Electronic device, control method thereof, program, and storage medium

Abstract

To perform more suitable control in response to a connection destination change request from an AP.SOLUTION: An electronic device has changing means for changing a connection destination AP on the basis of a connection destination AP change request received from an access point (AP) to which the device is connected and control means for controlling to suppress the connection destination AP from being changed by the changing means as a connection destination after the change of a second AP connected by using a second authentication method that differs from a first authentication method used to connect to the first AP connected to the connection destination before the change among the candidate APs which are candidates for the changed destination based on the change requests.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device that can change an access point (AP) to which it is connected based on a connection destination change request from the AP, a control method thereof, a program, and a storage medium. [Background technology]

[0002] In an Extended Service Set (ESS) consisting of multiple Access Points (APs), there is a technology that dynamically switches the AP to which the STA (Station) connects in order to efficiently exchange data between the AP and the STA. When it is determined that the AP to which the STA connects should be switched based on factors such as the congestion of the AP to which the STA is connected, the availability of other APs, and the radio wave conditions, the currently connected AP sends a request to the STA to change its connection AP. When the STA receives an AP change request, it can connect to the appropriate AP by switching its connection AP in accordance with the request.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses the following process for a router with AP functionality to request a connected wireless slave device to change its connection destination: A mobile router (MR1) connectable to multiple wireless slave devices checks whether the wireless slave device terminal supports IEEE802.11v. Whether the wireless slave device terminal supports IEEE802.11v can be determined from an Association Request frame transmitted by the wireless slave device when wirelessly connecting to MR1. If the wireless slave device terminal supports IEEE802.11v, a BTM (BSS Transition Management) Request frame is transmitted to the corresponding wireless slave device terminal. The BSS Transition Candidate List Entries field of the BTM Request frame specifies the BSSID of the master router RT2 as the connection destination. This prompts the slave device terminal to switch its connection destination, and the wireless slave device terminal switches its connection destination from MR1 to RT2 in accordance with the received BTM Request frame. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-175068 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when an AP requests a change in the destination AP, the APs that are candidates for switching the destination may include APs that are not suitable as destinations for the STA. Therefore, a method for switching the STA to an appropriate AP is required. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism that can perform more suitable control in response to a request from an AP to change the destination. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention includes: Connects based on a request to change the destination access point (AP) received from the currently connected AP. A change means for changing the destination AP; Among the candidate APs that are candidates for the change destination based on the change request, The second authentication method is different from the first authentication method used to connect to the first AP. The second AP connected using the second AP is set as the new destination AP after the change. a control means for controlling the change so as to suppress the change; a receiving means for receiving a measurement request transmitted from the first AP, the measurement request requesting a measurement result of the signal quality of APs around the electronic device; a measurement means for measuring the signal quality of the surrounding APs when the measurement request is received; a transmitting means for transmitting a response based on the measurement result by the measuring means to the first AP, The control means When the measurement result by the measurement means includes the signal quality of the second AP, the response is transmitted by the transmission means with content indicating a signal quality lower than the signal quality of the second AP measured by the measurement means, or content not including the signal quality of the second AP. child It is characterized by the following. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to perform more appropriate control in response to a connection destination change request from an AP. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a system configuration. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the configuration of an MFP. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating examples of displays on an operation display unit of an MFP. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a mobile terminal device. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an access point. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram illustrating a process based on a request to change a connection destination. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing for a measurement request or a change request. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process for storing a security method. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process for determining based on a security scheme. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen for setting restrictions on security methods. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention claimed. Although multiple features are described in the embodiments, not all of these multiple features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0010] (System Configuration) FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a system according to this embodiment. In one example, this system is a wireless communication system in which a plurality of communication devices can communicate with each other wirelessly. In the example of FIG. 1, the communication devices include a mobile terminal device 104, an MFP 100, access points AP1 (101) and AP2 (102), a DHCP server 103, and a network 110. The mobile terminal device 104 is a device having a wireless communication function via a wireless LAN or the like. Note that, hereinafter, wireless LAN may be referred to as WLAN. The mobile terminal device 104 may be a personal digital assistant such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a mobile phone (smartphone), a digital camera, a personal computer, or the like.

[0011] The MFP 100 is a type of electronic device and a type of information processing device. The MFP 100 is a printing device with a printing function, and may also have a reading function (scanner), a fax function, and a telephone function. The MFP 100 of this embodiment has a communication function that enables wireless communication with a mobile terminal device 104. Although the present embodiment describes a case in which the MFP 100 is used as an example, this is not limiting. For example, a scanner device, a projector, a mobile terminal, a smartphone, a laptop PC, a tablet terminal, a PDA, a digital camera, a music playback device, a television, a smart speaker, and the like, each having a communication function, may be used instead of the MFP 100. The term "MFP" is an acronym for Multi Function Peripheral.

