Wireless network switching method and apparatus, image forming device, and storage medium

Abstract

The wireless network switching method and device, the image forming device and the storage medium provided by the embodiments of the present application can obtain the hotspot marking information sent by the mobile terminal, and identify whether the currently connected wireless network is the mobile terminal hotspot according to the hotspot marking information. If the network automatic switching function is enabled and the identification result is yes, the wireless network switching operation is performed. In this way, the image forming device can accurately identify the mobile terminal hotspot currently connected by the mobile terminal in the manner that the mobile terminal actively issues the wireless hotspot marking information, and automatically switches to the non-hotspot wireless network when the network automatic switching function is enabled, so that the user does not need to manually operate, the waste of traffic is avoided, and the user experience and the intelligent level of network switching are significantly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of image forming technology, and more specifically to a wireless network switching method, apparatus, image forming device, and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] In the prior art, when the network environment is poor, the image forming device can temporarily connect to the user's mobile terminal hotspot (such as a smartphone hotspot). However, when the network environment is restored, if the user forgets or does not pay attention to the current network environment and does not turn off the mobile terminal hotspot in time, the image forming device will continue to occupy the user's hotspot, resulting in wasted data traffic. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, this application provides a wireless network switching method, apparatus, image forming device, and storage medium to solve the problem of wasted data traffic caused by the continuous occupation of user hotspots due to the failure to turn off mobile terminal hotspots in a timely manner in the prior art.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a wireless network handover method, including: Obtain hotspot tagging information sent by the mobile terminal; Based on the hotspot marking information, identify whether the currently connected wireless network is a mobile terminal hotspot; If the automatic network switching function is enabled and the identification result is yes, then the wireless network switching operation will be performed.

[0005] In one optional embodiment, the hotspot labeling information includes one or more of the following: Internet Protocol address, physical MAC address, or hotspot name.

[0006] In one optional embodiment, the hotspot marking information is sent by an application associated with the image forming device in the mobile terminal after the image forming device has been connected to the mobile terminal hotspot.

[0007] In one optional embodiment, obtaining the hotspot tagging information sent from the mobile terminal includes: Broadcast information about the currently connected wireless network using the Simple Network Management Protocol; Receive the hotspot marking information sent by the mobile terminal; The hotspot marking information is sent by the mobile terminal when it detects that the broadcast wireless network information is consistent with the hotspot information of its own mobile terminal.

[0008] In one optional embodiment, performing the wireless network handover operation includes: When the automatic network switching function is enabled and there is no wireless network other than the mobile terminal hotspot, the system switches to a connectable mobile terminal hotspot according to the preset priority of at least one of the saved mobile terminal hotspots.

[0009] In one optional embodiment, performing the wireless network handover operation includes: Filter out wireless networks other than the mobile terminal's hotspot from the available wireless networks; According to the preset rules, select one of the filtered wireless networks to connect to.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, it further includes: When the automatic network switching function is disabled, the wireless network switching operation is prohibited.

[0011] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a wireless network switching device, comprising: The acquisition module is used to acquire hotspot tagging information sent by the mobile terminal; The identification module is used to identify whether the currently connected wireless network is a mobile terminal hotspot based on the hotspot marking information; The control module is used to perform a wireless network switching operation if the automatic network switching function is enabled and the identification result is yes.

[0012] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide an image forming apparatus, including a memory for storing computer program instructions and a processor for executing the program instructions, wherein when the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, the image forming apparatus is triggered to execute the method described in any of the first aspects above.

[0013] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium including a stored program, wherein, when the program is executed, it controls the device where the computer-readable storage medium is located to perform the method described in any of the first aspects.

[0014] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product comprising executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method described in any of the first aspects.

