Communication apparatus, method and storage medium for short range communication

• US 9,252,847 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2014
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Baba, Tatsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Cato, Miya J
• Application Number:
  US14/273,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20140340698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00315 with a radio transmission apparatus with a cordless telephone H04N1/00305; systems or arrangements for the transmission of a picture signal specially adapted for transmission via radio H04N1/00103; H04N1/00307 takes precedence; radio transmission systems H04B7/00; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00342 with a radio frequency tag transmitter or receiver storage of additional information in an RFID tag attached to an image bearing paper sheet H04N1/32138
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00891 Switching on or off, e.g. for saving power when not in use H04N1/00896 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00896 using a low-power mode, e.g. standby
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/006 Using near field communication, e.g. an inductive loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0075 by a user operated remote control device, e.g. receiving instructions from a user via a computer terminal or mobile telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A communication apparatus (image forming apparatus) according to an aspect of the present invention is capable of communication with an external apparatus via short-range wireless communication (NFC) and while in a powered-on state (first state), registers a piece of data being held by the communication apparatus as NFC transmission data that is to be transmitted by the communication apparatus in a powered-off state (second state). Furthermore, when shifting from the powered-on state to the powered-off state, the communication apparatus sets the registered NFC transmission data in an NFC controller as data that is to be transmitted to an external apparatus such as a mobile terminal via NFC communication.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a short-range wireless communication unit configured to perform short-range wireless communication, wherein the short-range wireless communication unit has a plurality of operation modes, one of which is a card emulation mode for allowing an external apparatus to read information held by the short-range wireless communication unit;

a selecting unit configured to select, in accordance with a user'"'"'s instruction, a piece of data that is to be held by the short-range wireless communication unit from among a plurality of pieces of candidate data;

a detecting unit configured to detect that the communication apparatus shifts to a powered-off state; and

a controlling unit configured to, when the detection unit detects that the communication apparatus shifts to the powered-off state, cause the short-range wireless communication unit to hold the piece of data selected by the selecting unit and set the card emulation mode as an operation mode of the short-range wireless communication unit;

wherein in a case where an error has occurred in the communication apparatus, the controlling unit causes the short-range wireless communication unit to hold error information about the error instead of the piece of data selected by the selecting unit.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a displaying unit configured to display a selection screen for a user to select a piece of data that is to be held by the short-range wireless communication unit from among the plurality of pieces of candidate data,

wherein the selecting unit selects the piece of data that is to be held by the short-range wireless communication unit in accordance with the user'"'"'s instruction input via the selection screen.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of pieces of candidate data include an address of the communication apparatus.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the short-range wireless communication is near field communication.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus is a printing apparatus that can execute printing.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus is a mobile terminal.

7. A communication apparatus comprising:

a short-range wireless communication unit configured to perform short-range wireless communication, wherein the short-range wireless communication unit has a plurality of operation modes, one of which is a card emulation mode for allowing an external apparatus to read information held by the short-range wireless communication unit;

a selecting unit configured to select, in accordance with a user'"'"'s instruction, a piece of data that is to be held by the short-range wireless communication unit from among a plurality of pieces of candidate data;

a detecting unit configured to detect that the communication apparatus shifts to a power-saving state; and

a controlling unit configured to, when the detection unit detects that the communication apparatus shifts to the power-saving state, cause the short-range wireless communication unit to hold the piece of data selected by the selecting unit and set the card emulation mode as an operation mode of the short-range wireless communication unit;

wherein in a case where an error has occurred in the communication apparatus, the controlling unit causes the short-range wireless communication unit to hold error information about the error instead of the piece of data selected by the selecting unit.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a displaying unit configured to display a selection screen for a user to select a piece of data that is to be held by the short-range wireless communication unit from among the plurality of pieces of candidate data,

wherein the selecting unit selects the piece of data that is to be held by the short-range wireless communication unit in accordance with the user'"'"'s instruction input via the selection screen.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of pieces of candidate data include an address of the communication apparatus.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the short-range wireless communication is near field communication.

11. The communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the communication apparatus is a printing apparatus that can execute printing.

12. The communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the communication apparatus is a mobile terminal.

13. A method for controlling a communication apparatus comprising a short-range wireless communication unit configured to perform short-range wireless communication, the short-range wireless communication unit having a plurality of operation modes, one of which is a card emulation mode for allowing an external apparatus to read information held by the short-range wireless communication unit, the method comprising:

selecting, in accordance with a user'"'"'s instruction, a piece of data that is to be held by the short-range wireless communication unit from among a plurality of pieces of candidate data;

detecting that the communication apparatus shifts to a powered-off state; and

when it is detected that the communication apparatus shifts to the powered-off state, causing the short-range wireless communication unit to hold the piece of data selected in the selecting, and setting the card emulation mode as an operation mode of the short-range wireless communication unit;

wherein in a case where an error has occurred in the communication apparatus, the controlling unit causes the short-range wireless communication unit to hold error information about the error instead of the piece of data selected by the selecting unit.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to execute a method for controlling a communication apparatus comprising a short-range wireless communication unit configured to perform short-range wireless communication, the short-range wireless communication unit having a plurality of operation modes, one of which is a card emulation mode for allowing an external apparatus to read information held by the short-range wireless communication unit, the method comprising:

selecting, in accordance with a user'"'"'s instruction, a piece of data that is to be held by the short-range wireless communication unit from among a plurality of pieces of candidate data;

detecting that the communication apparatus shifts to a powered-off state; and

when it is detected that the communication apparatus shifts to the powered-off state, causing the short-range wireless communication unit to hold the piece of data selected in the selecting, and setting the card emulation mode as an operation mode of the short-range wireless communication unit;

wherein in a case where an error has occurred in the communication apparatus, the controlling unit causes the short-range wireless communication unit to hold error information about the error instead of the piece of data selected by the selecting unit.

15. A method for controlling a communication apparatus comprising a short-range wireless communication unit configured to perform short-range wireless communication, the short-range wireless communication unit having a plurality of operation modes, one of which is a card emulation mode for allowing an external apparatus to read information held by the short-range wireless communication unit, the method comprising:

selecting, in accordance with a user'"'"'s instruction, a piece of data that is to be held by the short-range wireless communication unit from among a plurality of pieces of candidate data;

detecting that the communication apparatus shifts to a power-saving state; and

when it is detected that the communication apparatus shifts to the power-saving state, causing the short-range wireless communication unit to hold the piece of data selected in the selecting, and setting the card emulation mode as an operation mode of the short-range wireless communication unit;

wherein in a case where an error has occurred in the communication apparatus, the controlling unit causes the short-range wireless communication unit to hold error information about the error instead of the piece of data selected by the selecting unit.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to execute a method for controlling a communication apparatus comprising a short-range wireless communication unit configured to perform short-range wireless communication, the short-range wireless communication unit having a plurality of operation modes, one of which is a card emulation mode for allowing an external apparatus to read information held by the short-range wireless communication unit, the method comprising:

selecting, in accordance with a user'"'"'s instruction, a piece of data that is to be held by the short-range wireless communication unit from among a plurality of pieces of candidate data;

detecting that the communication apparatus shifts to a power-saving state; and

when it is detected that the communication apparatus shifts to the power-saving state, causing the short-range wireless communication unit to hold the piece of data selected in the selecting, and setting the card emulation mode as an operation mode of the short-range wireless communication unit;

wherein in a case where an error has occurred in the communication apparatus, the controlling unit causes the short-range wireless communication unit to hold error information about the error instead of the piece of data selected by the selecting unit.