Communication apparatus communicating with external apparatus by wireless communication, method for controlling communication apparatus, and storage medium

• US 10,142,825 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Koike, Kohtaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Junpeng
• Application Number:
  US15/672,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20180048988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A communication apparatus includes a first wireless communication unit, a second wireless communication unit, and a control unit, wherein the control unit performs control to execute processing for sharing a communication parameter with an external apparatus via the second wireless communication unit before a request for connecting via the first wireless communication unit becomes able to be communicated with the external apparatus via the second wireless communication unit, where the communication parameter is used in connecting to the external apparatus via the first wireless communication unit.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a first wireless communication unit;

a second wireless communication unit; and

a control unit,

wherein the control unit is configured to perform control

to periodically transmit an advertise from the second communication unit,

upon receiving a response to the advertise by the second wireless communication unit, to start connection processing for getting connected to an external device via the second wireless communication unit,

to share with the external apparatus a communication parameter to be used for communication via the first wireless communication unit after starting the connection processing,

to notify a user of completion of the connection processing after completion of processing for sharing with the external apparatus, the communication parameter to be used for communication via the first wireless communication unit, and

such that a service executable via the second wireless communication unit is not available for use until the completion of the processing for sharing with the external apparatus the communication parameter to be used for communication via the first wireless communication unit.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a communication speed of communication by the first wireless communication unit is higher than a communication speed of communication by the second wireless communication unit.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a case where communication by the second wireless communication unit is established, an interval at which the communication is regularly performed is shared with the external apparatus.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the interval is changeable after the communication by the second wireless communication unit is established.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a communication parameter used in establishing communication by the first wireless communication unit is randomly changed each time the external apparatus is connected via the second wireless communication unit.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging unit, wherein the communication apparatus is remotely controlled from the external apparatus connected via the first wireless communication unit to capture an image using the imaging unit.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging unit, wherein the communication apparatus transmits an image captured via the imaging unit to the external apparatus based on a request from the external apparatus connected via the first wireless communication unit.

8. A communication apparatus comprising:

a first wireless communication unit;

a second wireless communication unit; and

a control unit,

wherein the control unit is configured to perform control

to periodically transmit an advertise from the second wireless communication unit,

upon receiving a response to the advertise by the second wireless communication unit, to start connection processing for getting connected to an external device via the second wireless communication unit,

to share with the external apparatus a communication parameter used for communication via the first wireless communication unit after starting the connection processing,

to become able to accept from a user an instruction for transmitting a connection request via the second communication unit to the external apparatus, said connection request being a request for connection via the first wireless connection unit after completion of processing for sharing with the external apparatus, the communication parameter used for communication via the first wireless communication unit, and

such that a service executable via the second wireless communication unit is not available for use until the completion of the processing for sharing, with the external apparatus, the communication parameter to be used for communication via the first wireless communication unit.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit is configured to, in a case where the external apparatus is connected to the communication apparatus via the second wireless communication unit, execute the processing for sharing the communication parameter with the external apparatus via the second wireless communication unit, then issue a notification to the user that connection with the external apparatus via the second wireless communication unit is completed, and based on the notification, become able to accept from the user the instruction to transmit the request for connecting via the first wireless communication unit to the external apparatus via the second wireless communication unit, where the communication parameter is used in connecting to the external apparatus via the first wireless communication unit.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a communication speed of communication by the first wireless communication unit is higher than a communication speed of communication by the second wireless communication unit.

11. The communication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein in a case where communication by the second wireless communication unit is established, an interval at which the communication is performed is shared with the external apparatus.

12. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the interval is changeable after the communication by the second wireless communication unit is established.

13. The communication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a communication parameter used in establishing communication by the first wireless communication unit is randomly changed each time the external apparatus is connected to the communication apparatus via the second wireless communication unit.

14. The communication apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising an imaging unit,

wherein the communication apparatus is remotely controlled from the external apparatus connected via the first wireless communication unit to capture an image using the imaging unit.

15. The communication apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising an imaging unit,

wherein the communication apparatus is configured to transmit an image captured via the imaging unit to the external apparatus based on a request from the external apparatus connected via the first wireless communication unit.

16. A method for controlling a communication apparatus including a first wireless communication unit and a second wireless communication unit, the method comprising,

performing control to, periodically transmit an advertise from the second wireless communication unit;

performing control to, upon receiving a response to the advertise by the second wireless communication unit, start connection processing for getting connected to an external device via the second wireless communication unit;

performing control to share with the external apparatus a communication parameter to be used for communication via the first wireless communication unit after starting the connection processing;

performing control to notify a user of completion of the connection processing after completion of processing for sharing with the external apparatus the communication parameter to be used for communication via the first wireless communication; and

performing control such that a service executable via the second wireless communication unit is not available for use until the completion of the processing for sharing with the external apparatus, the communication parameter to be used for communication via the first wireless communication unit.

17. A method for controlling a communication apparatus including a first wireless communication unit and a second wireless communication unit, the method comprising,

performing control to periodically transmit an advertise from the second wireless communication unit;

performing control to, upon receiving a response to the advertise by the second wireless communication unit, start connection processing for getting connected to an external device via the second wireless communication unit;

performing control to share, with the external apparatus, a communication parameter that is to be used for communication via the first wireless communication unit, after starting the connection processing;

performing control to become able to accept, from a user, an instruction for transmitting a connection request via the second wireless communication unit to the external apparatus, said connection request being a request for connection via the first wireless connection unit, after completion of processing for sharing, with the external apparatus, the communication parameter that is to be used for communication via the first wireless communication unit; and

performing control such that a service that is executable via the second wireless communication unit is not available for use until the completion of the processing for sharing, with the external apparatus, the communication parameter that is to be used for communication via the first wireless communication unit.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a communication apparatus including a first wireless communication unit and a second wireless communication unit to execute a method, the method comprising,

performing control to periodically transmit an advertise from the second wireless communication unit;

performing control to, upon receiving a response to the advertise by the second wireless communication unit, start connection processing for getting connected to an external device via the second wireless communication unit;

performing control to share, with the external apparatus, a communication parameter that is to be used for communication via the first wireless communication unit, after starting the connection processing;

performing control to notify a user of completion of the connection processing after completion of processing for sharing, with the external apparatus, the communication parameter that is to be used for communication via the first wireless communication unit; and

performing control such that a service that is executable via the second wireless communication unit is not available for use until the completion of the processing for sharing, with the external apparatus, the communication parameter that is to be used for communication via the first wireless communication unit.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a communication apparatus including a first wireless communication unit and a second wireless communication unit to execute a method, the method comprising,

performing control to, upon receiving a response to the advertise by the second wireless communication unit, start connection processing for getting connected to an external device via the second wireless communication unit;

performing control to share, with the external apparatus, a communication parameter that is to be used for communication via the first wireless communication unit, after starting the connection processing;

performing control to become able to accept, from a user, an instruction for transmitting a connection request via the second wireless communication unit to the external apparatus, said connection request being a request for connection via the first wireless connection unit, after completion of processing for sharing, with the external apparatus, the communication parameter that is to be used for communication via the first wireless communication unit; and

performing control such that a service that is executable via the second wireless communication unit is not available for use until the completion of the processing for sharing, with the external apparatus, the communication parameter that is to be used for communication via the first wireless communication unit.