Information processing apparatus control method for external device having both a wired interface and a wireless interface settings

• US 7,500,026 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Fukunaga, Koji, Nakamura, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Peyton; Tammara
• Application Number:
  US11/776,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20070260786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 710 8- 10, 710/62, 710/72, 358/1.15, 340/2.1, 340/310.16
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4413 Plug-and-play [PnP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

An information processing apparatus which makes it easier to carry out setting of a wireless interface necessary for enabling a device or apparatus to be used via the wireless interface, using a wire interface. An information processing apparatus carries out first communication setting so as to enable an apparatus or device to be controlled via a wire interface, communicates with the apparatus or device via the wire interface after the first communication setting to carry out second communication setting for enabling communication with the apparatus or device via a wireless interface. This simplifies the communication setting for enabling communication with the apparatus or device via the wireless interface.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus communicable with at least one external device or external apparatus having a wire interface and a wireless interface, comprising:

a first setting-executing device that executes a first setting for enabling the information processing apparatus to communicate with the external device or external apparatus via the wire interface;

a second setting-executing device that communicates with the external device or external apparatus via the wire interface after execution of the first setting, to execute a second setting for enabling the information processing apparatus to communicate with the external device or external apparatus via the wireless interface;

a determination device that determines whether execution of the first setting has succeeded; and

a prompting device that prompts, when said determination device determines that execution of the first setting has succeeded, a user to confirm whether the second setting is to be executed,

wherein said second setting-executing device starts the second setting in response to confirmation by the user that the second setting is to be executed.

2. An information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second setting-executing device comprises a connection checking device that checks, via the wireless interface, whether or not connection of the information processing apparatus to the external device or external apparatus has been established during execution of the second setting.

3. An information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second setting-executing device acquires setting information required to execute the second setting, via the wire interface.

4. An information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second setting-executing device transmits a command for setting information required to execute the second setting, via the wire interface.

5. An information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a generation device that is responsive to an instruction from a user, for generating at least one of an icon corresponding to the first setting or an icon corresponding to the second setting.

6. An information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a deletion device that deletes information set by the first setting.

7. An information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first setting-executing device installs a device driver as a software for enabling the information processing apparatus to control the external device or external apparatus via the wire interface.

8. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program for controlling an information processing apparatus communicable with at least one external device or external apparatus having a wire interface and a wireless interface, the computer program comprising:

a first setting-executing module for executing a first setting for enabling the information processing apparatus to communicate with the external device or external apparatus via the wire interface;

a second setting-executing module for communicating with the external device or external apparatus via the wire interface after execution of the first setting, to execute a second setting for enabling the information processing apparatus to communicate with the external device or external apparatus via the wireless interface;

a determination module for determining whether execution of the first setting has succeeded; and

a prompting module for prompting, when said determination module determines that execution of the first setting has succeeded, a user to confirm whether the second setting is to be executed,

wherein said second setting-executing module starts the second setting in response to confirmation by the user that the second setting is to be executed.

9. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus communicable with at least one external device or external apparatus having a wire interface and a wireless interface, comprising the steps of:

executing a first setting for enabling the information processing apparatus to communicate with the external device or external apparatus via the wire interface;

communicating with the external device or external apparatus via the wire interface after execution of the first setting, to execute a second setting for enabling the information processing apparatus to communicate with the external device or external apparatus via the wireless interface;

determining whether execution of the first setting has succeeded;

prompting, when the determining step determines that execution of the first setting has succeeded, a user to confirm whether the second setting is to be executed; and

executing the second setting in response to confirmation by the user that the second setting is to be executed.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein a device driver as software for enabling the information processing apparatus to control the external device or external apparatus via the wire interface is installed in the step of executing the first setting.