Information processing system, information processing apparatus, mobile terminal, information processing program, and mobile terminal program

Abstract

To allow a user to grasp a wireless access point more easily when making a wireless connection from a portable terminal to an information processing apparatus via one of a plurality of wireless access points than when investigating by himself or herself a wireless access point enabling a communication connection from the portable terminal to the information processing apparatus.SOLUTION: A list processing part 44 of an information processing apparatus 12 cumulatively stores, when a portable terminal 16 makes a communication connection with the information processing apparatus 12 via one of a plurality of wireless APs (access point) 14, identification information on a wireless AP 14 that the portable terminal 16 connects via in a memory 38. This processing is repeated to generate a connection actual result list 40 as a list of wireless APs 14 that respective portable terminals 16 having made communication connections with the information processing apparatus 12 via in the past. A notification part 46 then uses the portable terminal 16 to notify a user, making a communication connection with the information processing apparatus 12 via a wireless AP 14, of the connection actual result list 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing apparatus, a mobile terminal, an information processing program, and a mobile terminal program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a wireless communication device that performs wireless communication with a wireless access point, acquires history information (connection processing time, communication time, transfer rate, type of supported service, etc.) regarding each of a plurality of connectable wireless access points, and based on the acquired history information, selects a wireless access point suitable for a predetermined service from among the plurality of wireless access points, and performs wireless communication with the selected wireless access point.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, a system in which a mobile terminal communicates with an information processing apparatus via a wireless access point can be considered. For example, by communicating with an information processing apparatus via a wireless access point from a mobile terminal, a processing request can be transmitted from the mobile terminal to the information processing apparatus, and the information processing apparatus can execute the processing related to the processing request. Alternatively, the mobile terminal can receive data related to a processing request input to the information processing apparatus from the information processing apparatus via a wireless access point.

[0005] In such a system, there may be provided a plurality of wireless access points to which a mobile terminal can communicate. Among the plurality of wireless access points, there may be a case where a wireless access point that makes it impossible for the mobile terminal to communicate with the information processing device when the mobile terminal communicates with the wireless access point is mixed.

[0006] In such a system, the user needs to select an appropriate wireless access point from among the plurality of wireless access points that enables communication connection from the mobile terminal to the information processing device. Although it is conceivable for the user to investigate such an appropriate wireless access point by himself / herself, this would be time-consuming for the user.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to make it easier for a user to grasp a wireless access point that enables communication connection from a mobile terminal to an information processing device when communicating with the information processing device via any one of a plurality of wireless access points, as compared with the case where the user investigates it by himself / herself.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0008] The invention according to claim 1 includes a plurality of mobile terminals and an apparatus-side processor, and an information processing device that is communicatively connected from each of the mobile terminals via any one of a plurality of wireless access points. The apparatus-side processor accumulatively stores in a memory the identification information of the wireless access point through which the mobile terminal that has communicatively connected to the information processing device has passed, thereby generating a connection history list that is a list of the wireless access points through which each of the mobile terminals that have communicatively connected to the information processing device in the past has passed, and notifies the connection history list to a user who communicatively connects to the information processing device via a wireless access point using the mobile terminal. An information processing system characterized by the above. The invention according to claim 2 is such that the device - side processor transmits the connection performance list to the target mobile terminal, which is the mobile terminal used by the user, through short - range wireless communication between them. The target mobile terminal is provided with a terminal - side processor. When the wireless access point to which the target mobile terminal is currently communicating is not included in the received connection performance list, the terminal - side processor searches for other wireless access points in the vicinity of the target mobile terminal, and communicates with the information processing apparatus via the wireless access point included in the connection performance list found by the search. It is the information processing system according to claim 1, characterized by the above. The invention according to claim 3 is such that when the terminal - side processor fails to find a wireless access point included in the connection performance list by the search, the terminal - side processor attempts to communicate with the information processing apparatus via the wireless access point to which the target mobile terminal is communicating. It is the information processing system according to claim 2, characterized by the above. The invention according to claim 4 is such that the device - side processor acquires the authentication information required for the mobile terminal to communicate with the wireless access point through which each mobile terminal that has communicated with the information processing apparatus has passed, associates and stores the authentication information with the wireless access point in the connection performance list, and notifies the user of the connection performance list including the authentication information. It is the information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by the above. The invention according to claim 5 is such that the device - side processor totals the number of successful connection times, which is the number of times the mobile terminal has communicated with the information processing apparatus via a wireless access point, for each wireless access point, and notifies the user of the number of successful connection times for each wireless access point. It is the information processing system according to claim 1, characterized by the above. The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that the device - side processor totals, for each wireless access point, the number of connection failures, which is the number of times the mobile terminal failed to establish a communication connection with the information processing device via the wireless access points included in the connection performance list, and deletes from the connection performance list the wireless access points for which the number of connection failures has reached a threshold number. It is the information processing system according to claim 1 or 5. The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that the device - side processor deletes from the connection performance list the wireless access points that were not used in the communication connection between the mobile terminal and the information processing device for a predetermined time among the wireless access points included in the connection performance list. It is the information processing system according to claim 1, 5, or 6. The invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that the information processing device includes a plurality of communication interfaces for communicating with any one of a plurality of wireless access points via different networks, and the device - side processor generates a connection performance list for each communication interface showing a list of wireless access points through which each mobile terminal that has been communicatively connected to any one of the plurality of communication interfaces in the past has passed, and notifies the user of the connection performance list for each communication interface and executable processing information showing the processing content that can be executed when the mobile terminal establishes a communication connection to the wireless access point corresponding to the communication interface for each communication interface. It is the information processing system according to claim 1. The invention according to claim 9 is such that the device - side processor transmits the connection performance list and the executable processing information for each communication interface to the target mobile terminal, which is the mobile terminal used by the user, via short - range wireless communication between the device - side processor and the target mobile terminal. The target mobile terminal is provided with a terminal - side processor. The terminal - side processor identifies the communication interface through which the processing related to the user's processing request can be executed based on the executable processing information, and in the connection performance list for each communication interface, communicates with the wireless access point associated with the identified communication interface, and communicates with the information processing device via the wireless access point. The information processing system according to claim 8 is characterized by the above. The invention according to claim 10 is such that the device - side processor acquires attribute information, which is an attribute of the wireless access point through which each mobile terminal that has communicated with the information processing device in the past has passed, and indicates an attribute related to whether a processing request transmitted from the mobile terminal to the information processing device via the wireless access point can be executed. The device - side processor associates and stores the attribute information with the wireless access point in the connection performance list, and notifies the user of the connection performance list including the attribute information. The information processing system according to claim 1 is characterized by the above. The invention according to claim 11 is such that the device - side processor transmits the connection performance list including the attribute information to the target mobile terminal, which is the mobile terminal used by the user, via short - range wireless communication between the device - side processor and the target mobile terminal. The target mobile terminal is provided with a terminal - side processor. The terminal - side processor identifies the wireless access point through which the processing request can be executed based on the content of the user's processing request and the attribute information of each wireless access point included in the connection performance list, and communicates with the information processing device via the identified wireless access point. The information processing system according to claim 10 is characterized by the above. The invention according to claim 12 comprises a device - side processor. The device - side processor accumulates and stores in a memory the identification information of the wireless access point through which a mobile terminal that has communicated with the device itself via any of a plurality of wireless access points has passed, thereby generating a connection history list that is a list of the wireless access points through which each of the mobile terminals that have communicated with the device itself in the past has passed, and notifies the connection history list to a user who will communicate with the device itself via a wireless access point using the mobile terminal. It is an information processing device characterized by this. The invention according to claim 13 comprises a terminal - side processor. The terminal - side processor receives, from the information processing device, a connection history list that is a list of the wireless access points through which each of the mobile terminals that have communicated with the information processing device in the past has passed by short - range wireless communication between the device itself and the information processing device. When the wireless access point to which the device itself is currently connected is not included in the received connection history list, it searches for other wireless access points in the vicinity of the device itself, and communicates with the information processing device via the wireless access point included in the connection history list found by the search. It is a mobile terminal characterized by this. The information processing program according to claim 14 causes a computer to accumulate and store in a memory the identification information of the wireless access point through which a mobile terminal that has communicated with the computer itself via any of a plurality of wireless access points has passed, thereby generating a connection history list that is a list of the wireless access points through which each of the mobile terminals that have communicated with the computer itself in the past has passed, and causes the connection history list to be notified to a user who will communicate with the computer itself via a wireless access point using the mobile terminal. It is an information processing program characterized by this. The invention according to claim 15 causes a computer to receive, from the information processing device, a connection history list that is a list of wireless access points through which each mobile terminal that has been communicatively connected to the information processing device in the past has passed by means of short-range wireless communication between the own device and the information processing device, and when the wireless access point to which the own device is currently communicatively connected is not included in the received connection history list, causes the own device to search for other wireless access points in the vicinity of the own device, and communicatively connects to the information processing device via the wireless access point included in the connection history list found by the search. This is a mobile terminal program.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] According to the invention according to claim 1, 12, or 14, when communicatively connecting from a mobile terminal to an information processing device via any one of a plurality of wireless access points, a user can more easily grasp a wireless access point through which communication from the mobile terminal to the information processing device is possible, as compared with the case where the user investigates by himself / herself. According to the invention according to claim 2, 13, or 15, when the wireless access point to which the mobile terminal is currently communicatively connected is not included in the connection history list, communication can be established with the information processing device via another wireless access point based on the connection history list. According to the invention according to claim 3, even when the wireless access point to which the mobile terminal is currently communicatively connected is not included in the connection history list, if the wireless access point is capable of communicatively connecting to the information processing device, the mobile terminal can communicatively connect to the information processing device via the wireless access point. According to the invention according to claim 4, communication can be established from the mobile terminal to the information processing device via a wireless access point included in the connection history list without the user having to obtain authentication information by himself / herself. According to the invention according to claim 5, a user can select a wireless access point based on the number of successful connections. According to the invention according to claim 6, it is possible to prevent a wireless access point with the number of connection failures being equal to or greater than a threshold number of times from being notified to the user. According to the invention according to claim 7, it is possible not to notify the user of a wireless access point that has not been routed in the communication connection between the mobile terminal and the information processing apparatus for a predetermined time. According to the invention according to claim 8, the user can select a wireless access point through which his / her processing request can be executed based on the connection history list including the attribute information. According to the invention according to claim 9, the mobile terminal can communicate and connect to the information processing apparatus via a wireless access point through which the user's processing request can be executed. According to the invention according to claim 10, the user can select a wireless access point that can communicate and connect to a communication interface through which his / her processing request can be executed based on the connection history list for each communication interface and the executable processing information. According to the invention according to claim 11, the mobile terminal can communicate and connect to the information processing apparatus via a wireless access point that can communicate and connect to a communication interface through which the user's processing request can be executed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] <First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an information processing system 10 according to the first embodiment. The information processing system 10 includes an information processing apparatus 12, a plurality of wireless access points 14 (hereinafter referred to as wireless APs (Access Points) 14), and a plurality of mobile terminals 16 used by a plurality of users. Note that the target mobile terminal 16a shown in FIG. 1 is one of the mobile terminals 16, which will be described later.

