Method of setting wireless communication device

• US 7,747,219 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2005
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• 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: Kiyono, Tatsuya, Ishida, Hitoshi, Shiohara, Susumu
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Lana N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsieh; Ping Y
• Application Number:
  US11/029,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20050170774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,000 Days
• Field of Search: 455/11.1, 455/418, 455/552.1, 455/453, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 370/315, 370/327, 370/331, 370/338, 370/328
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• 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 communication device that makes wireless communication, the communication device comprising:

a configuration information storage module that stores configuration information set commonly with another communication device to establish the wireless communication;

a tentative connection module that makes temporary wireless communication with the another communication device under a preset condition regardless of settings of configuration information in the another communication device, so as to establish a tentative connection with the another communication device;

a configuration information acquisition module that acquires the configuration information set in the another communication device via the established tentative connection; and

an update module that updates the configuration information stored in the configuration information storage module, based on the acquired configuration information;

wherein the tentative connection module establishes the tentative connection with radio waves of a weaker intensity than an intensity of radio waves used for general wireless communication that is wireless communication between the communication device and the another communication device other than the temporary wireless communication.

2. The communication device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tentative connection module establishes the tentative connection when there is no other communication device that is capable of making wireless communication based on the configuration information stored in the configuration information storage module.

3. The communication device in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the tentative connection module establishes the tentative connection when the storage of the configuration information storage module is in an initial state.

4. The communication device in accordance with claim 1, the communication device 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.

5. The communication device in accordance with claim 1, the communication device further comprising

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

6. A control method of a communication device that makes wireless communication, the control method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing configuration information used for establishment of wireless communication; and

(b) establishing wireless communication with another communication device having configuration information that is identical with the stored configuration information,

the step (a) comprising the steps of

(a1) making temporary wireless communication with the another communication device under a preset condition regardless of settings of configuration information in the another communication device, so as to establish a tentative connection with the another communication device;

(a2) acquiring the configuration information set in the another communication device via the established tentative connection; and

(a3) storing the acquired configuration information;

wherein the tentative connection is established with radio waves of a weaker intensity than an intensity of radio waves used for general wireless communication that is wireless communication between the communication device and the another communication device other than the temporary wireless communication.

7. A computer readable recording medium storing instructions for causing a computer executing the instructions to perform a control method of a communication device that makes wireless communication, the computer instructions comprising:

a first program code of storing configuration information used for establishment of wireless communication;

a second program code of establishing wireless communication with another communication device having configuration information that is identical with the stored configuration information; and

the first program code comprising;

a program code of making temporary wireless communication with the another communication device under a preset condition regardless of settings of configuration information in the another communication device, so as to establish a tentative connection with the another communication device;

a program code of acquiring the configuration information set in the another communication device via the established tentative connection; and

a program code of storing the acquired configuration information;

wherein the tentative connection is established with radio wave of a weaker intensity than an intensity of radio waves used for general wireless communication that is wireless communication between the communication device and the another communication device other than the temporary wireless communication.