Program, information processing device, and control method for the information processing device.

Abstract

This system reduces the effort users have to put into finding appropriate guidance, while also increasing the success rate of establishing wireless connections with communication devices via access points (APs). [Solution] PC101 performs wireless P2P with printer 121 to provide printer 121 with wireless setup instructions for connecting to AP152, and obtains status information of printer 121 from printer 121 via wireless P2P. PC101 switches the guidance for establishing a wireless connection with printer 121 via AP152 based on whether printer 121 is in an initial state or not.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a program, an information processing apparatus, and a control method for an information processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] In order to make a purchased printing apparatus (hereinafter referred to as "printer") available from an information processing apparatus such as a PC, first, a user installs a setup application (hereinafter referred to as "setup app") on the information processing apparatus. Next, the user uses the setup app installed on the information processing apparatus to perform setup of the printer, including network connection of the printer, installation of a driver on the information processing apparatus, acquisition of a license for using the printer in various Web services, and the like.

[0003] For example, when the information processing apparatus performs setup to establish a wireless connection with a communication apparatus such as a printer via an external access point (hereinafter referred to as "AP"), the setup may fail due to a communication environment or a mistake in the procedure by the user. In such a case, the setup app displays a guide for successfully performing the setup. As a related technique, the technique of Patent Document 1 has been proposed. In Patent Document 1, when a connection between the communication apparatus and the AP cannot be established, information for connecting the communication apparatus and the AP is displayed on the display unit of the information processing apparatus.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] There are several possible reasons why a connection between the communication device and the access point (AP) may not be established. If multiple instructions are displayed for each of these possible causes, the user must determine for themselves which instruction provides the appropriate solution. In such a configuration, where the user has to determine the appropriate instruction themselves, it creates extra work for the user to find the correct instruction, and if the user selects an inappropriate instruction, it will result in a failure to establish a wireless connection with the communication device via the AP.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a mechanism that can increase the success rate of establishing a wireless connection with a communication device via an AP, while reducing the effort required of the user to find appropriate guidance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a program that causes an information processing device that communicates with a communication device to execute a control method, wherein the control method comprises a direct wireless communication step of directly communicating with the communication device in order to provide the communication device with connection information for connecting to an external access point; a state acquisition step of acquiring the state of the communication device from the communication device via the direct wireless communication; and a switching step of switching guidance for establishing a wireless connection with the communication device via the external access point based on the state of the communication device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the effort required of the user, such as searching for appropriate guidance, while increasing the success rate of establishing a wireless connection with a communication device via an AP. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is an overall system diagram including a PC as an information processing device according to this embodiment. [Figure 2]Figure 1 is a flowchart showing the steps of the printer setup control process performed by the PC setup application. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the wireless connection process in S207. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows the steps of the communication control process performed by the printer shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of a screen displayed on the PC display unit in Figure 1. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of a screen displayed on the printer's display unit. [Figure 7] This flowchart shows the procedure for the printer setup control process performed by the PC setup application in the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of a manual transition confirmation screen displayed on the display unit of the PC in the second embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of a screen displayed on the display unit of the printer according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The following description of this embodiment will be made with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the configuration shown in the following embodiment is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the illustrated configuration.

[0011] First, a program, an information processing device, and a control method thereof according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0012] Figure 1 is an overall system diagram including the PC101 as an information processing device according to this embodiment.

[0013] In Figure 1, PC101 includes a CPU102, external storage device103, input interface104, output interface105, ROM106, and RAM107. PC101 also has a wired LAN interface108, a wireless LAN interface109, and a USB interface110. A keyboard111 and mouse112 are connected to the input interface104, and a display unit113 is connected to the output interface105. ROM106 stores a setup application114 for setting up printer121. The printer121 setup process includes connecting printer121 to the network, installing a driver on PC101 to enable printing, and obtaining a license to use printer121 with various web services. Hereafter, the printer121 setup process will also be referred to as the connection setup process. The setup application114 is read from ROM106 and executed after being loaded into RAM107.

[0014] The printer 121 includes a CPU 122, ROM 123, RAM 124, input interface 125, output interface 126, wired LAN interface 127, wireless LAN interface 128, USB interface 129, and print engine 130. An operation unit 131 is connected to the input interface 125, and a display unit 132 is connected to the output interface 126.

[0015] PC101 and printer121 are connected and able to communicate with each other via their respective interfaces. Typical examples include the USB interface 110 on PC101 and the USB interface 129 on printer121. In this case, USB interfaces 110 and 129 are connected via a USB cable. They may be connected directly with a single USB cable, or they may be connected via a USB hub (not shown) using two USB cables.

[0016] The wired LAN interface 108 of the PC 101 is connected to the wired LAN interface 127 of the printer 121 via the router 151. The wireless LAN interface 109 of the PC 101 is connected to the wireless LAN interface 128 of the printer 121 via the AP 152. When the router 151 and the AP 152 are on the same network, the wired LAN and the wireless LAN can also communicate. Therefore, for example, the wired LAN interface 108 of the PC 101 may be connected to the wireless LAN interface 128 of the printer 121, or the wireless LAN interface 109 of the PC 101 may be connected to the wired LAN interface 127 of the printer 121. Note that the router 151 and the AP 152 are connected to the Internet, and the PC 101 and the printer 121 can each access the Internet through their own wired LAN interfaces or wireless LAN interfaces. Note that three types of interfaces, namely wired LAN, wireless LAN, and USB, have been described as the mutual communication methods between the PC 101 and the printer 121. The PC 101 and the printer 121 do not need to have all of these three types of interfaces, and it is sufficient if they have any one type of interface.

[0017] <Regarding the direct connection method> Direct connection refers to a form in which devices are directly wirelessly connected (i.e., Peer to Peer) without going through an external device such as the AP 152. Direct connection is also called wireless Peer to Peer connection (wireless P2P connection). The printer 121 can operate in a mode (direct connection mode) for communicating by direct connection as one of the connection modes. In Wi-Fi communication, there are multiple modes for communicating by direct connection, such as software AP mode and Wi-Fi Direct (WFD) mode.

