Information processing apparatus, method, and program

Abstract

To provide an information processing apparatus that improves convenience in connection setting processing using connection information.SOLUTION: An information processing apparatus communicable with a communication device comprises: setting means that executes connection setting processing for connecting the communication device to an apparatus outside the information processing apparatus and outside the communication device; display means that displays a guidance screen for urging execution of a predetermined function on the basis of the fact that the information processing apparatus can execute the predetermined function; and acquisition means that, after the guidance screen is displayed by the display means, on the basis of the fact that the predetermined function has been executed, acquires connection information for connecting the communication device to the apparatus. The setting means executes the connection setting processing by using the connection information acquired by the acquisition means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, a method, and a program for executing connection settings for a communication device. [Background technology]

[0002] As a method for connecting an information processing device such as a smartphone to a network-compatible communication device such as a printer by a communication method such as wireless LAN communication, a method of connecting via an external device such as a wireless LAN router is known. Hereinafter, this connection method is referred to as infrastructure connection. By establishing an infrastructure connection, the information processing device and the communication device can, for example, perform two-way communication and can further connect to the Internet and use services on the Internet. In order to establish such an infrastructure connection, it is known that the information processing device transmits connection information such as a Service Set Identifier (hereinafter, SSID) for connecting to the external device and a password to the communication device, and the communication device executes connection settings for connecting to the external device based on the connection information.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a method in which a public key and a private key are generated using biometric information, and when decrypting data encrypted with the generated public key, the biometric information is obtained again and used as a passphrase. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-121342 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] There is a demand for improving convenience by eliminating the need for a simpler configuration to prevent users from inputting erroneous information such as complicated passwords.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing device, method, and program that improve the convenience of connection setup processing using connection information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, the information processing device of the present invention is an information processing device capable of communicating with a communication device, and comprises: a setting means for executing a connection setting process for connecting the communication device to a device external to the information processing device and external to the communication device; a display means for displaying a guidance screen for prompting the execution of a specified function based on the information processing device being capable of executing the specified function; and an acquisition means for acquiring connection information for connecting the communication device to the device based on the execution of the specified function after the guidance screen is displayed by the display means, wherein the setting means executes the connection setting process using the connection information acquired by the acquisition means. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the convenience of the connection setup process using connection information. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a system including an information processing device and a communication device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a state in which only an information processing device is connected to an AP. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a screen displayed on the information processing device. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a screen displayed on the information processing device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a screen displayed on the information processing device. [Figure 6] 13 is a flowchart showing a connection setting process. [Figure 7]13 is a flowchart showing a connection setting process. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a screen displayed on the information processing device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although the embodiments describe a number of features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any manner. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicated descriptions are omitted.

[0011] [First embodiment] The information processing device 101 and the communication device 151 included in the communication system of the present embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, a smartphone is exemplified as the information processing device 101, but is not limited thereto. For example, various devices such as a mobile terminal, a PC (personal computer), a tablet terminal, a PDA (personal digital assistant), and a digital camera can be applied as the information processing device 101. In addition, a printer is exemplified as the communication device 151, but is not limited thereto, and various devices that can perform wireless communication with the information processing device 101 can be applied. For example, as a printer, an inkjet printer, a full-color laser beam printer, a monochrome printer, and the like can be applied. In addition to printers, copiers, facsimile machines, mobile terminals, smartphones, notebook PCs, tablet terminals, PDAs, digital cameras, music playback devices, televisions, smart speakers, and the like can be applied. In addition, a multifunction device having multiple functions such as a copy function, a FAX function, and a print function can be applied.

[0012] First, the configuration of the information processing device 101 of the present embodiment and the communication device 151 capable of communicating with the information processing device 101 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram of Fig. 1. In addition, the following configuration will be described as an example in the present embodiment, but is not limited to the functions shown in the figure. A device applicable to the information processing device 101 and the communication device 151 may have a configuration corresponding to the executable functions as appropriate.

[0013] The information processing device 101 includes an input interface 102, a CPU 103, a ROM 104, a RAM 105, an external storage device 106, an output interface 107, a display unit 108, a communication unit 110, a short-range wireless communication unit 111, and an imaging unit 112. The CPU 103, ROM 104, RAM 105, etc. form a computer of the information processing device 101 that executes a program.

[0014] The input interface 102 is an interface for accepting data input and instruction operations from a user by operating an operation unit such as a keyboard 109. Note that the operation unit may be a physical keyboard, physical buttons, etc., or may be a soft keyboard, soft buttons, etc. displayed on the display unit 108. In other words, the input interface 102 may accept input from the user via the display unit 108.

