Information processor, method, and program

Abstract

To provide an information processor which retrieves a device and improves convenience when executing processing related to the retrieved device.SOLUTION: An information processor executes processing of a device discovered at first without executing selection reception processing for receiving any selection from a plurality of devices discovered by retrieval from a user on the basis of the fact that the device discovered at first by retrieval satisfies a prescribed condition. The information processor executes selection reception processing for receiving any selection from the plurality of devices discovered by retrieval from the user and executes processing of the device selected by the user by the selection reception processing on the basis of the fact that the device discovered at first by retrieval does not satisfy the prescribed condition.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device capable of communicating with a communication device, and a method and a program executed in the information processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] In order for an information processing device such as a personal computer or a smartphone to connect to a communication device such as a network-compatible printer for use, a registration process of the communication device to the information processing device may be required to determine a device that operates in cooperation with the communication device. In such a registration process, a search process is first performed, and a communication device selected from the communication devices found by the search process is registered.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes that if only one communication device is found in a search, the list display is omitted and registration is performed automatically, and that if multiple devices are found, a list display is performed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-131945 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] It is desirable to improve convenience when searching for devices and executing a process related to the searched device.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing device, method, and program that improves convenience when searching for a device and executing a process related to the searched device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, the information processing device of the present invention comprises a search means that executes a process for searching for an external device, a reception means that executes a selection acceptance process that accepts from a user a selection from among a plurality of devices discovered by the search by the search means, and a processing means that executes a process related to one of the plurality of devices discovered by the search by the search means, and is characterized in that, based on the device first discovered by the search by the search means satisfying a predetermined condition, the selection acceptance process is not executed, and a process related to the device first discovered by the search by the search means is executed based on the device first discovered by the search by the search means not satisfying the predetermined condition, and the selection acceptance process is executed and a process related to the device selected by the user by the selection acceptance process is executed. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve convenience when searching for a device and executing a process related to the searched device. [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. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an information processing device and a communication device. [Diagram 3] 4 is a flowchart showing a process in the information processing device. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a user interface screen. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a user interface screen. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart showing a process in the information processing device. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a user interface screen. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a user interface screen. 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] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system including an information processing device and a communication device in this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, an information processing device 201 can be wirelessly connected to an access point 202, and communication devices 251, 252, 253, and 254 and the access point 202 are connected to each other via a wired LAN 203. That is, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the information processing device 201 can communicate with the access point 202, and the communication devices 251 to 254 can communicate with the access point 202.

[0012] In the present embodiment, a smartphone is used as the information processing device 201, but the present embodiment is not limited to this, and various devices such as a mobile terminal, a notebook PC, a tablet terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), and a digital camera can be applied. In addition, in the present embodiment, a printer is used as the communication devices 251 to 254, but the present embodiment is not limited to this, and various devices can be applied as long as they are capable of communicating with the information processing device 201. For example, in the case of a printer, an inkjet printer employing an inkjet recording method, a full-color laser beam printer employing an electrophotographic method, a monochrome printer, and the like can be applied. In addition to a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a mobile terminal, a smartphone, a notebook PC, a tablet terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a digital camera, and the like can be applied. In addition, a multifunction machine having a copying function, a FAX function, and a printing function can be applied. In the present embodiment, as an example, the communication devices 251 and 252 are inkjet printers, and the communication devices 253 and 254 are laser beam printers. The access point 202 is a network device having an access point function, such as a router.

[0013] In this embodiment, a search for a communication device executed by the information processing device 201 will be described. The search for a communication device is, for example, a process executed in S303 or S502 described later. Specifically, for example, the information processing device 201 transmits a search packet to the wired LAN 203 via the access point 202. For example, a search request is transmitted to the network by transmitting a packet by broadcast or multicast. The communication devices 251 to 254 receive the packet and transmit a response packet to the information processing device 201. Then, the information processing device 201 displays the search result on the display unit based on the received response packet. At that time, for example, as shown in FIG. 5B, the search result is displayed in a list. Then, when the user selects a desired communication device on the list, the selected communication device is registered in an application program (hereinafter, an application or app). Note that the registration of a communication device to an application specifically includes a process in which the application acquires various information related to the communication device from the communication device, and a process in which the application stores and manages the acquired information. When the registration of the communication device to the application is completed, the user can instruct the registered communication device to perform a process on the application. The process is a print process for the desired data if the application is a print application. If multiple communication devices are registered in the application, the process is instructed to a communication device selected by a user from among the multiple communication devices.

[0014] 1, the communication devices 251 to 254 are connected to the wired LAN 203, but if the communication devices have a wireless communication function, they may be wirelessly connected to the access point 202. Then, the information processing device 201 may search for the communication devices via the access point 202.