[0018] In the WFD mode, the mode for executing a direct connection is called the WFD mode. WFD is a standard formulated by the Wi-Fi Alliance and is included in the communication standards of the IEEE802.11 series. In the WFD mode, after a device to be a communication partner is searched by a device search command, the roles of the P2P group owner (GO) and the P2P client are determined, and then the remaining wireless connection process is performed. The group owner corresponds to the parent station (parent device) of Wi-Fi, and the client corresponds to the child station (child device) of Wi-Fi. This role determination corresponds to, for example, GO Negotiation in P2P. In the WFD mode in the state before the role determination, the printer 121 is in a state that is neither the parent station nor the child station. Specifically, first, between the devices that perform communication, one device issues a device search command to search for a device to connect in the WFD mode. When the other device to be a communication partner is searched, information regarding services and functions that can be provided by each device is confirmed between the two. Note that this confirmation of device-provided information is optional and not essential. This device-provided information confirmation phase corresponds to, for example, Provision Discovery in P2P. Next, by confirming this device-provided information with each other, it is determined which will be the P2P client and which will be the P2P group owner as their roles. Next, after the client and the group owner are determined, parameters for performing communication by WFD are exchanged between the two. Based on the exchanged parameters, the remaining wireless connection process and the IP connection process are performed between the P2P client and the group owner. In the WFD mode, the printer 121 may always operate as the GO without executing the above-described GO Negotiation. That is, the printer 121 may operate as the WFD mode which is the Autonomous GO mode. Also, the state where the printer 121 is operating in the WFD mode means, for example, a state where the connection by WFD is not established but the printer 121 is operating as the GO, or a state where the connection by WFD is established and the printer 121 is operating as the GO.

[0019] In software AP mode, one device (e.g., PC101) acts as the client, requesting various services from the communicating devices (e.g., PC101 and printer121). The other device then implements the functions of a Wi-Fi access point (AP) through software configuration. The software AP corresponds to the Wi-Fi base station, and the client corresponds to the Wi-Fi slave station. In software AP mode, the client searches for a device that will act as a software AP using a device discovery command. Once a software AP is found, the remaining wireless connection processing (such as establishing a wireless connection) takes place between the client and the software AP, followed by IP connection processing (such as assigning an IP address). The commands and parameters sent and received when establishing a wireless connection between the client and the software AP should be those specified in the Wi-Fi standard, and their explanation is omitted here.

[0020] In this embodiment, when the printer 121 establishes and maintains a direct connection, it operates as a master station within the network to which it belongs. The master station is a device that constructs a wireless network and provides the slave station with parameters used to connect to the wireless network. Parameters used to connect to the wireless network include, for example, parameters related to the channel used by the master station. By receiving these parameters, the slave station connects to the wireless network constructed by the master station using the channel used by the master station. In direct connection mode, since the printer 121 operates as a master station, the printer 121 can determine which frequency band and which channel to use for communication in direct connection mode. In this embodiment, the printer 121 is capable of using channels corresponding to the 2.4 GHz frequency band and channels corresponding to the 5 GHz frequency band for communication in direct connection mode.

[0021] <About infrastructure connection methods> Infrastructure connection is a connection method in which devices that communicate (e.g., PC101 and printer121) are connected to an access point (AP) (e.g., AP152) that manages the network, and the devices communicate with each other via the AP. Printer121 can also operate in infrastructure connection mode as one of its connection modes.

[0022] In infrastructure connectivity, each device searches for an access point (AP) using an AP discovery command. Once an AP is found, the remaining wireless connection processing (establishing the wireless connection, etc.) takes place between the device and the AP, followed by IP connection processing (assigning an IP address, etc.). The commands and parameters sent and received when establishing a wireless connection between the device and the AP should be those specified in the Wi-Fi standard, and will not be explained here.

[0023] In this embodiment, when the printer 121 operates via an infrastructure connection, the AP152 acts as the master station and the printer 121 acts as the slave station. That is, in this embodiment, the infrastructure connection refers to the connection between the printer 121, which operates as a slave station, and the device that operates as the master station. If the printer 121 has established an infrastructure connection and the PC 101 has also established an infrastructure connection with the AP152, then communication between the printer 121 and the PC 101 is possible via the AP152. The channel used for communication in the infrastructure connection is determined by the AP152, so the printer 121 performs communication in the infrastructure connection using the channel determined by the AP152. In this embodiment, the printer 121 is capable of using channels corresponding to the 2.4GHz frequency band and channels corresponding to the 5GHz frequency band for communication in the infrastructure connection. The printer 121 can also use channels corresponding to the DFS band within the 5GHz frequency band for communication in the infrastructure connection. Furthermore, in order for PC101 to communicate with printer121 via AP152, PC101 recognizes and identifies that printer121 belongs to the network formed by AP152, to which PC101 belongs.

[0024] <About connection setup process> In this embodiment, PC101 performs connection settings (network settings), which are settings for operating the printer 121 using at least one communication method from infrastructure connection and direct connection, using wireless communication with the printer 121. The connection setting process in this embodiment is also called cableless setup (CLS) because it is performed wirelessly. Note that the connection setting process may also be performed by wired communication. PC101 performs the connection setting process on the printer 121 when the setup application 114 stored in the external storage device 103 or the like is running. The printer 121 can operate in wireless setting mode (connection setting state), which is a mode for performing the connection setting process, and performs the connection setting process while operating in wireless setting mode, which will be described later. Details of the wireless setting mode will be described later.

[0025] When PC101 operates printer 121 in infrastructure connection mode, it wirelessly transmits infrastructure configuration information, which is the setting information for operating in infrastructure connection mode, to printer 121. The infrastructure configuration information includes information about AP152. This information about AP152 includes, for example, the SSID (Service Set Identifier), password, and frequency band information.

[0026] On the other hand, when PC101 operates printer 121 in direct connection mode, it wirelessly transmits direct configuration information to printer 121, which is the configuration information for operating in direct connection mode. The direct configuration information includes instructions to enable the WFD function and operate as Group Owner, and to enable the access point settings of printer 121. In addition, PC101 obtains connection information necessary to directly connect to printer 121 from printer 121. The connection information for directly connecting to printer 121 includes, for example, information such as the SSID and password of printer 121 operating in direct connection mode.