[0015] The CPU 103 is a system control unit, and controls the entire information processing device 101, such as by executing application programs (hereinafter, "apps"). The ROM 104 stores fixed data, such as control programs and data tables executed by the CPU 103, and an embedded operating system (hereinafter, "OS") program. In this embodiment, each control program stored in the ROM 104 performs software execution control, such as scheduling, task switching, and interrupt processing, under the management of the embedded OS stored in the ROM 104.

[0016] The RAM 105 is composed of a static random access memory (SRAM) that requires a backup power source. The RAM 105 holds data using a primary battery (not shown) for data backup, so that important data such as program control variables can be stored without volatilization. The RAM 105 also has a memory area for storing setting information for the information processing device 101, management data for the information processing device 101, and the like. The RAM 105 is also used as the main memory and work memory for the CPU 103.

[0017] The external storage device 106 stores a service registration application, an application program (application for setup) for executing the network setup of the communication device 151, a printer management application, a print information generation program for generating print information that can be interpreted by the communication device 151, and the like. Each program is stored in the external storage device 106 by being installed from an external server (not shown) by Internet communication via the communication unit 110, for example. The service registration application is an application program for transmitting information acquired from the communication device 151 and personal information of a user acquired by the information processing device 101 to a service management server (not shown). The application program (setting application) for executing the network setup of the communication device 151 is an application program for setting an access point to which the communication device 151 is connected. The printer management application is an application for managing printer information. The service registration application, the setting application, the printer management application, and the print information generation program (print application) may be configured as one application.

[0018] The output interface 107 is an interface that controls the display unit 108 to display data and notify the status of the information processing device 101. The display unit 108 is composed of an LED (light emitting diode), an LCD (liquid crystal display), and the like, and displays data and notifies the status of the information processing device 101. The imaging unit 112 is, for example, a camera that captures an image of the outside.

[0019] The communication unit 110 is configured to connect to devices such as the communication device 151 and the access point 131 to perform data communication. For example, the communication unit 110 can connect to an access point (not shown) in the communication device 151. The communication unit 110 also has an access point for connecting to devices such as the communication device 151 as an access point inside the information processing device 101. This access point is generally called tethering. The communication unit 156 of the communication device 151 can be connected to the access point. When the communication unit 110 enables the access point, the information processing device 101 operates as an access point. When the communication unit 156 and the access point in the communication unit 110 are connected, the information processing device 101 and the communication device 151 can communicate with each other. When the communication unit 110 of the information processing device 101 is connected to the Internet, the communication device 151 can also be connected to the Internet via the information processing device 101. In this embodiment, the information processing device 101 can communicate with the communication device 151 via an external device that exists outside the information processing device 101 and outside the communication device 151. The external device includes an external access point (such as the access point 131) that exists outside the information processing device 101 and outside the communication device 151, and a device that can relay communication other than an access point. An example of the access point 131 is a device such as a wireless LAN router. A method in which the information processing device 101 and the communication device 151 are connected via an external access point is called an infrastructure connection method.

[0020] The short-range wireless communication unit 111 is configured to wirelessly connect to a device such as the communication device 151 at a short distance and execute data communication, and communicates by a communication method different from that of the communication unit 110. The short-range wireless communication unit 111 can be connected to, for example, a short-range wireless communication unit 157 in the communication device 151. Examples of the communication method include Near Field Communication (NFC), Bluetooth (registered trademark) Classic, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and Wi-Fi Aware.

[0021] The communication device 151 includes a ROM 152, a RAM 153, a CPU 154, a print engine 155, a communication unit 156, a short-range wireless communication unit 157, and a display unit 158. The ROM 152, the RAM 153, the CPU 154, etc. form a computer of the communication device 151 that executes a program.

[0022] The communication unit 156 has an access point for connecting to an external device such as the information processing device 101 as an access point inside the communication device 151. The access point can be connected to the communication unit 110 of the information processing device 101. The communication unit 156 enables the access point, causing the communication device 151 to operate as an access point. The communication unit 156 may be wirelessly connected directly to the information processing device 101, or may be wirelessly connected via the access point 131. The wireless communication method used by the communication unit 156 is, for example, a communication standard conforming to the IEEE802.11 series. The communication unit 156 may be provided with hardware that functions as an access point, or may operate as an access point by software for functioning as an access point.

[0023] Here, a mode and a connection method for performing wireless communication using the communication unit 156 will be described.

[0024] <About the direct connection method> A direct connection refers to a form in which devices are directly (i.e., peer-to-peer) wirelessly connected to each other without going through an external device such as the AP 131. A direct connection is also called a peer-to-peer connection (P2P connection). The communication device 151 can operate in a mode for communicating via a direct connection (direct connection mode) as one of the connection modes. In Wi-Fi communication, there are multiple modes for communicating via a direct connection, such as a software AP mode and a Wi-Fi Direct (WFD) mode.

