Communication device, its control method, and program

Abstract

In the switching process for wireless communication using short-range wireless communication, connection processing is performed according to whether or not the external device supports multilink. [Solution] The communication device includes a first communication unit that performs a first wireless communication, a second communication unit that performs a second wireless communication compatible with multilink communication that communicates in parallel across multiple frequency bands, and a control unit. The control unit connects to an external device via the first wireless communication and acquires multilink information including first information indicating whether or not the external device supports multilink communication of the second wireless communication. If the first information indicates that the external device supports multilink communication of the second wireless communication, the control unit activates wireless communication across multiple frequency bands using the second communication means and switches to the second wireless communication.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication device, a control method therefor, and a program, and particularly relates to connection processing depending on the presence or absence of a multi-link.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the IEEE 802.11 standard is known as a communication standard for wireless communication, and the IEEE 802.11be standard is being developed to further improve throughput. The IEEE 802.11be standard supports the establishment of a plurality of links, and enables so-called multi-link communication in which connection is simultaneously established over a plurality of frequency bands among the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands. In multi-link communication, links are respectively established between an AP MLD equipped with a plurality of access points (APs) and an STA MLD equipped with a plurality of stations (STAs), so that identical data can be transmitted in parallel or different data can be transmitted.

[0003] On the other hand, for devices to connect to each other using wireless communication, a user has to input communication parameters such as an SSID (Service Set Identifier) and a password into each device. In order to save this trouble, there are known devices that have a function (so-called handover function) of sharing communication parameters with another communication device via other short-range wireless communication such as NFC or Bluetooth (registered trademark) and then switching to the desired wireless communication function. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which a terminal device acquires wireless communication information of an opposite external terminal, and determines whether to perform handover or notify inconsistency by comparing the acquired information with the terminal device's own wireless communication information.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0004]

Patent Literature 1

Summary of the Invention

[0005] In the prior art disclosed in the aforementioned patent documents, the terminal device acquires wireless communication information from the opposing device, compares it with its own information, and determines a handover based on whether they match. At this time, there is no consideration given to the fact that the communicating device is a device capable of multilink according to a new wireless communication standard, such as the IEEE 802.11be standard.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional examples, and its purpose is to provide a technology for performing connection processing in handover processing from short-range wireless communication, depending on whether the communication partner device supports multilink or not. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, according to one aspect of this disclosure, a first communication means for performing a first wireless communication, A second communication means for performing a second wireless communication that supports multilink communication, which communicates in parallel across multiple frequency bands, It has control means, The control means is Connecting to an external device via the first wireless communication, and obtaining multilink information including first information indicating whether or not the external device supports multilink communication of the second wireless communication, If the first information indicates that the external device supports multilink communication of the second wireless communication, the second communication means initiates wireless communication in multiple frequency bands and switches to the second wireless communication. A communication device characterized by the above is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a technology that performs connection processing in the switching process from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication, depending on whether the communication partner's device supports multilink. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment according to the present invention [Figure 2] Connection configuration diagram in an embodiment of the present invention [Figure 3] A diagram illustrating a handover from Bluetooth® to a wireless LAN according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of the screen display of an external device when connection is complete according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Flowchart showing the process from Bluetooth® to wireless LAN handover connection completion according to an embodiment of the present invention [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims. While the embodiments describe multiple features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any way. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, identical or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0011] Furthermore, the embodiments described below are merely examples of means for realizing the present invention, and may be modified or changed as appropriate depending on the configuration of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied and various conditions. It is also possible to combine the embodiments as appropriate.

[0012] The following describes an embodiment in which the communication device of the present invention is mounted on an imaging device such as a digital camera, but it is not limited to this embodiment. The present invention can also be applied to information processing devices such as mobile phones, portable media players, so-called tablet devices, and personal computers.