[0027] In this embodiment, a direct connection for connection setup is used between the PC 101 and the printer 121 for transmitting infrastructure setting information and direct setting information, and for obtaining information for direct connection with the printer 121 during the connection setup process. In this embodiment, a Wi-Fi connection setup process is performed as the direct connection for connection setup, but other wireless communication standards such as Bluetooth may be used. Alternatively, wired communication standards such as wired LAN or USB (Universal Serial Bus) may be used as the direct connection for connection setup.

[0028] After the connection setup process establishes an infrastructure connection or direct connection between PC101 and printer121, communication becomes possible between PC101 and printer121 via the established connection. Specifically, for example, PC101 can send print jobs to printer121 to perform printing, or scan jobs to perform scanning, via the established connection. In this embodiment, the connection setup process can operate printer121 in either infrastructure connection mode or direct connection mode, but the system is not limited to this configuration. For example, the connection setup process may only allow printer121 to operate in infrastructure connection mode (i.e., printer121 cannot operate in direct connection mode).

[0029] <About Wireless Settings Mode> The printer 121 can operate in wireless setting mode. The trigger for the printer 121 to start operating in wireless setting mode may be, for example, the user pressing a button for wireless setting mode, or the printer 121 being started (powered on) for the first time after delivery. The button for wireless setting mode may be a hard button on the printer 121, or a soft button displayed on the display unit 132 by the printer 121.

[0030] When printer 121 starts operating in wireless setup mode, it enables both Wi-Fi and BLE communication. Specifically, as part of the process to enable Wi-Fi communication, printer 121 enables an internal AP (connection setup AP) dedicated to wireless setup mode. This allows printer 121 to establish a direct Wi-Fi connection with PC 101. At least some of the connection information (e.g., SSID) for connecting to the connection setup AP is pre-stored in the setup application 114 installed on PC 101. In other words, PC 101 is assumed to be aware of at least some of the connection information for connecting to the connection setup AP. Specifically, the SSID of the connection setup AP is a unique SSID for each printer 121, and includes a common string shared among multiple printers and individual strings that differ for each printer. The information pre-stored in the setup application 114 is the common string of the SSID of the connection setup AP. Furthermore, unlike the AP connection information enabled in direct connection mode, the connection information for connecting to the AP for connection settings cannot be arbitrarily changed by the user. The AP for connection settings may not have an encryption method set, and a password may not be required to connect to it. In wireless setting mode, the printer 121 may connect to the PC 101 via Wi-Fi Direct (WFD) instead of regular Wi-Fi. That is, the printer 121 may operate as a Group Owner and receive setting commands from the PC 101 via WFD communication. Also, if the printer 121 does not have BLE communication capabilities, the printer 121 may only enable Wi-Fi communication when operating in wireless setting mode.

[0031] <Regarding registration of communication devices to the app> In this embodiment, the setup application 114 can register the printer 121 with the setup application 114 by obtaining information about the printer 121 from the printer 121. Information about the printer 121 includes, for example, the capability information of the printer 121, the identification information of the printer 121 (MAC address, etc.), and the model information of the printer 121. Specifically, the capability information of the printer 121 includes a list of information about the functions that the printer 121 supports, information about consumables (ink, paper) that can be used with the printer 121, and information indicating the printing method of the printer 121. The setup application 114 then selects one device from among the one or more printers 121 registered with the setup application 114 to communicate with. Hereinafter, the printer 121 currently selected as the device to communicate with the setup application 114 will be referred to as the selected printer 121. The selection of the device to communicate with by the setup application 114 may be performed by accepting a selection from the user from one or more printers 121 registered in the setup application 114, or it may be performed automatically by the setup application 114 according to predetermined criteria. Furthermore, the change of the device to communicate with by the setup application 114 may be performed, for example, by accepting a selection from the user from one or more printers 121 registered in the setup application 114. In this embodiment, the setup application 114 sends various jobs such as print jobs and scan jobs to the selected printer 121. In other words, the selected printer 121 is the device to which various jobs are sent.

[0032] Figure 2 is a flowchart showing the steps of the setup control process for printer 121, which is performed by the setup application 114 on PC 101 in Figure 1. The setup control process starts when the user opens the executable file of the setup application 114.

[0033] In Figure 2, first, in S201, the setup application 114 downloads a common file for printer 121. Specifically, the setup application 114 downloads files that are required in subsequent processes regardless of the printer type. This file is, for example, a content file used by the setup application 114 when performing a test print.

[0034] Next, in S202, the setup application 114 searches for the printer via the wireless LAN interface 109. Specifically, the setup application 114 obtains identification information from the printer operating as an AP. This identification information includes the printer's device name, etc.

[0035] Next, in S203, the setup application 114 displays the printer selection screen 500 shown in Figure 5(a) on the display unit 113. The printer selection screen 500 has a printer selection message 501, printer selection radio buttons 502, and a "Next" button 503. The printer selection message 501 is a message prompting the user to select a printer from the printer selection radio buttons 502 and press the "Next" button 503. The printer selection radio buttons 502 display a list of printers detected in S202. The user selects one printer from this list. When the setup application 114 detects that the user has selected a printer using the printer selection radio buttons 502 and pressed the "Next" button 503, it closes the printer selection screen 500 and proceeds to S204. In this embodiment, it is assumed that printer 121 was selected on the printer selection screen 500.

[0036] In S204, the setup application 114 displays the interface selection screen 510 shown in Figure 5(b) on the display unit 113. The interface selection screen 510 is a screen for selecting the connection method with the printer 121, and includes an interface selection message 511, interface selection radio buttons 512, and a "Next" button 513. The interface selection message 511 is a message prompting the user to select a connection method for the printer. The interface selection radio buttons 512 display a list of interfaces that the printer 121 can use to connect with the PC 101. The user selects one interface from this list. When the setup application 114 detects that the user has selected an interface using the interface selection radio buttons 512 and pressed the "Next" button 513, it closes the interface selection screen 510, and the process proceeds to S205.

[0037] In S205, the setup application 114 determines whether wireless LAN is selected on the interface selection screen 510. If it is determined that wireless LAN is selected on the interface selection screen 510, this process proceeds to S207, which will be described later. If it is determined that wireless LAN is not selected on the interface selection screen 510, that is, if wired LAN or USB is selected on the interface selection screen 510, this process proceeds to S206.