[0012] The AP1 (101) is provided separately (externally) from the mobile terminal device 104 and the MFP 100, and operates as a WLAN base station device. A communication device having a WLAN communication function can communicate in WLAN infrastructure mode via the AP1 (101). Note that, hereinafter, an access point may be referred to as an "AP." Also, infrastructure mode may be referred to as a "wireless infrastructure mode." The AP1 (101) performs wireless communication with a communication device that has been authorized (authenticated) to connect to the AP1 (101), and relays wireless communication between the communication device and other communication devices. Also, the AP1 (101) may be connected to, for example, a wired communication network, and may relay communication between a communication device connected to the wired communication network and another communication device wirelessly connected to the AP1 (101).

[0013] AP2 (102) has the same functions as AP1 (101), and the MFP 100 switches its connection from AP1 (101) to AP2 (102) as necessary. The DHCP server 103 connects to the MFP 100 via AP1 (101) and the network 110 and provides services to the MFP 100 by responding to requests from the MFP 100. While the DHCP server 103 is connected as a separate device from AP1 (101) and AP2 (102) in FIG. 1, the AP1 (101) and AP2 (102) may have the DHCP server function. The DNS server 105 is connected to the MFP 100 and the mobile terminal device 104 via AP1 (101) and the network 110 and provides name resolution services by responding to requests from the MFP 100 and the mobile terminal device 104. The network 110 may be the Internet, a closed corporate network, or a mobile phone network.

[0014] (MFP external configuration) FIG. 2(a) shows an example of the external configuration of MFP 100. MFP 100 has, for example, a platen 201, a platen cover 202, a print paper insertion slot 203, a print paper ejection slot 204, and an operation display unit 205. Platen 201 is a stand on which a document to be read is placed. Platen cover 202 is a cover that holds down the document placed on platen 201 and prevents light from a light source that illuminates the document during reading from leaking to the outside. Print paper insertion slot 203 is an insertion slot that can accept paper of various sizes. Print paper ejection slot 204 is an ejection slot through which paper that has been printed is ejected. Paper that has been placed in print paper insertion slot 203 is transported one sheet at a time to the printing unit, where it is printed and then ejected from print paper ejection slot 204. The operation display unit 205 includes keys such as character input keys, cursor keys, a confirm key, and a cancel key, as well as an LED and an LCD, and is configured to be able to accept user operations for activating various MFP functions and for various settings. The operation display unit 205 may also include a touch panel display. The MFP 100 has a wireless communication function using WLAN, and includes a wireless communication antenna 206 for this wireless communication, although this does not necessarily need to be visible from the exterior. Like the mobile terminal device 104, the MFP 100 can also perform wireless communication using WLAN in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands.

[0015] (MFP configuration) FIG. 2(b) shows an example configuration of MFP 100. MFP 100 includes a main board 211 that performs main control of the device itself and a wireless unit 226, which is a communication module that performs WLAN communication using at least one common antenna. MFP 100 also includes, for example, a modem 229 for performing wired communication. Main board 211 includes, for example, a CPU 212 (central processing unit), ROM 213, RAM 214, nonvolatile memory 215, image memory 216, read control unit 217, data conversion unit 218, reading unit 219, and encoding / decoding processing unit 221. Main board 211 also includes, for example, a printing unit 222, a paper feed unit 223, a print control unit 224, and an operation display unit 220. These functional units within main board 211 are connected to each other via a system bus 230 managed by CPU 212. The main board 211 and the wireless unit 226 are connected via, for example, a dedicated bus 225 , and the main board 211 and the modem 229 are connected via, for example, a bus 228 .

[0016] The CPU 212 is a system control unit including at least one processor, and controls the entire MFP 100. In one example, the processing of the MFP 100 described below is realized by the CPU 212 executing programs stored in the ROM 213. Note that dedicated hardware for each process may be provided. The ROM 213 stores control programs such as the control programs and embedded OS programs executed by the CPU 212. In this embodiment, the CPU 212 executes the control programs stored in the ROM 213 under the management of the embedded OS also stored in the ROM 213, thereby performing software control such as scheduling and task switching.

[0017] The RAM 214 is configured with an SRAM or the like. The RAM 214 stores data such as program control variables, setting values ​​registered by the user, and management data for the MFP 100. The RAM 214 can also be used as a buffer for various types of work. The non-volatile memory 215 is configured with a memory such as a flash memory, and continues to store data even when the power to the MFP 100 is turned off. The image memory 216 is configured with a memory such as a DRAM. The image memory 216 accumulates image data received via the wireless unit 226, image data processed by the encoding / decoding processing unit 221, and the like. Note that the memory configuration of the MFP 100 is not limited to the configuration described above. The data conversion unit 218 analyzes data in various formats and converts image data into print data, etc.