[0012] The information processing apparatus 12 and each wireless AP 14 are communicably connected to each other via a network 18 which is a communication line by a LAN (Local Area Network). The network 18 may be a wired LAN that performs Ethernet (registered trademark) communication, or may include wireless communication via a wireless LAN by a wireless router. Also, each wireless AP 14 and each mobile terminal 16 can be communicatively connected by wireless communication via a wireless LAN or a mobile phone communication line. Thereby, each mobile terminal 16 can be communicatively connected to the information processing apparatus 12 via any one of the plurality of wireless APs 14.

[0013] In this embodiment, each wireless AP 14 is communicably connected to the information processing apparatus 12 via different networks 18 connected to the information processing apparatus 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing apparatus 12 is connected to networks 18a, 18b, and 18c, the wireless AP 14a is connected to the network 18a, the wireless AP 14b is connected to the network 18b, and the wireless AP 14c is connected to the network 18c. Thereby, each portable terminal 16 can be communicably connected to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14a and the network 18a, can be communicably connected to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14b and the network 18b, and can be communicably connected to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14c and the network 18c. Note that it is not necessary for each wireless AP 14 and each network 18 to be connected one-to-one, and a plurality of wireless APs 14 may be connected to one of the plurality of networks 18 connected to the information processing apparatus 12.

[0014] Some of the plurality of wireless APs 14 are connected to a network 18 that is not connected to the information processing apparatus 12. In the example of FIG. 1, the wireless AP 14d is connected to the network 18d, but the information processing apparatus 12 is not connected to the network 18d. Therefore, if each portable terminal 16 wirelessly connects to the wireless AP 14d, it cannot be communicably connected to the information processing apparatus 12. Thus, when the portable terminal 16 desires to be communicably connected to the information processing apparatus 12, it is necessary to communicably connect to a wireless AP 14 (in other words, a wireless AP 14 that can be communicably connected to the information processing apparatus 12) connected to the network 18 connected to the information processing apparatus 12 among the plurality of wireless APs 14. The information processing system 10 supports the user so that the user can be communicably connected from the portable terminal 16 to the information processing apparatus 12 via an appropriate wireless AP 14.

[0015] The information processing system 10 according to this embodiment is installed in an office, and the information processing device 12 is an image forming device that receives a print job as a processing request from a user and performs print processing. The image forming device can receive a print job from a user via the network 18. In addition, a plurality of wireless APs 14 connected to various networks 18 are installed in the office. Among them, there are also wireless APs 14 that cannot communicate with the information processing device 12. In such a case, for example, when a user who is newly working in the office (such as a new employee or a transferred person) wants to send a print job from their mobile terminal 16 to the information processing device 12, they may not know which wireless AP 14 to connect their mobile terminal 16 to. According to the information processing system 10, such users are supported. Note that the mode of the information processing system 10 is not limited to the above.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the information processing device 12. As described above, in this embodiment, the information processing device 12 is an image forming device that performs print processing based on a print job from a user. However, the information processing device 12 is not limited to this, and any device can be used as long as it can communicate with the mobile terminal 16 used by the user via the wireless AP 14.

[0017] The NIC (Network Interface Card) 30 as a communication interface is a communication adapter for connecting to a network 18 such as a LAN. The NIC 30 is communicably connected to the wireless AP 14 via the network 18 and exhibits a function of communicating with the mobile terminal 16 via the wireless AP 14.

[0018] The NFC (Near Field Communication) adapter 32 is a communication adapter for performing short-range wireless communication with other devices (especially the mobile terminal 16) in the vicinity of the information processing apparatus 12. In this specification, the short-range wireless communication means so-called NFC, meaning short-range wireless communication in a narrow sense. That is, the short-range wireless communication in this specification includes NFC methods such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), ZigBee (registered trademark), or Felica (registered trademark), but does not include wireless LAN.

[0019] Short-range wireless communication is characterized by a slower communication speed compared to LAN communication or mobile phone communication via a mobile phone line. Therefore, short-range wireless communication is not suitable for transmitting large-capacity data. When transmitting large-capacity data via wireless communication, communication via wireless LAN or mobile phone communication is used. For example, since a print job has a large capacity, the print job is sent to the information processing apparatus 12 by communication via wireless LAN or mobile phone communication, rather than short-range wireless communication.

[0020] The display 34 is configured to include, for example, a liquid crystal panel. A screen containing various information is displayed on the display 34.

[0021] The input interface 36 is configured to include, for example, a touch panel and buttons. The input interface 36 receives instructions from the user.

[0022] The memory 38 is configured to include, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), an eMMC (embedded Multi Media Card), a ROM (Read Only Memory), or a RAM (Random Access Memory). In the memory 38, an information processing program for operating each part of the information processing apparatus 12 is stored. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a connection history list 40 is stored in the memory 38. The connection history list 40 is a list of wireless APs 14 through which each mobile terminal 16 that has been communicatively connected to the information processing apparatus 12 (specifically, the NIC 30) in the past has passed. The connection history list 40 is created or edited by a list processing unit 44 described later. Details of the connection history list 40 will be described together with details of the processing of the list processing unit 44.

[0023] The processor 42 as a device-side processor refers to a processor in a broad sense and is configured to include at least one of a general-purpose processor (such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit)) and a dedicated processing device (such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a programmable logic device). The processor 42 may be configured not by a single processing device but by the cooperation of a plurality of physically separated processing devices. As shown in FIG. 2, the processor 42 functions as a list processing unit 44 and a notification unit 46 according to the information processing program stored in the memory 38.