[0038] In S206, the setup application 114 performs a connection process. This connection process connects the PC 101 to the printer 121 using the interface selected on the interface selection screen 510 (wired LAN interface 108 or USB interface 110). After that, the process ends. If this connection process is successful, a connection success screen containing a message indicating that the connection process was successful may be displayed on the display unit 113. If this connection process fails, a connection failure screen containing a message indicating that the connection process failed may be displayed on the display unit 113.

[0039] In S207, the setup application 114 executes the wireless connection process shown in Figure 3, which will be described later. As a result, PC 101 establishes a wireless connection with printer 121 using the wireless LAN interface 109.

[0040] Next, in S208, the setup application 114 determines whether the wireless connection process in S207 was successful. This determination is based, for example, on whether the setup application 114 was able to find the printer 121 on the network via AP152. Alternatively, this determination may be based on a record of any failure in the wireless connection process in S207. If it is determined that the wireless connection process in S207 was unsuccessful, the process proceeds to S210, which will be described later. If it is determined that the wireless connection process in S207 was successful, the process proceeds to S209.

[0041] In S209, the setup application 114 displays the wireless connection success screen 520 shown in Figure 5(c) on the display unit 113. The wireless connection success screen 520 includes a wireless connection success message 521 and a "Next" button 522. The wireless connection success message 521 is a message indicating that a wireless connection with the printer 121 has been successfully established. When the setup application 114 detects that the user has pressed the "Next" button 522, it closes the wireless connection success screen 520 and terminates this process.

[0042] In S210, the setup application 114 displays the wireless connection failure screen 530 (third screen) shown in Figure 5(d) on the display unit 113. The wireless connection failure screen 530 includes a wireless connection failure message 531, a "Next" button 532, and an "Alternative Connection Method" button 533. The wireless connection failure message 531 indicates that the wireless connection with the printer 121 has failed. The "Next" button 532 is an object that displays instructions for establishing a wireless connection between AP152 and the printer 121. The "Alternative Connection Method" button 533 is an object that displays the interface selection screen 510 on the display unit 113. When the setup application 114 detects that the user has pressed the "Next" button 532 or the "Alternative Connection Method" button 533, it closes the wireless connection failure screen 530 and proceeds to S211.

[0043] In S211, the setup application 114 determines whether the "Another Connection Method" button 533 was pressed on the wireless connection failure screen 530. If it is determined that the "Another Connection Method" button 533 was pressed on the wireless connection failure screen 530, this process returns to S204. If it is determined that the "Another Connection Method" button 533 was not pressed on the wireless connection failure screen 530, that is, if the "Next" button 532 was pressed on the wireless connection failure screen 530, this process proceeds to S212.

[0044] In S212, the setup application 114 determines whether the printer 121 is in a predetermined state based on the printer 121 status information obtained from the printer 121 during the wireless connection process in S207. Specifically, the setup application 114 determines whether the printer 121 is in its initial state based on the printer 121 status information. In this embodiment, the initial state is a state in which the components of the printer 121 are fixed with tape or the like, and the ink tanks are not installed in the printer 121. In the printer 121, the user cannot perform operations such as setting up the wireless connection until the initial state is resolved. Therefore, in order to establish a wireless connection with the printer 121 via AP152, it is first necessary to resolve the initial state. In this embodiment, based on the determination result in S212, switching control of guidance for establishing a wireless connection with the printer 121 via AP152 is performed. In S212, for example, if the status information of the printer 121 indicates the initial state of the printer 121, it is determined that the printer 121 is in its initial state. In this case, the process proceeds to S217, described later, in order to display a screen showing a solution to resolve the initial state as a guide. On the other hand, if the status information of printer 121 does not indicate the initial state of printer 121, or if status information could not be obtained from printer 121 during the wireless connection process in S207, it is determined that printer 121 is not in the initial state. In such cases, the process proceeds to S213, in order to display a screen showing a method for establishing a wireless connection between printer 121 and AP152 as a guide. Thus, in this embodiment, the guidance for establishing a wireless connection with printer 121 via AP152 is switched based on whether or not printer 121 is in the initial state.

[0045] In S213, the setup application 114 displays the tutorial screen 540 (second screen) shown in Figure 5(e) on the display unit 113. The tutorial screen 540 is a screen that leads to the wireless connection tutorial screen 600 shown in Figure 6(a), which will be described later, and has a tutorial message 541, a "Manual" button 542, and a "Next" button 543. The tutorial message 541 is a message that prompts the user to press the "Manual" button 542 to display instructions and set up the wireless connection. When the setup application 114 detects that the user has pressed the "Manual" button 542 on the tutorial screen 540, it uses a web browser (not shown) to display a web page on the display unit 132 of the printer 121. Specifically, the setup application 114 displays the wireless connection tutorial screen 600 shown in Figure 6(a) on the display unit 132 of the printer 121 using a web browser. The wireless connection tutorial screen 600 is a screen that shows how to establish a wireless connection between AP152 and printer 121, and includes a wireless connection guide 601. The wireless connection guide 601 shows how to establish a wireless connection between printer 121 and AP152 by operating the printer 121's control panel 131. This method also includes how to switch printer 121 to the wireless setting mode described later. The wireless connection guide 601 may also show how to resolve the initial state if printer 121 is in its initial state. Based on the wireless connection guide 601, the user operates the printer 121's control panel 131 to set up the wireless connection.

[0046] When the setup application 114 detects that the user has pressed the "Next" button 543 on the tutorial screen 540 displayed on the display unit 113 of the PC 101, it closes the wireless connection tutorial screen 600 and proceeds to S214.

[0047] In S214, the setup application 114 searches for the printer 121 on the network via AP152.

[0048] Next, in S215, the setup application 114 determines whether or not it detected printer 121 in S214. If it determines that printer 121 was not detected, the process returns to S213. If it determines that printer 121 was detected, the process proceeds to S216.

[0049] In S216, the setup application 114 displays the wireless connection success screen 520 on the display unit 113. After that, this process ends.