[0018] The reading control unit 217 controls the reading unit 219 (for example, a CIS (contact image sensor)) to optically read the document placed on the document table 201. The reading control unit 217 converts the image obtained by optically reading the document into electrical image data (image signals) and outputs the converted data. At this time, the reading control unit 217 may output the image data after performing various image processes such as binarization and halftoning.

[0019] The operation display unit 220 is the operation display unit 205 described with reference to FIG. 2(a), and performs display on a display based on display control by the CPU 212, generation of a signal in response to reception of a user operation, and the like.

[0020] The encoding / decoding processor 221 performs encoding and decoding processes on image data (JPEG, PNG, etc.) handled by the MFP 100, as well as scaling processes.

[0021] The paper feed unit 223 holds paper for printing. The paper feed unit 223 can supply the set paper under the control of the print control unit 224. The paper feed unit 223 may include multiple paper feed units in order to hold multiple types of paper in one device, and under the control of the print control unit 224, it can control which paper feed unit to use to feed paper.

[0022] The print control unit 224 performs various image processing such as smoothing, print density correction, and color correction on the image data to be printed, and outputs the processed image data to the print unit 222. The print unit 222 is configured to be able to perform, for example, inkjet printing, and ejects ink supplied from an ink tank from a print head to record an image on a recording medium such as paper. Note that the print unit 222 may also be configured to be able to perform other printing processes such as electrophotography. The print control unit 224 may also periodically read information from the print unit 222 and update status information stored in RAM 214, including the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank and the state of the print head.

[0023] The wireless unit 226 is a unit capable of providing WLAN communication functions, and can provide functions similar to those of a combination of the WLAN unit 401 of the mobile terminal device 104, for example. That is, the wireless unit 226 converts data into packets in accordance with the WLAN standard and transmits the packets to other devices, and also restores packets from other external devices to the original data and outputs the data to the CPU 212. The wireless unit 226 is capable of communication as a station conforming to the IEEE802.11 standard series. In particular, it is capable of communication as a station conforming to IEEE802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax. Hereinafter, the station may be referred to as an STA. It is also capable of communication as an STA compatible with Wi-Fi Agile Multiband (registered trademark).

[0024] The wireless unit 226 is compatible with IEEE802.11ax, i.e., Wi-Fi 6 (registered trademark), and can perform processing compliant with IEEE802.11ax. That is, the MFP 100 can operate (process) as either an STA compatible with (compliant with) OFDMA or an STA compatible with (compliant with) TWT, or both. OFDMA stands for Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access. TWT stands for Target Wake Time. Support for TWT adjusts the timing of data communication from the master device to the STA. The wireless unit 226 (MFP 100) as an STA transitions its communication function to a sleep state when it does not need to wait for signal reception. This reduces power consumption. The wireless unit 226 also supports Wi-Fi 6E (registered trademark). That is, communication in the 6 GHz band (5.925 GHz to 7.125 GHz) is also possible. The band in which Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS), which exists in the 5 GHz band, is performed does not exist in the 6 GHz band. Therefore, when communicating in the 6GHz band, communication interruptions due to DFS waiting times will not occur, and more smooth communication can be expected.

[0025] The mobile terminal device 104 and the MFP 100 are capable of P2P (WLAN) communication based on WFD, and the wireless unit 226 has a software access point (soft AP) function or a group owner function. That is, the wireless unit 226 can build a P2P communication network and determine the channel to be used for P2P communication.

[0026] (MFP operation display section) FIG. 3 schematically shows an example of a screen display on a display (touch panel display) included in the operation display unit 220 of the MFP 100. FIG. 3(a) is an example of a home screen that is displayed when the MFP 100 is powered on and no operations such as printing or scanning are being performed (idle state, standby state). FIG. 3(a) displays display items (menu items) corresponding to copy, scan, and cloud, respectively. Cloud is a menu item related to cloud functions that use Internet communication. By selecting any of the menu items through key operations or touch panel operations, the MFP 100 can begin executing the corresponding settings or functions. The MFP 100 can seamlessly display a screen different from that shown in FIG. 3(a) by accepting key operations or touch panel operations on the home screen of FIG. 3(a).

[0027] Figure 3(b) is a display example of another part of the home screen, which transitions from the state of Figure 3(a) by performing an operation (such as sliding left or right) to display another page of the home screen. Figure 3(b) displays display items (menu items) corresponding to communication settings, print, and photo. When one of these menu items is selected, the function corresponding to the selected menu item, i.e., the print function, photo function, or communication settings, is executed.

[0028] Figure 3(c) is an example of a communication settings menu screen that is displayed when communication settings are selected on the screen in Figure 3(b). The communication settings menu screen displays the following menu items (options): "Wireless LAN," "Wired LAN," "Wireless Direct," "Bluetooth," and "Common." "Wireless LAN," "Wired LAN," and "Wireless Direct" are menu items for configuring LAN settings. These items allow users to configure wired connections, enable / disable wireless infrastructure mode, and enable / disable P2P modes such as WFD and soft AP mode. When the "Wireless LAN" item is selected and wireless LAN is enabled by user operation, wireless infrastructure mode is enabled. When the "Wireless Direct" item is selected and wireless Direct is enabled by user operation, P2P (WLAN) mode is enabled. This screen also displays a common settings menu for each connection type. Furthermore, the user can use this screen to configure settings such as the wireless LAN frequency band and frequency channel.