[0025] A mode in which a direct connection is performed by WFD is called a WFD mode. WFD is a standard established by the Wi-Fi Alliance, and is included in the IEEE802.11 series of communication standards. In the WFD mode, after a device to be a communication partner is searched for by a device search command, the roles of the P2P group owner (GO) and the P2P client are determined, and the remaining wireless connection processing is performed. The group owner corresponds to a Wi-Fi parent station (parent device), and the client corresponds to a Wi-Fi child station (child device). This role determination corresponds to, for example, GO Negotiation in P2P. Note that in the WFD mode before the role determination, the communication device 151 is in a state of neither a parent station nor a child station. Specifically, first, one device issues a device search command between devices to communicate with each other and searches for a device to connect in WFD mode. When the other device to be a communication partner is searched for, the two devices confirm information about services and functions that can be provided by each other's devices. Note that this device provision information confirmation is optional and not required. This device provision information confirmation phase corresponds to, for example, Provision Discovery of P2P. Next, by mutually confirming this device provision information, it is determined which one will be the P2P client and which one will be the P2P group owner as their roles. Next, when the client and the group owner are determined, parameters for performing communication by WFD are exchanged between them. Based on the exchanged parameters, the remaining wireless connection processing and IP connection processing are performed between the P2P client and the group owner. Note that in the WFD mode, the communication device 151 may always operate as the GO without executing the above-mentioned GO Negotiation. That is, the communication device 151 may operate in the WFD mode, which is an autonomous GO mode. Also, the state in which the communication device 151 operates in the WFD mode is, for example, a state in which the communication device 151 operates as the GO even though a connection by WFD is not established, or a state in which a connection by WFD is established and the communication device 151 operates as the GO.

[0026] In the software AP mode, between devices that communicate (for example, the information processing device 101 and the communication device 151), one device (for example, the information processing device 101) becomes a client that plays a role of requesting various services. The other device realizes the function of an access point in Wi-Fi by software settings. The software AP corresponds to a parent station of Wi-Fi, and the client corresponds to a child station of Wi-Fi. In the software AP mode, the client searches for a device that will become a software AP by a device search command. When the software AP is searched, the remaining wireless connection processing (establishment of a wireless connection, etc.) between the client and the software AP is performed, and then the IP connection processing (assignment of an IP address, etc.) is performed. Note that commands and parameters transmitted and received when realizing a wireless connection between the client and the software AP may be those specified in the Wi-Fi standard, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0027] In this embodiment, when the communication device 151 establishes and maintains a direct connection, it operates as a master station in the network to which the communication device 151 belongs. The master station is a device that constructs a wireless network and provides a slave station with parameters used for connecting to the wireless network. The parameters used for connecting to the wireless network are, for example, parameters related to a channel used by the master station. By receiving the parameters, the slave station connects to the wireless network constructed by the master station using the channel used by the master station. In the direct connection mode, the communication device 151 operates as a master station, and therefore, it is possible for the communication device 151 to determine which frequency band and which channel are to be used for communication in the direct connection mode. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the communication device 151 is capable of using a channel corresponding to a 2.4 GHz frequency band and a channel corresponding to a 5 GHz frequency band for communication in the direct connection mode.

[0028] <About infrastructure connection method> The infrastructure connection is a connection form in which devices that communicate with each other (for example, the information processing device 101 and the communication device 151) are connected to an access point (for example, AP131) that manages a network of the devices, and the devices communicate with each other via the access point. The communication device 151 can also operate in a mode for communicating via an infrastructure connection (infrastructure connection mode) as one of the connection modes.

[0029] In infrastructure connections, each device searches for an access point using a device search command. Once an access point has been found, the remaining wireless connection processing (establishment of a wireless connection, etc.) between the device and the access point is carried out, and then IP connection processing (assignment of an IP address, etc.) is carried out. Note that commands and parameters sent and received when establishing a wireless connection between a device and an access point can be those specified in the Wi-Fi standard, and so a description of these will be omitted here.

[0030] In this embodiment, when the communication device 151 operates in the infrastructure connection, the AP 131 operates as a parent station, and the communication device 151 operates as a child station. That is, in this embodiment, the infrastructure connection refers to a connection between the communication device 151 operating as a child device and a device operating as a parent device. When the communication device 151 has established an infrastructure connection and the information processing device 101 has also established an infrastructure connection with the AP 131, communication between the communication device 151 and the information processing device 101 via the AP 131 is possible. Since the channel used for communication in the infrastructure connection is determined by the AP 131, the communication device 151 executes communication in the infrastructure connection using the channel determined by the AP 131. In this embodiment, the communication device 151 is assumed to be able to use a channel corresponding to the 2.4 GHz frequency band and a channel corresponding to the 5 GHz frequency band for communication in the infrastructure connection. Note that the communication device 151 is also able to use a channel corresponding to the DFS band in the 5 GHz frequency band for communication in the infrastructure connection. In order to communicate with the communication device 151 via the AP 131, the information processing device 101 needs to recognize that the communication device 151 belongs to the network formed by the AP 131 and to which the information processing device 101 belongs.