[0015] The configuration of an information processing device and a communication device capable of communicating with the information processing device will be described with reference to the block diagram of Fig. 2. The information processing device 101 in Fig. 2 corresponds to the information processing device 201 in Fig. 1, the communication device 151 in Fig. 2 corresponds to the information processing devices 251 to 254 in Fig. 1, and the access point 131 in Fig. 2 corresponds to the access point 202 in Fig. 1. In addition, the following configuration will be described as an example in this embodiment, but is not limited to the functions shown in the figure. The information processing device 101 and the communication device 151 may have a configuration corresponding to the functions that can be implemented by the device applicable to the information processing device 101 and the communication device 151 as appropriate.

[0016] 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.

[0017] The input interface 102 is an interface for receiving 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 receive input from the user via the display unit 108.

[0018] The CPU 103 is a system control unit, and controls the entire information processing device 101, such as by executing application programs. The ROM 104 stores fixed data, such as control programs and data tables executed by the CPU 103, and an embedded operating system (hereinafter, referred to as 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.

[0019] 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.

[0020] The external storage device 106 stores a service registration application, an application program 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 for executing the network setup of the communication device 151 (application for setup) 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 information of a printer. The service registration application, the application for setup, the printer management application, and the print information generation program (print application) may be configured as separate applications or may be configured as one application. In this embodiment, the service registration application, the application for setup, the printer management application, and the print information generation program are configured as one application, and the one application is referred to as a predetermined application.

[0021] 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.

[0022] 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.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] Here, a mode and a connection method for performing wireless communication using the communication unit 156 will be described.

[0027] <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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] <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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] <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.

[0035] 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 (AP for connection setting) 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 be in a state in which it can 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 AP for connection setting is held in advance in a predetermined application installed in the information processing device 101, and that the information processing device 101 recognizes the connection information for connecting to the AP for connection setting 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 AP for connection setting 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.

[0036] When the communication device 151 operates in the network setup mode, it controls the communication unit 156 to operate as a setup access point (connection setting AP) 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 a predetermined application of the information processing device 101.

[0037] 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).

[0038] 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 wireless communication operation mode 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 a predetermined application.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] After an information processing device such as a personal computer or a smartphone performs network setup for a communication device such as a network-compatible printer to connect the communication device to an access point, a registration process of the communication device to the information processing device is performed via the access point network. This allows the information processing device to use the communication device. In such a registration process, a search process of communication devices on the access point network is first performed, and a communication device selected by a user from among the communication devices found by the search process is registered in a predetermined application.

[0045] Incidentally, there may be multiple printers in an office, and a communication device on a broadcast network is searched for. In an office environment, the desired communication device may be in a different subnetwork, and if only one communication device is found as a result of the search, and the communication device is unconditionally registered in a specific application, an undesired communication device may be registered. In this embodiment, a mechanism can be provided for registering an appropriate communication device in a specific application based on the results of the search on the network.

[0046] 3 is a flowchart showing a registration process of a communication device in this embodiment. The process of Fig. 3 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.

[0047] In S301, the CPU 103 starts a predetermined application in the information processing device 101 in response to a user operation such as a click. As described above, the predetermined application (hereinafter, simply referred to as an application) is, for example, a print application capable of instructing a printer to execute printing. Note that the function of the predetermined application is not limited to such an example, and may be capable of executing, for example, a network setup function for connecting a printer to an external access point. Also, it may be capable of executing a function for managing printer information. The CPU 103 causes the display unit 108 of the information processing device 101 to display an application startup screen. FIG. 4(A) is a diagram showing an example of the application startup screen.

[0048] In S302, the CPU 103 determines whether the printer is registered in the application. If it is determined that the printer is registered, the process proceeds to S308, and if it is determined that the printer is not registered, that is, no printer is registered, the process proceeds to S303.