[0024] The list processing unit 44 creates and edits the connection history list 40. Specifically, when the mobile terminal 16 communicatively connects to the information processing apparatus 12 via any one of the plurality of wireless APs 14, the list processing unit 44 stores the identification information of the wireless AP 14 through which the mobile terminal 16 has passed in the memory 38 in an accumulated manner. The information accumulated and stored in this way becomes the connection history list 40.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the connection history list 40 in the first embodiment. For example, when the mobile terminal 16 communicates and connects to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14a, the list processing unit 44 registers the connection information of the wireless AP 14a in the connection history list 40. Although it will be described later with reference to FIG. 4, the connection information of the wireless AP 14 is information including the identification information of the wireless AP 14. Similarly, when the mobile terminal 16 communicates and connects to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14b, the list processing unit 44 registers the connection information of the wireless AP 14b in the connection history list 40, and when the mobile terminal 16 communicates and connects to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14c, the list processing unit 44 registers the connection information of the wireless AP 14c in the connection history list 40. As described above, since the mobile terminal 16 cannot communicate and connect to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14d, the connection information of the wireless AP 14d is not registered in the connection history list 40.

[0026] In this way, the wireless APs 14 through which the mobile terminal 16 can communicate and connect to the information processing apparatus 12 are registered in the connection history list 40. In other words, the connection history list 40 is a list of the wireless APs 14 through which communication connection to the information processing apparatus 12 can be made.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the content of the connection information of the wireless AP 14 in the first embodiment. As described above, the connection information of the wireless AP 14 includes the identification information of the wireless AP 14. In this embodiment, as the identification information of the wireless AP 14, the SSID (Service Set Identifier) of the wireless AP 14 is included in the connection information of the wireless AP 14. The SSID of the wireless AP 14 through which the mobile terminal 16 communicates with the information processing device 12 when connected can be obtained from the mobile terminal 16 by communication (communication by the NIC 30 or short-range wireless communication by the NFC adapter 32) between the mobile terminal 16 and the wireless AP 14. Alternatively, when the mobile terminal 16 is communicatively connected to the information processing device 12 via the wireless AP 14, the list processing unit 44 can obtain the SSID by executing a command (for example, a tracert command) that displays the network path list to the mobile terminal 16.

[0028] In addition to the SSID as the identification information, the connection information of the wireless AP 14 includes authentication information necessary for the mobile terminal 16 to communicate with the wireless AP 14, the number of successful connections, which is the number of times the mobile terminal 16 has communicatively connected to the information processing device 12 via the wireless AP 14, the number of failed connections, which is the number of times the mobile terminal 16 has failed to establish a communication connection when attempting to communicate with the information processing device 12 via the wireless AP 14, and the most recent connection date and time, which is the time when the mobile terminal 16 last communicatively connected to the information processing device 12 via the wireless AP 14.

[0029] The authentication information includes, for example, the encryption method and password of the wireless AP 14. The authentication information is registered in the connection history list 40 by the list processing unit 44. Specifically, when the mobile terminal 16 communicates with the information processing device 12 via the wireless AP 14, the mobile terminal 16 transmits the authentication information of the wireless AP 14 together with the SSID of the wireless AP 14 to the information processing device 12 by communication by the NIC 30 or short-range wireless communication by the NFC adapter 32. The list processing unit 44 associates the received SSID and authentication information and registers them in the connection history list 40 as the connection information of the wireless AP 14.

[0030] The number of successful connections is counted by the list processing unit 44. Specifically, when the mobile terminal 16 communicates and connects to the information processing device 12 via the wireless AP 14 and obtains the SSID of the wireless AP 14, the list processing unit 44 determines whether the SSID is already registered in the connection history list 40. Then, when the SSID is already registered, the list processing unit 44 increments the number of successful connections of the connection information of the wireless AP 14 including the SSID. When the SSID is not registered in the connection history list 40, the list processing unit 44 newly registers in the connection history list 40 the connection information of the wireless AP 14 that includes the SSID and has the number of successful connections as "1". Thus, since the number of successful connections is included in the connection information of each wireless AP 14, it can be said that the list processing unit 44 aggregates the number of successful connections for each wireless AP 14.

[0031] The number of failed connections is also counted by the list processing unit 44. Specifically, when the mobile terminal 16 attempts to communicate and connect to the information processing device 12 via the wireless AP 14 but fails to establish a communication connection, the mobile terminal 16 transmits the SSID of the wireless AP 14 to the information processing device 12 by short-range wireless communication. The list processing unit 44 determines whether the SSID is already registered in the connection history list 40. Then, when the SSID is already registered, the list processing unit 44 increments the number of failed connections of the connection information of the wireless AP 14 including the SSID. In this embodiment, when the SSID is not registered in the connection history list 40, the list processing unit 44 does not do anything in particular. Thus, since the number of failed connections is also included in the connection information of each wireless AP 14, it can be said that the list processing unit 44 aggregates the number of failed connections for each wireless AP 14.

[0032] Note that the fact that the SSID is already registered in the connection history list 40 means that the mobile terminal 16 may have been able to communicate and connect to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 in the past. However, depending on the radio wave intensity of the radio waves emitted by the wireless AP 14, the influence of interference with radio waves emitted by other wireless devices in the vicinity, or changes in the configuration of the network 18 between the information processing apparatus 12 and the wireless AP 14, the communication via the wireless AP 14 may become unstable, or it may become impossible to communicate and connect to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14. Therefore, even when communicating via the wireless AP 14 that is already registered in the connection history list 40, it may become impossible to communicate and connect from the mobile terminal 16 to the information processing apparatus 12.

[0033] A large number of connection failure times means that the communication connection from the mobile terminal 16 to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 is unstable. It is not appropriate to include such a wireless AP 14 in the connection history list 40, which is a list of wireless APs 14 through which communication connections to the information processing apparatus 12 could be made. Therefore, the list processing unit 44 may delete the connection information of the wireless AP 14 whose number of connection failures has reached a predetermined threshold number of times from the connection history list 40. The threshold number of times is appropriately set by, for example, the administrator of the information processing apparatus 12.

[0034] Note that if the connection information of the wireless AP 14 whose number of connection failures is equal to or greater than the threshold number of times is deleted from the connection history list 40, it will become impossible to determine from the connection history list 40 whether the wireless AP 14 was used in the communication connection from the mobile terminal 16 to the information processing apparatus 12 in the past but failed more than the threshold number of times in that communication connection, or whether it has never been used in the communication connection from the mobile terminal 16 to the information processing apparatus 12. Therefore, the list processing unit 44 may also leave the wireless AP 14 whose number of connection failures is equal to or greater than the threshold number of times in the connection history list 40.

[0035] The most recent connection date and time is also set by the list processing unit 44. Specifically, when the mobile terminal 16 communicates with and connects to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 and acquires the SSID of the wireless AP 14, the list processing unit 44 acquires the current time using the timekeeping function of the information processing apparatus 12, and updates the most recent connection date and time of the connection information of the wireless AP 14 including the SSID to the current time.

[0036] In the communication connection between the mobile terminal 16 and the information processing apparatus 12, if there is a wireless AP 14 that has not been routed for a long time, there is a possibility that the wireless AP 14 has been removed from the information processing system 10. Therefore, the list processing unit 44 may delete the connection information of the wireless AP 14 that has not been routed in the communication connection between the mobile terminal 16 and the information processing apparatus 12 from the connection history list 40 based on the difference between the most recent connection date and time and the current time. The predetermined time is appropriately set by, for example, the administrator of the information processing apparatus 12.

[0037] Returning to FIG. 2, the notification unit 46 notifies the connection history list 40 to the user who will communicate with and connect to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 using the mobile terminal 16 from now on. In this specification, the mobile terminal 16 used by the user who will communicate with and connect to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 from now on is referred to as the target mobile terminal 16a.

[0038] As a method for notifying the connection history list 40 to the user, various methods can be considered. For example, a method of transmitting the connection history list 40 to the target mobile terminal 16a by short-range wireless communication and displaying the connection history list 40 on the display of the target mobile terminal 16a can be considered. For example, when the information processing apparatus 12 is an image forming apparatus, prior to transmitting a print job to the information processing apparatus 12, the user may transmit the user information of the user from the target mobile terminal 16a by short-range wireless communication between the target mobile terminal 16a and the information processing apparatus 12, and the information processing apparatus 12 may perform a process of authenticating the user based on the user information. At this time, the notification unit 46 can transmit the connection history list 40 to the target mobile terminal 16a.