[0013] ● Hardware configuration Referring to Figure 1, the configuration and functions of an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be outlined. In Figure 1, the control unit 101 controls each part of the digital camera 100 according to the input signals and the program described later. The control unit 101 may include, for example, a processor (CPU) or be the CPU itself. The control unit 101 controls each part of the digital camera 100 by having the CPU execute a program stored in its internal memory, such as a non-volatile memory 103 or a working memory 104. Alternatively, instead of the control unit 101 controlling the entire device, multiple hardware components may share the processing to control the entire device.

[0014] The imaging unit 102 converts the subject light, which is imaged by the optical system including the lens included in the imaging unit 102, into an electrical signal, performs noise reduction processing and other operations, generates digital data, and outputs it as image data. The captured image data is stored in a buffer memory, then predetermined calculations are performed in the control unit 101 to perform image processing and other operations, and it is recorded on the recording medium 107.

[0015] The non-volatile memory 103 is a non-volatile memory that can electrically erase and record data, and stores programs and the like that executed by the control unit 101, as described later.

[0016] The working memory 104 is used as a buffer memory for temporarily holding image data captured by the imaging unit 102, as well as as an image display memory for the display unit 106, and as a working area for the control unit 101.

[0017] The operation unit 105 is used to receive instructions for the digital camera 100 from a user. For example, the operation unit 105 includes operation members such as a power button for the user to instruct turning ON / OFF of the power of the digital camera 100, a release switch for instructing photographing, and a playback button for instructing playback of image data. A touch panel formed on the display unit 106 described later is also included in the operation unit 105. The release switch has SW1 and SW2. When the release switch is in a so-called half-pressed state, SW1 is turned ON. This allows reception of an instruction for performing shooting preparation such as AF (autofocus) processing, AE (automatic exposure) processing, AWB (auto white balance) processing, and EF (flash pre-emission) processing. When the release switch is in a so-called fully-pressed state, SW2 is turned ON. This allows reception of an instruction for performing shooting.

[0018] The display unit 106 performs display of a viewfinder image during shooting, display of captured image data, character display for an interactive operation screen, and the like. Note that the display unit 106 does not necessarily need to be built into the digital camera 100. The digital camera 100 can be connected to an internal or external display unit 106, and only needs to have at least a display control function for controlling display on the display unit 106.

[0019] The recording medium 107 can record image data output from the imaging unit 102. The recording medium 107 may be configured to be detachable from the digital camera 100, or may be built into the digital camera 100. In other words, the digital camera 100 only needs to have at least a means for accessing the recording medium 107.

[0020] The connection unit 108 is a communication unit built into the body of the digital camera 100. The control unit 101 controls the connection unit 108 to achieve wireless communication with external devices. In this embodiment, the communication method is wireless LAN (wireless local area network), specifically a wireless LAN conforming to the IEEE 802.11be standard that supports multilink. However, it is not limited to this, and other communication methods that support multilink may also be used.

[0021] The short-range wireless connection unit 109 consists of, for example, an antenna for wireless communication and a modulation / demodulation circuit and communication controller for processing wireless signals. The short-range wireless connection unit 109 outputs a modulated wireless signal from the antenna and demodulates the wireless signal received by the antenna to realize short-range wireless communication in accordance with the IEEE 802.15 standard (so-called Bluetooth®). In this embodiment, Bluetooth® Low Energy version 4.0, which has low power consumption, is used for Bluetooth® communication. This Bluetooth® communication has a narrower communication range (i.e., a shorter communication distance) compared to wireless LAN communication. Also, Bluetooth® communication is slower than wireless LAN communication. On the other hand, Bluetooth® communication consumes less power than wireless LAN communication. In this embodiment, Bluetooth® may also be referred to as "Bluetooth".

[0022] In this embodiment, the digital camera 100 is a type of access point (hereinafter referred to as AP), but it can also operate as a simpler AP with more limited functionality (hereinafter referred to as a simplified AP). In this embodiment, the AP is an example of a relay device. When the digital camera 100 operates as a simplified AP, the digital camera 100 forms its own wireless communication network. This wireless communication network can be formed, for example, by transmitting a beacon from the simplified AP. Devices in the vicinity of the digital camera 100 (i.e., within the service range) can recognize the digital camera 100 as an AP and participate in the wireless communication network formed by the digital camera 100. The program for operating the digital camera 100 as described above is stored in the non-volatile memory 103.

