COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20140226530A1
• Filed: 11/22/2012
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tokunaga, Koshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,578,482 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0809 Plug-and-play configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

This invention relates to a communication apparatus capable of facilitating a connection with a device in a network by using a discovery protocol for discovering a device in a network. After selecting a device based on pieces of device information transmitted from devices in the network in response to a search command to search devices in the network, the communication apparatus transmits a notification signal to notify devices in the network of the presence of the communication apparatus. If a connection request received from a device which has received the notification signal is one transmitted from the selected device, the communication apparatus transmits a response representing that connection is accepted for the connection request.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus which establishes a connection with a device in a network by using a discovery protocol for discovering the device, comprising:

first transmission means for transmitting a search command to search devices in the network;

first reception means for receiving pieces of device information transmitted from devices in the network in response to the search command;

first selection means for selecting a device based on the pieces of device information received by said first reception means;

second transmission means for transmitting a notification signal to notify devices in the network of presence of the communication apparatus after the selection by said first selection means;

second reception means for receiving a connection request transmitted from a device in the network, the connection request being transmitted by a device which has received the notification signal;

determination means for determining whether the connection request has been transmitted from the device selected by said first selection means; and

third transmission means for transmitting a response representing that a connection is accepted in response to the connection request if said determination means determines that the connection request has been transmitted from the device selected by said first selection means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying the pieces of device information received by said first reception means,

wherein said first selection means selects a device based on device information displayed by said display means.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

each piece of the device information received by said first reception means contains information of a service provided by the corresponding device, and

said display means displays information of a device which provides a predetermined service.

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

registration means for registering, as a destination, a device which has accepted connection after said third transmission means transmits the response; and

second selection means for selecting a device from devices registered by said registration means while no connection is established with another device,

wherein if said second selection means selects a device, said second transmission means transmits the notification signal without transmitting the search command by said first transmission means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after said third transmission means transmits the response, data communication is performed with the device selected by said first selection means by using a data transfer protocol.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the data transfer protocol includes PTP/IP.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device information received by said first reception means contains a discovery protocol type.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus includes one of an image capture apparatus, a mobile phone, and a tablet device.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device includes one of an image capture apparatus, a mobile phone, a tablet device, a printer, and a TV receiver.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discovery protocol includes one of UPnP and Bonjour.

11. A method of controlling a communication apparatus which establishes a connection with a device in a network by using a discovery protocol for discovering the device, the method comprising:

a first transmission step of transmitting a search command to search devices in the network;

a first reception step of receiving pieces of device information transmitted from devices in the network in response to the search command;

a first selection step of selecting a device based on the pieces of device information received in said first reception step;

a second transmission step of transmitting a notification signal to notify devices in the network of presence of the communication apparatus after the selection in said first selection step;

a second reception step of receiving a connection request transmitted from a device in the network, the connection request being transmitted by a device which has received the notification signal;

a determination step of determining whether the connection request has been transmitted from the device selected in said first selection step; and

a third transmission step of transmitting a response representing that a connection is accepted in response to the connection request if it is determined in said determination step that the connection request has been transmitted from the device selected in said first selection step.

12. A computer program causes, when executed, a processor to perform the method according to claim 11.

13. A computer-readable storage medium on which a computer program that causes, when executed, a processor to perform the method according to claim 11.