[0050] In S217, the setup application 114 displays the manual transition confirmation screen 550 (first screen) shown in Figure 5(f) on the display unit 113. The manual transition confirmation screen 550 is a screen that leads to the initial state guidance screen 610 shown in Figure 6(b), which will be described later, and has a manual transition confirmation message 551, a "cancel" button 552, and an "OK" button 553. The manual transition confirmation message 551 is a message that prompts the user to press the "OK" button 553 and perform the initial setup process of the printer 121 according to the displayed instructions. The manual transition confirmation message 551 also includes a message that shows how to change the printer connection method to a different connection method. The "cancel" button 552 is an object that displays the wireless connection failure screen 530 on the display unit 113. The "OK" button 553 is an object that displays the initial state guidance screen 610 shown in Figure 6(b), which will be described later, on the display unit 132 of the printer 121. If the user presses the "OK" button 553 or the "Cancel" button 552 on the manual transition confirmation screen 550, this process proceeds to S218.

[0051] In S218, the setup application 114 determines whether the "Cancel" button 552 was pressed on the manual transition confirmation screen 550. If it is determined that the "Cancel" button 552 was pressed on the manual transition confirmation screen 550, the process returns to S210. If it is determined that the "Cancel" button 552 was not pressed on the manual transition confirmation screen 550, that is, if the "OK" button 553 was pressed, the setup application 114 uses a web browser to display a web page on the display unit 132 of the printer 121. Specifically, the setup application 114 uses a web browser to display the initial state guidance screen 610 shown in Figure 6(b) on the display unit 132 of the printer 121.

[0052] The initial state guidance screen 610 is a screen that shows how to resolve the initial state of the printer 121, and includes an initial state guidance 611 and a "Download" button 612. The initial state guidance 611 indicates the processes to be performed on the printer 121 in its initial state. Processes to be performed on the printer 121 in its initial state include, for example, removing tape or other materials that are fixing the components of the printer 121, installing the ink tanks, connecting the power cord, and pressing the power button. The initial state guidance 611 also includes a message prompting the user to re-download the setup application 114 after the initial setup process is completed. In this embodiment, a configuration in which the initial state guidance 611 includes a message prompting the user to re-download the setup application 114 after the initial setup process is completed has been described, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, instead of such a message, the initial state guidance 611 may include a message prompting the user to execute the setup application 114 recorded in the ROM 106. When the user presses the "Download" button 612, the PC 101 downloads the setup application 114. After the download is complete, the user launches the setup application 114, and the setup control process shown in Figure 2 is executed again.

[0053] Furthermore, if the "OK" button 553 is pressed on the manual transition confirmation screen 550, the setup application 114 terminates its own operation (S219). After that, this process ends.

[0054] In the setup control process shown in Figure 2 above, a predetermined state was described as the initial state. However, the predetermined state is not limited to the initial state, as long as it is a state in which operations such as setting up the wireless connection cannot be performed. For example, the predetermined state may be a state in which the home screen that transitions to the wireless connection settings screen cannot be displayed. Alternatively, the predetermined state may be a state in which the printer 121 program cannot accept a request to establish a wireless connection with the PC 101 via AP 121.

[0055] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the wireless connection process in S207 of Figure 2.

[0056] In Figure 3, first, in S301, the setup application 114 searches for the printer 121 in wireless configuration mode. As mentioned above, the printer 121 in wireless configuration mode operates as an AP with a unique SSID configured. In S301, the setup application 114 searches for this SSID.

[0057] Next, in S302, the setup application 114 determines whether or not it detected printer 121 in S301. Specifically, the setup application 114 determines whether or not it detected the unique SSID set for printer 121 operating as an AP. If it is determined that printer 121 was not detected, this process returns to S302. If it is determined that printer 121 was detected, this process proceeds to S303.

[0058] In S303, the setup application 114 disconnects the wireless connection with AP152. Then, in S304, the setup application 114 establishes a wireless P2P connection with printer 121. Specifically, PC 101 connects the wireless LAN interface 109 to printer 121, which is operating as an AP with a unique SSID configured.

[0059] Next, in S305, the setup application 114 determines whether or not it has successfully established a wireless P2P connection with the printer 121. If it is determined that the wireless P2P connection with the printer 121 has been successful, this process proceeds to S307, which will be described later. If it is determined that the wireless P2P connection with the printer 121 has failed, this process proceeds to S306.

[0060] In S306, the setup application 114 displays the tutorial screen 540 on the display unit 113. The structure of the tutorial screen 540 is as described in S213 above. After that, this process ends.

[0061] In S307, the setup application 114 obtains status information of the printer 121 from the printer 121 (status acquisition step). Specifically, the setup application 114 requests status information from the printer 121 and obtains the status information of the printer 121 as a response from the printer 121. The status information of the printer 121 includes information indicating whether the printer 121 is in its initial state and an SSID list. The SSID list is a list of SSIDs corresponding to APs detected by the printer 121.

[0062] Next, in S308, the setup application 114 refers to the wireless profile and connection destination information stored in PC101 to obtain the configuration information (including the SSID) of AP152, which was disconnected wirelessly in S303.

[0063] Next, in S309, the setup application 114 determines whether the SSID of AP152 is included in the SSID list obtained in S307. If it is determined that the SSID of AP152 is included in the SSID list, this process proceeds to S310. If it is determined that the SSID of AP152 is not included in the SSID list, this process proceeds to S311, which will be described later.

[0064] In S310, the setup application 114 displays the network information input screen 560 shown in Figure 5(g) on ​​the display unit 113. The network information input screen 560 includes an input message 561, an SSID dropdown list 562, a password input field 563, an encryption method display unit 564, and a "Next" button 565. The input message 561 is a message prompting the user to input information about the AP to connect to the printer 121. The SSID dropdown list 562 lists the information from the SSID list obtained in S307. The password input field 563 is an area for entering the password to connect to the selected SSID. The encryption method display unit 564 displays the associated information of the SSID selected from the SSID dropdown list 562, specifically the encryption method information obtained from the printer 121. When the setup application 114 detects that the user has pressed the "Next" button 565, it closes the network information input screen 560, and the process proceeds to S311.

[0065] In S311, the setup application 114 sends wireless configuration instructions to the printer 121 via wireless P2P. Specifically, the setup application 114 sends (provides) the AP152 configuration information (including SSID and password) (connection information) to the printer 121.

[0066] Next, in S312, the setup application 114 reconnects AP152 to PC101. In S312, if the wireless profile for AP152 is stored in ROM106 on PC101, the setup application 114 can reconnect to AP152 without requiring the user to re-enter a password or other information. Alternatively, if no encryption method is set for AP152, the setup application 114 can reconnect to AP152 without requiring the user to re-enter a password or other information by specifying AP152's SSID.