[0023] In this embodiment, the digital camera 100 is a type of AP, but it is a simple AP that does not have a gateway function to transfer data received from a slave device (or sub-station or STA) to an internet provider or the like. Therefore, even if it receives data from other devices participating in the network it has formed, it cannot transfer it to other networks such as the internet. In another embodiment, it is also possible to give the digital camera 100 a gateway function.

[0024] ● Overview of handover Figure 2 is a diagram showing a configuration in which a digital camera 100 and an external device 200 are connected via wireless LAN and Bluetooth according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, the external device 200 may be a terminal device having a short-range wireless connection unit compatible with the short-range wireless connection unit 109 of the camera 100 and a connection unit compatible with the connection unit 108, such as a smartphone, tablet terminal, personal computer, or printer. Furthermore, the connection unit of the external device 200 may be backward compatible with the connection unit 108 of the IEEE 802.11be standard and does not necessarily have a multilink function. If backward compatibility is required, the connection between the digital camera 100 and the external device will be limited by the communication functions of the external device 200.

[0025] Using Figure 3, we will explain the case where a digital camera 100 and an external device 200, connected via Bluetooth as shown in Figure 2, perform a handover connection to a wireless LAN using Bluetooth.

[0026] The digital camera 100 is assumed to have paired with the external device 200 via the short-range wireless connection unit 109 for Bluetooth communication. Once the pairing process is performed, Bluetooth communication can be automatically established as long as the devices are within the communication range. The display area 302 indicates that Bluetooth communication has been established between the external device 200 and another device, in this example, between the camera 100 and the external device. When Bluetooth communication is established, the digital camera 100 also sends the necessary parameters to the external device 200 for a handover to the wireless LAN, i.e., switching from Bluetooth communication to the wireless LAN, and shares these parameters. Alternatively, when performing a handover, the necessary parameters may be sent to the external device 200 prior to the handover process, and these parameters may be shared. The necessary parameters include, for example, the wireless LAN SSID and password.

[0027] The screen 301 of the external device 200 is an example of the screen display shown on the display unit 206 of the external device 200 when a Bluetooth communication connection is established. The image display button 3011 is a button for displaying images recorded on the recording medium 110 in the digital camera 100. The remote LV 3102 is a button for displaying images taken by the imaging unit 102 of the digital camera 100 in real time. Operating any of these buttons starts the handover process to the wireless LAN.

[0028] When the handover process begins, the external device 200 sends a handover request to the digital camera 100 via Bluetooth communication. Upon receiving the handover request from the external device 200, the digital camera 100 determines whether a handover is possible and returns the result. If a handover is possible, it forms a simple access point (AP) according to the wireless LAN parameters that were previously shared with the external device 200 by sending them to the external device 200. At this time, the digital camera 100 waits for a connection from the external device 200 and displays a message on the display unit 106. For example, screen 304 shows the string "Connecting. Please wait." To cancel waiting for a connection from the external device 200, the user selects the cancel button 305 to terminate the handover process.

[0029] Meanwhile, the external device 200 receives the wireless parameters in advance via Bluetooth communication and connects to the wireless LAN according to the wireless parameters shared with the digital camera 100. Screen 303 shows an example of the screen display at that time. Screen 300 displays the stages until the wireless connection is established, and in the example of screen 303, it shows that the wireless LAN search has been completed and the connection to the wireless LAN is in progress. After the external device 200 has completed the wireless LAN search and connected to the found wireless LAN and completed the IP connection, the external device 200 sends a connection request to the digital camera 100. When the digital camera 100 receives the connection request, it sends a connection permission. The digital camera 100 completes the connection by sending a connection permission reply, and the connection is established when the external device 200 receives the connection permission reply.