[0049] In S303, the CPU 103 starts a printer search on the network of the access point 131. The printer search is executed, for example, when an application makes a request to an OS (Operating System) using an API. The search executed here is, for example, the above-mentioned broadcast search. That is, it is a process of transmitting a search request (transmission packet) on the network to which the information processing device 101 belongs, and receiving a response packet transmitted by a device that responded to the search request. The network to which the information processing device 101 belongs is a network formed by the access point to which the information processing device 101 is connected. In addition, the device that transmitted the received response packet is specified as a device discovered by the search. In addition, the device that transmits the received response packet is a device that belongs to the network to which the information processing device 101 belongs, and is connected to the access point to which the information processing device 101 is connected. When the search is completed, the application acquires the search result from the OS. It is also possible to specify a printer that is compatible with the application from among the devices that are acquired from the search result from the OS and that are discovered by the search. The printer that is compatible with the application is, for example, a printer provided by a vendor that provides the application. Incidentally, a transmission packet sent in the search may be controlled so that only printers compatible with the application respond to a search request. When a printer search is started, the CPU 103 displays a search in progress screen on the display unit 108 of the information processing device 101. FIG. 4(B) is a diagram showing an example of the search in progress screen. Note that the search to be executed is not limited to the above-mentioned form. For example, the process may be a process of searching for and receiving a beacon emitted by an access point around the information processing device 101 to identify a device that has enabled the access point that is emitting the beacon. In addition, both a process of searching for a device on the network to which the information processing device 101 belongs and a process of searching for a beacon emitted by an access point around the information processing device 101 may be executed.

[0050] In S304, the CPU 103 determines whether or not the first printer has been found by the search started in S303. If it is determined that no printer has been found, the process proceeds to S311. If it is determined that the first printer has been found, the process proceeds to S305.

[0051] In S305, the CPU 103 determines whether the first printer found by the search started in S303 is an inkjet printer. In other words, the first printer found by the search started in S303 is the printer found first by the search started in S303. An inkjet printer is a printer that prints by an inkjet method and uses ink as a recording material. For example, the application may manage the printer by linking it with network information such as a MAC address and an IP address and model information such as a serial number. If it is determined that the first printer found is an inkjet printer, the process proceeds to S306, and if it is determined that the first printer is not an inkjet printer, the process proceeds to S321. An example of a printer that is not an inkjet printer is a laser beam printer. A laser beam printer is a printer that prints by an electrophotographic method and uses toner as a recording material.

[0052] In S306, the CPU 103 stops the printer search started in S303. Specifically, stopping the search means stopping the transmission of the search request (transmission packet) started in S303 and stopping the reception of a response packet. For example, stopping the search means stopping the reception of a beacon emitted by an access point around the information processing device 101. Then, in S307, the CPU 103 registers the inkjet printer discovered in S304 as a printer to be used in the application. The printer registered here is the printer that was discovered first in the search started in S303. As described above, the registration of the printer to the application is specifically a process in which, for example, the capability information and identification information of the printer are acquired from the printer and the application saves the information. In other words, the printer registered in the application is the printer that corresponds to the capability information and identification information saved in the application. The information saved in the registration is used for UI display by the application at the time of printing. For example, when the capability information of a black-and-white printer is acquired, the display control is performed so that only black-and-white printing can be selected in the print menu (not shown) at the time of printing. The application can also display a list of printers registered in the application. The application can also send a print job to a printer selected by the user from the list. In S308, the CPU 103 displays an application screen on the display unit 108 of the information processing device 101. When the process proceeds from S307 to S308, a printer registration screen as shown in FIG. 4C is displayed as the application screen. As shown in FIG. 4C, an icon 431, a printer name 432, and an IP address 433 are displayed as registered inkjet printers. Thus, in the present embodiment, in the case where the process proceeds to S307 (the case where YES is determined in S305), the CPU 103 registers the printer without displaying the search results as in S321 or accepting the selection of any printer from the search results from the user (selection acceptance process).Before the printer is registered in S307, CPU 103 may display a screen showing the printer to be registered (the printer first found in the search started in S303) and a confirmation screen for confirming whether or not to register the printer. For example, the printer's name, SSID, model name, and other identification information of the printer may be displayed on these screens. In addition, if a user operation indicating that the printer may be registered is accepted on the confirmation screen, the process may proceed to S307, and if a user operation indicating that the printer may not be registered is accepted on the confirmation screen, the process may proceed to S321.

[0053] In this manner, in this embodiment, if the first printer found is a printer of a specific model (specifically, for example, a model corresponding to an inkjet printer), the printer search is stopped and the printer is registered in the application without receiving a user instruction, thereby improving convenience and minimizing network communication related to the device search.

[0054] If it is determined in S304 that no printers have been found, then in S311, the CPU 103 determines whether the printer search started in S303 has timed out. Specifically, for example, it is determined whether a preset time, such as 10 seconds, has elapsed since the printer search was started by displaying the searching screen in FIG. 4B. If it is determined that a timeout has occurred, the process proceeds to S312. If it is determined that a timeout has not occurred, the process from S303 is repeated. In other words, the transmission of search requests and the reception of response packets are continued.

[0055] In S312, CPU 103 stops the printer search started in S303. Specifically, stopping the search means stopping the transmission of the search request started in S303 and stopping the reception of a response packet. Then, in S308, CPU 103 displays an application screen on display unit 108 of information processing device 101. When proceeding from S312 to S308, a screen indicating that the printer is not registered as shown in FIG. 4D is displayed as the application screen.