[0039] Also, when it is considered that the user is in the vicinity of the information processing apparatus 12, the notification unit 46 may notify the user of the connection history list 40 by causing the connection history list 40 to be displayed on the display 34.

[0040] As described above, since the connection history list 40 is a list of the SSIDs of the wireless APs 14 that have been able to establish a communication connection to the information processing apparatus 12 via it, the user can easily identify, without having to investigate on their own, the wireless APs 14 that can communicate with the information processing apparatus 12 from the attention mobile terminal 16a by referring to the connection history list 40.

[0041] As described above, when the information processing system 10 is installed in an office, the connection history list 40 is very useful for a user who newly starts working in the office.

[0042] Also, even for a user who has conventionally worked in the office, for example, a user who always communicates with the information processing apparatus 12 via the same wireless AP 14 from the mobile terminal 16, that is, a user who knows that they can communicate with the information processing apparatus 12 via a small number of specific wireless APs 14 among a plurality of wireless APs 14, but does not know whether they can communicate with the information processing apparatus 12 via other wireless APs 14, the connection history list 40 can be beneficial. For example, when the user moves within the office with the mobile terminal 16, the mobile terminal 16 may automatically switch the wireless AP 14 with which it performs wireless communication according to the radio wave intensity received by the mobile terminal 16. In that case, the user has to search for and connect to a wireless AP 14 that can communicate with the information processing apparatus 12 among the wireless APs 14 in the vicinity. Even in such a case, the user can easily identify the wireless APs 14 that can communicate with the information processing apparatus 12 by using the connection history list 40.

[0043] As described above, the connection information of each wireless AP 14 included in the connection history list 40 includes, in addition to the SSID of the wireless AP 14, authentication information, the number of successful connections, and the number of connection failures. Therefore, when the notification unit 46 notifies the user of the connection history list 40, the notification unit 46 is also notifying the user of the authentication information, the number of successful connections, and the number of connection failures of each wireless AP 14 included in the connection history list 40.

[0044] By notifying the user of the authentication information, the user can communicate and connect to the wireless AP 14 using the notified authentication information without having to obtain the authentication information for communicating and connecting to the wireless AP 14 by himself / herself.

[0045] By notifying the user of the number of successful connections, when the connection history list 40 includes the connection information of a plurality of wireless APs 14, the user can select the wireless AP 14 to route through for communicating and connecting to the information processing device 12 based on the number of successful connections of each wireless AP 14. For example, the wireless AP 14 with the most successful connections can be selected. In order for the user to easily grasp the wireless APs 14 with a large number of successful connections, the notification unit 46 may sort the wireless APs 14 in descending order of the number of successful connections in the connection history list 40 and then notify the user.

[0046] Similarly, by notifying the user of the number of connection failures, when the connection history list 40 includes the connection information of a plurality of wireless APs 14, the user can select the wireless AP 14 to route through for communicating and connecting to the information processing device 12 based on the number of connection failures of each wireless AP 14. For example, the wireless AP 14 with fewer connection failures can be selected.

[0047] FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of the target mobile terminal 16a. In the following, the target mobile terminal 16a will be described. Since the target mobile terminal 16a is one of the mobile terminals 16, the other mobile terminals 16 also have the same configuration as the target mobile terminal 16a. As described above, the target mobile terminal 16a is a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like. However, the target mobile terminal 16a can be carried and used by the user, and can be any terminal as long as it exhibits the following functions.

[0048] The wireless NIC 50 is a communication adapter for performing wireless communication with the wireless AP 14 via a wireless LAN or mobile phone communication.

[0049] The NFC adapter 52 is a communication adapter for performing short-range wireless communication with other devices (particularly the information processing device 12) in the vicinity of the target mobile terminal 16a.

[0050] The display 54 is configured to include, for example, a liquid crystal panel. On the display 54, a screen including various information such as the connection history list 40 sent from the information processing device 12 is displayed.

[0051] [[ID=I5]] The input interface 56 is configured to include, for example, a touch panel and buttons. The input interface 56 receives instructions from the user.

[0052] The memory 58 is configured to include, for example, an eMMC, a ROM, or a RAM. In the memory 58, a mobile terminal program for operating each part of the target mobile terminal 16a is stored.

[0053] The processor 60 as the terminal-side processor refers to a processor in a broad sense and is configured to include at least one of a general-purpose processor (such as a CPU, etc.) and a dedicated processing device (such as a GPU, ASIC, FPGA, or a programmable logic device, etc.). The processor 60 may be constituted not by a single processing device but by the cooperation of a plurality of physically separated processing devices. As shown in FIG. 5, the processor 60 functions as a connection processing unit 62, a display processing unit 64, and a search unit 66 according to the mobile terminal program stored in the memory 58.

[0054] The connection processing unit 62 executes a process of performing a communication connection with any one of the plurality of wireless APs 14. Specifically, by appropriately setting the SSID of the wireless AP 14 to be connected, the encryption method in the wireless communication with the wireless AP 14, and the password, the target mobile terminal 16a is communicatively connected to the wireless AP 14. In the present embodiment, even before the connection history list 40 is notified to the user, it is assumed that the target mobile terminal 16a is communicatively connected to an appropriately selected wireless AP 14.

[0055] The display processing unit 64 receives the connection history list 40 from the information processing device 12 by short-range wireless communication and displays it on the display 54. Thereby, the connection history list 40 is notified to the user.

[0056] When the wireless AP 14 to which the target mobile terminal 16a is currently communicatively connected (hereinafter referred to as "the connected wireless AP 14") is not included in the connection history list 40 received from the information processing device 12, the search unit 66 searches for other wireless APs 14 in the vicinity of the target mobile terminal 16a. On the other hand, when the connected wireless AP 14 is included in the connection history list 40, the search unit 66 does not perform the above-described search, the connection processing unit 62 maintains the communication connection with the wireless AP 14, and the target mobile terminal 16a is communicatively connected to the information processing device 12 via the wireless AP 14.

[0057] The user can determine whether the currently connected wireless AP 14 is included in the connection history list 40. In this case, the user checks the communication setting information of the target mobile terminal 16a, etc., identifies the SSID of the currently connected wireless AP 14, and determines whether the identified SSID is included in the connection history list 40. If the SSID is not included in the connection history list 40, the user inputs a search instruction from the input interface 56, and the search unit 66 searches for other wireless APs 14 in the vicinity of the target mobile terminal 16a based on the search instruction. Alternatively, the search unit 66 may automatically determine whether the currently connected wireless AP 14 is included in the connection history list 40.

[0058] Through the search by the search unit 66, the SSIDs of other wireless APs 14 in the vicinity of the target mobile terminal 16a are obtained.

[0059] The connection processing unit 62 determines whether the SSID obtained by the search unit 66 is included in the connection history list 40. If the obtained SSID is included in the connection history list 40, the connection processing unit 62 makes a communication connection to the wireless AP 14 indicated by the SSID, and makes a communication connection to the information processing device 12 via the wireless AP 14. In the search by the search unit 66, if multiple wireless APs 14 included in the connection history list 40 are found, the connection processing unit 62 may inquire the user which wireless AP 14 to use for making a communication connection to the information processing device 12, and make a communication connection to the wireless AP 14 selected by the user. Alternatively, the connection processing unit 62 may automatically select the wireless AP 14 with the most connection success times in the connection history list 40 among the multiple discovered wireless APs 14, and make a communication connection to the selected wireless AP 14.

[0060] If the wireless AP 14 included in the connection history list 40 is not found by the search by the search unit 66, the connection processing unit 62 maintains the communication connection to the wireless AP 14 during connection. As a result, the target mobile terminal 16a attempts to establish a communication connection to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 during connection. The fact that the search by the search unit 66 has been performed means that the wireless AP 14 during connection is not included in the connection history list 40. However, since there is a possibility that the information processing apparatus 12 can be connected via the wireless AP 14 during connection, the target mobile terminal 16a attempts to establish a communication connection to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 during connection. If the communication connection to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 during connection is successful, the wireless AP 14 will be newly registered in the connection history list 40.

[0061] The configuration overview of the information processing system 10 according to the first embodiment is as described above. Hereinafter, the processing flow of the information processing apparatus 12 according to the first embodiment will be described according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 6.