[0030] Figure 4 shows an example of the screen display of the external device 200 after connection is complete. The string 400 indicates that it is connecting to the wireless LAN, and that the SSID is CAMERA_000. Once the connection with the digital camera 100 via wireless LAN is established, images stored on the digital camera 100 or live video are transmitted to and displayed on the external device 200, depending on the button that was first touched.

[0031] ● Connection Procedure Figure 5(a) is a flowchart of the Bluetooth connection process between the digital camera 100 and the external device 200. Figure 5(b) is a flowchart of the handover connection process of the digital camera 100 when the digital camera 100 and the external device 200 are connected via wireless LAN using Bluetooth. In both cases, the control unit 101 of the digital camera 100 is the primary execution unit.

[0032] [Bluetooth connection processing flow] In S510, the control unit 101 performs the pairing process. Once the pairing process is complete, the control unit 101 proceeds to S511. For example, if the digital camera is the peripheral device, it returns a pairing response in response to a pairing request from the external device (the central device), and after authentication, exchanges pairing information with the external device.

[0033] In step S511, the control unit 101 stores pairing information in the non-volatile memory 103. The pairing information includes device information such as a UUID, which is device identification information. It may also include encryption information for encrypted communication. However, if the same device information already exists, it is not stored. Once the pairing information is stored, the control unit 101 considers the connection complete. This establishes a secure Bluetooth® connection with the external device 200.

[0034] [Handover connection processing flow] The handover process is initiated on the external device 200 by the user pressing a button on a screen such as the one shown in screen 301 of Figure 3.

[0035] External device 200 transmits a communication to the digital camera 100 via Bluetooth communication to initiate the handover process. Multilink information is also transmitted at the same time. The multilink information may be transmitted separately instead of together. The multilink information includes information indicating whether or not it supports the IEEE 802.11be standard for multilink, and information indicating the frequencies that can be used for multilink communication. In this embodiment, the multilink information includes information indicating whether or not it supports multilink and information on the supported multilink frequencies. However, it may also include other information. The process shown in Figure 5(b) is initiated when the digital camera 100 receives a handover request from external device 200 while it is connected to external device 200 via Bluetooth communication through the short-range wireless connection unit 109.

[0036] In S501, the control unit 101 receives multilink information from the external device 200 via Bluetooth communication through the short-range wireless connection unit 109. As described above, the multilink information includes information on whether or not the device supports multilink and information on the supported multilink frequencies. Once the reception of the multilink information is complete, the control unit 101 proceeds to processing in S502.

[0037] In S502, the control unit 101 forms a wireless LAN as a simple AP via the connection unit 108. At this time, based on the multilink information received in S501, the control unit 101 forms a multilink wireless LAN as a simple AP if the external device 200 supports multilink. On the other hand, if it does not support multilink, it forms a single-link wireless LAN as a simple AP. Furthermore, when forming a multilink wireless LAN, it is formed in a frequency band corresponding to the supported frequency information included in the multilink information. For example, if the multilink information indicates that the external device 200 supports all 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands and supports multilink, the control unit 101 activates wireless LANs in the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands simultaneously (or in parallel). This forms a multilink wireless LAN in multiple frequency bands. Also, for example, if the multilink information indicates that it supports multilink only in the 5GHz and 6GHz bands, the control unit 101 activates wireless LANs in the 5GHz and 6GHz bands simultaneously to form a multilink wireless LAN. In this way, the wireless LAN is formed as a simple AP according to the multilink information. Since multilink communication is performed using a frequency band that both the digital camera 100 and the external device 200 support, frequency bands that the digital camera 100 does not support are not covered by multilink. In the case of single-link, a wireless LAN may be formed using a frequency band supported by the external device 200 included in the multilink information, or a wireless LAN may be formed using a predetermined band or a separately designated frequency band.