[0015] The solution provided in this application embodiment allows the image forming device to acquire hotspot marking information sent by the mobile terminal and identify whether the currently connected wireless network is a hotspot for the mobile terminal based on the hotspot marking information. If the automatic network switching function is enabled and the identification result is yes, a wireless network switching operation is performed. By having the mobile terminal actively send wireless hotspot marking information, the image forming device can accurately identify the currently connected mobile terminal hotspot and automatically switch to a non-hotspot wireless network when the automatic network switching function is enabled. This eliminates the need for manual operation by the user, avoids data wastage, and significantly improves the user experience and the intelligence level of network switching. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a wireless network handover method provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is an example schematic diagram of a wireless network handover method provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating another wireless network handover method provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wireless network switching device provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an image forming apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To better understand the technical solution of this application, the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] It should be understood that the described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments in this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments in this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0020] The terminology used in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in the embodiments of this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0021] It should be understood that the term "and / or" used in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0022] The wireless network switching method of this application embodiment can be applied to image forming equipment, including but not limited to printers, copiers, scanners or multifunction printers, which have wireless communication modules and support mobile hotspot Wi-Fi network connections.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a wireless network handover method provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 1 As shown, the method may include: Step 101: Obtain the hotspot tagging information sent by the mobile terminal.

[0024] In this embodiment, when the image forming device connects to a wireless network, an application installed on the mobile terminal can proactively send hotspot marking information to the image forming device. This hotspot marking information is used to declare to the image forming device that the currently connected wireless network is a hotspot activated by the mobile terminal. Optionally, the hotspot marking information may include one or more of the mobile terminal's Internet Protocol (IP) address, MAC address, or hotspot name.

[0025] As an optional implementation, hotspot marking information is sent by the application associated with the image forming device on the mobile terminal after the image forming device has connected to the mobile terminal's hotspot. Specifically, the application (APP) for the image forming device installed on the mobile terminal can monitor the mobile terminal's network status in real time. When the user enables the mobile terminal's hotspot, the APP can obtain the current hotspot's network information. When the APP detects that the image forming device has connected to the hotspot, it automatically generates hotspot marking information and sends it to the image forming device via the network. Sending hotspot information such as the MAC address through the application for the image forming device installed on the mobile terminal ensures that the accuracy of hotspot identification is not affected, even if the mobile terminal supports the use of random MAC addresses when enabling its hotspot.

[0026] The entire marking process requires no user intervention. The mobile terminal automatically completes the marking and distribution after detecting the connection of the image forming device, achieving "zero-operation" hotspot identification. At the same time, since the hotspot marking information is distributed immediately after the device connects, the image forming device can obtain the currently connected hotspot marking information in real time, preparing for possible automatic switching in the future.

[0027] Step 102: Based on the hotspot marking information, identify whether the currently connected wireless network is a mobile terminal hotspot.

[0028] After receiving hotspot tagging information from the mobile terminal, the image forming device compares it with the information of the wireless network it is currently connected to. If they match, the image forming device confirms that the currently connected wireless network is the mobile terminal's hotspot; if they do not match, the hotspot tagging information is ignored.

[0029] It's understandable that mobile terminals with installed applications support sending hotspot tagging information, while routers do not. Upon receiving the hotspot tagging information, the image forming device can determine that the wireless network recorded in the tagging information is a hotspot for the mobile terminal. Then, the image forming device compares the content recorded in the hotspot tagging information with the currently connected wireless network information to determine whether the mobile terminal has accessed the hotspot. For example, if the tagging information includes a hotspot name, the image forming device compares whether the name of the currently connected wireless network matches the hotspot name in the tagging information; if the tagging information includes a MAC address, it compares whether the MAC address of the currently connected wireless network matches the MAC address in the tagging information; if the tagging information includes an IP address, it compares whether the gateway IP of the currently connected wireless network matches the IP address in the tagging information.

[0030] In this way, the image forming device does not need to rely on fixed judgment of MAC address, but achieves accurate identification by means of hotspot marking information actively sent by the mobile terminal. Even if the mobile terminal uses a random MAC address when the hotspot is turned on, it will not affect the accuracy of identification.

[0031] Step 103: If the automatic network switching function is enabled and the identification result is yes, then perform the wireless network switching operation.

[0032] In this embodiment, the image forming apparatus provides a "network automatic switching function" setting option, which can be enabled or disabled by the user through the device control panel or a mobile terminal APP. This function is used to control whether the image forming apparatus allows automatic switching of the currently connected wireless network when certain conditions are met.

