time period has passed after the beacon signal is detected.    
     
     
         9 . A wireless LAN transmission system capable of allowing a wireless communication terminal existing in a local area to communicate with networks inside and outside the local area, the wireless LAN transmission system comprising: 
 a wireless base station for forming a wireless communication area in the local area, and performing a wireless communication with the wireless communication terminal existing in the wireless communication area corresponding to the wireless base station, by means of the wireless LAN transmission system; and    a control station including at least one wireless LAN access point which is connected to the wireless base station via a wired communication path, wherein    the control station includes: a communication path switching section for transmitting a signal outputted from each of the at least one wireless LAN access point to the wireless base station; a control management section for controlling the communication path switching section and storing the communication path having been set; and a detection section for detecting unauthorized access from the wireless communication area, and    the control management section causes the control management section not to transmit, for a predetermined time period, signals outputted from all of the at least one wireless LAN access point to the wireless base station, when the unauthorized access is detected in the detection section.    
     
     
         10 . The wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the wireless base station has a communication path setting information displaying section for displaying communication path setting information, of each of the at least one wireless LAN access point, which is transmitted from the control station.    
     
     
         11 . The wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 5 , wherein 
 the wireless base station has a communication path setting information displaying section for displaying communication path setting information, of each of the at least one wireless LAN access point, which is transmitted from the control station.    
     
     
         12 . The wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 the wireless base station has a communication path setting information displaying section for displaying communication path setting information, of each of the at least one wireless LAN access point, which is transmitted from the control station.    
     
     
         13 . The wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 9 , wherein 
 the wireless base station has a communication path setting information displaying section for displaying communication path setting information, of each of the at least one wireless LAN access point, which is transmitted from the control station.    
     
     
         14 . The wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 10 , wherein 
 the control station includes signal oscillators, whose number is the same as that of the at least one wireless LAN access point, for transmitting signals having oscillatory frequencies different from each other, and superimposes each of the signals transmitted from the signal oscillators on the signal transmitted through the communication path from each of the at least one wireless LAN access point, so as to be transmitted to the wireless base station, and    the wireless base station includes: a detection section for detecting each of the signals transmitted from the signal oscillators; and    a display section for displaying that the signal outputted from each of the at least one wireless LAN access point is transmitted, when the detection section detects each of the signals transmitted from the signal oscillators.    
     
     
         15 . The wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 11 , wherein 
 the control station includes signal oscillators, whose number is the same as that of the at least one wireless LAN access point, for transmitting signals having oscillatory frequencies different from each other, and superimposes each of the signals transmitted from the signal oscillators on the signal transmitted through the communication path from each of the at least one wireless LAN access point, so as to be transmitted to the wireless base station, and    the wireless base station includes: a detection section for detecting each of the signals transmitted from the signal oscillators; and    a display section for displaying that the signal outputted from each of the at least one wireless LAN access point is transmitted, when the detection section detects each of the signals transmitted from the signal oscillators.    
     
     
         16 . The wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 12 , wherein 
 the control station includes signal oscillators, whose number is the same as that of the at least one wireless LAN access point, for transmitting signals having oscillatory frequencies different from each other, and superimposes each of the signals transmitted from the signal oscillators on the signal transmitted through the communication path from each of the at least one wireless LAN access point, so as to be transmitted to the wireless base station, and    the wireless base station includes: a detection section for detecting each of the signals transmitted from the signal oscillators; and    a display section for displaying that the signal outputted from each of the at least one wireless LAN access point is transmitted, when the detection section detects each of the signals transmitted from the signal oscillators.    
     
     
         17 . The wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 13 , wherein 
 the control station includes signal oscillators, whose number is the same as that of the at least one wireless LAN access point, for transmitting signals having oscillatory frequencies different from each other, and superimposes each of the signals transmitted from the signal oscillators on the signal transmitted through the communication path from each of the at least one wireless LAN access point, so as to be transmitted to the wireless base station, and    the wireless base station includes: a detection section for detecting each of the signals transmitted from the signal oscillators; and    a display section for displaying that the signal transmitted from each of the at least one wireless LAN access point is transmitted, when the detection section detects each of the signals outputted from the signal oscillators.    
     