[0067] Next, in S313, the setup application 114 deletes any remaining wireless profiles (labeled "temporary profile" in Figure 3) that were generated as a result of a temporary wireless P2P connection. This process is performed to prevent the retention of wireless profiles for connections unintended by the user. Once the process in S313 is complete, this process terminates.

[0068] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the steps of the communication control process performed by the printer 121 in Figure 1. This communication control process is performed when the printer 121 enters wireless setup mode. The printer 121 enters wireless setup mode, for example, when it is powered on for the first time after purchase or when a user makes a specific input. In wireless setup mode, the printer 121 operates as an AP with a unique SSID configured.

[0069] In Figure 4, first, in S401, the printer 121 determines whether or not it has received a status information acquisition request from the PC 101. If it does not receive a status information acquisition request from the PC 101, this process proceeds to S403, which will be described later. If it does receive a status information acquisition request from the PC 101, this process proceeds to S402.

[0070] In S402, the printer 121 performs a status information transmission process in accordance with the received status information acquisition request. Specifically, the printer 121 sends status information to the PC 101, including information indicating whether the printer 121 is in its initial state and an SSID list. The SSID list may be created by searching for surrounding APs after receiving the status information acquisition request, or it may be created when the printer 121 enters wireless setting mode. Once the processing in S402 is complete, this process returns to S401.

[0071] In S403, the printer 121 determines whether or not it has received a wireless setup instruction from the PC 101. If it is determined that it has not received a wireless setup instruction, the process returns to S401. If it is determined that it has received a wireless setup instruction, the process proceeds to S404.

[0072] In S404, printer 121 initiates a connection process to AP152, which was specified by PC101. Specifically, printer 121 uses the SSID and password included in the wireless profile received from PC101 to initiate a connection process to AP152. After that, the process is completed.

[0073] According to the first embodiment described above, the guidance for establishing a wireless connection with the printer 121 via AP152 is switched based on whether the printer 121 is in its initial state or not. This reduces the effort required of the user to search for the appropriate guidance. It also prevents the user from selecting inappropriate guidance, thereby increasing the success rate of establishing a wireless connection with the printer 121 via AP152.

[0074] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, if the printer 121 is in its initial state, a manual transition confirmation screen 550 is displayed on the display unit 113, which leads to an initial state guidance screen 610 showing how to resolve the initial state. If the printer is not in its initial state, a tutorial screen 540 is displayed on the display unit 113, which leads to a wireless connection tutorial screen 600 showing how to establish a wireless connection between the AP152 and the printer 121. This allows the user to be presented with appropriate guidance depending on whether the printer 121 is in its initial state or not.

[0075] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, if the wireless P2P connection with the printer 121 fails, a tutorial screen 540 is displayed on the display unit 113 that leads to a wireless connection tutorial screen 600, which includes instructions on how to switch the printer 121 to wireless setting mode. This allows the user to be shown instructions on how to successfully establish a wireless P2P connection with the printer 121 if the wireless P2P connection with the printer 121 fails.

[0076] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the manual transition confirmation screen 550 includes an "OK" button 553, which is an object for displaying the initial state guidance screen 610 on the display unit 132 of the printer 121. This allows the user to be shown an initial state guidance screen 610 that shows how to resolve the initial state if the printer 121 is in its initial state.

[0077] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the manual transition confirmation screen 550 includes a "cancel" button 552, which is an object for displaying a wireless connection failure screen 530 having an "alternative connection method" button 533 on the display unit 113. This allows the user to select an alternative connection method other than wireless LAN as the connection method between the PC 101 and the printer 121 when the printer is not in its initial state.

[0078] Next, an information processing device and its control method according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0079] The second embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment described above in terms of its configuration and operation, but differs from the first embodiment in that it switches the guidance based on which of the multiple steps for resolving the initial state of the printer 121 has been performed. Therefore, the explanation of overlapping configurations and operations will be omitted, and the explanation of the different configurations and operations will be given below.

[0080] Here, there are multiple steps to resolve the initial state of the printer 121. In the second embodiment, the printer 121 is configured to generate an initial state resolution stage that includes information that identifies which steps have been completed out of all the steps to resolve the initial state of the printer 121. The initial state resolution stage includes information such as the first stage, second stage, and third stage as information that identifies which steps have been completed. The first stage is, for example, a state in which all steps to resolve the initial state of the printer 121 have not been performed. The second stage is, for example, a state in which the removal of tape, etc., that is fixing the components of the printer 121 has been completed out of the steps to resolve the initial state of the printer 121. The third stage is, for example, a state in which the removal of tape, etc., that is fixing the components of the printer 121 and the installation of the ink tanks to the printer 121 have been completed out of the steps to resolve the initial state of the printer 121. In this configuration, the state information of the printer 121 exchanged in S307 and S402 above also includes the error state of the printer 121 and the initial state resolution stage in addition to the information described above. For example, the printer 121 determines, based on sensors attached around its components, whether or not tape or other materials securing the components have been removed, and reflects this determination result in the initial state elimination stage. Furthermore, the printer 121 determines, based on sensors attached around the ink tank installation area, whether or not the ink tanks have been installed in the printer 121, and reflects this determination result in the initial state elimination stage.

[0081] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the setup control process of the printer 121 executed by the setup application 114 on the PC 101 in the second embodiment. The setup control process in Figure 7 is similar to the setup control process in Figure 2 described above, and the differences from the setup control process in Figure 2 will be explained below. The setup control process in Figure 7, like the setup control process in Figure 2 described above, starts when the user opens the executable file of the setup application 114.

[0082] In Figure 7, processes S701 to S712, which are the same as those described above in S201 to S212, are performed.

[0083] If it is determined in S712 that printer 121 is not in its initial state, the process proceeds to S713. If it is determined that printer 121 is in its initial state, the process proceeds to S717.