[0038] Furthermore, the parameters for forming the wireless LAN (SSID, password, etc.) are wireless parameters that have been previously passed to the external device 200 via Bluetooth communication or other methods. Once the wireless LAN is formed, the control unit 101 proceeds to S503.

[0039] In S503, the control unit 101 determines whether there is a connection request from the external device 200 via the connection unit 108. The connection request information includes the device name of the external device and device information such as the UUID, which is the device identification information. If there is a connection request, the control unit 101 proceeds to S504. If there is no connection request, it determines again whether there is a connection request. The loop in S503 is performed for a predetermined time, and if the predetermined time is exceeded, the control unit 101 may terminate the process by displaying a timeout on the display unit 106. In S503, if a multilink wireless LAN is formed, it may be determined whether there is a connection request from each of the STA MLDs of the external device 200.

[0040] In S504, the control unit 101 transmits a connection permission to the external device 200 via the connection unit 108 in response to the connection request. After transmission, the control unit 101 proceeds to S505. At this time, if a multilink wireless LAN is formed, connection permission may be transmitted in response to connection requests from each STA MLD of the external device corresponding to each AP MLD of the digital camera.

[0041] In S505, the control unit 101 stores the received device information in the non-volatile memory 103. The device information includes the device name and device identification information such as the UUID of the external device. However, if the same device information already exists, it is not stored. Multilink information received in S501 may also be stored in association with the device information stored in S505. Once the device information is stored, the control unit 101 considers the connection complete and terminates the handover process.

[0042] As described above, in the handover process using short-range wireless communication, the digital camera 100 acquires multilink information from the external device 200, such as whether it supports multilink and the available frequency band, via Bluetooth communication. Then, according to this multilink information, it is possible to form a wireless LAN using multilink and perform appropriate connection processing. Here, "appropriate" means connecting via multilink if the external device 200 supports multilink, and via single-link otherwise. As a result, even if the external device does not support multilink and only supports single-link, the digital camera 100 will activate the wireless LAN using single-link. Therefore, a wireless LAN is not formed using a frequency band not used for communication with the external device, and communication is possible without consuming unnecessary power. On the other hand, if the external device supports multilink, the digital camera 100 will activate the wireless LAN using multilink. Therefore, high-speed or highly reliable wireless communication is possible with the external device. Note that the multilink information may be transmitted from the external device 200 to the digital camera 100 and shared immediately after the pairing process shown in Figure 5(a) is completed.

[0043] [Other examples] 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.

[0044] ●Summary of Embodiments The above embodiments can be summarized as follows: (Item 1) A first communication means for performing a first wireless communication, A second communication means for performing a second wireless communication that supports multilink communication, which communicates in parallel across multiple frequency bands, It has control means, The control means is Connecting to an external device via the first wireless communication, and obtaining multilink information including first information indicating whether or not the external device supports multilink communication of the second wireless communication, If the first information indicates that the external device supports multilink communication of the second wireless communication, the second communication means initiates wireless communication in multiple frequency bands and switches to the second wireless communication. A communication device characterized by the following features. (Item 2) A communication device as described in item 1, If the control means indicates that the external device supports multilink communication of the second wireless communication, it activates wireless communication by the second communication means in at least one of the frequency bands of the second wireless communication supported by the external device, as indicated by the second information included in the multilink information, and switches to the second wireless communication. A communication device characterized by the following features. (Item 3) A communication device as described in item 1 or 2, The control means acquires the multilink information in response to an instruction to switch from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication. A communication device characterized by the following features. (Item 4) A communication device described in any one of items 1 to 3, The first wireless communication is a communication in which a connection is established with the external device through a pairing process, The control means acquires the multilink information during the pairing process. A communication device characterized by the following features. (Item 5) A communication device described in any one of items 1 to 4, If the control means indicates that the external device does not support multilink communication of the second wireless communication, it will activate wireless communication in a single frequency band using the second communication means and switch to the second wireless communication. A communication device characterized by the following features. (Item 6) A communication device described in any one of items 1 to 5, The second wireless communication is a wireless local area network, The control means, using the second communication means, forms a wireless local area network with the communication device as an access point. A communication device characterized by the following features. (Item 7) A communication device described in any one of items 1 to 6, The first wireless communication is short-range wireless communication. A communication device characterized by the following features. (Item 8) A communication device described in any one of items 1 to 7, The system further includes a means for capturing images and generating image data, The image data generated by the aforementioned imaging means is transmitted to the external device via the second wireless communication. A communication device characterized by the following features. (Item 9) A program for causing a computer to function as a communication device as described in any one of items 1 through 8. (Item 10) A control method for a communication device comprising: a first communication means for performing a first wireless communication; a second communication means for performing a second wireless communication compatible with multilink communication that communicates in parallel across multiple frequency bands; and a control means, The control means includes a step of connecting to an external device by the first wireless communication and acquiring multilink information including first information indicating whether or not the external device supports multilink communication of the second wireless communication, If the first information indicates that the external device supports multilink communication of the second wireless communication, the control means includes the step of initiating wireless communication in multiple frequency bands using the second communication means and switching to the second wireless communication. A method for controlling a communication device, characterized by the features described above.