[0062] In step S10, the mobile terminal 16 attempts to establish a communication connection to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14. The list processing unit 44 of the information processing apparatus 12 determines whether the communication connection from the mobile terminal 16 via the wireless AP 14 to the information processing apparatus 12 has been successful, that is, whether it has received a communication connection from the mobile terminal 16 via the wireless AP 14. If it has received a communication connection from the mobile terminal 16 via the wireless AP 14, the process proceeds to step S12.

[0063] In step S12, the list processing unit 44 acquires the SSID of the wireless AP 14. Further, the list processing unit 44 receives the authentication information of the wireless AP 14 from the mobile terminal 16.

[0064] In step S14, the list processing unit 44 determines whether the SSID acquired in step S12 is included in the connection history list 40. If the SSID is not included in the connection history list 40, the process proceeds to step S16. In step S16, the list processing unit 44 newly adds the SSID acquired in step S12, the authentication information, the connection success count "1", the connection failure count "0", and the connection information of the wireless AP 14 whose most recent connection date and time is the current time to the connection history list 40.

[0065] If it is determined in step S14 that the SSID acquired in step S12 is included in the connection history list 40, the process proceeds to step S18. In step S18, the list processing unit 44 identifies the connection information of the wireless AP 14 from the connection history list 40 based on the SSID, increments the connection success count of the identified connection information of the wireless AP 14, and updates the most recent connection date and time to the current time.

[0066] In step S20, the list processing unit 44 sorts the wireless APs 14 in descending order of the connection success count in the connection history list 40.

[0067] If the communication connection from the mobile terminal 16 to the information processing device 12 via the wireless AP 14 fails in step S10, the process proceeds to step S22.

[0068] In step S22, the user causes the mobile terminal 16 and the information processing device 12 to perform short-range wireless communication, whereby the list processing unit 44 acquires the SSID of the wireless AP 14.

[0069] In step S24, the list processing unit 44 determines whether the SSID acquired in step S22 is included in the connection history list 40. If the SSID is not included in the connection history list 40, the process ends. On the other hand, if the SSID acquired in step S22 is included in the connection history list 40, the process proceeds to step S26.

[0070] In step S26, the list processing unit 44 identifies the connection information of the wireless AP 14 from the connection history list 40 based on the SSID, increments the number of connection failures of the identified connection information of the wireless AP 14, and updates the most recent connection date and time to the current time.

[0071] In step S28, the list processing unit 44 determines whether the number of connection failures of the connection information of the wireless AP 14 incremented in step S26 has reached the threshold number of times. If the number of connection failures has not reached the threshold number of times, the process ends. If the number of connection failures has reached the threshold number of times, the process proceeds to step S30.

[0072] In step S30, the list processing unit 44 deletes the connection information of the wireless AP 14 from the connection history list 40.

[0073] Hereinafter, according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 7, the processing flow of the target mobile terminal 16a according to the first embodiment will be described. It is assumed that at the start point of the flowchart in FIG. 7, the target mobile terminal 16a is in communication connection with one wireless AP 14.

[0074] In step S40, the user causes short-range wireless communication to be performed between the target mobile terminal 16a and the information processing apparatus 12, whereby the target mobile terminal 16a receives the connection history list 40 from the information processing apparatus 12.

[0075] In step S42, the search unit 66 of the target mobile terminal 16a determines whether the currently connected wireless AP 14 is included in the connection history list 40. If the currently connected wireless AP 14 is included in the connection history list 40, the process proceeds to step S52. If it is not included, the process proceeds to step S44.

[0076] In step S44, the search unit 66 searches for other wireless APs 14 in the vicinity of the target mobile terminal 16a.

[0077] In step S46, the connection processing unit 62 determines whether the wireless AP 14 discovered in step S44 is included in the connection history list 40. If the wireless AP 14 is included in the connection history list 40, the process proceeds to step S48.

[0078] In step S48, the connection processing unit 62 makes a communication connection to the wireless AP 14 discovered in step S44, whereby the target mobile terminal 16a makes a communication connection to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14.

[0079] If it is determined in step S46 that the wireless AP 14 discovered in step S44 is not included in the connection history list 40, the process proceeds to step S50.

[0080] In step S50, the search unit 66 searches again for other wireless APs 14 in the vicinity of the target mobile terminal 16a, and determines whether another wireless AP 14 other than the wireless AP 14 for which the process of step S46 has ended has been discovered. If one is discovered, the process of step S46 is repeated for the discovered other wireless AP 14. If no other wireless AP 14 other than the wireless AP 14 for which the process of step S46 has ended is discovered, in other words, if there is no wireless AP 14 included in the connection history list 40 in the vicinity of the target mobile terminal 16a, the process proceeds to step S52.

[0081] In step S52, the connection processing unit 62 maintains the communication connection to the connected wireless AP 14, whereby the target mobile terminal 16a attempts to make a communication connection to the information processing apparatus 12 via the connected wireless AP 14. After step S52, the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 is executed in the information processing apparatus 12.

[0082] <Second Embodiment> FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of an information processing system 70 according to the second embodiment. Among the components included in the information processing system 70 according to the second embodiment, components similar to those included in the information processing system 10 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted. In the information processing system 70 according to the second embodiment, the information processing apparatus 72 has a plurality of NICs 30, and each NIC 30 is connected to each wireless AP 14 via a different network 18. That is, the plurality of NICs 30 communicate with any one of the plurality of wireless APs 14 via different networks 18.

[0083] Each network 18 to which each NIC 30 is connected has a different security level from each other. For example, the security level of the network 18b to which the NIC 30b and the wireless AP 14b are connected is higher than the security level of the network 18c to which the NIC 30c and the wireless AP 14c are connected, and the security level of the network 18a to which the NIC 30a and the wireless AP 14a are connected is even higher than the security level of the network 18b. The height of the security level is determined by, for example, the conditions for connecting to the network 18. For example, the network 18c with the lowest security level is a network that does not require authentication for connection and can be connected by anyone (from any mobile terminal 16), and the network 18b with a security level higher than that of the network 18c requires authentication for connection and is a network that can be connected only by pre-registered users. The network 18a with a security level even higher than that of the network 18b requires authentication for connection and is a network that can be connected only by users in a specific department, and so on.

[0084] Since the security levels of the respective networks 18 are different from each other, in the information processing system 70, depending on the wireless AP 14 to which the mobile terminal 16 is communicatively connected (that is, the network 18 or the NIC 30 to which the mobile terminal 16 is connected via the wireless AP 14), the processing contents executable by the information processing apparatus 72 are different from each other. The processing contents executable by the information processing apparatus 72 corresponding to the wireless AP 14 to which the mobile terminal 16 is communicatively connected are determined by settings of the information processing apparatus 72 or the like. The settings of the information processing apparatus 72 are determined by an administrator of the information processing apparatus 72 or the like.

[0085] Therefore, when the user causes the information processing apparatus 72 to execute a job, the user must communicatively connect the mobile terminal 16 to the NIC 30 in which the information processing apparatus 72 can execute the job. For example, consider a job in which the user directly operates the information processing apparatus 72 to scan a paper document and transfer the scan data to the user's own mobile terminal 16 via the wireless AP 14. In this case, the information processing apparatus 72 may not be able to transmit the scan data via the network 18c with a low security level, and the scan data via the network 18a or 18b may be possible. At this time, in order for the user to receive the scan data with the user's own mobile terminal 16, the user communicatively connects the user's own mobile terminal 16 to the information processing apparatus 72 via the wireless AP 14. However, if the mobile terminal 16 is communicatively connected to the wireless AP 14c connected to the network 18c, the user will not be able to receive the scan data from the information processing apparatus 72. Thus, the user needs to communicatively connect the mobile terminal 16 to the information processing apparatus 72 via an appropriate wireless AP 14 (the wireless AP 14a or 14b in the above example) in which the information processing apparatus 72 can execute the job. The information processing system 70 supports the user so that the information processing apparatus 12 can communicatively connect from the mobile terminal 16 to the information processing apparatus 72 via the wireless AP 14 in which the information processing apparatus 12 can execute the job.

[0086] FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration diagram of the information processing apparatus 72 according to the second embodiment. Compared with the information processing apparatus 12 according to the first embodiment, the information processing apparatus 72 according to the second embodiment has a plurality of NICs 30, and is different in that the content of the connection history list 74 stored in the memory 38 and the executable processing information 76 are stored in the memory 38.