[0033] When the identification result of step 102 is "the currently connected wireless network is a mobile terminal hotspot", and the automatic network switching function is enabled, the image forming device automatically triggers a wireless network switching operation. This switching operation aims to switch the current connection from the mobile terminal hotspot to other available networks, especially stable wireless networks other than the mobile terminal hotspot (such as home Wi-Fi, enterprise Wi-Fi, etc.), thereby avoiding the image forming device occupying the mobile terminal hotspot for a long time, which would lead to a waste of user data.

[0034] In an optional embodiment of this application, the image forming device can also proactively acquire hotspot tagging information via Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) broadcast. This is applicable to scenarios where the mobile terminal APP does not actively detect the device's connection status or where the device needs to actively announce its own network information. Specifically, acquiring hotspot tagging information sent by the mobile terminal includes: broadcasting currently connected wireless network information via SNMP; and receiving hotspot tagging information sent by the mobile terminal. The hotspot tagging information is sent by the mobile terminal when it detects that the broadcast wireless network information matches its own activated hotspot information.

[0035] Specifically, after an image forming device connects to a wireless network, it can broadcast its current wireless network information within the local area network (LAN) via the SNMP protocol. The broadcast content may include the hotspot name, MAC address, and the image forming device's own IP address. An application (APP) installed on the mobile terminal listens for SNMP broadcast messages in the background. When the APP receives the wireless network information broadcast by the image forming device, it extracts the hotspot name, MAC address, and other information, and compares it with the hotspot information enabled by the mobile terminal itself. If the comparison results match (i.e., the network the image forming device is currently connected to is the hotspot enabled by the mobile terminal), the APP generates hotspot tag information and sends it to the image forming device. Upon receiving this hotspot tag information, the image forming device can confirm that the currently connected wireless network is the mobile terminal's hotspot.

[0036] In this way, even if the mobile terminal APP does not actively send hotspot markers, the image forming device can "wake up" the APP through active broadcasting to confirm the hotspot marker information. The two acquisition methods can be flexibly selected or coexisted depending on the actual application scenario to improve the applicability of the solution.

[0037] In one optional embodiment, the image forming device may perform a wireless network switching operation by: filtering out wireless networks other than the mobile terminal hotspot from the connectable wireless networks; and selecting one of the filtered wireless networks to connect to according to a preset rule.

[0038] Specifically, when the conditions of step 103 are met (i.e., the current connection is a mobile terminal hotspot and the automatic network switching function is enabled), the image forming device starts a wireless network scan to obtain a list of all connectable wireless networks in the vicinity. Each network in the list contains at least information such as the hotspot name and signal strength. The image forming device traverses the scanned list of wireless networks, combines it with the locally saved mobile terminal hotspot records, identifies and excludes networks marked as mobile terminal hotspots, and filters out a list of wireless networks other than mobile terminal hotspots (usually including stable networks such as home Wi-Fi, enterprise Wi-Fi, and public Wi-Fi).

[0039] The preset rules can be preset priorities or other rules. If the user has set the priority of each wireless network through the settings interface of the image forming device or the mobile terminal APP, the device will select the wireless network with the highest priority for connection. If the user has not set the priority, the device can select according to the default rules, such as selecting the network with the highest signal strength, the network with the most historical connection times, or the network that was successfully connected last time.

[0040] For example, when the user's home network (Home_WiFi) is restored, the image forming device scans and finds that both Home_WiFi and the neighbor's Guest_WiFi are wireless networks other than mobile terminal hotspots. If the user has set Home_WiFi as priority 1, the image forming device will automatically switch to Home_WiFi; if the user has not set a priority, the device can choose to connect to the network with the higher signal strength.

[0041] In this way, the image forming device can automatically switch to a stable and available wireless network as soon as the network environment is restored, without the need for manual operation by the user, effectively avoiding the waste of user data.

[0042] In one optional embodiment, the image forming device may further perform a wireless network switching operation by: when the automatic network switching function is enabled and there is no wireless network other than the mobile terminal hotspot, switching to a connectable mobile terminal hotspot according to the preset priority of at least one saved mobile terminal hotspot.