[0029] Figure 3(d) is an example of the wireless LAN settings menu screen that is displayed when wireless LAN is selected on the screen in Figure 3(c). The wireless LAN settings menu screen displays the following menu items (options): "Enable / Disable Wireless LAN," "Wireless LAN Setup," "Display Wireless LAN Information," and "Advanced Wireless LAN Settings." These items allow you to enable / disable wireless infrastructure mode, set up the wireless LAN, display wireless LAN information, and set advanced wireless LAN settings. These items are also displayed as an interface that can accept selection instructions from the user.

[0030] (External configuration of mobile terminal device) FIG. 4(a) is a diagram illustrating an example of the external configuration of the mobile terminal device 104. In this embodiment, as an example, the mobile terminal device 104 is a general-type smartphone. The mobile terminal device 104 includes, for example, a display unit 402, an operation unit 403, and a power key 404. The display unit 402 is, for example, a display including a liquid crystal display (LCD) type display mechanism. The display unit 402 may display information using, for example, an LED (light emitting diode). The mobile terminal device 104 may also have a function to output information by voice in addition to or instead of the display unit 402. The operation unit 403 includes hard keys such as keys and buttons, a touch panel, and the like for detecting user operations. In this example, the display unit 402 displays information and the operation unit 403 receives user operations using a common touch panel display, so the display unit 402 and the operation unit 403 are implemented by a single device. In this case, for example, button icons and a software keyboard are displayed using the display function of display unit 402, and the touch of the user on those locations is detected by the operation reception function of operation unit 403. Note that display unit 402 and operation unit 403 may be separated, and hardware for display and hardware for operation reception may be provided separately. Power key 404 is a hardware key for receiving a user operation to turn on or off the power of mobile terminal device 104.

[0031] The mobile terminal device 104 includes a WLAN unit 401 that provides WLAN communication functionality, although it does not necessarily need to be visible from the exterior. The WLAN unit 401 is configured to be able to perform data (packet) communication in a WLAN system that complies with, for example, the IEEE 802.11 standard series (IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax, etc.). It is also capable of communication as an AP compatible with Wi-Fi Agile Multiband (registered trademark). However, this is not a limitation, and the WLAN unit 401 may also be capable of communication in a WLAN system that complies with other standards. In this example, the WLAN unit 401 is assumed to be capable of communication in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands. It is also assumed that the WLAN unit 401 is capable of communication based on WFD, communication in soft AP mode, communication in wireless infrastructure mode, etc. Operation in these modes will be described later.

[0032] (Configuration of mobile terminal device) FIG. 4(b) shows an example of the configuration of the mobile terminal device 104. In one example, the mobile terminal device 104 includes a main board 411 that performs main control of the device itself and a WLAN unit 429 that performs WLAN communication. The main board 411 includes, for example, a CPU 412, a ROM 413, a RAM 414, an image memory 415, a data conversion unit 416, a telephone unit 417, a GPS 419, a camera unit 421, a non-volatile memory 422, a data storage unit 423, a speaker unit 424, and a power supply unit 425. Here, CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit, ROM is an acronym for Read Only Memory, RAM is an acronym for Random Access Memory, and GPS is an acronym for Global Positioning System. The mobile terminal device 104 also includes a display unit 420 and an operation unit 418. These functional units within the main board 411 are connected to each other via a system bus 628 managed by the CPU 412. Furthermore, the main board 411 and the WLAN unit 429 (the above-mentioned WLAN unit 401) are connected via a dedicated bus 426, for example.

[0033] The CPU 412 is a system control unit including at least one processor, and controls the entire mobile terminal device 104. In one example, the processing of the mobile terminal device 104 described below is realized by the CPU 412 executing a program stored in the ROM 413. Note that dedicated hardware for each process may be provided. The ROM 413 stores control programs, such as a control program and an embedded operating system (OS) program, executed by the CPU 412. In this embodiment, the CPU 412 executes each control program stored in the ROM 413 under the management of an embedded OS also stored in the ROM 413, thereby performing software control such as scheduling and task switching.