[0031] In this embodiment, a state in which the information processing device 101 and the communication device 151 are simply connected to the same AP is regarded as an infrastructure connection state. That is, in the infrastructure connection state, the information processing device 101 and the communication device 151 only need to be connected to the same AP, and do not need to recognize that the other device belongs to the network to which they belong.

[0032] <About network setup mode> The communication device 151 can operate in a network setup mode. A trigger for the communication device 151 to start operating in the network setup mode may be, for example, a user pressing a network setup mode button, or the communication device 151 being started (powered ON) for the first time after arrival. The network setup mode button may be a hardware (physical) button provided in the communication device 151, or may be a software button displayed on the display unit 158 ​​by the communication device 151.

[0033] When the communication device 151 starts operating in the network setup mode, it enables Wi-Fi communication. Specifically, the communication device 151 enables an internal AP (connection setting AP) of the communication device 151, which is dedicated to the network setup mode, as an enabling process of Wi-Fi communication. This allows the communication device 151 to establish a direct connection with the information processing device 101 by Wi-Fi. It is assumed that connection information (SSID (Service Set Identifier) ​​and password) for connecting to the connection setting AP is held in advance in a setup application installed in the information processing device 101, and the information processing device 101 recognizes the connection information for connecting to the connection setting AP in advance. Therefore, unlike the connection information of the AP enabled in the direct connection mode, it is assumed that the connection information for connecting to the connection setting AP cannot be arbitrarily changed by the user. Note that in the network setup mode, the communication device 151 may connect to the information processing device 101 by Wi-Fi Direct (WFD) instead of normal Wi-Fi. That is, the communication device 151 may operate as a Group Owner and receive a setting command from the information processing device 101 through communication by WFD. Also, in the network setup mode, the communication device 151 may connect to the information processing device 101 through Bluetooth. Here, Bluetooth includes Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). That is, for example, the communication device 151 may operate as a slave device in BLE in the network setup mode and receive a setting command from the information processing device 101 through communication by BLE. Also, in the network setup mode, the communication device 151 may be capable of executing both network setup by Wi-Fi and network setup by BLE. That is, when the communication device 151 starts operation in the network setup mode, it may enable both Wi-Fi communication and BLE communication.Specifically, when the communication device 151 starts operating in the network setup mode, it may perform both enabling the connection setting AP and enabling the advertising state, which is a state in which advertising information is sent via BLE and BLE connection is possible.

[0034] When the communication device 151 operates in the network setup mode, it controls the communication unit 156 to operate as a setup access point (AP for connection settings) that is valid only while the communication device 151 operates in the network setup mode. The setup access point is an access point different from the access point that is enabled in the soft AP mode described above. The SSID of the setup access point includes a predetermined character string that can be recognized by the setup application of the information processing device 101.

[0035] The communication device 151 operating in the network setup mode uses a predetermined communication protocol (setup communication protocol) in communication with the information processing device 101 connected to the setup access point. Specifically, the setup communication protocol is, for example, SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol).

[0036] After starting operation in the network setup mode, when a predetermined time has elapsed, the communication device 151 stops operation in the network setup mode and disables the setup access point. In addition, when connection information for connecting to the AP 131 and an instruction to change the operation mode of wireless communication are received from the information processing device 101 during the network setup mode, the setup access point is also disabled. In addition, the setup access point is assumed to be an access point that does not require a password for connection. Note that the setup access point may be an access point that requires a password. In this case, the password used to connect to the setup access point is assumed to be a fixed password (that cannot be changed by the user) that is known in advance by the setup application.

[0037] A MAC address (Media Access Control address) is assigned to the communication unit 156. The MAC address is an identifier used to identify the communication unit, and is uniquely assigned to each communication unit in all devices including communication devices and information processing devices. Therefore, it is often used to identify an individual device. In this embodiment, an identifier used to identify a device is called device identification information. That is, a MAC address is an example of device identification information. In this embodiment, the device identification information is a MAC address, but is not limited to this. For example, it may be a manufacturing number (serial number) assigned to the communication device 151.

[0038] The short-range wireless communication unit 157 is a component for wirelessly connecting to a device such as the information processing device 101 at a short distance, and can be connected to, for example, the short-range wireless communication unit 111 in the information processing device 101. Examples of communication methods include NFC, Bluetooth Classic, BLE, and Wi-Fi Aware.