[0043] After initially identifying a mobile hotspot, the image forming device saves its information (such as hotspot name and MAC address) in a hotspot list. Users can view the saved hotspot list through the image forming device's control panel or a mobile app and can set the connection priority for each hotspot. For example, users can set a family member's mobile phone hotspot as high priority and a visitor's mobile phone hotspot as low priority; the lower the priority number, the higher the priority. If no wireless network other than the mobile hotspot is detected nearby, the image forming device automatically switches to the highest-priority and connectable mobile hotspot in the saved list.

[0044] Reference Figure 2 The user has set the priority of "WiFi_a" to 1 and the priority of "WiFi_b" to 2. If both "WiFi_a" and "WiFi_b" exist in the current environment, and the image forming device is already connected to "WiFi_b", the image forming device will automatically switch to the higher-priority hotspot "WiFi_a". In this way, even in outdoor or temporary network environments without stable Wi-Fi, the image forming device can automatically select the optimal hotspot to connect to according to the user's preset preferences, improving ease of use.

[0045] In one optional embodiment, the image forming apparatus provides a switch option for an "automatic network switching function," which users can flexibly enable or disable according to their usage scenarios. When the automatic network switching function is disabled, the image forming apparatus prohibits wireless network switching operations. For example, if a user wants the device to use a mobile hotspot for remote printing or firmware upgrades for an extended period and does not want the device to automatically switch networks, or if the user needs to manually control network switching to avoid print job interruptions caused by automatic switching, this may be necessary.

[0046] Through the design of this function switch, the embodiments of this application not only achieve intelligent automatic switching, but also provide users with full choice and control, meeting diverse needs in different scenarios.

[0047] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating another wireless network handover method provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 3 As shown, the method may include: Step 300: Start the printer's WiFi.

[0048] After the image forming device is powered on or the user manually enables the wireless network function, the device's wireless communication module starts up, begins to initialize the WiFi connection status, and prepares to perform network scanning and connection operations.

[0049] Step 301: Determine if the automatic network switching function is enabled. If the automatic network switching function is not enabled, proceed to step 312 to wait; if the automatic network switching function is enabled, proceed to step 302 for further testing.

[0050] Step 302: Check if there is data in the hotspot list? The image forming device reads a list of hotspots stored in its local storage area. This list records information about all wireless networks that have been identified as mobile terminal hotspots (such as hotspot names and MAC addresses). If the hotspot list is empty, it means that the device has not recorded any mobile terminal hotspots, and there is no need to perform subsequent hotspot identification and switching judgments. The device directly proceeds to step 312 and waits for a preset time before re-detecting. If the hotspot list is not empty, the device proceeds to step 303 to continue execution.

[0051] Step 303: Determine if the currently connected WiFi is in the hotspot list? The image forming device acquires information about the currently connected wireless networks and compares it with records in the hotspot list. If the currently connected WiFi is not in the hotspot list, it means the device is currently connected to a wireless network other than a mobile terminal hotspot (such as a stable home Wi-Fi), and no switching operation is required. The process proceeds directly to step 312, where the device waits for a preset time before re-detecting. If the currently connected WiFi is in the hotspot list, it means the device is currently connected to a mobile terminal hotspot, and further determination is needed to decide whether to switch. Therefore, the process proceeds to step 304.

[0052] Step 304: Try connecting to a WiFi network that is not in the hotspot list.

[0053] The image forming device initiates a wireless network scan to acquire all available wireless networks in the vicinity and filters out wireless networks other than those on the mobile terminal's hotspot (i.e., networks not in the hotspot list). If a connectable wireless network exists, the device first attempts to connect to one of them (based on signal strength or a default order). After a successful connection, it proceeds to step 312, waits for a preset time, and then re-detects. If no connectable wireless network is found, or the connection attempt fails, it proceeds to step 305.