[0056] If it is determined in S305 that the first printer is a printer other than an inkjet printer, in S321, the CPU 103 causes the display unit 108 of the information processing device 101 to display a list of search results. Then, the CPU 103 waits for the user to select one of the printers from the examination results. FIG. 5(A) is a diagram showing an example of a search result screen in which one laser beam printer 451 is displayed as a search list. As shown in FIG. 5(A), model information is displayed as a search result. FIG. 5(B) is a diagram showing an example of a search result screen in which a plurality of printers 451, 461, 462, and 463 are found and displayed as a list by repeating searches in S331 to S341 described later. As shown in FIG. 5(B), model information is displayed as a search result. Also, as shown in FIG. 5(B), icons are switched and displayed depending on the printing method of the printer. Therefore, even if many printers are found, the user can easily find the printer of the desired model. In FIG. 5(B), the display is switched between two types of icons, but two or more types of icons may be displayed separately. For example, a large format printer capable of printing paper sizes A1 and larger may be displayed with an icon specific to that printer.

[0057] In S322, the CPU 103 determines whether the printer search started in S303 has timed out, similar to S311. If it is determined that the printer search has timed out, the process proceeds to S323, and if it is determined that the printer search has not timed out, the process proceeds to S331.

[0058] In S323, CPU 103 stops the printer search started in S303. The processing of S323 is the same as that described in S306 and S312. Then, in S324, CPU 103 determines whether or not a printer selection by the user has been accepted on the screen of FIG. 5(A) or FIG. 5(B). If it is determined that a printer selection has been accepted, the process proceeds to S325. The processing of S324 is repeated until it is determined that a printer selection has been accepted.

[0059] In S325, the CPU 103 registers the printer selected in S324 or S331 as a printer to be used in the application. Then, in S308, the CPU 103 displays an application screen on the display unit 108 of the information processing device 101. When the process proceeds from S325 to S308, a printer registration screen that displays registered printer information is displayed as the application screen.

[0060] In this manner, in this embodiment, if the first printer found is not of the specified model (specifically, for example, a model corresponding to a laser beam printer) and the printer search times out, a list is displayed, and the printer is registered in the application after the user's selection is accepted. This makes it possible to prevent a printer not desired by the user from being automatically registered.

[0061] If it is determined in S322 that the timeout has not occurred, then in S331, CPU 103 determines whether or not a printer selection by the user has been accepted on the screen of Fig. 5(A) or 5(B). If it is determined that a printer selection has been accepted, the process proceeds to S332. In S332, CPU 103 stops the printer search started in S303, and proceeds to S325. The process of S332 is the same as that described in S306 and S312.

[0062] If it is determined in S331 that the user's selection of the printer has not been accepted, in S341, the CPU 103 continues the printer search and repeats the process from S321. Note that since the printer search continues, a new printer may be discovered in S341. The screen in Fig. 5B shows an example of a screen that is displayed when a new printer is discovered.

[0063] As described above, according to this embodiment, depending on whether the first printer found is an inkjet printer for home use or a laser printer for office use, automatic registration and list display and registration after user selection are switched. With such a configuration, it is possible to realize registration processing according to the results of a printer search on the network.

[0064] In this embodiment, the process shown in Fig. 3 is executed when the application is started, but the process shown in Fig. 3 may be executed at other times. For example, the process shown in Fig. 3 may be executed when an automatic search is instructed on the application when the printer is not registered.

[0065] Also, even if the first printer discovered is a printer other than an inkjet printer, the list may not be displayed until the second and subsequent printers are discovered, and the list may be displayed when the second and subsequent printers are discovered. Specifically, for example, if only one printer is discovered in S321, the list may not be displayed, and the list may be displayed when the second and subsequent printers are discovered.

[0066] Also, even if the first printer found is a printer other than an inkjet printer, the list may not be displayed until the search timeout, and when the search timeout has expired, the list of printers found up to that point may be displayed. Specifically, for example, the process of S321 may not be performed, and the screen of Fig. 5(A) or Fig. 5(B) may be displayed after S323.

[0067] Even if the first printer discovered is a printer other than an inkjet printer, if the second or subsequent printers are not discovered until the search time has expired, the first printer may be automatically registered without being displayed in a list.

[0068] 3, if the first printer found is an inkjet printer, the printer search is stopped in S306 and the printer is registered in S307. However, the printer search continues within the application, and if a second or subsequent printer is found within a search timeout (not shown), a confirmation message may be displayed on display unit 108 indicating whether the first registered printer is the printer desired by the user.