[0039] The RAM 153 is composed of an SRAM or the like that requires a backup power source. Since the RAM 153 holds data using a primary battery for data backup (not shown), it can store important data such as program control variables without volatilization. The RAM 153 also has a memory area for storing setting information for the communication device 151, management data for the communication device 151, and the like. The RAM 153 is also used as the main memory and work memory of the CPU 154, and as a receiving buffer, and temporarily stores print information received from the information processing device 101, etc., and stores various types of information.

[0040] The ROM 152 stores fixed data such as control programs, data tables, and OS programs executed by the CPU 154. In this embodiment, each control program stored in the ROM 152 performs software execution control such as scheduling, task switching, and interrupt processing under the management of the embedded OS stored in the ROM 152. A serial number for identifying the communication device 151 is also stored in the ROM 152. The serial number is uniquely assigned by the manufacturer of the communication device 151 to identify the communication device 151. The serial number can also be used as device identification information for identifying the communication device 151. If the communication device 151 is a printer, the ink usage status, remaining amount, and the like are collected from the print engine 155 and stored in the ROM 152. The CPU 154 is a system control unit and controls the entire communication device 151.

[0041] The print engine 155 forms an image on a recording medium such as paper by applying a recording agent such as ink based on information stored in the RAM 153 and a print job received from the information processing device 101, etc., and outputs the print result. Generally, the amount of data of a print job transmitted from the information processing device 101, etc. is large, so that a communication method capable of high-speed communication is required for communication of the print job. Therefore, the communication device 151 receives the print job via a communication unit 156 capable of communication at a higher speed than the short-range wireless communication unit 157. The display unit 158 ​​is, for example, a panel, and displays data and notifies the status of the communication device 151.

[0042] Note that a memory such as an external HDD or an SD card may be attached to the communication device 151 as an optional device, and the information stored in the communication device 151 may be stored in the memory.

[0043] After a Wi-Fi infrastructure connection or P2P connection is established between the information processing device 101 and the communication device 151 by the connection setting process in the network setup mode described above, communication between the information processing device 101 and the communication device 151 becomes possible via the established connection. Specifically, for example, the information processing device 101 can transmit, to the communication device 151, a print job for causing the communication device 151 to execute printing or a scan job for causing the communication device 151 to execute scanning, via the established connection.

[0044] 2 shows a state in which only the information processing device 101 is connected to the network 132 in infrastructure connection mode established by the AP 131. The communication device 151 is a device that has not yet joined the network 132 and requires connection setting processing to join the network 132. In this embodiment, for example, a case is assumed in which authentication processing using a password is required in such connection setting processing. If the user inputs an incorrect password when manually inputting this password, the connection setting processing will fail and the connection setting processing will have to be repeated. For this reason, it is important to prevent inputting an incorrect password.

[0045] In this embodiment, a setup application running on the information processing device 101 displays guidance on the use of an AP password copy function, which is a function of the OS. Then, the setup application causes the information processing device 101 to execute a connection setting process using a password acquired by the password copy function.

[0046] Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing a connection setting process of a setup application running on the information processing device 101. The process in Fig. 6 is realized, for example, by the CPU 103 of the information processing device 101 reading a program stored in the ROM 104 into the RAM 105 and executing it. The process in Fig. 6 is started, for example, when the setup application is started in the information processing device 101 and a user instruction for network setup is received.

[0047] In S601, the CPU 103 connects to the communication device 151 in the network setup mode. The network setup mode is a mode in which the communication device 151 operates as a setup AP with a predetermined SSID and password. The communication device 151 may be automatically started as a setup AP at the time of initial setup (such as upon arrival). In this embodiment, the communication device 151 automatically operates as a setup AP at the time of initial setup, but the user may operate the communication device 151 on the main body panel or on the main body buttons to operate the communication device in the network setup mode. The CPU 103 detects the predetermined SSID to connect to the communication device 151 in the network setup mode.

[0048] In S602, the CPU 103 transmits an instruction to execute a search for surrounding access points to the communication device 151 connected in S601. Then, the CPU 103 acquires a search result list of access points from the communication device 151. Note that the list acquired here is a list showing one or more access points to which the communication device 151 can connect, which are discovered by the communication device 151 executing an AP search. The instruction to execute a search for an access point is executed by specifying a Management Information Base (MIB) for an access point execution instruction, for example, using a communication protocol of Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). In addition, the process of acquiring the search result list of access points is also executed by the information processing device 101 using the SNMP and MIB for the communication device 151. Note that, in this embodiment, a description will be given assuming that SNMP and MIB are used, but other communication protocols and data formats may be used.

[0049] In S603, the CPU 103 causes the display unit 108 to display a connection destination selection screen for accepting the selection of the access point to be set.

[0050] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a connection destination selection screen. The connection destination selection screen in Fig. 3 is a screen displayed on the display unit 108 of the terminal device 101. A list 301 is a list of access points, and the CPU 103 displays the access point list acquired in S602 and accepts the selection of an SSID from the user. In this embodiment, the case where SSID1 is selected will be described as an example.