[0054] Step 305: Determine if the current WiFi is the highest priority? When no connectable wireless network exists in the environment, the image forming device needs to select among multiple mobile terminal hotspots. The image forming device obtains a user-preset list of mobile terminal hotspot priorities and determines whether the currently connected WiFi is already the highest priority hotspot. If so, no switching is required, and the device proceeds to step 312, waiting a preset time before re-detecting. If not, it indicates that a higher priority hotspot is available for connection, and the device proceeds to step 306.

[0055] Step 306: Generate a list of WiFi networks to be connected.

[0056] The device generates a list of WiFi networks to connect to based on a user-defined priority list and the available wireless networks scanned in the current environment. These networks are all mobile hotspots and have a higher priority than the currently connected WiFi network.

[0057] Step 307: Select the highest priority WiFi connection from the list of WiFi networks to be connected and prepare to attempt to connect.

[0058] Step 308: Determine if the current WiFi connection is available? The device attempts to establish a connection with the selected hotspot. If the connection is successful, proceed to step 309; if the connection fails (e.g., signal unreachable, incorrect password, hotspot turned off), proceed to step 310.

[0059] Step 309: Automatically switch to the highest priority WiFi network available for connection.

[0060] The image forming device successfully connects to the selected highest priority hotspot, disconnects the original connection, and completes the wireless network switching operation. After that, it can proceed to step 312 and wait for the preset time before re-detecting.

[0061] Step 310: Remove the current WiFi from the list of WiFi networks to connect to.

[0062] If the connection attempt fails in step 308, the device removes the hotspot from the list of available connections to avoid repeated attempts.

[0063] Step 311: Determine if the list to be connected is empty. If it is, proceed to step 312; otherwise, proceed to step 307.

[0064] The device checks if the list of networks to be connected has been cleared. If the list is not empty, it returns to step 307 and continues to try to connect to the next highest priority network; if the list is empty, it means that all high-priority hotspots cannot be connected, so it proceeds to step 312 and waits for a preset time before re-checking.

[0065] Step 312, after a certain interval.

[0066] After completing the current cycle of detection and switching attempts, the device enters a waiting state, with a preset interval (e.g., 30 seconds, 1 minute, or 5 minutes, the specific value can be preset by the system or configured by the user), and then returns to step 302 to start a new round of network status detection and switching judgment. Through this periodic detection mechanism, the image forming device can continuously monitor changes in the network environment (such as home Wi-Fi recovery, the appearance of high-priority hotspots, etc.) and automatically perform switching when the conditions are met, without user intervention.

[0067] This application provides a complete and cyclically executable automatic wireless network switching logic. This process organically combines "whether a non-hotspot exists," "current hotspot priority," "polling attempts of the connection list," and "periodic detection mechanism" to ensure that the image forming device can achieve intelligent and stable automatic switching in various network environments (such as home network recovery, multiple hotspots coexisting, some hotspots being unavailable, dynamic changes in network status, etc.), minimizing manual user intervention and avoiding data wastage caused by the device occupying the mobile terminal's hotspot for extended periods.

[0068] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wireless network switching device provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 4 As shown, the device may include: The acquisition module 401 is used to acquire hotspot tagging information sent by the mobile terminal.

[0069] The identification module 402 is used to identify whether the currently connected wireless network is a mobile terminal hotspot based on the hotspot marking information.

[0070] The control module 403 is used to perform a wireless network switching operation if the automatic network switching function is enabled and the identification result is yes.

[0071] Corresponding to the above embodiments, this application also provides an image forming apparatus. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an image forming apparatus 500 provided in an embodiment of this application. The image forming apparatus 500 may include a processor 501, a memory 502, and a communication unit 503. These components communicate through one or more buses. Those skilled in the art will understand that the structure of the image forming apparatus shown in the figure does not constitute a limitation on the embodiment of this application. It may be a bus-shaped structure or a star-shaped structure, and may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0072] The communication unit 503 is used to establish a communication channel, enabling the image forming apparatus to communicate with other devices. It receives user data from other devices or sends user data to other devices.