[0069] Also, before displaying the list, a screen for confirming with the user whether or not to display the list may be displayed on the display unit 108, and if an instruction to display the list is received, the list may be displayed. If there is no instruction on the confirmation screen, only the list may be displayed without registering the printer. Alternatively, a discovered printer (for example, the first discovered printer) may be automatically registered.

[0070] [Second embodiment] The second embodiment will be described below with respect to the differences from the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, when searching for a printer and registering it in an application, the registration process is switched depending on the type of the first printer found. In this embodiment, when connecting the communication device 151 to the access point 131 (connection setting) at the time of purchasing a printer, etc., a search for the communication device 151 in a network setup state is performed from the application of the information processing device 101. Then, the information processing device 101 connects to the communication device 151 by wireless communication and transmits information for connecting to the access point 131 to the communication device 151. Thereafter, the information of the communication device 151 is registered in the application of the information processing device 101 via the network of the access point 131. The above connection setting operation is called network setup.

[0071] 6 is a flowchart showing a registration process of a communication device in this embodiment. The process of 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.

[0072] In S501, the CPU 103 starts a predetermined application in the information processing device 101 in response to a user operation such as a click. The predetermined application (hereinafter simply referred to as the application) is, for example, an application capable of executing a network setup function for connecting an external printer to an external access point. Note that the predetermined application may have not only such a function but also a function for causing the printer to execute printing.

[0073] The CPU 103 displays a network setup guidance screen on the display unit 108 of the information processing device 101. FIG. 7A is a diagram showing an example of the network setup guidance screen. The guidance screen displays a procedure 612 for pressing a network setup start button on the printer to transition the printer to a network setup state. The user looks at the screen of FIG. 7A and presses a network setup start button (not shown) of the desired communication device 151. When the network setup start button is pressed, the communication device 151 transitions to a network setup state and transitions to a Wi-Fi communication state for communicating with an application. Specifically, for example, the communication unit 156 is operated as an access point state of an SSID including the model name of the own device, such as "Canon_ij_AAASeries", and waits for a connection from the outside. In S501, the CPU 103 waits for the user to press the Next button 611. When the Next button 611 is pressed, the process proceeds to S502. At this time, the communication device 151 has transitioned to a network setup state.

[0074] In S502, the CPU 103 starts a printer search. In this embodiment, the search is performed based on whether the character string of the SSID transmitted by the surrounding access points via wireless communication is in a predetermined format that indicates the model name of the printer that the application supports. Specifically, the search is performed based on whether the character string is, for example, "Canon_ij_nnnn_model name" indicating an inkjet printer or "Canon_ep_nnnn_model name" indicating a laser beam printer.

[0075] When the printer search is started, the CPU 103 displays a search-in-progress screen on the display unit 108 of the information processing apparatus 101. Fig. 7B is a diagram showing an example of the search-in-progress screen.

[0076] In S503, the CPU 103 determines whether or not the first printer has been found by the search using the SSID. If it is determined that no printer has been found, the process proceeds to S511. If it is determined that the first printer has been found, the process proceeds to S504.

[0077] In S504, the CPU 103 determines whether the first printer found is an inkjet printer. Specifically, for example, the CPU 103 determines whether the SSID is in the format of "Canon_ij_nnnn_model name". If it is determined to be an inkjet printer, the process proceeds to S505, and if it is determined not to be an inkjet printer, the process proceeds to S521.

[0078] In S505, the CPU 103 stops the printer search started in S502. In S506, the CPU 103 causes the display unit 108 of the information processing device 101 to display a confirmation screen of FIG. 7C. The confirmation screen of FIG. 7C is an example of a screen for allowing the user to confirm whether the discovered printer is the printer name 631 representing the desired printer to be set up in the network. When the user presses the OK button 632, the process proceeds to S507. Also, the process of S506 may not be performed, and the process may proceed from S505 to S507.

[0079] In S507, the CPU 103 displays a device connection in progress screen on the display unit 108 of the information processing device 101. Fig. 8(B) is a diagram showing an example of the device connection in progress screen. That is, in S507, the application establishes a wireless connection to the SSID of the communication device 151 that is found in the search and operates as a master station. Then, the application transmits connection information for connecting to the access point 131 to the communication device 151 via the wireless connection. Specifically, for example, the application transmits the SSID and passkey of the access point 131 to the communication device 151. The communication device 151 connects to the access point 131 using the received SSID and passkey.