[0051] When the user selects an SSID on the connection destination selection screen, in S604, the CPU 103 acquires version information of the OS using an Application Program Interface (API) of the OS. In S605, the CPU 103 determines whether the acquired OS version is an OS version that supports the password copy function. In the present embodiment, as an example, iOS16 (a predetermined version) or higher is set as a version that supports the password copy function. The password copy function refers to a function of selecting a desired SSID on the OS system screen, which is a screen for executing the iOS WiFi setting function, and copying the password. The password that has been copied is saved in a clipboard, which is a storage area in which data is temporarily saved. Note that the OS system screen is a screen displayed by a system setting application that is standard for the OS. The system setting application that is standard for the OS is an application that has a function of controlling a wireless connection between the information processing device 101 and another device. Specifically, the system setting application that is standard for the OS has a function of establishing a Wi-Fi connection between the information processing device 101 and an access point, and has a function of managing various information related to the Wi-Fi connection between the information processing device 101 and the access point. The various information related to the Wi-Fi connection includes, for example, the SSID and password of the access point to which the information processing device 101 is connected via Wi-Fi, an encryption method, and an authentication method. In the present embodiment, the OS standard system setting application can display various information related to the Wi-Fi connection by accepting an operation from a user. The information processing device 101 having an OS that supports the password copy function and is a version of the OS that is equal to or higher than a predetermined version can copy the password displayed on the system screen of the OS as described above and save it on the clipboard. However, the information processing device 101 having an OS that does not support the password copy function and is a version of the OS that is lower than the predetermined version cannot copy the password displayed on the system screen of the OS as described above and save it on the clipboard.Therefore, if the CPU 103 determines in S605 that the OS version does not support the password copy function, the process proceeds to S612, where the CPU 103 causes the display unit 108 to display a password entry screen.

[0052] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a password input screen. The password input screen is a screen displayed on the display unit 108 of the information processing device 101. The password input screen has a display area 401 having a display of SSID1, which is SSID information selected by the user, and a text field for accepting a password input, an OK button 402, and a cancel button 403. When a password input and a press of the OK button 402 are accepted from the user, the process proceeds to S611. Furthermore, when a press of the cancel button 403 is accepted from the user, the process of Fig. 6 ends.

[0053] If it is determined in S605 that the version supports the password copy function, the process proceeds to S606. In S606, the CPU 103 acquires the state of the clipboard, which is an area in which data is temporarily saved when a copy operation is performed on the information processing device 101, by using the API of the OS. That is, a state acquisition is performed to acquire the state of the clipboard before the guidance screen is displayed to the user.

[0054] In S607, the CPU 103 displays a guidance screen that prompts the user to use the password copy function.

[0055] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a guidance screen. The guidance screen is a screen displayed on the display unit 108 of the information processing device 101. The guidance screen has an area 501 that displays an explanation of copying a password from the system screen of the OS and a link 504 for switching to manual password input, an OK button 502, and a cancel button 503. More specifically, the guidance screen may display a message that prompts the user to start a system setting application that is standard for the OS. The message corresponds to a message that prompts the user to open (display) the system screen of the OS. The guidance screen may also display a message that is an operation method for displaying various information related to Wi-Fi connection in the system setting application that is standard for the OS, and that explains an operation method performed on a screen displayed by the system setting application that is standard for the OS. The guidance screen may also display a message that prompts the user to copy the password of the access point after displaying various information related to Wi-Fi connection in the system setting application that is standard for the OS. When the password of the access point is copied by the user performing the operation prompted by this guidance, the copied password is saved in the clipboard. When the link 504 is pressed, the process returns to the process of displaying the screen of FIG. 4. The guidance screen may also include a button for displaying a system screen of the OS. When the button is pressed, the CPU 103 may start a system setting application that is standard for the OS and cause the system setting application to display a screen.

[0056] In S608, the CPU 103 branches the process according to the user operation accepted on the guidance screen. That is, if pressing of the OK button 502 on the guidance screen is accepted, the process proceeds to S609. If pressing of the Cancel button 503 on the guidance screen is accepted, the process proceeds to S612, where the CPU 103 displays the password entry screen of FIG. 4 on the display unit 108.

[0057] In S609, CPU 103 acquires clipboard information using the API of the OS. That is, status acquisition is performed to acquire the status of the clipboard after the guidance screen is displayed to the user. In S610, CPU 103 determines whether or not there is a difference between the clipboard information acquired in S606 and the clipboard information acquired in S609. If it is determined that there is a difference, the process proceeds to S611, whereas if it is determined that there is no difference, the process from S607 is repeated.

[0058] In this manner, in this embodiment, if there is a change in the information stored in the clipboard, it is determined that the user has executed the password copy function in accordance with the guidance. Therefore, the processes of S606 to S610 can be said to be processes for determining whether or not the password copy function has been executed.