[0034] The RAM 414 is configured with a static RAM (SRAM) or the like. The RAM 414 stores data such as program control variables, setting values ​​registered by the user, and management data for the mobile terminal device 104. The RAM 414 can also be used as a buffer for various types of work. The image memory 415 is configured with a memory such as a dynamic RAM (DRAM). The image memory 415 temporarily stores image data received via the WLAN unit 429 and image data read from the data storage unit 423 for processing by the CPU 412. The nonvolatile memory 422 is configured with a memory such as a flash memory, and continues to store data even when the mobile terminal device 104 is powered off. Note that the memory configuration of the mobile terminal device 104 is not limited to the above configuration. For example, the image memory 415 and the RAM 414 may be shared, or data may be backed up using the data storage unit 423. In this embodiment, although a DRAM is given as an example of the image memory 415, other storage media such as a hard disk or nonvolatile memory may also be used.

[0035] The data conversion unit 416 analyzes data in various formats and performs data conversion such as color conversion and image conversion. The telephone unit 417 controls telephone lines and realizes telephone communication by processing audio data input and output via a speaker unit 424. The GPS 419 receives radio waves transmitted from satellites and acquires location information such as the current latitude and longitude of the mobile terminal device 104.

[0036] The camera unit 421 has the function of electronically recording and encoding an image input through a lens. Image data obtained by capturing an image with the camera unit 421 is stored in a data storage unit 423. The speaker unit 424 controls the input and output of audio for telephone functions, as well as other functions such as alarm notification. The power supply unit 425 is, for example, a portable battery, and controls the supply of power to the device. Power supply states include, for example, a dead battery state in which there is no remaining battery power, a power-off state in which the power key 404 is not pressed, a running state in which the device is normally running, and a power-saving state in which the device is running but is in power-saving mode.

[0037] The display unit 420 is the display unit 402 described with reference to Fig. 4(a), and performs various input operations and displays the operating status and status of the MFP 100 based on the control of the CPU 412. The operation unit 418 is the operation unit 403 described with reference to Fig. 4(a), and upon receiving a user operation, performs control such as generating an electrical signal corresponding to the operation and outputting it to the CPU 412.

[0038] The mobile terminal device 104 performs wireless communication using a WLAN unit 429 to perform data communication with other devices such as the MFP 100. The WLAN unit 429 converts data into packets and transmits the packets to other devices. The WLAN unit 429 also restores packets from other external devices to the original data and outputs the data to the CPU 412. The WLAN unit 429 is a unit for realizing communication compliant with the WLAN standards. The WLAN unit 429 can operate in parallel in at least two communication modes, including a wireless infrastructure mode and a P2P (WLAN) mode. Note that the frequency bands used in these communication modes may be limited by the functionality and performance of the hardware.

[0039] (Access point configuration) 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of AP1 (101) having a wireless LAN access point function. It includes a main board 510 that controls AP1 (101), a wireless LAN unit 516, a wired LAN unit 518, and an operation button 520.

[0040] A microprocessor-type CPU 511 disposed on a main board 510 operates in accordance with a control program stored in a ROM-type program memory 513 connected via an internal bus 512 and the contents of a RAM-type data memory 514. The CPU 511 controls a wireless LAN unit 516 via a wireless LAN communication control unit 515 to perform wireless LAN communication with other communication terminal devices. The CPU 511 also controls a wired LAN unit 518 via a wired LAN communication control unit 517 to perform wired LAN communication with other communication terminal devices. The CPU 511 controls an operation unit control circuit 519 to accept operations from a user via operation buttons 520. The CPU 511 includes at least one processor.

[0041] The AP1 (101) also includes an interference wave detection unit 521 and a channel change unit 522. The interference wave detection unit 521 performs processing to detect interference waves when wireless communication is being performed in a band where DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) is implemented. If an interference wave is detected when wireless communication is being performed in a band where DFS is implemented, the channel change unit 522 performs processing to change the channel to be used when it is necessary to immediately change to an available channel.

[0042] The AP2 (102) has the same configuration as the AP1 (101).

[0043] (P2P communication method) Next, we will outline the P2P (WLAN) communication method, which allows devices to communicate directly with each other wirelessly without going through an external access point. P2P (WLAN) communication can be realized using multiple methods. For example, a communication device can support multiple modes for P2P (WLAN) communication and selectively use one of the multiple modes to perform P2P communication (WLAN).

[0044] The following two P2P modes are envisioned: Soft AP mode Wi-Fi Direct (WFD) mode A communication device capable of P2P communication may be configured to support at least one of these modes, but even a communication device capable of P2P communication does not have to support all of these modes and may be configured to support only some of them.

[0045] A communication device (e.g., the mobile terminal device 104) having a WFD communication function receives user operations via its operation unit, and calls a (possibly dedicated) application for realizing the communication function. The communication device then displays a UI (user interface) screen provided by the application to prompt the user to perform an operation, and can execute WFD communication based on the received user operations.

[0046] ●Soft AP mode In the soft AP mode, a communication device (e.g., the mobile terminal device 104) operates as a client that requests various services. The other communication device (e.g., the MFP 100) operates as a soft AP that can execute the functions of a WLAN AP through software configuration. It is sufficient for the commands and parameters transmitted and received when establishing a wireless connection between the client and the soft AP to be those specified in the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) standard, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here. Furthermore, the MFP 100 operating in the soft AP mode determines the frequency band and frequency channel as the master station. Therefore, the MFP 100 can select which frequency band to use, either 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz, and which frequency channel to use within that frequency band.