[0080] In S508, the CPU 103 switches the Wi-Fi connection destination to the access point 131 again. Then, the CPU 103 determines whether or not communication with the communication device 151 via the access point 131 is possible. This communication is, for example, communication for registering capability information of the communication device 151 in an application of the information processing device 101, as described in the first embodiment. If it is determined in S508 that communication is possible, that is, that the network setup of the communication device 151 has succeeded, the process proceeds to S509. If it is determined that communication is not possible, that is, that the network setup of the communication device 151 has failed, the process proceeds to S510.

[0081] In S509, CPU 103 registers, in the application, information about communication device 151 determined to be communicable in S508. Then, in S510, CPU 103 displays an application screen on display unit 108 of information processing device 101. When the process proceeds from S509 to S510, a printer registration screen as shown in Fig. 4(C) is displayed as the application screen. That is, as shown in Fig. 4(C), an icon 431, a printer name 432, and an IP address 433 are displayed as registered inkjet printers.

[0082] If it is determined in S503 that no printer has been found, then in S511, the CPU 103 determines whether the printer search started in S502 has timed out. Specifically, for example, it is determined whether a set predetermined time, such as 10 seconds, has elapsed since the search in progress screen in Fig. 7B was displayed and the printer search was started. If it is determined that a timeout has occurred, the process proceeds to S512. If it is determined that a timeout has not occurred, the process from S502 is repeated.

[0083] In S512, the CPU 103 stops the printer search started in S502. Then, in S510, the CPU 103 displays an application screen on the display unit 108 of the information processing device 101. If the process proceeds from S512 to S510 or if it is determined in S508 that communication is not possible, a screen indicating that the printer is not registered, as shown in FIG. 4D, is displayed as the application screen.

[0084] If it is determined in S504 that the first printer is a printer other than an inkjet printer, in S521, the CPU 103 causes the display unit 108 of the information processing device 101 to display a list of search results. FIG. 8(A) is a diagram showing an example of a search result screen in which one laser beam printer 641 is displayed as a search list. FIG. 7(D) is a diagram showing an example of a search result screen displayed in which a plurality of printers 641, 642, 643, and 644 are found and displayed as a list by repeating searches in S531 to S541 described later. As shown in FIG. 7(D), icons are switched and displayed according to the printing method of the printer. Therefore, even if many printers are found, the user can easily find the desired printer. In FIG. 7(D), the display is switched between two types of icons, but the display may be switched between two or more types of icons. For example, a large-format printer with a paper size of A1 or more may be displayed with an icon unique to it.

[0085] In S522, the CPU 103 determines whether the printer search started in S502 has timed out. The process of S522 is the same as that described in S511. If it is determined that the printer search has timed out, the process proceeds to S523, and if it is determined that the printer search has not timed out, the process proceeds to S531.

[0086] In S523, CPU 103 stops the printer search started in S502. Then, in S524, CPU 103 determines whether or not a printer selection by the user on the screen of Fig. 7D or Fig. 8A has been accepted. If it is determined that a printer selection has been accepted, the process proceeds to S507. The process of S524 is repeated until it is determined that a printer selection has been accepted.

[0087] If it is determined in S522 that the timeout has not occurred, in S531, the CPU 103 determines whether or not the selection of a printer by the user has been accepted on the screen of Fig. 7D or Fig. 8A. If it is determined that the selection of a printer has been accepted, the process proceeds to S532. If it is determined that the selection of a printer has not been accepted, the process proceeds to S541.

[0088] In S532, CPU 103 stops the printer search started in S502. Then, the process proceeds to S507. If it is determined in S531 that the user's selection of the printer has not been accepted, in S541, CPU 103 continues the printer search and repeats the process from S521. Since the printer search continues, a new printer may be discovered in S541. The screen in Fig. 7D shows an example of a screen that is displayed when a new printer is discovered.

[0089] As described above, according to this embodiment, whether or not to display a list of printers to be set up in a network is determined depending on whether the first printer found is an inkjet printer for home use or a laser printer for office use. With this configuration, it is possible to realize registration processing according to the results of the printer search.

[0090] In Fig. 7(D), multiple printers are displayed simultaneously in the network setup state. As described in Fig. 6, in S501, guidance is displayed to have the user press a button on the printer to transition to the network setup state. When a printer is purchased and turned on for the first time, it is necessary to perform connection settings to the access point 131, so the printer may be configured to automatically transition to a standby state for a network setup request (i.e., network setup state) when the printer is turned on for the first time. Therefore, for example, if multiple printers are purchased at the same time and turned on at the same time, there will be multiple printers waiting in the network setup state. In such a case, the display will be as shown in Fig. 7(D).