[0059] When the process proceeds from S610 to S611, the CPU 103 acquires from the clipboard the password information copied by the user through the operation displayed on the guidance screen, and transmits the password information as connection setting information for network setup to the communication device 151. The connection setting information is transmitted using, for example, SNMP and MIB.

[0060] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the user from inputting the wrong password. In addition, the user does not need to check the password attached to the back of the router, etc. As a result, it is possible to improve the convenience of network setup.

[0061] [Second embodiment] The second embodiment will be described below with respect to the differences from the first embodiment. In this embodiment, as an example of network setup, when the network setup in the information processing device 101 fails, setup (reconnection setting) is prompted again using the password copy function.

[0062] Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the process of a setup application running on the information processing device 101 in this embodiment. The process of Fig. 7 is realized, for example, by the CPU 103 of the information processing device 101 reading a program stored in the ROM 104 into the RAM 105 and executing it. The process of Fig. 7 is started, for example, when the setup application is started in the information processing device 101 and a user instruction for network setup is accepted. S601 to S611 in Fig. 7 are the same as those in Fig. 6, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0063] After the connection setting information is transmitted to the communication device 151 in S611, in S701 the CPU 103 returns the connection to the access point 131. In S702, the CPU 103 performs a search process for the communication device 151 in the network of the access point 131. The search process is performed using, for example, SNMP and MIB. For example, the information processing device 101 transmits a search packet by broadcast onto the network of the access point 131, and checks whether a response is returned within a certain period of time. Note that although an example using SNMP and MIB has been described, other communication protocols and data formats may also be used.

[0064] In S703, the CPU 103 determines whether or not the communication device 151 has been detected. If it is determined that the communication device 151 has been detected, the processing in FIG. 7 ends. Thereafter, communication is performed between the terminal device 101 and the communication device 151 via the access point 131. On the other hand, if it is determined that the communication device 151 has not been detected, the processing proceeds to S704. In S704, the CPU 103 displays a guidance screen that prompts the user to perform reconnection setting processing.

[0065] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a guidance screen for prompting re-connection setting processing. Fig. 8 is a screen displayed on the display unit 108 of the information processing device 101. The guidance screen for prompting re-setting processing has an area 801 for displaying information indicating that setting has failed and a message for prompting confirmation of the password, an OK button 802, and a Cancel button 803. If pressing of the OK button 802 is accepted, the processing from S601 is repeated. If pressing of the Cancel button 803 is accepted, the processing of Fig. 7 is terminated.

[0066] As described above, according to this embodiment, even if the connection to the access point corresponding to the selected SSID fails as a result of the network setup and the user is prompted to perform reconnection setup processing, the password copy function of the OS can be used to prompt the user to perform setup again. This prevents the user from inputting the wrong password and improves the convenience of the network setup.

[0067] The present invention can also be realized by a process in which a program for implementing one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that implements one or more of the functions.

