Network apparatus capable of confirming whether a device is operating properly after a change of communication settings

• US 7,587,201 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ohara, Kiyotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro; Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chambers; Tangela T
• Application Number:
  US10/924,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20050048953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423, 455/67.11, 455/412.1
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A network apparatus has a wireless communication unit communicating wirelessly with a network apparatus, a connection control unit controlling the wireless communication unit based on connection data to establish connection with the network apparatus, a first storage unit storing first connection data for establishing connection with a first network apparatus, a second storage unit storing second connection data for establishing connection with a second network apparatus, a recording control unit recording the second connection data into the second storage unit when the connection control unit establishes connection with the first network apparatus, a test unit trying to establish connection with the second network apparatus when the connection control unit cuts off the connection with the first network apparatus after the recording control unit records the second connection data, and a return control unit re-establishing the connection with the first network apparatus after trying to establish connection with the second network apparatus.

Claims

1. A network apparatus capable of communicating with a first network apparatus on a first network, the network apparatus comprising:

a first storage unit that stores a first communication setting as a communication setting of the network apparatus;

a communication unit that communicates with the first network apparatus based on the first communication setting;

a receiving unit that receives a change instruction from the first network apparatus, the change instruction requesting a change of the communication setting from the first communication setting to a second communication setting, the second communication setting allowing the network apparatus to communicate with a second network apparatus located on a second network;

a second storage unit that stores the second communication setting received by the receiving unit;

a test unit disconnects the communication unit from the first network apparatus, and tests to determine whether the communication unit can establish a connection with the second network apparatus based on the second communication setting stored in the second storage unit;

a notification unit that, in response to a test result obtained by the test unit, establishes the connection of the communication unit with the first network apparatus again, and notifies the first network apparatus of the test result; and

a recording control unit that changes the communication setting stored in the first storage unit from the first communication setting to the second communication setting received by the receiving unit.

2. The network apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein when the first network apparatus is a wireless access point, a terminal unit capable of making communication via the wireless access point is a user'"'"'s terminal, whereas when the first network apparatus is a wireless terminal, the wireless terminal is the user'"'"'s terminal, and

the test unit tries to establish the connection with the second network apparatus when the receiving unit receives the change instruction from the user'"'"'s terminal to try to change over a target of communication from the first network apparatus to the second network apparatus.

3. The network apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the notification unit that informs a user'"'"'s terminal of test result data showing the test result of the connection with the second network apparatus after the connection with the first network apparatus is established again,

wherein the notification unit informs the user'"'"'s terminal of the test result data when the network apparatus is requested from the user'"'"'s terminal to transmit the test result data.

4. The network apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the communication unit establishes the connection with the first network apparatus again when the test unit determines that the connection with the second network apparatus is possible to establish as a result of the test to establish the connection with the second network apparatus.

5. The network apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the communication unit establishes the connection with the first network apparatus again when the test unit determines that the connection with the second network apparatus is impossible to establish as a result of the test to establish the connection with the second network apparatus.

6. The network apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the test unit establishes the connection of the communication unit with the second network apparatus based on the second communication setting when the network apparatus is requested from the user'"'"'s terminal to change over a target of communication from the first network apparatus to the second network apparatus, after the notification unit transmits the test result data.

7. The network apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the test unit determines that the connection with the second network apparatus is impossible to establish when the second network apparatus is not detected, when association with the second network apparatus is not established or when authentication with the second network apparatus is not established.

8. The network apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the test unit determines that the connection with the second network apparatus is impossible to establish when a network address different from a network address assigned to the second network apparatus is registered in the network apparatus.

9. The network apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the test unit tests a first test item, a second test item, a third test item and a fourth test item in an order as tests of establishing the connection with the second network apparatus, the first test item being a test as to whether the second network apparatus can be detected or not, the second test item being a test as to whether association with the second network apparatus can be established or not, the third test item being a test as to whether authentication with the second network apparatus is established or not, the fourth test item being a test as to whether a network address of the second network apparatus is established correctly or not,

the test unit determines the first test item as passed when the second network apparatus is detected, the second test item as passed when the association with the second network apparatus is established, the third test item as passed when the authentication with the second network apparatus is established, and the fourth test item as passed when the network address of the second network apparatus is established correctly,

the test unit determines the first test item as failed when the second network apparatus is not detected, the second test item as failed when the association with the second network apparatus is not established, the third test item as failed when the authentication with the second network apparatus is not established, and the fourth test item as failed when the network address of the second network apparatus is not established correctly,

when the test result as to each of the test items is passed, the test unit executes a subsequent test item, while when the test result as to each of the test items is failed, the test unit cancels subsequent test items, and

the communication unit transmits results of all of the test items executed by the test unit as the test result data to the notification unit.