[0047] WFD mode The MFP 100 may be configured to be permanently activated as a master station in WFD mode (Autonomous Group Owner). In this case, GO negotiation processing to determine the role is not required. In addition, in this case, the MFP 100 determines the frequency band and frequency channel as the master station. Therefore, the MFP 100 can select which frequency band to use, 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz, and which frequency channel to use within that frequency band.

[0048] (Wireless infrastructure mode) In the wireless infrastructure mode, communication devices (e.g., the mobile terminal device 104 and the MFP 100) that communicate with each other are connected to an external AP (e.g., AP1 (101)) that controls the network, and communication between the communication devices is performed via that AP. In other words, communication between the communication devices is performed via a network established by the external AP. The mobile terminal device 104 and the MFP 100 each discover AP1 (101) and send a connection request to and connect to AP1 (101), thereby enabling communication between these communication devices in the wireless infrastructure mode via AP1 (101). Note that multiple communication devices may be connected to different APs. In this case, data transfer between the APs enables communication between the communication devices. Commands and parameters transmitted and received during communication between each communication device via an access point may be those specified in the Wi-Fi standard, and therefore will not be described here. In this case, AP1 (101) determines the frequency band and frequency channel. Therefore, the AP1 (101) can select which frequency band to use from 5 GHz, 2.4 GHz, and 6 GHz, and which frequency channel to use within that frequency band.

[0049] (Processing in response to a request from the AP to change the connection destination of the STA) The mobile terminal device 104 and the MFP 100 support a function publicly known as Wi-Fi Agile Multiband (registered trademark). Wi-Fi Agile Multiband is a function that enables the selection of an optimal environment according to changing conditions in a Wi-Fi network. Specifically, STAs such as the mobile terminal device 104 and the MFP 100 and APs such as AP1 (101) exchange information about the network environment using the IEEE 802.11 series of communication standards. Through this information exchange, when the network is congested, the AP can guide (change the connection destination) the STA to another AP, frequency band, channel, or even another cellular service.

[0050] 6 is a sequence diagram in which the MFP 100 switches the AP of the connection destination from AP1 (101) to AP2 (102) in response to a request to change the connection destination from AP1 (101). In this sequence, the processes executed by each device are realized by the CPU of each device reading various programs stored in a memory such as a ROM of each device into a RAM and executing the programs.

[0051] 6, it is assumed that the MFP 100 has established a connection with the AP1 (101) in wireless infrastructure mode. When the MFP 100 and the AP1 (101) connect in wireless infrastructure mode, the AP1 (101) acquires information on whether the MFP 100 supports IEEE802.11v. If the AP1 (101) has acquired information indicating that the MFP 100 supports IEEE802.11v, it will perform the following processing.

[0052] In S601, the AP1 (101) transmits to the MFP 100 an inquiry (measurement request) about the radio wave strength of APs around the MFP 100. This inquiry is transmitted as, for example, a beacon frame request or a beacon report request. In other words, this request can use a mechanism defined in the IEEE 802.11k standard.

[0053] In S602, the MFP 100 receives frames transmitted by surrounding APs in response to the request received in S601 and measures the radio wave strength. This measures the radio wave strength of each of multiple APs, including AP1 (101) and AP2 (102). This process is called AP search.

[0054] In S603, the MFP 100 transmits a list of the radio wave intensities of the APs around the MFP 100 measured in S602 as a response to the request received in S601. Note that the radio wave intensity to be transmitted in response may be information stored in the RAM 214, non-volatile memory 215, etc. of the MFP 100 in addition to or instead of the information measured in S602. This response is transmitted as, for example, a beacon report or measurement reports.

[0055] In S604, the AP1 (101) determines whether or not it is necessary to switch the connection destination of the MFP 100 based on the congestion status in the network that the AP1 (101) is aware of and the radio wave intensity received in S603 from the MFP 100. The factors that cause the AP1 (101) to determine that connection switching is necessary include the following: There are many STAs connected to AP1 (101) (above the threshold) - The amount of communication between the STA connected to AP1 (101) and AP101 is high (above the threshold) - Presence or absence of radio interference determined based on signal-to-noise ratio, etc. ·AP function stopped Furthermore, it may be determined whether or not a connection destination needs to be switched based on the degree of congestion of each AP (number of STA connections, communication volume) determined by using communication between APs. When it is determined that a connection destination of the MFP 100 needs to be switched and the SSID, channel, and frequency band of another AP to be designated as the switching destination of the MFP 100 are determined, the process proceeds to S605. Note that in this embodiment, the ESSID (Extended Service Set Identifier) ​​of the other AP designated (recommended) as the switching destination is assumed to be the same ESSID as the ESSID of the source AP (BSSID is different for each AP). However, an AP with an ESSID different from that of the source AP may be recommended as the switching destination. BSSID is an abbreviation for Basic Service Set Identifier, and is the same value as the MAC address of the AP (i.e., the identification information of the AP).