[0084] In S713, the setup application 114 displays the tutorial screen 540 on the display unit 113, similar to S213 described above. Here, in the second embodiment, the content of the web page displayed on the display unit 132 of the printer 121 using a web browser when the "Manual" button 542 is pressed by the user differs from that of the first embodiment described above. Specifically, if the printer 121 is determined to be in an error state based on the status information of the printer 121 received in S707, the wireless connection tutorial screen 900 shown in Figure 9(a) is displayed on the display unit 132 of the printer 121. On the other hand, if the printer 121 is determined not to be in an error state based on the status information of the printer 121 received in S707, the wireless connection tutorial screen 600 described above is displayed on the display unit 132 of the printer 121. The wireless connection tutorial screen 900 includes a wireless connection guide 901. The wireless connection guide 901 shows how to perform a wireless connection by operating the operation unit 131 of the printer 121, as well as how to resolve the error state. Furthermore, the wireless connection guide 901 may also show a method for resolving the initial state if the printer 121 is in its initial state. After that, steps S714 to S716, which are the same as steps S214 to S216 described above, are performed, and this process is completed.

[0085] In S717, the setup application 114 displays the manual transition confirmation screen 800 shown in Figure 8 on the display unit 113. The manual transition confirmation screen 800 is a screen that leads to the initial state guidance screen 910 shown in Figure 9(b), which will be described later, and has a manual transition confirmation message 801, a "Retry" button 802, and an "OK" button 803. The manual transition confirmation message 801 is a message that prompts the user to press the "OK" button 803 and perform the initial setup process of the printer 121 according to the displayed instructions. The manual transition confirmation message 801 also includes a message that shows how to retry the wireless connection process. The "Retry" button 802 is an object for instructing the user to re-execute the wireless connection process. The "OK" button 803 is an object for displaying the initial state guidance screen 910 shown in Figure 9(b), which will be described later, on the display unit 132 of the printer 121. If the user presses the "Retry" button 802 or the "OK" button 803 on the manual transition confirmation screen 800, this process proceeds to S718.

[0086] In S718, the setup application 114 determines whether the "Retry" button 802 was pressed on the manual transition confirmation screen 800. If it is determined that the "Retry" button 802 was pressed on the manual transition confirmation screen 800, the process returns to S707. If it is determined that the "Retry" button 802 was not pressed on the manual transition confirmation screen 800, that is, if the "OK" button 803 was pressed, the setup application 114 uses a web browser to display a web page on the display unit 132 of the printer 121. Specifically, if the initial state resolution stage identified from the printer 121 status information received in S707 is the first stage, the setup application 114 displays the initial state guidance screen 610 described above on the display unit 132 of the printer 121. Note that if the initial state resolution stage is the first stage, as described above, all steps to resolve the initial state of the printer 121 have not yet been performed. In this case, the initial state guidance screen 610 displayed on the display unit 132 of the printer 121 shows guidance for all steps required to resolve the initial state of the printer 121. On the other hand, if the initial state resolution stage identified from the printer 121 status information received by S707 is the second or third stage, an initial state guidance screen is displayed that does not include guidance for steps that have already been performed. For example, if the initial state resolution stage identified from the printer 121 status information received by S707 is the second stage, the setup application 114 displays the initial state guidance screen 910 shown in Figure 9(b) on the display unit 132 of the printer 121. Note that if the initial state resolution stage is the second stage, as described above, the removal of tape and other materials fixing the components of the printer 121 has already been performed as part of the steps required to resolve the initial state of the printer 121.

[0087] The initial state guidance screen 910 has an initial state guidance 911 and a "Download" button 912. The initial state guidance 911 indicates the processes to be performed on the printer 121 in its initial state. Unlike the initial state guidance 611 of the initial state guidance screen 610 described above, the initial state guidance 911 does not include guidance regarding processes that have already been performed, specifically guidance regarding the removal of tape, etc., that is fixing the components of the printer 121. The initial state guidance 911 also includes a message prompting the user to re-download the setup application 114 after the initial setup process is completed. In the second embodiment, a configuration in which the initial state guidance 911 includes a message prompting the user to re-download the setup application 114 after the initial setup process is completed has been described, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, instead of such a message, the initial state guidance 911 may include guidance to execute the setup application 114 recorded in the ROM 106. When the user presses the "Download" button 912, the PC 101 downloads the setup application 114. After the download is complete, the user launches the setup application 114, and the setup control process shown in Figure 7 is executed again.

[0088] Furthermore, if the "OK" button 803 is pressed on the manual transition confirmation screen 800, the setup application 114 terminates its own operation (S719). After that, this process ends.

[0089] In the second embodiment described above, the guidance for establishing a wireless connection with the printer 121 via AP152 is switched based on the initial state resolution stage. This makes it possible to present the user with an initial state guidance screen that does not include guidance for steps that have already been performed among all the steps for resolving the initial state of the printer 121. As a result, the success rate of establishing a wireless connection with the printer 121 via AP152 can be increased.

[0090] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, the guidance for establishing a wireless connection with the printer 121 via AP152 is switched based on the error state. This makes it possible to present the user with guidance appropriate to the error state of the printer 121.

[0091] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, the manual transition confirmation screen 800 includes a "Retry" button 802, which is an object for instructing the user to re-execute the wireless connection process. This allows the user to be instructed to re-execute the wireless connection process if the establishment of a wireless connection with the printer 121 via AP152 fails.

[0092] The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0093] For storing programs, storage media such as flexible disks, hard disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, magnetic tapes, non-volatile memory cards, ROMs, DVDs, etc., can be used.

[0094] Furthermore, the functionality of the above-described embodiment is realized not only by the computer executing the program it has read, but also in cases where the operating system or the like running on the computer performs some or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of that program, and the functionality of the above-described embodiment is realized through that processing.

[0095] Furthermore, this also includes cases where a program read from a storage medium is written to the memory of a function expansion board inserted into a computer or a function expansion unit connected to a computer, and then, based on the instructions of that program, the CPU or other components of the function expansion board or function expansion unit perform some or all of the actual processing, thereby realizing the functions of the embodiments described above.