[0045] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0046] 100 Imaging device, 101 Control unit, 102 Imaging unit, 103 Non-volatile memory, 104 Working memory, 105 Operation unit, 106 Display unit, 107 Recording medium, 108 Connection unit, 108 Short-range wireless connection unit

Claims

1. A first communication means for performing first wireless communication, A second communication means for performing a second wireless communication that supports multilink communication, which communicates in parallel across multiple frequency bands, It has control means, The control means is Connecting to an external device via the first wireless communication, and obtaining multilink information including first information indicating whether or not the external device supports multilink communication of the second wireless communication, If the first information indicates that the external device supports multilink communication of the second wireless communication, the second communication means initiates wireless communication in multiple frequency bands and switches to the second wireless communication. A communication device characterized by the following features.

2. A communication device according to claim 1, If the control means indicates that the external device supports multilink communication of the second wireless communication, it activates wireless communication by the second communication means in at least one of the frequency bands of the second wireless communication supported by the external device, as indicated by the second information included in the multilink information, and switches to the second wireless communication. A communication device characterized by the following features.

3. A communication device according to claim 1, The control means acquires the multilink information in response to an instruction to switch from the first wireless communication to the second wireless communication. A communication device characterized by the following features.

4. A communication device according to claim 1, The first wireless communication is a communication in which a connection is established with the external device through a pairing process, The control means acquires the multilink information during the pairing process. A communication device characterized by the following features.

5. A communication device according to claim 1, If the control means indicates that the external device does not support multilink communication of the second wireless communication, it will activate wireless communication in a single frequency band using the second communication means and switch to the second wireless communication. A communication device characterized by the following features.

6. A communication device according to claim 1, The second wireless communication is a wireless local area network, The control means, using the second communication means, forms a wireless local area network with the communication device as an access point. A communication device characterized by the following features.

7. A communication device according to claim 1, The first wireless communication is short-range wireless communication. A communication device characterized by the following features.

8. A communication device according to claim 1, The system further includes a means for capturing images and generating image data, The image data generated by the aforementioned imaging means is transmitted to the external device via the second wireless communication. A communication device characterized by the following features.

9. A program for causing a computer to function as a communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A control method for a communication device comprising: a first communication means for performing a first wireless communication; a second communication means for performing a second wireless communication compatible with multilink communication that communicates in parallel across multiple frequency bands; and a control means, The control means includes a step of connecting to an external device by the first wireless communication and acquiring multilink information including first information indicating whether or not the external device supports multilink communication of the second wireless communication, If the first information indicates that the external device supports multilink communication of the second wireless communication, the control means includes the step of initiating wireless communication in multiple frequency bands using the second communication means and switching to the second wireless communication. A method for controlling a communication device, characterized by the following features.

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