Method of Setting Wireless Communication Device

• US 20140348026A1
• Filed: 08/13/2014
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 138 East LCD Advancements Limited (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Shiohara, Susumu, Ishida, Hitoshi, Kiyono, Tatsuya
• Granted Patent: US 9,736,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1231 Device related settings, e.g. IP address, Name, Identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A relay station 200 constructs an infrastructure wireless network 200L. A printing device 100 requests new participation in the wireless network 200L. When preset conditions are satisfied, for example, when the user has pressed a push button 201 provided on the relay station 200, the relay station 200 establishes temporary wireless communication with the printing device 100 and changes an SSID of the printing device 100 to an SSID of the relay station 200. In this manner, this arrangement readily changes the configuration information of the printing device 100.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus that includes an access point communicating with a communication terminal via wireless communication, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a configuration information storage module that stores configuration information set commonly with the communication terminal and the wireless communication apparatus to establish the wireless communication;

a tentative connection module that makes temporary wireless communication with a new communication terminal, which is newly provided as a relay object, under a preset condition regardless of settings of configuration information in the new communication terminal, so as to establish a tentative connection with the new communication terminal; and

a setting instruction module that sends instruction information to the new communication terminal via the established tentative connection to change configuration information set in the new communication terminal based on the instruction information.

2. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

an operation module that is manipulated by a user to give permission for the tentative connection,

wherein the preset condition is that the user manipulates the operation module.

3. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the preset condition is that the configuration information set in the new communication terminal is in an initial state.

4. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tentative connection module establishes the tentative connection with radio wave of weaker intensity than intensity of radio wave used for the relay of the wireless communication.

5. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

an identification information storage module that stores in advance identification information inherent of each communication terminal as a relay object; and

an identification information detection module that detects the identification information from a signal transmitted from the new communication terminal,

wherein the preset condition is that the detected identification information is present in the storage of the identification information storage module.

6. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a configuration information detection module that detects the configuration information of the new communication terminal from a signal transmitted from the new communication terminal,

wherein the tentative connection module temporarily rewrites the storage of the configuration information storage module with the detected configuration information to establish the tentative connection.

7. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a notification module that notifies a user of successful establishment of the tentative connection.

8. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a notification module that notifies a user of transmission of the instruction information.

9. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes an encryption key used for the wireless communication.