Communication apparatus configured to perform process for sharing communication parameter with another communication apparatus

• US 10,178,551 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2016
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Goto, Fumihide
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Henry
• Application Number:
  US15/210,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20170026833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 Graphical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• 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 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• 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 notification unit, a second notification unit, a reception unit, and a sharing unit. The first notification unit provides first information containing information unique to the communication apparatus and information on a predetermined channel for use in sharing a communication parameter for wireless communication with a different communication apparatus. The second notification unit provides second information containing the information unique to the communication apparatus but not containing information on the predetermined channel. When the first information is provided, the reception unit waits to receive a predetermined signal containing information corresponding to the information unique to the communication apparatus without shifting to another channel. When the second information is provided, the reception unit waits to receive the predetermined signal using a plurality of channels. When the predetermined signal is provided, the sharing unit shares the communication parameter with the different communication apparatus.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories including instructions that, when executed by the processor(s), cause the communication apparatus to;

provide first information containing information unique to the communication apparatus and information on a predetermined channel for use in sharing a communication parameter for wireless communication with another communication apparatus or second information containing the information unique to the communication apparatus but not containing information on the predetermined channel;

i) in a case where the first information is provided, wait to receive a predetermined signal containing information corresponding to the information unique to the communication apparatus without shifting from the predetermined channel to another channel;

ii) wait, using a plurality of channels, to receive the predetermined signal in a case where the second information is provided; and

in a case where the predetermined signal is received from the other communication apparatus, perform a process for sharing the communication parameter with the other communication apparatus.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus provides the first information to the other communication apparatus via a code, wherein the code is displayed on a display unit.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus provides the second information to the other communication apparatus via a code, wherein the code is displayed on a display unit.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus provides the first information or the second information to the other communication apparatus using communication based on Bluetooth or near-field communication.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus provides the first information via a code, wherein the code is located on the communication apparatus or an item associated with the communication apparatus.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus provides the second information via a code, wherein the code is located on the communication apparatus or an item associated with the communication apparatus.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first information or the second information contains encoded information of the information unique to the communication apparatus.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information unique to the communication apparatus includes one of a public key of the communication apparatus, a MAC address of the communication apparatus, or a universally unique identifier of the communication apparatus.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus waits a predetermined time for the predetermined signal.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, when the predetermined time elapses and the communication apparatus has not received the predetermined signal from the other communication apparatus, the communication apparatus waits for the predetermined signal from the other communication apparatus using a plurality of channels even if the predetermined information contains the information on the predetermined channel.

11. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus shares the communication parameter with the other communication apparatus by acquiring the communication parameter from the other communication apparatus.

12. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus determines whether to provide the first information or the second information, and

wherein, if the communication apparatus determines to provide the first information, the communication apparatus provides the first information and the communication apparatus does not provide the second information.

13. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus determines whether to provide the first information or the second information, and

wherein, if the communication apparatus determines to provide the second information, the communication apparatus provides the second information and the communication apparatus does not provide the first information.

14. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the channel comprises a frequency channel.

15. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication parameter includes at least one of information on an encryption method, an encryption key, an authentication method, or an authentication key for wireless communication.

16. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus performs wireless communication based on an IEEE 802.11 series with the other communication apparatus using the communication parameter.

17. A method for sharing a communication parameter for wireless communication among a plurality of communication apparatuses, the method comprising:

providing a notification of first information containing information unique to a communication apparatus and information on a predetermined channel for use in sharing a communication parameter for wireless communication with a other communication apparatus;

providing a notification of second information containing the information unique to the communication apparatus but not containing information on the predetermined channel;

waiting to, when the first information is provided, receive a predetermined signal containing information corresponding to the information unique to the communication apparatus without shifting from the predetermined channel to another channel;

waiting to, when the second information is provided, receive the predetermined signal from the other communication apparatus using a plurality of channels; and

performing, when the predetermined signal is provided from the other communication apparatus, a process for sharing the communication parameter with the other communication apparatus.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to execute a method for sharing a communication parameter for wireless communication among a plurality of communication apparatuses, the method comprising:

providing a notification of first information containing information unique to a communication apparatus and information on a predetermined channel for use in sharing a communication parameter for wireless communication with a other communication apparatus;

providing a notification of second information containing the information unique to the communication apparatus but not containing information on the predetermined channel;

waiting to, when the first information is provided, receive a predetermined signal containing information corresponding to the information unique to the communication apparatus without shifting from the predetermined channel to another channel;

waiting to, when the second information is provided, receive the predetermined signal from the other communication apparatus using a plurality of channels; and

performing, when the predetermined signal is provided from the other communication apparatus, a process for sharing the communication parameter with the other communication apparatus.