Communication Apparatus, System, and Method

• US 20060274363A1
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Katano, Kiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,059,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/103 across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 Directories for service discovery

Abstract

Device detection is performed by using a second detection unit which uses unicast transmission with a destination address being changed in addition to a first detection unit which uses broadcasting/multicasting. When unicast transmission can be normally performed, detection using the first detection unit is performed to determine whether broadcasting/multicasting at this point of time can be performed. In addition, the first or second detection unit is selected or the processing order of the first and second detection units is changed in accordance with the permission/inhibition determination result.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a first detection unit configured to detect a communication partner by using broadcasting or multicasting; and

a second detection unit configured to detect the communication partner by repeatedly using unicast transmission with a destination address being changed,

wherein the communication partner is detected by using said first and second detection units.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein detection processing for the communication partner by said second detection unit is performed in accordance with a detection result on the communication partner by said first detection unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein detection processing for the communication partner by said first detection unit is performed in accordance with a detection result on the communication partner by said second detection unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a storage unit configured to store an address of the communication partner; and

an updating unit configured to update the address of the communication partner stored in said storage unit in accordance with a detection result on the communication partner by said first or second detection unit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said updating unit updates the address of the communication partner stored in said storage unit on the basis of information contained in a response to the broadcasting or multicasting or the unicasting.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first detection unit and said second detection unit detect the communication partner on the basis of unique device information contained in a response to broadcasting or multicasting or the unicasting.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second detection unit changes a destination address within a predetermined range and repeats unicast transmission.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined range is defined by a predetermined number of addresses each before and after a reference address.

18. A communication system including an information communication apparatus according to claim 1.

9. Acommunication apparatus comprising:

a communication unit configured to perform communication using broadcasting or multicasting when performing communication using unicasting; and

a determination unit configured to determine permission/inhibition of broadcasting or multicasting in accordance with the presence/absence of a response to broadcasting or multicasting by said communication unit.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when the response cannot be detected, said determination unit determines that broadcasting or multicasting cannot be performed.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when a response to broadcasting or multicasting is detected a predetermined number of times, said determination unit determines that broadcasting or multicasting can be performed.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a first detection unit configured to detect a communication partner by using broadcasting or multicasting, and

a second detection unit configured to detect the communication partner by repeatedly performing unicast transmission with a destination address being changed,

wherein detection processing for the communication partner is performed by said first or second detection unit in accordance with a determination result by said determination unit.

13. A communication apparatus comprising:

a first detection unit configured to detect a communication partner by using broadcasting or multicasting;

a second detection unit configured to detect the communication partner by repeatedly using unicast transmission with a destination address being changed;

a storage unit configured to store information indicating whether broadcasting or multicasting can be performed; and

a selection unit configured to select detection using said first detection unit or detection using said second detection unit in accordance with information indicating permission/inhibition of broadcasting or multicasting which is stored in said storage unit.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether broadcasting or multicasting can be performed,

wherein said storage unit stores a determination result by said determination unit.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said selection unit selects detection by another detection unit in accordance with a detection result by said first detection unit or said second detection unit.

16. A communication apparatus comprising:

a first discrimination unit configured to discriminate an address of a communication partner by using broadcasting or multicasting;

a second discrimination unit configured to discriminate an address of the communication partner by repeatedly using unicast transmission with a destination address being changed;

a third discrimination configured to discriminate a network environment; and

an execution unit configured to execute discrimination using said first discrimination unit or said second discrimination unit in accordance with discrimination by said third discrimination unit.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said execution unit executes discrimination using another discrimination unit in accordance with a discrimination result by said first or second discrimination unit.

19. A device detection method comprising:

a first detection step of detecting a communication partner by using broadcasting or multicasting; and

a second detection step of detecting the communication partner by repeatedly using unicast transmission with a destination address being changed,

wherein the communication partner is detected by performing detection processing for the communication partner in the first detection step and detection processing for the communication partner in the second detection step.

20. A broadcasting/multicasting permission/inhibition determination method of determining permission/inhibition of broadcasting or multicasting, comprising:

in communication using unicasting, performing communication using broadcasting or multicasting; and

determining on the basis of a response to the broadcasting or multicasting whether broadcasting or multicasting is permitted.

21. An address discrimination method comprising:

a first discrimination step of discriminating an address of a communication partner by using broadcasting or multicasting;

a second discrimination step of discriminating the communication partner by repeatedly using unicast transmission with a destination address being changed; and

a third discrimination step of discriminating a network environment,

wherein discrimination in the first discrimination step or the second discrimination step is executed in accordance with discrimination in the third discrimination step.

22. The address discrimination method according to claim 21, wherein said second discrimination step is executed in accordance with a discrimination result by said first discrimination step, or said first discrimination step is executed in accordance with a discrimination result by said second discrimination step.