Communication device

• US 9,907,016 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2014
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Shibata, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Haile, Awet
• Application Number:
  US14/300,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20140362841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A communication device may perform judging whether a specific wireless setting value for establishing the wireless connection with a specific access point is to be received from the specific access point or from a terminal device different from the specific access point. The communication device may receive the specific wireless setting value from the specific access point in a case where it is judged that the specific wireless setting value is to be received from the specific access point. The communication device may receive the specific wireless setting value from the terminal device in a case where it is judged that the specific wireless setting value is to be received from the terminal device. The communication device may establish the wireless connection with the specific access point by using the specific wireless setting value.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing computer-readable instructions therein that, when executed by the processor, cause the communication device to perform;

acquiring a specific instruction for establishing a wireless connection with a specific access point in accordance with an automatic wireless setting mode;

judging whether a first signal is received or a second signal is received in a case where the specific instruction is acquired, the first signal being a Probe Response signal sent from the specific access point in response to a Probe Request signal sent from the communication device to the specific access point, the second signal being a Probe Request signal sent from a terminal device different from the specific access point, the Probe Request signal sent from the terminal device including identification information of the communication device;

receiving, from the specific access point, a specific wireless setting value which is used in a communication between the communication device and the specific access point, in a case where it is judged that the first signal is received, the communication being for establishing the wireless connection with the specific access point;

receiving, from the terminal device different from the specific access point, the specific wireless setting value in a case where it is judged that the second signal is received; and

establishing the wireless connection with the specific access point by using the received specific wireless setting value.

2. The communication device as in claim 1, wherein

the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the communication device to further perform:

setting an operation mode of the communication device to one of a plurality of operation modes in the case where the specific instruction is acquired, the plurality of operation modes including a first operation mode for monitoring a receipt of the first signal from the specific access point and a second operation mode for monitoring a receipt of the second signal from the terminal device,

wherein the judging includes;

judging that the specific wireless setting value is to be received from the specific access point, in a case where the first signal is received from the specific access point before a first period is elapsed since when the operation mode of the communication device was set to the first operation mode; and

judging that the specific wireless setting value is to be received from the terminal device, in a case where the second signal is received from the terminal device before a second period is elapsed since when the operation mode of the communication device was set to the second operation mode.

3. The communication device as in claim 2, wherein the setting includes:

changing the operation mode of the communication device from the first operation mode to the second operation mode, in a case where the first signal is not received from the specific access point before the first period is elapsed since when the operation mode of the communication device was set to the first operation mode; and

changing the operation mode of the communication device from the second operation mode to the first operation mode, in a case where the second signal is not received from the terminal device before the second period is elapsed since when the operation mode of the communication device was set to the second operation mode.

4. The communication device as in claim 2, wherein the setting includes:

initially setting the operation mode of the communication device to the second operation mode, in the case where the specific instruction is acquired; and

changing the operation mode of the communication device from the second operation mode to the first operation mode, in a case where the second signal is not received from the terminal device before the second period is elapsed since when the operation mode of the communication device was set to the second operation mode.

5. The communication device as in claim 2, wherein the setting includes:

initially setting the operation mode of the communication device to the first operation mode, in the case where the specific instruction is acquired; and

changing the operation mode of the communication device from the first operation mode to the second operation mode, in a case where the first signal is not received from the specific access point before the first period is elapsed since when the operation mode of the communication device was set to the first operation mode.

6. The communication device as in claim 2, wherein the setting includes setting the operation mode of the communication device to the second operation mode by causing the communication device to function as a parent station of a wireless network.

7. The communication device as in claim 2, wherein the judging includes:

judging whether the first signal is received from the specific access point by sending a specific request signal to the specific access point, in a case where the operation mode of the communication device is set to the first operation mode; and

judging whether the second signal is received from the terminal device without sending the specific request signal to the terminal device, in a case where the operation mode of the communication device is set to the second operation mode.

8. The communication device as in claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the communication device to further perform:

sending success information indicating a successful establishment of the wireless connection to the terminal device, in the case where it is judged that the specific wireless setting value is to be received from the terminal device, and in which case where the wireless connection is established with the specific access point; and

sending failure information indicating an unsuccessful establishment of the wireless connection to the terminal device, in the case where it is judged that the specific wireless setting value is to be received from the terminal device, and in which case where the wireless connection is not established with the specific access point.

9. The communication device as in claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the communication device to further perform:

receiving, from each of one or more access points which exist around the communication device, a partial setting value that is a part of a wireless setting value currently set to the access point, in the case where it is judged that the specific wireless setting value is to be received from the terminal device; and

sending one or more the partial setting values of the one or more access points to the terminal device.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions for a communication device, wherein

the computer-readable instructions, when executed by a controller mounted on the communication device, cause the communication device to perform:

acquiring a specific instruction for establishing a wireless connection with a specific access point in accordance with an automatic wireless setting mode;

judging whether a first signal is received or a second signal is received in a case where the specific instruction is acquired, the first signal being a Probe Response signal sent from the specific access point in response to a Probe Request signal sent from the communication device to the specific access point, the second signal being a Probe Request signal sent from a terminal device different from the specific access point, the Probe Request signal sent from the terminal device including identification information of the communication device;

receiving, from the specific access point, a specific wireless setting value which is used in a communication between the communication device and the specific access point, in a case where it is judged that the first signal is received, the communication being for establishing the wireless connection with the specific access point;

receiving, from the terminal device different from the specific access point, the specific wireless setting value in a case where it is judged that the second signal is received; and

establishing the wireless connection with the specific access point by using the received specific wireless setting value.