Wireless communication system, wireless communication device, and control method for establishing a one-to-one relationship

• US 7,882,234 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujii, Ken'ichi, Nakahara, Masanori, Watanabe, Mitsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Neurauter, Jr.; George C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Murray; Daniel C
• Application Number:
  US10/551,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20060200564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,478 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/208, 348/207.2
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1212 achieving reduced delay between job submission and print start
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

This invention has as its object to set a one-to-one relationship upon establishing a wireless communication channel between a wireless communication device on the information transmitting side and a wireless communication device that receives and processes the information even in an environment including a plurality of wireless communication devices, and to assure simple user'"'"'s operations at least until the communication channel is established. To this end, when the user inputs a wireless communication channel establishment instruction to both a digital camera and printer having wireless communication channel establishment instruction to both a digital camera and printer having wireless communication functions, these devices execute wireless communication establishment processes within an allowable time period which is specified by a time set in a timer and a retry count. When the devices can seize each other within that time period, the communication channel is established. After that, the digital camera sends a sensed image to the printer, which prints the sensed image.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

a wireless communication unit for communicating wirelessly;

an operation unit for accepting a user operation for setting a communication parameter by a user; and

a processing unit communicatively coupled to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the processing unit performing a process of setting the communication parameter between the wireless communication device and an operated device different from the wireless communication device,

wherein the processing unit;

detects the user operation at the wireless communication device;

detects the operated device, based on a signal received by the wireless communication unit, wherein the signal is transmitted by the operated device in response to a user operation for setting the communication parameter made at the operated device;

performs the process of setting the communication parameter with the detected operated device through the wireless communication unit; and

wherein the processing unit terminates the process of setting the communication parameter as a failure, if a plurality of operated devices, at which user operations for setting the communication parameter have been made, is detected within a predetermined time period after the user operation at the wireless communication device is detected.

2. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit adapted to display an error of the process of setting the communication parameter, if the process of setting the communication parameter is terminated as a failure.

3. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein a search signal for searching for the operated device is transmitted through the wireless communication unit, if the processing unit detects the user operation at the wireless communication device, and

wherein the operated device is detected based on a response signal from the operated device responding to the search signal.

4. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the process of setting the communication parameter is terminated as a failure, if no operated device is detected within the predetermined time period.

5. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is an image processing apparatus having an image capturing unit for capturing an image.

6. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is an image processing apparatus having an image outputting unit for outputting an image.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that causes a computer executing the program to function as the wireless communication device according to claim 1.

8. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit includes an operation button, and the user operation for setting the communication parameter is a pushing of the operation button.

9. A method of controlling a wireless communication device that includes a processing unit that performs a process of setting a communication parameter between the wireless communication device and an operated device different from the wireless communication device, the method comprising:

detecting a user operation for setting the communication parameter at the wireless communication device;

detecting an operated device different from the wireless communication device based on a signal transmitted by the operated device in response to a user operation for setting the communication parameter made at the operated device;

performing the process of setting the communication parameter with the detected operated device; and

wherein the process of setting the communication parameter is not performed and is terminated as a failure, if a plurality of operated wireless communication devices, at which user operations for setting the communication parameter have been made, is detected within a predetermined time period after the user operation at the wireless communication device is detected, wherein the terminating is performed, at least in part, by the processing unit.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising notifying a user of the failure, if the process of setting the communication parameter is terminated.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising transmitting a search signal for searching for the operated device, if the user operation at the wireless communication device is detected,

wherein the operated device is detected based on a response signal from the operated device responding to the search signal.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the process of setting the communication parameter is terminated as a failure, if no operated device is detected within the predetermined time period after the user operation at the wireless communication device is detected.

13. A wireless communication device comprising:

a wireless communication unit for communicating wirelessly;

an operation unit for accepting a user operation for setting a communication parameter by a user; and

a processing unit communicatively coupled to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the processing unit performing a process of setting the communication parameter between the wireless communication device and an operated device different from the wireless communication device,

wherein the processing unit;

detects the user operation at the wireless communication device;

determines whether the operated device exists, wherein a user operation for setting the communication parameter has been made at the operated device;

performs the process of setting the communication parameter with the detected operated device through the wireless communication unit; and

wherein the processing unit terminates the process of setting the communication parameter as a failure, if a plurality of operated partner devices, at which user operations for setting the communication parameter have been made, is determined to exist within a predetermined time period elapsed from when the user operation at the wireless communication device is detected.

14. The wireless communication device according to claim 13, further comprising a notify unit adapted to notify a user of an error, if the process of setting the communication parameter is terminated as a failure.

15. The wireless communication device according to claim 13, wherein a search signal for searching for the operated device is transmitted by the wireless communication unit, if the user operation at the wireless communication device is detected,

the operated device is determined to exist based on a response signal from the operated device transmitted in response to the search signal.

16. The wireless communication device according to claim 13, wherein the operated device is determined to exist based on a signal transmitted from the operated device.

17. The wireless communication device according to claim 13, wherein the process of setting the communication parameter is terminated as a failure, if no operated device is determined to exist within the predetermined time period.

18. The wireless communication device according to claim 13, wherein the wireless communication device is an image processing apparatus having an image capturing unit for capturing an image, and

wherein the operation unit is operated to enter the wireless communication device into a network.

