COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT COMMUNICATION ROUTE SELECTION METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT IN MEMORY FOR SELECTING A COMMUNICATION ROUTE

• US 20020032736A1
• Filed: 11/10/1998
• Published: 03/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: IDEHARA, TAKENORI
• Granted Patent: US 6,438,605 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A communication equipment having multiple communication functions, a method of selecting a communication route among multiple communication routes that are available between the sending equipment and receiving equipment, and a computer program product in memory for implementing the communication route selecting process. In route selection mode, a list of communication routes that are available between the sending equipment and receiving equipment is produced and displayed. The user selects a route and associated communication function on the displayed list, and proceeds to communication.

Claims

1. A communication equipment capable of sending information to a receiving communication equipment via a plurality of communication routes, said equipment comprising:

a route finding controller which finds a plurality of communication routes that are available between said sending equipment and said receiving equipment;

a display device which displays the communication routes found by said route finding controller;

an input device used to specify a communication route out of plural communication routes displayed on said display device; and

a transmission controller which transmits information to said receiving equipment through the communication route specified with said input device.

2. A communication equipment according to claim 1, wherein said route finding controller lists up communication routes that are available for said sending equipment and communication routes that are available for said receiving equipment, and extracts communication routes that are available commonly for said sending equipment and said receiving equipment.

3. A communication equipment according to claim 2, wherein said route finding controller sends to said receiving equipment a status request for inquiring communication routes that are available for said receiving equipment, and lists up communication routes that are available for said receiving equipment upon receiving a reply from said receiving equipment in response to the status request.

4. A communication equipment according to claim 1, wherein said route finding controller lists up communication routes that are available for a network connected with said sending equipment and communication routes that are available for a network connected with said receiving equipment, and extracts communication routes that are available commonly for said sending equipment and said receiving equipment.

5. A communication equipment according to claim 4, wherein said route finding controller sends to said receiving equipment a status request for inquiring communication routes that are available for said network connected with said receiving equipment, and lists up communication routes that are available by said receiving equipment upon receiving a reply from said receiving equipment in response to the status request.

6. A communication route selection method for selecting a communication route to be used for communication between a sending equipment and a receiving equipment from among a plurality of communication routes that are available between said sending equipment and receiving equipment, said method comprising the steps of:

a step of finding a plurality of communication routes that are available between said sending equipment and said receiving equipment;

a step of displaying the communication routes found in said route finding step;

a step of detecting the selection of a communication route out of the communication routes displayed in said displaying step; and

a step of sending information from said sending equipment to said receiving equipment through the communication route in said detection step.

7. A communication route selection method according to claim 6, wherein said route finding step comprises the steps of:

a first listing step of listing up communication routes that are available for said sending equipment;

a second listing step of listing up communication routes that are available for said receiving equipment; and

a step of extracting communication routes that have been listed commonly in said first and second listing steps.

8. A communication route selection method according to claim 7, wherein said second listing step comprises the steps of:

a step of sending a status request from said sending equipment to said receiving equipment for inquiring communication routes that are available for said receiving equipment; and

a step of sending back, from said receiving equipment to said sending equipment in response to the status request, reply information indicative of the communication routes available for said receiving equipment.

9. A communication route selection method according to claim 6, wherein said route finding step comprises the steps of:

a first listing step of listing up communication routes that are available for a network connected with said sending equipment;

a second listing step of listing up communication routes that are available for a network connected with said receiving equipment; and

a step of extracting communication routes that have been listed commonly in said first and second listing steps.

10. A communication route selection method according to claim 9, wherein said first listing step comprises the steps of:

a step of sending a status request from said sending equipment to other equipments connected with said network which is connected with said sending equipment for inquiring available communication routes; and

a step of sending back, from said other equipments to said sending equipment in response to the status request, reply information indicative of the available communication routes.

11. A communication route selection method according to claim 9, wherein said second listing step comprises the steps of:

a first inquiry step of sending a first status request from said sending equipment to said receiving equipment for inquiring communication routes that are available for said network connected with said receiving equipment;

a second inquiry step of sending, from said receiving equipment to other equipments connected to said network which is connected with said receiving equipment in response to the first status request, a second status request for inquiring available communication routes;

a first reply step of sending back, from said other equipments to said receiving equipment in response to the second inquiry step, reply information indicative of the available communication routes; and

a second reply step of transferring the information, which has been received in said first reply step by said receiving equipment, to said sending equipment.

12. A communication route selection method according to claim 9, wherein said route display step displays communication routes on a display device provided on said sending equipment.

14. A computer program product in memory according to claim 13, wherein said route finding control comprises:

a first listing control for listing up communication routes that are available for said sending equipment;

a second listing control for listing up communication routes that are available for said receiving equipment; and

route extraction control for extracting communication routes that have been listed commonly by said first and second listing controls.

15. A computer program product in memory according to claim 14, wherein said second listing control comprises:

inquiry control for sending a status request from said sending equipment to said receiving equipment for inquiring communication routes that are available for said receiving equipment; and

reply control for sending back, from said receiving equipment to said sending equipment in response to the status request, information indicative of the communication routes available for said receiving equipment.

16. A computer program product in memory according to claim 13, wherein said route finding control comprises:

a first listing control for listing up communication routes that are available for a network connected with said sending equipment;

a second listing control for listing up communication routes that are available for a network connected with said receiving equipment; and

route extraction control for extracting communication routes that have been listed commonly by said first and second listing controls.

17. A computer program product in memory according to claim 16, wherein said first listing control comprises:

inquiry control for sending a status request from said sending equipment to other equipments connected with said network which is connected with said sending equipment for inquiring available communication routes; and

reply control for sending back, from said other equipments to said sending equipment in response to the status request, reply information indicative of the available communication routes.

18. A computer program product in memory according to claim 16, wherein said second listing control comprises:

a first inquiry control of sending a first status request from said sending equipment to said receiving equipment for inquiring communication routes that are available for said network connected with said receiving equipment;

a second inquiry control of sending, from said receiving equipment to other equipments connected to said network which is connected with said receiving equipment in response to the first status request, a second status request for inquiring available communication routes;

a first reply control of sending back, from said other equipments to said receiving equipment in response to the second inquiry control, reply information indicative of the available communication routes; and

a second reply control of transferring the information, which has been received by said first reply control of said receiving equipment, to said sending equipment.

19. A computer program product in memory according to claim 13, wherein said route display control displays communication routes on a display device provided on said sending equipment.

13. A computer program product in memory for selecting a communication route to be used for communication between a sending equipment and a receiving equipment from among a plurality of communication routes, said computer program product comprising:

route finding control for finding a plurality of communication routes that are available for communication between said sending equipment and said receiving equipment;

display control for displaying the communication routes found by said route finding control;

detection control for detecting the selection of a communication route to be used for communication out of the communication routes displayed by said display control; and

transfer control for sending information from said sending equipment to said receiving equipment via the communication route selected by said detection control.