10. The network apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein after the notification unit transmits the test result, the communication unit establishes the connection with the second network apparatus based on the second communication setting when the test unit determines that the connection with the second network apparatus is possible to establish, while the communication unit maintains the connection with the first network apparatus established again by the notification unit when the test unit determines that the connection with the second network apparatus is impossible to establish.

11. The network apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a printing unit that prints on a recording medium; and

a print control unit that controls the printing unit to print a result of the test executed by the test unit on the recording medium.

12. The network apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the second network apparatus is a wireless access point, which stores the second communication setting to be used for identifying a wireless network arranged around the wireless access point, and which enables to establish connection with a wireless terminal storing the second communication setting, and

the test unit controls the communication unit based on the second communication setting so as to try to establish the connection with the second network apparatus.

13. The network apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the recording control unit records channel information indicating a wireless channel to be used for wireless communication with the second network apparatus into the second storage unit, and

the test unit tries to establish the connection with the second network apparatus using the channel information.

14. The network apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the first network apparatus is a wireless access point, which stores the first communication setting to be used for identifying a wireless network arranged around the wireless access point, and which enables to establish connection with a wireless terminal storing the first communication setting, and

the communication unit establishes the connection with the first network apparatus based on the first communication setting.

15. The network apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the first network apparatus is a wireless terminal, which stores the first communication setting to be used for identifying a wireless network arranged with the wireless terminal, and which enables to establish connection with another wireless terminal storing the first communication setting, and

the communication unit establishes the connection with the first network apparatus based on the first communication setting.

16. The network apparatus according to claim 12,

further comprising a connection control unit that changes over between a first control mode where the network apparatus functions as a wireless access point and a second control mode where the network apparatus functions as a wireless terminal, so as to control the communication unit to establish the connection.

17. The network apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the second network apparatus is a wireless terminal, which stores the second communication setting to be used for identifying a wireless network arranged with the wireless terminal, and which enables to establish connection with another wireless terminal storing the second communication setting, and

the test unit controls the communication unit based on the second communication setting so as to try to establish the connection with the second network apparatus.

18. The network apparatus according to claim 17,

wherein the recording control unit records channel information indicating a wireless channel to be used for wireless communication with the second network apparatus into the second storage unit, and

the test unit tries to establish the connection with the second network apparatus using the channel information.

19. The network apparatus according to claim 17,

wherein the first network apparatus is a wireless access point, which stores the first communication setting to be used for identifying a wireless network arranged around the wireless access point, and which enables to establish connection with a wireless terminal storing the first communication setting, and

the communication unit establishes the connection with the first network apparatus based on the first communication setting.

20. The network apparatus according to claim 17,

wherein the first network apparatus is a wireless terminal, which stores the first communication setting to be used for identifying a wireless network arranged with the wireless terminal, and which enables to establish connection with another wireless terminal storing the first communication setting, and

the communication unit establishes the connection with the first network apparatus based on the first communication setting.

21. The network apparatus according to claim 17,

further comprising a connection control unit that changes over between a first control mode where the network apparatus functions as a wireless access point and a second control mode where the network apparatus functions as a wireless terminal, so as to control the communication unit to establish the connection.

22. The network apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the recording control unit changes the communication setting stored in the first storage unit from the first communication setting to the second communication setting, if the test result indicates a success of an establishment of connection with the second network apparatus, and

wherein the recording control unit maintains the communication setting stored in the first storage unit to the first communication setting, if the test result indicates a failure of the establishment of connection with the second network apparatus.

23. The network apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first storage unit comprises a nonvolatile memory,

wherein the second storage unit comprises a volatile memory,

wherein, the recording control unit records the first communication setting stored in the first storage unit into the second storage unit so as to allow the communication unit to establish a connection with the first network apparatus, and the communication unit establishes the connection with the first network apparatus using the first communication setting stored in the second storage unit, and

wherein, in response to the change instruction received by the receiving unit:

the recording control unit changes the communication setting stored in the second storage unit from the first communication setting to the second communication setting;

the test unit conducts the test;

the recording control unit changes the communication setting stored in the second storage unit from the second communication setting to the first communication setting; and

the notification unit notifies the first network apparatus of the test result.

24. The network apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first communication setting comprises a setting value of a setting item required for establishing a wireless communication with the first network apparatus, and

wherein the second communication setting comprises a setting value of a setting item required for establishing a wireless communication with the second network apparatus.

25. The network apparatus according to claim 24,

wherein at least one of the first communication setting and the second communication setting comprises a setting value of a setting item required for establishing a communication through an access point.