19. The wireless communication device according to claim 13, wherein the wireless communication device is an image processing apparatus having an image outputting unit for outputting an image, and

wherein the operation unit is operated to enter the wireless communication device into a network.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that causes a computer executing the program to function as the wireless communication device according to claim 13.

21. The wireless communication device according to claim 13, wherein the operation unit includes an operation button, and the user operation for setting the communication parameter is a pushing of the operation button.

22. A method of controlling a wireless communication device that includes a processing unit that performs a process of setting a communication parameter between the wireless communication device and an operated device different from the wireless communication device, the method comprising:

detecting a user operation for setting the communication parameter at the wireless communication device;

determining whether the operated device exists, wherein a user operation for setting the communication parameter has been made at the operated device;

performing the process of setting the communication parameter with the detected operated device; and

wherein the process of setting the communication parameter is not performed and is terminated as a failure, if a plurality of operated devices, at which user operations for setting the communication parameter have been made, is determined to exist within a predetermined time period elapsed from when the user operation at the wireless communication device is detected, wherein the terminating is performed, at least in part, by the processing unit.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising notifying a user of an error, if the process of setting the communication parameter is terminated.

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising transmitting a search signal for searching for the operated device, if the user operation at the wireless communication device is detected,

wherein the operated device is determined to exist based on a response signal from the operated device transmitted in response to the search signal.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the operated device is determined to exist based on a signal transmitted from the operated device.

26. The method according to claim 22, wherein the process of setting the communication parameter is terminated as a failure, if no operated device is determined to exist within the predetermined time period.

27. A wireless communication device comprising:

a wireless communication unit for communicating wirelessly;

an operation unit for accepting a user operation for setting a communication parameter by a user; and

a processing unit communicatively coupled to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the processing unit performing a process of setting the communication parameter between the wireless communication device and an operated device different from the wireless communication device,

wherein the processing unit;

detects the user operation at the wireless communication device;

detects the operated device, based on a signal received by the wireless communication unit, wherein the signal is transmitted by the operated device in response to a user operation for setting the communication parameter made at the operated device;

performs the process of setting the communication parameter with the detected operated device through the wireless communication unit; and

wherein the processing unit terminates the process of setting the communication parameter as a failure, if a plurality of operated devices, at which user operations for setting the communication parameter have been made, is detected.

28. A wireless communication device comprising:

a wireless communication unit for communicating wirelessly;

an operation unit for accepting a user operation for setting a communication parameter by a user;

a processing unit communicatively coupled to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the processing unit performing a process of setting the communication parameter between the wireless communication device and an operated device different from the wireless communication device,

wherein the processing unit;

detects the user operation at the wireless communication device;

determines whether the operated device exists, wherein a user operation for setting the communication parameter has been made at the operated device;

performs the process of setting the communication parameter with the detected operated device through the wireless communication unit; and

wherein the processing unit terminates the process of setting the communication parameter as a failure, if a plurality of operated devices, at which user operations for setting the communication parameter have been made, is determined to exist.

29. A method of controlling a wireless communication device that includes a processing unit that performs a process of setting a communication parameter between the wireless communication device an an operated device different from the wireless communication device, the method comprising:

detecting a user operation for setting the communication parameter at the wireless communication device;

detecting the operated device based on a signal transmitted by the operated device in response to a user operation for setting the communication parameter made at the operated device;

performing the process of setting the communication parameter with the detected operated device; and

wherein the process of setting the communication parameter is not performed and is terminated as a failure, if a plurality of operated devices, at which user operations for setting the communication parameter have been made, is detected, wherein the terminating is performed, at least in part, by the processing unit.

30. A method of controlling a wireless communication device that includes a processing unit that performs a process of setting a communication parameter between the wireless communication device an an operated device different from the wireless communication device, the method comprising:

detecting a user operation for setting the communication parameter at the wireless communication device;

determining whether the operated device exists, wherein a user operation for setting the communication parameter has been made at the operated device;

performing the process of setting the communication parameter with the detected operated device; and

wherein the process of setting the communication parameter is not performed and is terminated as a failure, if a plurality of operated devices, at which user operations for setting the communication parameter have been made, is determined to exist, wherein the terminating is performed, at least in part, by the processing unit.

31. A wireless communication device comprising:

a wireless communication unit for communicating wirelessly;

an operation unit that accepts a user operation for setting a communication parameter; and

a processing unit communicatively coupled to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the processing unit performing a process of setting the communication parameter with an operated device different from the wireless communication device, wherein a user operation for setting the communication parameter has been made at the operated device, when the user operation at the wireless communication device is made;

wherein the processing unit performs the process of setting the communication parameter with the detected operated device, if the wireless communication device detects a single operated device within a predetermined time period after the user operation at the wireless communication device is made, and displays an error of the process of setting the communication parameter, if the wireless communication device detects a plurality of operated devices, at which user operations for setting the communication parameter have been made, within the predetermined time period.

32. A method of controlling a wireless communication device that includes a processing unit that performs a process of setting a communication parameter with an operated device different from the wireless communication device, wherein a user operation for setting the communication parameter has been made at the operated device, when another user operation for setting the communication parameter at the wireless communication device is made, the method comprising:

performing the process of setting the communication parameter with the operated device, if the wireless communication device detects a single operated device within a predetermined time period after the user operation at the wireless communication device is made;

displaying an error of the setting the communication parameter in a case that the wireless communication device detects a plurality of operated devices within the predetermined time period, wherein the displaying is performed, at least in part, by the processing unit.