[0056] In S605, AP1 (101) transmits an AP change request (connection destination switch request) to the MFP 100. The connection destination change request includes information on the BSSID, channel, and frequency band of another AP (hereinafter referred to as a recommended AP) to be designated as a switch destination for the MFP 100, as determined in S604. Note that multiple BSSIDs may be designated. In other words, multiple APs may be recommended as switch destinations as recommended APs. The connection destination change request is transmitted, for example, as a BTM Request. In other words, a BTM (BSS Transition Management) Request frame defined in the IEEE802.11v standard is transmitted. In the example of FIG. 6, it is assumed that AP2 (102) is designated as the switch destination (recommended AP) included in the connection destination change request.

[0057] In S606, if the MFP 100 complies with the connection destination change request received in S605, it transmits a response indicating acceptance of the switch to AP1 (101). If the MFP 100 does not comply with the connection destination change request, it may transmit a response indicating rejection of the switch. The response is transmitted as a BTM Response. In the example of FIG. 6, it is assumed that a response indicating acceptance is transmitted.

[0058] In S607, the AP1 (101) and the MFP 100 disconnect the connection in the wireless infrastructure mode.

[0059] In S608, the MFP 100 transmits a connection request to the AP2 (102) to connect to the AP2 (102) specified in the connection destination change request received in S605.

[0060] As a result, in S609, a connection between the MFP 100 and AP2 (102) is established in the wireless infrastructure mode.

[0061] With this mechanism, the MFP100, which is an STA, can change its connection destination from AP1 (101) to AP2 (102) based on a connection destination change request from the originally connected AP1 (101) (the AP before the change of connection destination). AP1 (101) and AP2 (102) may be APs installed in different locations. That is, by the processing of FIG. 6, the MFP100 can switch to another AP installed in a location different from the AP to which it was originally connected. Also, among multiple frequency bands (any two or three of 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) provided by the same device, the APs may each support a different frequency band. That is, by the processing of FIG. 6, the MFP100 can switch to another frequency band provided by the same device as the originally connected AP. For example, based on a connection destination change request, the MFP100 can change its connection destination to an AP in the 6 GHz band.

[0062] In this embodiment, an example will be described in which an AP transmits a measurement request or a connection destination change request in a mechanism compliant with Wi-Fi Agile Multiband, and an STA responds to the request, but the present invention is not limited to this. This embodiment can also be applied to a case in which an STA responds to a measurement request or a connection destination change request transmitted from an AP using a mechanism different from the above example, or changes the connection destination AP (switches, deletes, or adds an AP to be connected to).

[0063] There are situations where it is acceptable to change the destination AP based on a change request sent from the currently connected AP, and situations where it is not desirable. In situations where it is not desirable to change the destination AP based on a change request, one or a combination of the following processes can be performed to suppress the change of destination in response to the change request. The following processes respectively prevent or make it more difficult to change the destination AP based on a change request.

[0064] (Suppression process 1) Even if the change request described in S605 is received, the MFP 100 does not change the destination AP based on the received connection request, does not return a response to the change request, or sends a rejection response (indicating that the destination AP will not be changed) to the currently connected AP. If a rejection response is sent, the priority of the change of destination for other STAs connected to the AP to which the MFP 100 is connected increases, and the priority of the change of destination for the MFP 100 that returned the rejection response decreases, resulting in the connection with the currently connected AP being maintained. Also, if no response is returned (ignored), the currently connected AP is considered to maintain its connection with the MFP 100 by waiting for a response until the response wait time expires. Therefore, if the connection is to be immediately terminated in response to a response from the MFP 100 to the change request, not responding can extend the time the connection with the currently connected AP can be maintained rather than returning a response. Therefore, for example, different processing can be performed depending on the reason for the change, such as responding with a rejection if the reason is weak and ignoring if the reason is strong, based on the information about the reason for the change included in the change request. The reason for the change can be determined based on the information included in the Request Mode included in the BTM Request, which of several reasons applies. For example, if the Disassociation Imminent bit or the BSS Termination Included bit in the Request Mode is 1, it can be determined that the reason for the change is a strong reason for the change request. Otherwise, it can be determined that the reason for the change is a weak reason for the change.