     
         18 . A wireless communication terminal for communicating with networks inside and outside a local area by using the wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 1 , the wireless communication terminal comprising: 
 a transmission section for transmitting a beacon signal, when a signal transmitted to the wireless communication area in which the wireless communication terminal exists is not a signal transmitted from a predetermined one of the at least one wireless LAN access point, but is a signal transmitted from any of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is not permitted to connect, in the wireless transmission system, wherein    when a signal is transmitted, in response to the transmitted beacon signal, to the wireless communication terminal from any of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication is permitted to connect, the wireless communication terminal receives the signal via a wireless base station included in the wireless LAN transmission system, and temporarily connects with the any of the at least one wireless LAN access point which has transmitted the signal, and    transmits a communication path-setting-change request to the control management section included in the wireless LAN transmission system, while the wireless communication terminal is temporarily connected with the any of the at least one wireless LAN access point, and    permanently connects with the predetermined one of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is permitted to connect, after a setting of a communication path is changed in accordance with the communication path-setting-change request.    
     
     
         19 . A wireless communication terminal for communicating with networks inside and outside a local area by using the wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 5 , the wireless communication terminal comprising: 
 a transmission section for transmitting a beacon signal, when a signal transmitted to the wireless communication area in which the wireless communication terminal exists is not a signal transmitted from a predetermined one of the at least one wireless LAN access point, but is a signal transmitted from any of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is not permitted to connect, in the wireless transmission system, wherein    when a signal is transmitted, in response to the transmitted beacon signal, to the wireless communication terminal from any of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication is permitted to connect, the wireless communication terminal receives the signal via a wireless base station included in the wireless LAN transmission system, and temporarily connects with the any of the at least one wireless LAN access point which has transmitted the signal, and    transmits a communication path-setting-change request to the control management section included in the wireless LAN transmission system, while the wireless communication terminal is temporarily connected with the any of the at least one wireless LAN access point, and    permanently connects with the predetermined one of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is permitted to connect, after a setting of a communication path is changed in accordance with the communication path-setting-change request.    
     
     
         20 . A wireless communication terminal for communicating with networks inside and outside a local area by using the wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 7 , the wireless communication terminal comprising: 
 a transmission section for transmitting a beacon signal, when a signal transmitted to the wireless communication area in which the wireless communication terminal exists is not a signal transmitted from a predetermined one of the at least one wireless LAN access point, but is a signal transmitted from any of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is not permitted to connect, in the wireless transmission system, wherein    when a signal is transmitted, in response to the transmitted beacon signal, to the wireless communication terminal from any of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication is permitted to connect, the wireless communication terminal receives the signal via a wireless base station included in the wireless LAN transmission system, and temporarily connects with the any of the at least one wireless LAN access point which has transmitted the signal, and    transmits a communication path-setting-change request to the control management section included in the wireless LAN transmission system, while the wireless communication terminal is temporarily connected with the any of the at least one wireless LAN access point, and    permanently connects with the predetermined one of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is permitted to connect, after a setting of a communication path is changed in accordance with the communication path-setting-change request.    
     
     
         21 . A wireless communication terminal for communicating with networks inside and outside a local area by using the wireless LAN transmission system according to  claim 9 , the wireless communication terminal comprising: 
 a transmission section for transmitting a beacon signal, when a signal transmitted to the wireless communication area in which the wireless communication terminal exists is not a signal transmitted from a predetermined one of the at least one wireless LAN access point, but is a signal transmitted from any of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is not permitted to connect, in the wireless transmission system, wherein    when a signal is transmitted, in response to the transmitted beacon signal, to the wireless communication terminal from any of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication is permitted to connect, the wireless communication terminal receives the signal via a wireless base station included in the wireless LAN transmission system, and temporarily connects with the any of the at least one wireless LAN access point which has transmitted the signal, and    transmits a communication path-setting-change request to the control management section included in the wireless LAN transmission system, while the wireless communication terminal is temporarily connected with the any of the at least one wireless LAN access point, and    permanently connects with the predetermined one of the at least one wireless LAN access point to which the wireless communication terminal is permitted to connect, after a setting of a communication path is changed in accordance with the communication path-setting-change request.