Communication apparatus

• US 9,654,910 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2016
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Asakura, Hirotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US15/227,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20170041736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 286 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32593 Using a plurality of controllers, e.g. for controlling different interfaces
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A communication apparatus may comprise a first wireless interface and a second wireless interface configured to establish a first type of wireless connection with an external apparatus, the first type of wireless connection being a connection where the communication apparatus operates as a client and the external apparatus operates as a server. The second wireless interface may be further configured to supply wireless information to the external apparatus using the first type of wireless connection, regardless of whether request information for requesting supply of the wireless information is obtained from the external apparatus. A controller may be configured to establish a particular wireless connection with the external apparatus via the first wireless interface using the wireless information after the wireless information is supplied to the external apparatus.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a first wireless interface;

a second wireless interface being different from the first wireless interface and configured to;

establish a first type of wireless connection with an external apparatus, the first type of wireless connection being a connection where the communication apparatus operates as a client in accordance with a particular protocol and the external apparatus operates as a server in accordance with the particular protocol; and

after the first type of wireless connection with the external apparatus is established, supply wireless information to the external apparatus using the first type of wireless connection, regardless of whether request information for requesting supply of the wireless information is obtained from the external apparatus, the wireless information being for establishing a particular wireless connection via the first wireless interface; and

a controller configured to establish the particular wireless connection with the external apparatus via the first wireless interface using the wireless information after the wireless information is supplied to the external apparatus.

2. The communication apparatus as in claim 1, wherein

the controller is further configured to set a state of the second wireless interface in a dual state in which both a client function and a server function in accordance with the particular protocol are enabled,

the second wireless interface is configured to establish both the first type of wireless connection with the external apparatus and a second type of wireless connection with the external apparatus in a case of being set in the dual state, and

the second type of wireless connection is a connection where the communication apparatus operates as a server in accordance with the particular protocol and the external apparatus operates as a client in accordance with the particular protocol.

3. The communication apparatus as in claim 2, wherein

even if the second wireless interface receives particular information from the external apparatus using the second type of wireless connection, a process in response to the particular information is not executed.

4. The communication apparatus as in claim 3, wherein

the second wireless interface supplies the particular information to the controller in a case of receiving the particular information from the external apparatus using the second type of wireless connection,

the controller is further configured to discard the particular information without executing the process in response to the particular information even if the controller obtains the particular information from the second wireless interface.

5. The communication apparatus as in claim 3, wherein

the particular information includes the request information.

6. The communication apparatus as in claim 2, wherein

the state of the second wireless interface is set in the dual state when power of the communication apparatus is turned ON.

7. The communication apparatus as in claim 1, wherein

the controller is further configured to set a state of the second wireless interface in a single state in which a client function in accordance with the particular protocol is enabled and a server function in accordance with the particular protocol is disabled,

the second wireless interface is configured to establish the first type of wireless connection with the external apparatus and not establish a second type of wireless connection with the external apparatus in a case of being set in the single state, and

the second type of wireless connection is a connection where the communication apparatus operates as a server in accordance with the particular protocol and the external apparatus operates as a client in accordance with the particular protocol.

8. The communication apparatus as in claim 7, wherein

the controller is further configured to set the state of the second wireless interface in a dual state in which both the client function and the server function in accordance with the particular protocol are enabled in a case where the communication apparatus satisfies a predetermined condition,

the second wireless interface is configured to establish both the first type of wireless connection with the external apparatus and the second type of wireless connection with the external apparatus in a case of being set in the dual state,

the state of the second wireless interface is set in the single state in a case where the communication apparatus does not satisfy the predetermined condition, and

the controller is further configured to:

obtain target information from the external apparatus via the second wireless interface using the second type of wireless connection with the external apparatus; and

execute a process in response to the target information.

9. The communication apparatus as in claim 7, wherein

the state of the second wireless interface is set in the single state when power of the communication apparatus is turned ON.

10. The communication apparatus as in claim 1, wherein

the controller is further configured to disconnect the first type of wireless connection immediately after the wireless information is supplied to the external apparatus.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions for a communication apparatus, wherein

the communication apparatus comprises:

a first wireless interface; and

a second wireless interface being different from the first wireless interface and configured to establish a first type of wireless connection with an external apparatus, the first type of wireless connection being a connection where the communication apparatus operates as a client in accordance with a particular protocol and the external apparatus operates as a server in accordance with the particular protocol; and

wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the communication apparatus to perform;

after the first type of wireless connection with the external apparatus is established, supplying wireless information to the external apparatus via the second wireless interface using the first type of wireless connection, regardless of whether request information for requesting supply of the wireless information is obtained from the external apparatus, the wireless information being information for establishing a particular wireless connection via the first wireless interface; and

establishing the particular wireless connection with the external apparatus via the first wireless interface using the wireless information after the wireless information is supplied to the external apparatus.

12. A method performed by a communication apparatus, the communication apparatus comprising:

a first wireless interface; and

a second wireless interface being different from the first wireless interface,

the method comprising;

establishing a first type of wireless connection with an external apparatus via the second wireless interface, the first type of wireless connection being a connection where the communication apparatus operates as a client in accordance with a particular protocol and the external apparatus operates as a server in accordance with the particular protocol;

after the first type of wireless connection with the external apparatus is established, supplying wireless information to the external apparatus via the second wireless interface using the first type of wireless connection, regardless of whether request information for requesting supply of the wireless information is obtained from the external apparatus, the wireless information being for establishing a particular wireless connection via the first wireless interface; and

establishing the particular wireless connection with the external apparatus via the first wireless interface using the wireless information after the wireless information is supplied to the external apparatus.