[0073] The processor 501 serves as the control center of the image forming apparatus. It connects various parts of the apparatus via various interfaces and lines, and executes software programs, instructions, and / or modules stored in the memory 502, as well as accessing data stored in the memory, to perform various functions of the image forming apparatus and / or process data. The processor may be composed of integrated circuits (ICs), such as a single packaged IC or multiple packaged ICs with the same or different functions connected together. For example, the processor 501 may consist only of a central processing unit (CPU). In this embodiment, the CPU may have a single processing core or include multiple processing cores.

[0074] The memory 502 is used to store the execution instructions of the processor 501. The memory 502 can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk or optical disk.

[0075] When the execution instructions in memory 502 are executed by processor 501, the image forming apparatus 500 is able to perform some or all of the steps in the above embodiments.

[0076] In a specific implementation, this application also provides a computer storage medium, wherein the computer storage medium may store a program, which, when executed, may include some or all of the steps of the wireless network switching method provided in various embodiments of this application. The storage medium may be a magnetic disk, optical disk, read-only memory (ROM), or random access memory (RAM), etc.

[0077] In a specific implementation, this application also provides a computer program product, wherein the computer program product includes executable instructions, which, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform some or all of the steps in various embodiments of the wireless network handover method provided in this application.

[0078] This application also provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores computer instructions that cause the computer to execute the wireless network switching method provided in this application.

[0079] The aforementioned non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may be any combination of one or more computer-readable media. A computer-readable medium may be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium may be, for example,—but not limited to—an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media (a non-exhaustive list) include: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or flash memory, optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage device, magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. In this document, a computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that may be used by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0080] Computer-readable signal media may include data signals propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying computer-readable program code. Such propagated data signals may take various forms, including—but not limited to—electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. Computer-readable signal media may also be any computer-readable medium other than computer-readable storage media, capable of transmitting, propagating, or transmitting programs for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0081] The program code contained on a computer-readable medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including—but not limited to—wireless, wire, optical fiber, RF, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0082] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that the techniques in the embodiments of this application can be implemented using software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, or the parts that contribute to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product can be stored in a storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of this application or some parts of the embodiments.

[0083] The same or similar parts between the various embodiments in this specification can be referred to mutually. In particular, the device embodiments and terminal embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the description in the method embodiments.

Claims

1. A wireless network handover method, characterized in that, The method is applied to an image forming apparatus, including: Obtain hotspot tagging information sent by the mobile terminal; Based on the hotspot marking information, identify whether the currently connected wireless network is a mobile terminal hotspot; If the automatic network switching function is enabled and the identification result is yes, then the wireless network switching operation will be performed.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hotspot labeling information includes one or more of the following: Internet Protocol address, physical MAC address, or hotspot name.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hotspot marking information is sent by the application associated with the image forming device in the mobile terminal after the image forming device has been connected to the mobile terminal hotspot.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the hotspot tag information sent by the mobile terminal includes: Broadcast information about the currently connected wireless network using the Simple Network Management Protocol; Receive the hotspot marking information sent by the mobile terminal; The hotspot marking information is sent by the mobile terminal when it detects that the broadcast wireless network information is consistent with the hotspot information of its own mobile terminal.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wireless network handover operation includes: When the automatic network switching function is enabled and there is no wireless network other than the mobile terminal hotspot, the system switches to a connectable mobile terminal hotspot according to the preset priority of at least one of the saved mobile terminal hotspots.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wireless network handover operation includes: Filter out wireless networks other than the mobile terminal's hotspot from the available wireless networks; According to the preset rules, select one of the filtered wireless networks to connect to.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: When the automatic network switching function is disabled, the wireless network switching operation is prohibited.

8. A wireless network switching device, characterized in that, include: The acquisition module is used to acquire hotspot tagging information sent by the mobile terminal; The identification module is used to identify whether the currently connected wireless network is a mobile terminal hotspot based on the hotspot marking information; The control module is used to perform a wireless network switching operation if the automatic network switching function is enabled and the identification result is yes.

9. An image forming apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes a memory for storing computer program instructions and a processor for executing the program instructions, wherein when the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, the image forming apparatus causes the image forming apparatus to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium includes a stored program, wherein, when the program is executed, it controls the device on which the computer-readable storage medium is located to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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