[0096] Furthermore, the disclosure of this embodiment includes the following configurations and methods. (Configuration 1) A program that causes an information processing device that communicates with a communication device to execute a control method, wherein the control method comprises a direct wireless communication step of directly communicating with the communication device in order to provide the communication device with connection information for connecting to an external access point, a state acquisition step of acquiring the state of the communication device from the communication device via the direct wireless communication, and a switching step of switching guidance for establishing a wireless connection with the communication device via the external access point based on the state of the communication device. (Configuration 2) The program according to Configuration 1, characterized in that, in the switching step, if the state of the communication device is in a predetermined state, a first screen that leads to a screen showing a method for resolving the predetermined state is displayed on the display means of the information processing device, and if the state of the communication device is not in the predetermined state, a second screen that leads to a screen showing a method for establishing a wireless connection between the external access point and the communication device is displayed on the display means of the information processing device. (Configuration 3) The program according to Configuration 2, characterized in that a screen showing a method for establishing a wireless connection with the communication device shows a method for switching the communication device to the mode for performing direct wireless communication, and if the direct wireless communication with the communication device fails, the second screen is displayed on the display means of the information processing device. (Configuration 4) The program according to Configuration 2 or 3, characterized in that the first screen includes an object for displaying a screen for resolving the predetermined state on the display means of the communication device. (Configuration 5) The program according to any one of Configurations 2 to 4, characterized in that the first screen includes an object for displaying the third screen on the display means of the information processing device, and the third screen includes another object for displaying a screen for selecting a connection method with the communication device on the display means of the information processing device. (Configuration 6) The program according to any one of Configurations 2 to 4, characterized in that the first screen includes an object for instructing the re-execution of the wireless connection process for establishing a wireless connection with the communication device via the external access point. (Configuration 7) The program according to any one of Configurations 1 to 6, wherein the status of the communication device includes information indicating an error state of the communication device, and in the switching step, guidance for establishing a wireless connection with the communication device via the external access point is switched based on the error state of the communication device. (Configuration 8) A program according to any one of Configurations 2 to 7, characterized in that there are multiple steps required to resolve the predetermined state, the state of the communication device includes information that can identify the steps that have been performed to resolve the predetermined state, and the switching step switches the guidance for establishing a wireless connection with the communication device via the external access point based on the identifiable information. (Configuration 9) The program according to any one of Configurations 2 to 8, characterized in that the predetermined state is the initial state of the communication device. (Configuration 10) The program according to any one of Configurations 2 to 8, characterized in that the predetermined state is a state in which the program of the communication device is unable to accept a request to establish a wireless connection with the information processing device via the external access point. (Configuration 11) The program according to any one of Configurations 1 to 10, characterized in that the communication device is a printing device. (Configuration 12) An information processing device that communicates with a communication device, comprising: direct wireless communication means for directly wirelessly communicating with the communication device in order to provide the communication device with connection information for connecting to an external access point; state acquisition means for acquiring the state of the communication device from the communication device via the direct wireless communication; and switching means for switching guidance for establishing a wireless connection with the communication device via the external access point based on the state of the communication device. (Configuration 13) A control method for an information processing device that communicates with a communication device, comprising: a direct wireless communication step of directly communicating with the communication device in order to provide the communication device with connection information for connecting to an external access point; a state acquisition step of acquiring the state of the communication device from the communication device via the direct wireless communication; and a switching step of switching guidance for establishing a wireless connection with the communication device via the external access point based on the state of the communication device. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0097] 101 PC 102 CPU 113 Display section 121 Printer 132 Display section 530 Wireless connection failure screen 533 "Another connection method" button 540 Tutorial screen 550, 800 Manual Transition Confirmation Screen 552 "Cancel" button 553 "OK" button 600, 900 Wireless Connection Tutorial Screen 610, 910 Initial Status Guide Screen 802 "Retry" button

Claims

1. A program that causes an information processing device that communicates with a communication device to execute a control method, The control method described above is A direct wireless communication step is performed to provide the communication device with connection information for connecting to an external access point, and A state acquisition step of acquiring the state of the communication device from the communication device via the direct wireless communication described above, A program characterized by having a switching step that switches guidance for establishing a wireless connection with the communication device via the external access point based on the state of the communication device.

2. The program according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the switching step, if the state of the communication device is in a predetermined state, a first screen that leads to a screen showing a method for resolving the predetermined state is displayed on the display means of the information processing device, and if the state of the communication device is not in the predetermined state, a second screen that leads to a screen showing a method for establishing a wireless connection between the external access point and the communication device is displayed on the display means of the information processing device.

3. The screen showing how to establish a wireless connection with the communication device also shows how to switch the communication device to the mode for direct wireless communication. The program according to claim 2, characterized in that if the direct wireless communication with the communication device fails, the second screen is displayed on the display means of the information processing device.

4. The program according to claim 2, characterized in that the first screen includes an object for causing the display means of the communication device to display a screen for resolving the predetermined state.

5. The first screen includes an object for displaying the third screen on the display means of the information processing device, The program according to claim 2, characterized in that the third screen includes other objects for causing the display means of the information processing device to display a screen for selecting a method of connection with the communication device.

6. The program according to claim 2, characterized in that the first screen includes an object for instructing the re-execution of the wireless connection process for establishing a wireless connection with the communication device via the external access point.

7. The status of the communication device includes information indicating the error status of the communication device. The program according to claim 1, characterized in that the switching step involves switching the guidance for establishing a wireless connection with the communication device via the external access point based on the error state of the communication device.

8. There are several steps necessary to resolve the aforementioned predetermined state, The state of the communication device includes information that can identify the steps necessary to resolve the predetermined state that has already been performed. The program according to claim 2, characterized in that the switching step switches the guidance for establishing a wireless connection with the communication device via the external access point based on the identifiable information.

9. The program according to claim 2, characterized in that the predetermined state is the initial state of the communication device.

10. The program according to claim 2, characterized in that the predetermined state is a state in which the program of the communication device is unable to accept a request to establish a wireless connection with the information processing device via the external access point.

11. The program according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication device is a printing device.

12. An information processing device that communicates with a communication device, A direct wireless communication means that directly communicates with the communication device in order to provide the communication device with connection information for connecting to an external access point, A state acquisition means for acquiring the state of the communication device from the communication device via the direct wireless communication described above, An information processing device comprising a switching means for switching guidance for establishing a wireless connection with the communication device via the external access point based on the state of the communication device.

13. A control method for an information processing device that communicates with a communication device, A direct wireless communication step is performed to provide the communication device with connection information for connecting to an external access point, and A state acquisition step of acquiring the state of the communication device from the communication device via the direct wireless communication described above, A control method for an information processing device, characterized by comprising a switching step of switching guidance for establishing a wireless connection with the communication device via the external access point based on the state of the communication device.

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