[0091] [Third embodiment] In the above description, the process is switched based on whether the discovered printer is an inkjet printer or a laser beam printer, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the type of printer referred to in the process switching does not have to be an inkjet printer or a laser beam printer. Specifically, for example, the process may be switched based on whether the discovered printer is a printer that prints on standard cut paper or a printer that prints on large-format roll paper. In this embodiment, for example, if the discovered printer is a printer that prints on standard-sized cut paper, the process described in the above embodiment is executed as the process executed based on the discovered printer being an inkjet printer. In addition, for example, if the discovered printer is a printer that prints on large-format roll paper, the process described in the above embodiment is executed as the process executed based on the discovered printer being a laser beam printer.

[0092] 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.

[0093] The disclosure of the present embodiment includes the following information processing device, method, and program. (Item 1) A search means for executing a process for searching an external device; a reception means for executing a selection reception process for receiving from a user a selection of one of a plurality of devices found by the search means; a processing means for executing a process for any one of the plurality of devices found by the search means; Equipped with based on the fact that the device first found by the search by the search means satisfies a predetermined condition, the selection reception process is not executed, and a process is executed for the device first found by the search by the search means; executing the selection receiving process based on the fact that the device first found by the search by the search means does not satisfy the predetermined condition, and executing a process related to the device selected by the user through the selection receiving process. 23. An information processing apparatus comprising: (Item 2) 2. The information processing device according to item 1, wherein the predetermined conditions include that the device is a predetermined model. (Item 3) 3. The information processing device according to item 2, wherein the device of the specified model is a printer that performs recording by an inkjet recording method. (Item 4) The information processing device described in item 2 or 3, characterized in that if the device first found by the search by the search means is not a device of the specified model, the reception means, in the selection reception process, displays a list of information on multiple devices found by the search by the search means. (Item 5) 5. The information processing device according to item 4, characterized in that if the first device found by the search by the search means is a device of the specified model, information on multiple devices found by the search by the search means is not displayed. (Item 6) 6. The information processing device according to item 4 or 5, wherein the list display displays device models in an identifiable manner. (Item 7) The information processing device according to any one of items 4 to 6, characterized in that the reception means displays a screen capable of receiving an instruction to display the list, and when the instruction is received on the screen, displays a list of information on multiple devices found by a search by the search means. (Item 8) 8. The information processing device according to item 7, characterized in that if the instruction is not accepted on the screen, the processing means does not execute processing relating to any of the multiple devices found by the search by the search means. (Item 9) 8. The information processing device according to item 7, characterized in that if the instruction is not accepted on the screen, the processing means executes processing relating to any one of the multiple devices discovered by the search by the search means for any one of the multiple devices discovered by the search by the search means. (Item 10) The information processing device according to any one of items 4 to 9, characterized in that, if the device first found by the search by the search means is not the specified model, the reception means displays a list of information on multiple devices found by the search by the search means after a specified time has elapsed by the search means. (Item 11) The information processing device according to any one of items 4 to 9, characterized in that if the device first discovered by the search by the search means is not the specified model and a second or subsequent device is not discovered even after a specified time has elapsed by the search means, the reception means does not display information about the first discovered device, and the processing means executes processing related to the device first discovered by the search by the search means. (Item 12) The information processing device according to any one of items 4 to 11, characterized in that, when the device first discovered by the search by the search means is a device of the specified model and a plurality of devices are discovered by the search by the search means, the reception means displays a screen that prompts a user to confirm that the first discovered device will be the target of the processing means. (Item 13) 13. The information processing device according to any one of items 1 to 12, wherein the process executed by the processing means is a process of registering information about the device acquired via a network in an application of the information processing device. (Item 14) 14. The information processing device according to item 13, wherein the search by the search means is a search for devices on the network by at least one of broadcast and multicast. (Item 15) 15. The information processing device according to item 13 or 14, wherein a device found by the search performed by the search means is displayed as a model name. (Item 16) The information processing device according to any one of items 1 to 12, characterized in that the processing executed by the processing means is processing for connecting the external device to an access point that is external to the device and external to the information processing device. (Item 17) 17. The information processing device according to item 16, wherein the search by the search means is a search of an SSID (Service Set Identifier). (Item 18) 18. The information processing device according to item 17, wherein a device found by the search means is displayed as an SSID. (Item 19) A method executed in an information processing device, comprising: a search step for executing a process for searching for an external device; a receiving step of executing a selection receiving process of receiving from a user a selection of one of the plurality of devices found by the search in the searching step; a processing step of executing a process for any one of the plurality of devices found by the search in the search step; having based on the fact that the device first found by the search in the search step satisfies a predetermined condition, the selection reception process is not executed, and a process is executed for the device first found by the search in the search step; executing the selection receiving process based on the fact that the device first found by the search in the search step does not satisfy the predetermined condition, and executing a process related to the device selected by the user in the selection receiving process. A method comprising: (Item 20) 19. 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 18.