[0068] The disclosure of the present embodiment includes the following information processing device, method, and program. (Item 1) An information processing device capable of communicating with a communication device, a setting unit that executes a connection setting process for connecting the communication device to a device that is external to the information processing device and to the communication device; a display means for displaying a guidance screen for prompting execution of a predetermined function based on the information processing device being capable of executing the predetermined function; an acquisition means for acquiring connection information for connecting the communication device to the device based on the execution of the predetermined function after the guidance screen is displayed by the display means; Equipped with the setting means executes the connection setting process using the connection information acquired by the acquisition means. 23. An information processing apparatus comprising: (Item 2) 2. The information processing device according to item 1, wherein the guidance screen displays a procedure for executing the predetermined function. (Item 3) 3. The information processing device according to item 1 or 2, wherein the predetermined function is a function executed by an OS (Operating System). (Item 4) 4. The information processing device according to item 3, wherein the predetermined function is a password copy function. (Item 5) the password copy function is a function of storing the connection information in a temporary storage area in response to a copy operation of the connection information by a user; 5. The information processing device according to item 4, wherein the acquisition means acquires the connection information from the temporary storage area. (Item 6) 6. The information processing device according to item 5, wherein the information processing device is connected to the device, and the connection information for connecting to the device is stored in the information processing device. (Item 7) 7. The information processing device according to item 5 or 6, characterized in that the connection information displayed on the display unit of the information processing device is stored in the temporary storage area in response to the copy operation performed on the connection information. (Item 8) a determination unit for determining whether the information processing device is capable of executing the predetermined function, the display means displays a guidance screen for prompting the user to execute the predetermined function when the determination means determines that the information processing device is capable of executing the predetermined function. 8. The information processing device according to any one of items 5 to 7, (Item 9) 9. The information processing device according to item 8, wherein the determination by the determination means is based on the version of the OS. (Item 10) Further comprising a second determination means for determining whether the predetermined function has been executed, 10. The information processing device according to item 8 or 9, wherein, when the second determination means determines that the specified function has been executed, the acquisition means acquires the connection information from the temporary storage area. (Item 11) a first status acquisition means for acquiring a status of the temporary storage area before the display means performs display when the determination means determines that the information processing device is capable of executing the predetermined function; a second status acquisition means for acquiring a status of the temporary storage area after the display means has performed the display; 11. The information processing device according to item 10, further comprising: (Item 12) The information processing device described in item 11, characterized in that when the state of the temporary storage area acquired by the first status acquisition means is different from the state of the temporary storage area acquired by the second status acquisition means, the second determination means determines that the specified function has been executed. (Item 13) The information processing device according to any one of items 1 to 12, characterized in that the display means displays a second guidance screen prompting the user to execute the specified function if the execution of the connection setting process by the setting means results in failure. (Item 14) Item 14. The information processing device according to item 13, wherein a password is displayed as the connection information on the second guidance screen. (Item 15) 15. The information processing device according to any one of items 1 to 14, wherein the communication device is a printer. (Item 16) A method executed in an information processing device capable of communicating with a communication device, a setting step of executing a connection setting process for connecting the communication device to a device external to the information processing device and to an external device of the communication device; a display step of displaying a guidance screen for prompting execution of a predetermined function based on the information processing device being capable of executing the predetermined function; an acquisition step of acquiring connection information for connecting the communication device to the device based on the execution of the predetermined function after the guidance screen is displayed in the display step; Equipped with In the setting step, the connection setting process is performed using the connection information acquired by the acquisition means. A method comprising: (Item 17) 16. A program for causing a computer to function as each of the means of the information processing device according to any one of items 1 to 15.

[0069] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 101 Information processing device: 103, 154 CPU: 104, 152 ROM: 105, 153 RAM: 151 Communication device

Claims

1. An information processing device capable of communicating with a communication device, a setting unit that executes a connection setting process for connecting the communication device to a device that is external to the information processing device and to the communication device; a display means for displaying a guidance screen for prompting the user to execute a predetermined function based on the information processing device being capable of executing the predetermined function; an acquisition means for acquiring connection information for connecting the communication device to the device based on the execution of the predetermined function after the guidance screen is displayed by the display means; Equipped with the setting means executes the connection setting process using the connection information acquired by the acquisition means.

23. An information processing apparatus comprising:

2. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guidance screen displays a procedure for executing the predetermined function.

3. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined function is a function executed by an OS (Operating System).

4. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined function is a password copy function.

5. the password copy function is a function of storing the connection information in a temporary storage area in response to a copy operation of the connection information by a user; 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the acquiring means acquires the connection information from the temporary storage area.

6. 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the information processing apparatus is connected to the device, and the connection information for connecting to the device is stored in the information processing apparatus.

7. 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the connection information is stored in the temporary storage area in response to the copy operation performed on the connection information displayed on the display unit of the information processing apparatus.

8. a determination unit for determining whether the information processing device is capable of executing the predetermined function, the display means displays a guidance screen for prompting the user to execute the predetermined function when the determination means determines that the information processing device is capable of executing the predetermined function.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5,

9. 9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the determination by the determining means is based on a version of the OS.

10. A second determination means for determining whether the predetermined function has been executed, The information processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the acquisition means acquires the connection information from the temporary storage area when the second determination means determines that the predetermined function has been executed.

11. a first status acquisition means for acquiring a status of the temporary storage area before the display means performs display when the determination means determines that the information processing device is capable of executing the predetermined function; a second status acquisition means for acquiring a status of the temporary storage area after the display means has performed the display; The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

12. The information processing device according to claim 11, characterized in that, when the state of the temporary storage area acquired by the first status acquisition means is different from the state of the temporary storage area acquired by the second status acquisition means, the second determination means determines that the specified function has been executed.

13. 2 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the display means displays a second guidance screen for prompting the user to execute the predetermined function when the execution of the connection setting process by the setting means results in failure.

14. 14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a password is displayed as the connection information on the second guidance screen.

15. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is a printer.

16. A method executed in an information processing device capable of communicating with a communication device, a setting step of executing a connection setting process for connecting the communication device to a device external to the information processing device and to an external device of the communication device; a display step of displaying a guidance screen for prompting execution of a predetermined function based on the information processing device being capable of executing the predetermined function; an acquisition step of acquiring connection information for connecting the communication device to the device based on the execution of the predetermined function after the guidance screen is displayed in the display step; Equipped with In the setting step, the connection setting process is performed using the connection information acquired in the acquisition step. A method comprising:

17. A program for causing a computer to function as each of the means of the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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