WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF, IMAGE INPUT/OUTPUT APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20110261389A1
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ohara, Eiji
• Application Number:
  US12/674,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20110261389A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision

Abstract

A wireless communication system capable of selecting a wireless communication means most suitable for the user'"'"'s usage environment among multiple wireless communication means, thereby improving user convenience. A wireless communication is established between a cellular phone 300 and a MFP 200 with a proximity wireless communication means among the multiple wireless communication means, and an identification information table is generated and stored that includes identification information of a common wireless communication means capable of data communication among the multiple wireless communication means provided by the MFP 200. A job executed in cooperation with the cellular phone 300 is started upon the establishment of the wireless communication. Apparatus information of the cellular phone 300 is obtained at the time of starting the job. The obtained apparatus information and the identification information table are compared, and the wireless communication means for performing the data communication is selected according to the comparison result.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system wirelessly communicating between a wireless communication terminal capable of wireless communication according to a plurality of types of wireless communication methods and an image input/output apparatus capable of wireless communication according to the plurality of types of wireless communication methods, the wireless communication system comprising:

a generation unit adapted to generate information relating to a common wireless communication method that both of the wireless communication terminal and the image input/output apparatus provide; and

a selection unit adapted to select, in a case where an instruction is received that instructs to execute a job to be executed by the image input/output apparatus and the wireless communication terminal in cooperation with each other, at least one of the wireless communication methods used for executing the job, based on at least one of information relating to a type of the job and information relating to the wireless communication terminal and based on information relating to the common wireless communication method generated by the said generation unit.

2. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication terminal includes:

a transmission unit adapted to transmit, to the image input/output apparatus, information relating to the plurality of wireless communication methods provided by the wireless communication terminal; and

an acquisition unit adapted to acquire, from the image input/output apparatus, information relating to the wireless communication method enabling data communication with the image input/output apparatus,

wherein the image input/output apparatus includes;

a communication unit adapted to establish a wireless communication with the wireless communication terminal with a proximity wireless communication method, the proximity wireless communication method being one of the plurality of wireless communication methods;

a reception unit adapted to receive, from the wireless communication terminal, information relating to the plurality of wireless communication methods; and

a determination unit adapted to determine, based on the received information relating to the plurality of wireless communication methods, whether or not there exists the common wireless communication method that both of the wireless communication terminal and the image input/output apparatus provide.

3. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication terminal includes:

a control unit adapted to start a job to be executed in cooperation with the image input/output apparatus upon an establishment of a wireless communication with the image input/output apparatus with a long range wireless communication method, the long range wireless communication method being one of the plurality of wireless communication methods.

4. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a storage unit adapted to store, as identification information, the information relating to the common wireless communication method generated by said generation unit.

5. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the identification information includes at information relating to at least one of a communication distance, a communication speed of the wireless communication method, and a power consumption of an apparatus using the wireless communication method.

6. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of wireless communication methods include at least two selected from the group consisting of a proximity communication with an IC card, a spread spectrum communication, an infrared communication, and a wireless data communication.

7. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information relating to the wireless communication terminal includes operation setting information of a job executed via a data communication between the wireless communication terminal and the image input/output apparatus and power source information including a supplying method of an electric power to the wireless communication terminal.

8. A control method of controlling a wireless communication system wirelessly communicating between a wireless communication terminal capable of wireless communication according to a plurality of types of wireless communication methods and an image input/output apparatus capable of wireless communication according to the plurality of types of wireless communication methods, the control method comprising:

a generation step of generating information relating to a common wireless communication method that both of the wireless communication terminal and the image input/output apparatus provide;

a selection step of selecting, in a case where an instruction is received that instructs to execute a job to be executed by the image input/output apparatus and the wireless communication terminal in cooperation with each other, at least one of the wireless communication methods used for executing the job, based on at least one of information relating to a type of the job and information relating to the wireless communication terminal and based on information relating to the common wireless communication method generated in said generation step.

9. An image input/output apparatus capable of wireless communication according to a plurality of types of wireless communication methods, the image input/output apparatus wirelessly communicating with a wireless communication terminal capable of wireless communication according to the plurality of types of wireless communication methods, the image input/output apparatus comprising:

a generation unit adapted to generate information relating to a common wireless communication method that both of the wireless communication terminal and the image input/output apparatus provide; and

a selection unit adapted to select, in a case where an instruction is received that instructs to execute a job to be executed in cooperation with the wireless communication terminal, at least one of the wireless communication methods used for executing the job, based on at least one of information relating to a type of the job and information relating to the wireless communication terminal and based on information relating to the common wireless communication method generated by said generation unit.

10. A control method of controlling an image input/output apparatus capable of wireless communication according to a plurality of types of wireless communication methods, the image input/output apparatus wirelessly communicating with a wireless communication terminal capable of wireless communication according to the plurality of types of wireless communication methods, the control method comprising:

a generation step of generating information relating to a common wireless communication method that both of the wireless communication terminal and the image input/output apparatus provide; and

a selection step of selecting, in a case where an instruction is received that instructs to execute a job to be executed in cooperation with the wireless communication terminal, at least one of the wireless communication methods used for executing the job, based on at least one of information relating to a type of the job and information relating to the wireless communication terminal and based on information relating to the common wireless communication method generated by said generation step.

11. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a control method of controlling an image input/output apparatus capable of wireless communication according to a plurality of types of wireless communication methods, the image input/output apparatus wirelessly communicating with a wireless communication terminal capable of wireless communication according to the plurality of types of wireless communication methods, the control method comprising:

a generation step of generating information relating to a common wireless communication method that both of the wireless communication terminal and the image input/output apparatus provide; and

a selection step of selecting, in a case where an instruction is received that instructs to execute a job to be executed in cooperation with the wireless communication terminal, at least one of the wireless communication methods used for executing the job, based on at least one of information relating to a type of the job and information relating to the wireless communication terminal and based on information relating to the common wireless communication method generated by said generation step.