[0094] 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]

[0095] 101 Information processing device: 103, 154 CPU: 104, 152 ROM: 105, 153 RAM: 151 Communication device

Claims

1. An information processing device having a predetermined application program, The aforementioned information processing device includes a search means that performs a search process for searching for a communication device, A communication control means that controls the execution of predetermined communication with the communication device discovered by the search initiated by the search process, Equipped with, Based on the fact that the first communication device discovered by the search is a device of the first type, the communication control means executes the predetermined communication with the first communication device discovered by the search without displaying a selection screen for accepting the user's selection of one of the plurality of communication devices after the search process is executed. Based on the fact that the first communication device found by the search is a second type of device different from the first type, the selection screen is displayed, and the selection screen displays a plurality of the communication devices found by the search, and the communication control means performs the predetermined communication with the communication device selected by the user from among the plurality of communication devices displayed on the selection screen. An information processing device characterized by the following:

2. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the communication control means performs a process to stop the search based on the fact that the first communication device discovered by the search is a device of the first type.

3. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the communication control means continues the search if the first communication device discovered by the search is a device of the second type.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the communication control means determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the search after the first communication device of the second type of device is discovered by the search, and based on the determination that the predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the search, executes a process to stop the search.

5. When the communication device, which is the second type of device, is the first to be found by the search, the plurality of communication devices found by the search are displayed on the selection screen while the search is in progress. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the communication control means executes a process to stop the search based on the fact that one of the communication devices displayed on the selection screen is selected while the search is in progress.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication control means executes a process to stop the search based on the fact that a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the search without the communication device being found.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first type of apparatus is an inkjet printer.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the second type of apparatus is a laser beam printer.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the search process is a process for searching for the communication device on the network of access points to which the information processing apparatus is connected.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the search process is a process for searching for the communication device which is operating in a predetermined mode for receiving information about an access point from the information processing apparatus.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined communication is a communication for registering the communication device with the predetermined application program as a device capable of communicating by the predetermined application program.

12. By obtaining information about the communication device through the predetermined communication, the communication device is registered in the predetermined application program as a device that can communicate with the predetermined application program, The information processing device according to claim 11, characterized in that the information relating to the communication device includes at least one of the identification information of the communication device and the capability information of the communication device.

13. The predetermined communication includes a communication that transmits information about an access point to the communication device, The information processing device according to claim 11, characterized in that when information relating to the access point is transmitted to the communication device, the communication device connects to the access point using the information relating to the access point.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that, after the predetermined communication is performed, the communication device is registered in the predetermined application program as a device that can communicate with the communication device via the access point.

15. Based on the fact that the first communication device found by the search is a device of the first type, a confirmation screen is displayed to confirm whether or not to perform the predetermined communication with the first communication device found by the search, When the communication control means receives an operation on the confirmation screen corresponding to performing the predetermined communication with the first communication device found by the search, the selection screen will not be displayed after the search process is executed, and the predetermined communication with the first communication device found by the search will be performed. If an operation corresponding to not performing the predetermined communication with the first communication device found by the search is accepted on the confirmation screen, the selection screen is displayed after the search process is executed. The communication control means performs the predetermined communication with the communication device selected by the user from among the plurality of communication devices displayed on the selection screen. The information processing apparatus according to feature 1.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission means for transmitting a print job to the communication device registered in the predetermined application program.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the search process is performed based on the activation of the predetermined application program.

18. The search process is performed based on the activation of the predetermined application program when the communication device is not registered with the predetermined application program as a device that can communicate with the predetermined application program. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the search process is not executed even if the predetermined application program is started if the communication device is registered in the predetermined application program as a device that can communicate with the predetermined application program.

19. A control method executed in an information processing device having a predetermined application program, A search step in which the information processing device performs a search process to search for a communication device, A communication control step that controls the system to perform predetermined communication with the communication device discovered by the search initiated by the search process, It has, In the communication control step, based on the fact that the first communication device found by the search is a device of the first type, the predetermined communication with the first communication device found by the search is performed without displaying a selection screen for accepting the user's selection of one of the plurality of communication devices after the search process is executed. Based on the fact that the first communication device found by the search is a second type of device different from the first type, the selection screen is displayed, and the selection screen displays a plurality of the communication devices found by the search, and in the communication control step, the predetermined communication is performed with the communication device selected by the user from among the plurality of communication devices displayed on the selection screen. A control method characterized by the following:

20. A program for causing a computer to function as one of the means of the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

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