[0087] In the second embodiment, when the mobile terminal 16 communicates and connects to any one of the plurality of NICs 30 via any one of the wireless APs 14, the list processing unit 44 stores and accumulates the identification information of the wireless AP 14 through which the mobile terminal 16 has passed in the memory 38 separately for each NIC 30. The information stored and accumulated in this way becomes the connection history list 74. The connection history list 74 is a list for each NIC 30 that shows a list of the wireless APs 14 through which each mobile terminal 16 that has communicated and connected to any one of the plurality of NICs 30 in the past has passed.

[0088] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the connection history list 74 in the second embodiment. For example, when the mobile terminal 16 communicates and connects to the NIC 30a via the wireless AP 14a, the list processing unit 44 registers the connection information of the wireless AP 14a in the connection history list 74 in association with the NIC 30a. Similarly, when the mobile terminal 16 communicates and connects to the NIC 30b via the wireless AP 14b, the list processing unit 44 registers the connection information of the wireless AP 14b in the connection history list 74 in association with the NIC 30b. When the mobile terminal 16 communicates and connects to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14c, the list processing unit 44 registers the connection information of the wireless AP 14c in the connection history list 74 in association with the NIC 30c.

[0089] Regarding the content of the connection information of each wireless AP 14, it may be the same as that in the first embodiment (see FIG. 4), and thus the description thereof will be omitted. In the first embodiment, when the mobile terminal 16 communicates and connects to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14, the list processing unit 44 stores the connection information of the wireless AP 14 in the connection record list 40. However, in the second embodiment, the list processing unit 44 may store the connection information of the wireless AP 14 in the connection record list 74 when the user communicates and connects the mobile terminal 16 to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 and the execution of the job input by the user is appropriately completed. Further, the "number of successful connections" included in the connection information of the wireless AP 14 may be set as the "number of successful job executions" in which the execution of the job is appropriately completed, and the "number of failed connections" included in the connection information of the wireless AP 14 may be set as the "number of failed job executions" in which the execution of the job fails.

[0090] The executable processing information 76 is information indicating the processing content that can be executed when the mobile terminal 16 communicates and connects to the wireless AP 14 corresponding to the NIC 30 for each NIC 30. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the content of the executable processing information 76.

[0091] In the example of FIG. 11, the processing contents include "print from mobile terminal", "transfer scan data to mobile terminal", "transfer scan data by email", and "transfer scan data by fax". "Print from mobile terminal" means that a print job is sent from the mobile terminal 16 to the NIC 30 via the wireless AP 14, and the information processing apparatus 72 executes print processing related to the print job. "Transfer scan data to mobile terminal" means that the user directly operates the information processing apparatus 72 to cause the information processing apparatus 72 to execute scan processing, and the scan data obtained by the scan processing is transferred to the mobile terminal 16 that is communicatively connected to the NIC 30 via the wireless AP 14. "Transfer scan data by email" means that after the setting values related to the scan job are sent from the mobile terminal 16 to the NIC 30 via the wireless AP 14, the user directly operates the information processing apparatus 72 to cause the information processing apparatus 72 to execute scan processing, and the scan data obtained by the scan processing is transferred by email. "Transfer scan data by fax" means that after the setting values related to the scan job are sent from the mobile terminal 16 to the NIC 30 via the wireless AP 14, the user directly operates the information processing apparatus 72 to cause the information processing apparatus 72 to execute scan processing, and the scan data obtained by the scan processing is transferred by fax. Note that the processing contents included in the executable processing information 76 are not limited to the above-described contents. For example, a process of sending a fax transfer job including an electronic document from the mobile terminal 16 to the NIC 30 via the wireless AP 14 and the information processing apparatus 72 faxing the electronic document related to the fax transfer job may be included.

[0092] In the example of FIG. 11, an “〇” mark means executable, and an “×” mark means non - executable. For example, an “〇” is attached to the combination of NIC30a and “transfer scan data to the mobile terminal”. This means that it is possible to transfer the scan data obtained by the scan process to the mobile terminal 16 that has made a communication connection to NIC30a via the wireless AP14a. On the other hand, an “×” is attached to the combination of NIC30c and “transfer scan data to the mobile terminal”. This means that it is impossible to transfer the scan data obtained by the scan process to the mobile terminal 16 that has made a communication connection to NIC30c via the wireless AP14c.

[0093] In the second embodiment, the notification unit 46 notifies the user who is about to connect the information processing device 12 via the wireless AP14 using the mobile terminal 16 of the connection performance list 74 for each NIC30 and the executable processing information 76.

[0094] As a method of notifying the connection performance list 74 and the executable processing information 76 to the user, similar to the first embodiment, the connection performance list 74 and the executable processing information 76 may be transmitted to the target mobile terminal 16a by short - range wireless communication, or the connection performance list 74 and the executable processing information 76 may be displayed on the display 34 of the information processing device 72.

[0095] First, by referring to the executable processing information 76, the user can identify the NIC30 to which the target mobile terminal 16a for communication connection should be connected so that the information processing device 72 can execute the process related to the job the user is about to send. For example, if the content of the executable processing information 76 is as shown in FIG. 11 and the user wants the information processing device 72 to execute a job of transferring scan data to the target mobile terminal 16a, the user can understand that the target mobile terminal 16a should be connected to NIC30a or 30b for communication.

[0096] Next, the user can refer to the connection history list 74 for each NIC 30 and identify a wireless AP 14 that can communicate with the identified NIC 30 (NIC 30a or 30b in the above example). Then, by establishing a communication connection between the identified wireless AP 14 and the target mobile terminal 16a, the user can connect the target mobile terminal 16a to the NIC 30 via the wireless AP 14, through which the user's job can be executed. In this way, by notifying the user of the connection history list 74 for each NIC 30 and the executable processing information 76, the user can easily identify the wireless AP 14 through which the information processing device 72 should route to connect the target mobile terminal 16a to the NIC 30 that can execute the user's job.

[0097] When the notification unit 46 transmits the connection history list 74 for each NIC 30 and the executable processing information 76 to the target mobile terminal 16a through short-range wireless communication between the information processing device 72 and the target mobile terminal 16a, the connection processing unit 62 of the target mobile terminal 16a may identify the NIC 30 on which the processing related to the user's job can be executed based on the executable processing information 76, and in the connection history list 74 for each NIC 30, communicate with the wireless AP 14 associated with the identified NIC 30 and connect to the information processing device 72 via the wireless AP 14. That is, when the target mobile terminal 16a receives the connection history list 74 for each NIC 30 and the executable processing information 76, the connection processing unit 62 may perform the identification of the NIC 30 and the communication connection process to the wireless AP 14 that can communicate with the identified NIC 30 on behalf of the user.

[0098] Hereinafter, according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 12, the processing flow of the target mobile terminal 16a according to the second embodiment will be described. It is assumed that at the start of the flowchart in FIG. 12, the target mobile terminal 16a is also connected to one wireless AP 14.

[0099] In step S60, the user causes short-range wireless communication to be executed between the target mobile terminal 16a and the information processing apparatus 12. As a result, the target mobile terminal 16a receives a connection performance list 74 for each NIC and executable process information 76 from the information processing apparatus 72.

[0100] In step S62, the connection processing unit 62 of the target mobile terminal 16a specifies the NIC 30 to which the target mobile terminal 16a should be communicatively connected so that the information processing apparatus 72 can execute the job, based on the processing content of the job that the user is about to transmit and the executable process information 76 received in step S60.

[0101] In step S64, the search unit 66 of the target mobile terminal 16a refers to the connection performance list 74 for each NIC received in step S60, and determines whether it is possible to communicatively connect to the NIC 30 specified in step S62 via the wireless AP 14 that is currently connected. If communicative connection is possible, the process proceeds to step S74; if communicative connection is impossible, the process proceeds to step S66.

[0102] In step S66, the search unit 66 searches for other wireless APs 14 in the vicinity of the target mobile terminal 16a.

[0103] In step S68, the connection processing unit 62 refers to the connection performance list 74 for each NIC, and determines whether it is possible to communicatively connect to the NIC 30 specified in step S62 via the wireless AP 14 discovered in step S66. If communicative connection is possible, the process proceeds to step S70.

[0104] In step S70, the connection processing unit 62 communicatively connects to the wireless AP 14 discovered in step S66. As a result, the target mobile terminal 16a communicatively connects to the NIC 30 specified in step S62 via the wireless AP 14. Thereafter, the user causes the information processing apparatus 72 to execute the job.

[0105] In step S68, if it is determined that communication connection to the NIC 30 specified in step S62 is impossible by passing through the wireless AP 14 discovered in step S66, the process proceeds to step S72.

