Wireless communication system, and wireless communication device and control method

• US 20060200564A1
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakahara, Masanori, Watanabe, Mitsuhiro, Fujii, Ken'ichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,882,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1212 achieving reduced delay between job submission and print start
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

This invention has as its object to set a one-to-one relationship upon establishing a wireless communication channel between a wireless communication device on the information transmitting side and a wireless communication device that receives and processes the information even in an environment including a plurality of wireless communication devices, and to assure simple user'"'"'s operations at least until the communication channel is established. To this end, when the user inputs a wireless communication channel establishment instruction to both a digital camera and printer having wireless communication channel establishment instruction to both a digital camera and printer having wireless communication functions, these devices execute wireless communication establishment processes within an allowable time period which is specified by a time set in a timer and a retry count. When the devices can seize each other within that time period, the communication channel is established. After that, the digital camera sends a sensed image to the printer, which prints the sensed image.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system which comprises a first wireless communication device that stores information to be transmitted, and a second wireless communication device that receives the information and applies a predetermined process to the information, wherein

each of said first and second wireless communication devices comprises:

determination means for determining a user'"'"'s instruction for establishing a wireless communication channel; and

communication establishment means for, when said determination means determines that the user'"'"'s instruction is detected, executing a process for establishing a wireless communication within a predetermined time period, and

when a communication channel is established by said communication establishment means of said first and second wireless communication devices, said first wireless communication device transmits information to said second wireless communication device, which applies the predetermined process to the received information.

2. A wireless communication device comprising:

determination means for determining an operator'"'"'s instruction for establishing a wireless communication channel;

communication establishment means for, when said determination means determines that the instruction is detected, executing a process for establishing the wireless communication channel with another wireless communication device at which an instruction for establishing the wireless communication channel has been made within a predetermined time period; and

communication means for, when said communication establishment means establishes the wireless communication channel, communicating with the other wireless communication device.

3. The device according to claim 2, further comprising:

transmission means for, when said determination means determines that the wireless communication channel establishment instruction is detected, transmitting a request signal that requests to establish the wireless communication channel; and

detection means for detecting a response to the request signal transmitted by said transmission means, and detecting a wireless communication channel establishment request signal from another wireless communication device, and

in that said detection means executes a process within the predetermined time period.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein said wireless communication device comprises an image sensing device, and the other wireless communication device comprises a device for printing a sensed image or a storage device for storing the sensed image.

5. The device according to claim 2, further comprising power supply control means for, when it is determined that the wireless communication channel establishment instruction is detected, turning on a power supply of a communication function unit required to make a wireless communication, and for, when the communication establishment process by said communication establishment means has failed, turning off the power supply of the communication function unit.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein when no candidate device or at least two candidate devices are detected upon establishing the wireless communication channel, the communication establishment process is aborted.

7. The device according to claim 2, wherein upon establishing the wireless communication channel, when only one candidate device is detected, the communication channel is established, when a plurality of candidate devices are detected, a list is displayed to prompt an operator to select one of the candidate devices, and the communication channel is established with the selected candidate.

8. The device according to claim 2, further comprising:

selection means for selecting information to be transmitted, and

in that when said selection means has already selected the information to be transmitted upon establishing the wireless communication channel by said communication establishment means, said communication means executes a transmission process of the selected information.

9. The device according to claim 2, further comprising:

search means for, when said determination means determines that the wireless communication channel establishment instruction is detected, searching for a communication partner in accordance with a plurality of communication parameters, and

in that said communication establishment means establishes the wireless communication channel with the communication partner found by said search means.

10. The device according to claim 2, wherein said wireless communication device can make communications in a plurality of communication modes, and

when said determination means determines that the wireless communication channel establishment instruction is detected, said communication establishment means executes a process for establishing the wireless communication channel in a first communication mode.

11. The device according to claim 10, further comprising:

switching means for, when a second communication mode is set before the operator inputs the instruction, switching the second communication mode to the first communication mode, and

in that said switching means switches the first communication mode to the second communication mode upon completion of the communication with the other wireless communication device.

12. A wireless communication device comprising:

determination means for determining an operator'"'"'s instruction for establishing a wireless communication channel;

detection means for executing a detection process of a wireless communication channel establishment request signal transmitted from another wireless communication device for a predetermined time period in response to determination of the instruction by said determination means; and

communication establishment means for executing a process for establishing the wireless communication channel in response to detection by said detection means.

13. The device according to claim 12, further comprising transmission means for, when said detection means detects the establishment request signal, transmitting a response signal to the establishment request signal.

14. The device according to claim 12, further comprising transmission means for controlling said detection means to start the detection process in response to determination of the instruction by said determination means, and transmitting a request signal that requests to establish the wireless communication channel.

15. The device according to claim 12, wherein said wireless communication device can also make a wired communication, and

the operator'"'"'s instruction is ignored during a process of information received via the wired communication.

16. The device according to claim 12, wherein said wireless communication device can also make a wired communication, and

when said determination means determines that the instruction is detected during a process of information received via the wired communication, the process of information received via the wired communication is interrupted, and a communication is made via the wireless communication channel established by said communication establishment means.

17. A method of controlling a wireless communication device, comprising

a determination step of determining an operator'"'"'s instruction for establishing a wireless communication channel;

a communication establishment step of executing a process for establishing the wireless communication channel with another wireless communication device at which an instruction for establishing the wireless communication channel has been made within a predetermined time period since it is determined in the determination step that the instruction is detected; and

a communication step of communicating, when the wireless communication channel is established in the communication establishment step, with the other wireless communication device.

18. A method of controlling a wireless communication device, comprising:

a determination step of determining an operator'"'"'s instruction for establishing a wireless communication channel;

a detection step of executing a detection process of a wireless communication channel establishment request signal transmitted from another wireless communication device for a predetermined time period since it is determined in the determination step that the instruction is detected; and

a communication establishment step of executing, when the establishment request is detected in the detection step within the predetermined time period, a process for establishing the wireless communication channel with the other wireless communication device.