COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND COMMUNICATION METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20100322164A1
• Filed: 08/22/2008
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sakai, Tatsuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,693,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

In order to make it possible for a communication apparatus to readily detect a provider of communication parameters, the provider of communication parameters creates a network for which a network identifier that is unique among networks in the vicinity has been set, and provides a receiver, which has joined this network and requests receipt of communication parameters, with these communication parameters.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a setting unit which executes processing for setting communication parameters with another communication apparatus

a determination unit which determines a network identifier that is unique among networks in the vicinity; and

a creating unit which, when the processing for setting communication parameters with another communication apparatus is executed by said setting unit, creates a network having the network identifier determined by said determination unit as being unique among networks in the vicinity.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said creating unit creates a network that is unique among networks in the vicinity when the processing for providing communication parameters with another communication apparatus is executed by said setting unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said setting unit provides another communication apparatus with communication parameters for joining a network that was being participated in before the network created by said creating unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a generating unit which generates a network identifier that is unique among networks in the vicinity;

wherein said creating means creates a network having the network identifier generated by said generating unit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said determination unit determines a network identifier that is unique among networks in the vicinity by checking to determine whether the network having the network identifier generated by said generating unit exists in the vicinity.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said creating unit creates a network that is unique among networks in the vicinity again after the processing for setting communication parameters is executed by said setting unit.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if the processing for setting communication parameters with another communication apparatus is not executed even upon elapse of a fixed period of time following creation of a network by said creating unit, then the communication apparatus join in a network that was being participated in before the network created by said creating unit.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if communication parameters have been provided to a predetermined number of other communication apparatuses, then the communication apparatus join a network that was being participated in before the network created by said creating unit.

9. A communication method of a communication apparatus, comprising:

determining a network identifier that is unique among networks in the vicinity; and

creating a network having the network identifier determined as being unique among networks in the vicinity when the processing for setting communication parameters with another communication apparatus is executed.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a communication apparatus to execute the communication method set forth in claim 9.

11. (canceled)