[0106] In step S72, the search unit 66 searches for another wireless AP 14 in the vicinity of the target mobile terminal 16a again, and determines whether another wireless AP 14 other than the wireless AP 14 that has finished the process of step S68 is discovered. If discovered, the process of step S68 is repeated for the discovered other wireless AP 14. If no other wireless AP 14 other than the wireless AP 14 that has finished the process of step S68 is discovered, in other words, if there is no wireless AP 14 in the vicinity of the target mobile terminal 16a that can communicate with the NIC 30 specified in step S62, the process proceeds to step S74.

[0107] In step S74, the connection processing unit 62 maintains the communication connection to the connected wireless AP 14. As a result, the target mobile terminal 16a attempts to communicate with the information processing device 12 via the connected wireless AP 14, and then tries to cause the information processing device 72 to execute the processing of the job.

[0108] <Third Embodiment> FIG. 13 is a schematic configuration diagram of an information processing system 80 according to the third embodiment. Among the components included in the information processing system 80 according to the third embodiment, components similar to those included in the information processing system 10 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted. In the information processing system 80 according to the third embodiment, a part of the plurality of networks 18 to which the information processing apparatus 12 is connected is also connected to the Internet 82. In the example of FIG. 13, the network 18a is connected to the Internet 82. That is, when the mobile terminal 16 makes a communication connection to the wireless AP 14a, the mobile terminal 16 can access the Internet 82 via the wireless AP 14a and the network 18a. On the other hand, the networks 18b and 18c are not connected to the Internet 82. Therefore, even if the mobile terminal 16 makes a communication connection to the wireless AP 14b or the wireless AP 14c, it cannot access the Internet 82.

[0109] Among the jobs transmitted from the mobile terminal 16 to the information processing apparatus 12 as processing requests, there are jobs that require the use of services provided on the Internet 82. For example, when the job is a print job, a document conversion service provided by a cloud service on the Internet 82 may be used as a pre-process for the processing related to the print job. Specifically, when the electronic document to be processed by the print job is in a format that cannot be processed by the information processing apparatus 12, which is an image forming apparatus, the electronic document may be transmitted to the cloud service and converted into a format that can be processed by the information processing apparatus 12, and then the print job may be transmitted to the information processing apparatus 12. In such a case, in order to cause the information processing apparatus 12 to preferably process the job, the mobile terminal 16 needs to make a communication connection to a wireless AP 14 that can communicate with the information processing apparatus 12 and can be connected to the Internet 82. In the example of FIG. 13, it is necessary to make a communication connection to the wireless AP 14a instead of the wireless AP 14b or 14c. The information processing system 80 supports the user so that the information processing apparatus 12 can communicate with the information processing apparatus 12 from the mobile terminal 16 via the wireless AP 14 capable of executing the job.

[0110] In the third embodiment, compared with the first embodiment, the content of the connection information of the wireless AP 14 included in the connection history list 40 is different. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of the content of the connection information of the wireless AP 14 in the third embodiment. As can be seen by comparing FIG. 4 and FIG. 14, the connection information of the wireless AP 14 in the third embodiment includes attribute information.

[0111] The attribute information is an attribute related to the executability of a job transmitted from the mobile terminal 16 to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14. In this example, as described above, since the executability of the job is determined by whether or not the network 18 to which the wireless AP 14 is connected is connected to the Internet 82, in this example, the attribute information is information indicating whether or not the network 18 to which the wireless AP 14 is connected can be connected to the Internet 82. That is, the attribute information is information indicating whether or not the mobile terminal 16 can be connected to the Internet 82 when the mobile terminal 16 makes a communication connection to the wireless AP 14, and further, whether or not cloud services on the Internet 82 can be used.

[0112] The attribute information is registered in the connection history list 40 by the list processing unit 44. Specifically, when a job that requires the use of cloud services on the Internet 82 is transmitted from the mobile terminal 16 to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 and the execution of the job is successful, the mobile terminal 16 transmits, together with the SSID of the wireless AP 14, the attribute information of the wireless AP 14 (information indicating that it can be connected to the Internet 82 in this example) to the information processing apparatus 12 by communication by the NIC 30 or short-range wireless communication by the NFC adapter 32. The list processing unit 44 associates the received SSID and attribute information and registers them in the connection history list 40 as the connection information of the wireless AP 14.

[0113] In the first embodiment, when the mobile terminal 16 communicates and connects to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14, the list processing unit 44 stores the connection information of the wireless AP 14 in the connection history list 40. However, in the third embodiment, the list processing unit 44 may store the connection information of the wireless AP 14 in the connection history list 40 when the mobile terminal 16 transmits a job to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 and the execution of the job is appropriately completed. Also, the "number of successful connections" included in the connection information of the wireless AP 14 may be set as the "number of successful job executions" in which the execution of the job transmitted to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 is appropriately completed, and the "number of failed connections" included in the connection information of the wireless AP 14 may be set as the "number of failed job executions" in which the execution of the job transmitted to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 fails.

[0114] Also in the third embodiment, the notification unit 46 notifies the user who is about to communicate and connect to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 using the target mobile terminal 16a of the connection history list 40 including the attribute information of each wireless AP 14. By referring to the connection history list 40 including the attribute information of each wireless AP 14, the user can easily identify the wireless AP 14 to which the target mobile terminal 16a should be communicatively connected in order to enable the information processing apparatus 12 to execute a job that requires the use of a cloud service on the Internet 82.

[0115] Similar to the first embodiment, the notification unit 46 can transmit the connection history list 40 including the attribute information of each wireless AP 14 to the target mobile terminal 16a by short-range wireless communication between the information processing apparatus 12 and the target mobile terminal 16a. In this case, the connection processing unit 62 of the target mobile terminal 16a specifies the wireless AP 14 on which the job can be executed based on the content of the user's job and the attribute information of each wireless AP 14 included in the connection history list 40, automatically establishes a communication connection with the specified wireless AP 14, and may establish a communication connection with the information processing apparatus 12 via the specified wireless AP 14 to transmit the job. Specifically, the connection processing unit 62 specifies the execution conditions of the job based on the content of the job that the user is about to transmit. For example, the connection processing unit 62 identifies the format of the electronic document related to the user's print job, and if the format is a format that the information processing apparatus 12 cannot process, it is necessary to convert the format of the electronic document by a cloud service prior to the processing of the print job in the information processing apparatus 12. Therefore, it is specified that the connection to the Internet is available as an execution condition of the print job. Then, the connection processing unit 62 refers to the attribute information of each wireless AP 14 included in the connection history list 40, specifies the wireless AP 14 that satisfies the execution conditions of the specified job (that is, the wireless AP 14 that can be connected to the Internet 82), and establishes a communication connection with the specified wireless AP 14.

[0116] Note that in the above example, the attribute information was information indicating whether the wireless AP 14 was connected to the Internet 82 of the network 18 to which the wireless AP 14 was connected. However, the attribute information is not limited to this as long as it is an attribute related to whether the processing request transmitted from the mobile terminal 16 to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 can be executed. For example, when a rasterization processing apparatus, which is a device other than the information processing apparatus 12, executes rasterization processing on an electronic document related to a print job and then transmits the rasterization data obtained by the rasterization processing to the information processing apparatus 12, and the information processing apparatus 12 performs print processing based on the received rasterization data, that is, when the information processing apparatus 12 does not perform rasterization processing, the attribute information can be information indicating whether the rasterization processing apparatus can be connected.

[0117] Next, according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 15, the processing flow of the target mobile terminal 16a according to the third embodiment will be described. It is assumed that the target mobile terminal 16a is also communicatively connected to one wireless AP 14 at the start of the flowchart in FIG. 15.

[0118] In step S80, the user causes short-range wireless communication to be performed between the target mobile terminal 16a and the information processing apparatus 12, whereby the target mobile terminal 16a receives a connection history list 40 including the attribute information of each wireless AP 14 from the information processing apparatus 12.

[0119] In step S82, the connection processing unit 62 of the target mobile terminal 16a specifies the execution conditions of the job based on the content of the job that the user is about to transmit, and refers to the attribute information of each wireless AP 14 included in the connection history list 40 to extract a wireless AP 14 that satisfies the specified execution conditions of the job.

[0120] In step S84, the search unit 66 of the target mobile terminal 16a determines whether the currently connected wireless AP 14 is included in the wireless AP 14 extracted in step S82. If it is included, the process proceeds to step S94; if it is not included, the process proceeds to step S86.

