Method of setting wireless communication device

• US 9,736,761 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2014
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• 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: Shiohara, Susumu, Ishida, Hitoshi, Kiyono, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Andrews, Hoyet H
• Application Number:
  US14/458,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20140348026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• 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 wireless communication apparatus that includes an access point communicating with a communication terminal via wireless communication, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a configuration information storage circuit that stores configuration information set commonly with the communication terminal and the wireless communication apparatus to establish the wireless communication;

a tentative connection circuit that makes temporary wireless communication with a second communication terminal, which is provided as a communication object, under a preset condition regardless of settings of configuration information in the second communication terminal, so as to establish a tentative connection with the second communication terminal; and

a communication circuit that sends instruction information to the second communication terminal via the established tentative connection to change the settings of the configuration information in the second communication terminal based on the instruction information.

2. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

an operation circuit that is manipulated by a user to give permission for the tentative connection,

wherein the preset condition of the operation circuit is user manipulated.

3. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the preset condition setting for the configuration information in the second communication terminal is set to an initial state.

4. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tentative connection circuit establishes the tentative connection with a radio wave having weaker intensity than that of the intensity of the radio wave used for the relay of the wireless communication.

5. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

an identification information storage circuit stores, in advance, identification information for each communication terminal to function as a communication object; and

an identification information detection circuit that detects the identification information from a signal transmitted from the second communication terminal,

wherein the preset condition setting is the detected identification information which is stored in the identification information storage circuit.

6. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a configuration information detection circuit that detects the configuration information of the second communication terminal from a signal transmitted from the second communication terminal,

wherein the tentative connection circuit temporarily rewrites the storage of the configuration information storage circuit with the detected configuration information to establish the tentative connection.

7. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

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

8. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a notification circuit that notifies a user that instruction information is transmitted.

9. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes an encryption key used for the wireless communication.

10. A wireless communication apparatus that includes an access point communicating with a communication terminal via wireless communication, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a configuration information storage circuit that stores configuration information;

a tentative connection circuit that makes temporary wireless communication with the communication terminal under a predetermined condition, so as to establish a tentative connection with the communication terminal;

a setting circuit that sends the configuration information stored in the configuration information storage circuit to the communication terminal via the established tentative connection to set the configuration information to the communication terminal; and

a notification circuit that notifies a user that the configuration information is transmitted.

11. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further comprising:

an operation circuit that is manipulated by a user to give permission for the tentative connection,

wherein the predetermined condition of the operation circuit is user manipulated.

12. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the predetermined condition setting for the configuration information in the communication terminal is set to an initial state.

13. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the predetermined condition is that the wireless communication apparatus is not communicable to the communication terminal.

14. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the tentative connection circuit establishes the tentative connection with a radio wave having weaker intensity than that of the intensity of the radio wave used for the relay of the wireless communication.

15. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further comprising:

an identification information storage circuit stores, in advance, identification information for each communication terminal to function as a communication object; and

an identification information detection circuit that detects the identification information from a signal transmitted from the communication terminal,

wherein the predetermined condition setting is the detected identification information which is stored in the identification information storage circuit.

16. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further comprising:

a configuration information detection circuit that detects the configuration information of the communication terminal from a signal transmitted from the communication terminal,

wherein the tentative connection circuit temporarily rewrites the storage of the configuration information storage circuit with the detected configuration information to establish the tentative connection.

17. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further comprising:

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

18. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein a MAC address is transmitted via the temporary wireless communication.

19. A wireless communication apparatus that includes an access point communicating with a communication terminal via wireless communication, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a configuration information storage circuit that stores configuration information;

a tentative connection circuit that makes temporary wireless communication with the communication terminal under a predetermined condition, so as to establish a tentative connection with the communication terminal; and

a setting circuit that sends the configuration information stored in the configuration information storage circuit to the communication terminal via the established tentative connection to set the configuration information to the communication terminal,

wherein the configuration information includes an encryption key used for the wireless communication.

20. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 19, further comprising:

an operation circuit that is manipulated by a user to give permission for the tentative connection,

wherein the predetermined condition of the operation circuit is user manipulated.

21. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein the predetermined condition setting for the configuration information in the communication terminal is set to an initial state.

22. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein the predetermined condition is that the wireless communication apparatus is not communicable to the communication terminal.

23. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein the tentative connection circuit establishes the tentative connection with a radio wave having weaker intensity than that of the intensity of the radio wave used for the relay of the wireless communication.

24. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 19, further comprising:

an identification information storage circuit stores, in advance, identification information for each communication terminal to function as a communication object; and

an identification information detection circuit that detects the identification information from a signal transmitted from the communication terminal,

wherein the predetermined condition setting is the detected identification information which is stored in the identification information storage circuit.

25. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 19, further comprising:

a configuration information detection circuit that detects the configuration information of the communication terminal from a signal transmitted from the communication terminal,

wherein the tentative connection circuit temporarily rewrites the storage of the configuration information storage circuit with the detected configuration information to establish the tentative connection.

26. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 19, further comprising:

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

27. The wireless communication apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein a MAC address is transmitted via the temporary wireless communication.