[0121] In step S86, the search unit 66 searches for other wireless APs 14 in the vicinity of the target mobile terminal 16a.

[0122] In step S88, the connection processing unit 6 determines whether the wireless AP 14 discovered in step S86 is included in the connection history list 40 and, with reference to the attribute information of the wireless AP 14, determines whether it satisfies the execution conditions of the job specified in step S82. If the wireless AP 14 is included in the connection history list 40 and satisfies the execution conditions of the job, the process proceeds to step S90.

[0123] In step S90, the connection processing unit 62 makes a communication connection to the wireless AP 14 discovered in step S86. As a result, the target mobile terminal 16a makes a communication connection to the information processing apparatus 12 via the wireless AP 14 and transmits the job.

[0124] In step S88, if it is determined that the wireless AP 14 discovered in step S86 is not included in the connection result list 40 or does not satisfy the execution conditions of the job, the process proceeds to step S92.

[0125] In step S92, the search unit 66 searches for another wireless AP 14 in the vicinity of the target mobile terminal 16a again, and determines whether another wireless AP 14 other than the wireless AP 14 for which the process of step S88 has been completed has been discovered. If discovered, the process of step S88 is repeated for the discovered other wireless AP 14. If no other wireless AP 14 other than the wireless AP 14 for which the process of step S88 has been completed is discovered, in other words, if there is no wireless AP 14 in the vicinity of the target mobile terminal 16a that is included in the connection result list 40 and satisfies the execution conditions of the job, the process proceeds to step S94.

[0126] In step S94, the connection processing unit 62 maintains the communication connection to the connected wireless AP 14. As a result, the target mobile terminal 16a makes a communication connection to the information processing apparatus 12 via the connected wireless AP 14, transmits the job, and tries to have the information processing apparatus 12 execute the process of the job.

[0127] The embodiments according to the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0128] 10, 70, 80 Information processing system, 12, 72 Information processing device, 14 Wireless AP, 16 Mobile terminal, 16a Target mobile terminal, 18 Network, 30 NIC, 32, 52 NFC adapter, 34, 54 Display, 36, 56 Input interface, 38, 58 Memory, 40, 74 Connection history list, 42, 60 Processor, 44 List processing unit, 46 Notification unit, 50 Wireless NIC, 62 Connection processing unit, 64 Display processing unit, 66 Search unit, 76 Executable processing information, 82 Internet.

Claims

1. A plurality of mobile terminals, An information processing apparatus including a device-side processor, which is communicatively connected from each of the mobile terminals via one of a plurality of wireless access points, Comprising: The device-side processor By storing and accumulating in a memory the identification information of the wireless access point through which the mobile terminal that has communicatively connected to the information processing apparatus has passed, generates a connection history list that is a list of wireless access points through which each of the mobile terminals that have communicatively connected to the information processing apparatus in the past has passed, Notifies the connection history list to a user who will communicatively connect to the information processing apparatus via a wireless access point using the mobile terminal from now on. An information processing system characterized by the above.

2. The device-side processor Transmits the connection history list to the target mobile terminal, which is the mobile terminal used by the user, by short-range wireless communication with the target mobile terminal, The target mobile terminal includes a terminal-side processor, The terminal-side processor When the wireless access point to which the target mobile terminal is currently communicatively connected is not included in the received connection history list, searches for another wireless access point in the vicinity of the target mobile terminal, Communicatively connects to the information processing apparatus via the wireless access point included in the connection history list found by the search. The information processing system according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The terminal-side processor When the wireless access point included in the connection history list is not found by the search, attempts to communicatively connect to the information processing apparatus via the wireless access point to which the target mobile terminal is communicatively connected. The information processing system according to claim 2, characterized by the above.

4. The device-side processor Obtains authentication information required for the mobile terminal to communicatively connect to the wireless access point through which each of the mobile terminals that have communicatively connected to the information processing apparatus has passed, and stores the authentication information in association with the wireless access point in the connection history list, Notifies the user of the connection history list including the authentication information. The information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by the above.

5. The device-side processor Aggregates the number of successful connection times, which is the number of times the mobile terminal has communicatively connected to the information processing apparatus via a wireless access point, for each wireless access point. Notifying the user of the number of successful connections for each wireless access point The information processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that.

6. The device-side processor Aggregates, for each wireless access point, the number of connection failures, which is the number of times the mobile terminal failed to establish a communication connection while attempting to communicate with the information processing device via the wireless access points included in the connection record list Deletes from the connection record list the wireless access points for which the number of connection failures has reached the threshold number of times The information processing system according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that.

7. The device-side processor Deletes from the connection record list the wireless access points that were not used in the communication connection between the mobile terminal and the information processing device for a predetermined time among the wireless access points included in the connection record list The information processing system according to claim 1, 5, or 6, characterized in that.

8. The information processing device includes a plurality of communication interfaces for communicating with any one of a plurality of wireless access points via different networks The device-side processor Generates a connection record list for each communication interface showing a list of wireless access points through which each mobile terminal that has been communicatively connected to any of the plurality of communication interfaces in the past has passed Notifies the user of the connection record list for each communication interface and executable processing information showing the processing content that can be executed when the mobile terminal establishes a communication connection to the wireless access point corresponding to the communication interface for each communication interface The information processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that.

9. The device-side processor Transmits the connection record list for each communication interface and the executable processing information to the target mobile terminal, which is the mobile terminal used by the user, via short-range wireless communication The target mobile terminal includes a terminal-side processor The terminal-side processor Based on the executable processing information, identify the communication interface through which the processing related to the user's processing request can be executed. In the connection performance list for each communication interface, establish a communication connection with the wireless access point associated with the identified communication interface, and establish a communication connection with the information processing device via the wireless access point. The information processing system according to claim 8, characterized in that.

10. The device-side processor Obtain attribute information indicating an attribute of a wireless access point through which each mobile terminal that has communicated with the information processing device in the past has passed, and which is related to the executability of a processing request transmitted from the mobile terminal to the information processing device via the wireless access point. In the connection performance list, associate and store the attribute information with the wireless access point. Notify the user of the connection performance list including the attribute information. The information processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that.

11. The device-side processor Transmit the connection performance list including the attribute information to the target mobile terminal through short-range wireless communication with the target mobile terminal that is the mobile terminal used by the user. The target mobile terminal includes a terminal-side processor. The terminal-side processor Based on the content of the user's processing request and the attribute information of each wireless access point included in the connection performance list, identify the wireless access point through which the processing request can be executed, and establish a communication connection with the information processing device via the identified wireless access point. The information processing system according to claim 10, characterized in that.

12. Comprising a device-side processor The device-side processor Generate a connection performance list, which is a list of wireless access points through which each mobile terminal that has communicated with the device in the past has passed, by accumulating and storing in the memory the identification information of the wireless access point through which the mobile terminal that has communicated with the device itself via any of a plurality of wireless access points has passed. Notify the user who will use the mobile terminal to establish a communication connection with the device itself via the wireless access point of the connection performance list. An information processing device, characterized in that.

13. Comprising a terminal-side processor The terminal-side processor Receiving, from the information processing device, a connection history list that is a list of wireless access points through which each mobile terminal that has been communicatively connected to the information processing device in the past has passed by means of short-range wireless communication between the own device and the information processing device, when the wireless access point to which the own device is currently communicatively connected is not included in the received connection history list, searching for other wireless access points in the vicinity of the own device, and communicatively connecting to the information processing device via the wireless access point included in the connection history list found by the search, a mobile terminal characterized by the above.

14. Causing a computer to generate a connection history list that is a list of wireless access points through which each of the mobile terminals that have been communicatively connected to the own device in the past has passed by storing, in a memory, identification information of the wireless access points through which the mobile terminals that have communicatively connected to the own device via any of a plurality of wireless access points have passed, and notifying the connection history list to a user who will communicatively connect to the own device via a wireless access point using a mobile terminal hereafter, an information processing program characterized by the above.

15. Causing a computer to receive, from the information processing device, a connection history list that is a list of wireless access points through which each mobile terminal that has been communicatively connected to the information processing device in the past has passed by means of short-range wireless communication between the own device and the information processing device, when the wireless access point to which the own device is currently communicatively connected is not included in the received connection history list, search for other wireless access points in the vicinity of the own device, and communicatively connect to the information processing device via the wireless access point included in the connection history list found by the search, a mobile terminal program characterized by the above.

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