[0065] (Suppression process 2) In response to the measurement request described in S601, the AP responds with information indicating that the radio wave reception conditions (signal reception conditions) of non-connected APs other than the connected AP are different from the conditions actually measured (low signal quality) (a false response is sent). In this case, the AP may respond by actually performing measurements in response to the measurement request, or may respond without actually performing measurements. Specifically, in the response (beacon report, etc.) described in S603, the AP may respond with a value obtained by reducing the received signal strength and / or increasing the noise (signal-to-noise ratio) compared to the signal quality measured as the signal received from the non-connected AP. Alternatively, the AP may respond without including information about at least one of the non-connected APs. Furthermore, the AP may respond with either a significantly lower received signal strength or a significantly increased noise based on information previously measured for the non-connected AP. Furthermore, the AP may respond without actually performing measurements (AP search) even when it receives a measurement request, and may not include information about the non-connected AP, indicating that only the connected AP has good received signal strength and noise conditions. A response to a measurement request without including information about the non-connected AP corresponds to an AP search not finding any other non-connected APs. In other words, a response without including information about the non-connected AP indicates that at least part of the signal quality from the non-connected AP is different from the actual AP search result.

[0066] This is expected to prevent the currently connected AP from sending a connection destination change request to another AP, thereby preventing the connection destination from being changed in response to a connection destination change request.

[0067] (Suppression process 3) The MFP 100 temporarily disconnects from the currently connected AP, notifies the MFP 100 of the fact that the change request is not supported, and then reconnects to the same AP. Specifically, the wireless connection with the currently connected AP is temporarily disconnected, and in preparation for reconnecting wirelessly, association request frame data is created that includes information that the MFP 100 is not compliant with IEEE 802.11v. Then, connection processing with the AP is performed using the data in the created association request frame. As a result, if an association request frame including information that the MFP 100 is not compliant with IEEE 802.11v is created, the MFP 100 will connect to the AP as an electronic device that does not support (is incompatible with) the Agile Multiband function. As a result, the currently connected AP recognizes that the MFP 100 is not compliant with IEEE 802.11v, and will no longer send a request to change the wireless connection destination to the MFP 100. In this way, a request to change the wireless connection to the MFP 100 is no longer made, making it easier to maintain the wireless connection between the MFP 100 and the currently connected AP. Furthermore, if the connected AP recognizes that the MFP 100 is not IEEE802.11v-compatible, the transmission of the measurement request (the request described in S601) from the connected AP to the MFP 100 is also suppressed. Therefore, the measurement (AP search) in response to the measurement request in the MFP 100 and the response to the measurement request (processing in S603) can also be suppressed. This reduces the processing load and power consumption. Furthermore, resources can be allocated to other processes.

[0068] For example, a state in which changing the connection destination AP based on a change request is undesirable is when print data is being received. While the MFP 100 is receiving print data, it has already received a portion of the print data for the image to be printed from the mobile terminal device 104, which is the other device, but has not yet received the remaining portion of the print data. When the MFP 100 receives a portion of the print data that would fit on one sheet of paper, it prints only the received portion (for example, one line), and then prints the remaining data as it receives it. This process is repeated to print. If the connection destination AP is changed based on a request to change the connection destination while receiving this print data, a time lag occurs during the connection destination switching process, which may result in print quality degradation such as uneven printing. Furthermore, after the connection destination is switched, communication with the mobile terminal device 104, which is the other device, may not work properly, preventing the remaining data from being received and resulting in printing failure. Therefore, while receiving print data, it is recommended to perform at least one of the above-described (Suppression Process 1) and (Suppression Process 2) processes to suppress a change of the connection destination in response to a change request, or to perform the above-described (Suppression Process 3) process before starting to receive print data.

[0069] However, the candidate APs for switching the connection destination in a request for changing the connection destination received from the currently connected AP may include APs that are not suitable as connection destination APs for the STA.

[0070] For example, the candidate APs for connection switching may include APs with lower security strength than the currently connected AP. In such a case, if the destination AP is switched based on a request from the currently connected AP to change the destination, the security strength of the connection with the AP may be reduced. Therefore, a method is required to switch the STA to an appropriate destination AP.

[0071] Therefore, in this embodiment, the MFP 100 connects to an AP based on a standard security strength method. Specifically, among candidate APs that are candidates for a change destination in a change request, the MFP 100 controls the connection to an AP that uses a security method with a security strength lower than the standard security method. With this configuration, the STA can be switched to an appropriate connection destination AP.

[0072] Furthermore, for example, the candidate APs for connection destination switching may include APs that use a security method that is not supported by the MFP 100 or a security method that is restricted by the settings of the MFP 100. In such cases, when the MFP 100 switches the destination AP to the candidate AP based on a connection destination change request, the connection with the destination AP may fail. Therefore, some ingenuity is required to switch the STA to an appropriate destination AP.

[0073] Therefore, in this embodiment, MFP100 controls to suppress the process of changing the destination AP that is targeted at an AP that cannot be connected to using a security method that can be used by MFP100, among the candidate APs that are candidates for the destination AP in the change request.

[0074] Furthermore, for example, the APs among the candidate APs for connection destination switching may include APs with a different authentication method from that used before switching. Specifically, when the authentication method of the currently connected AP is personal mode, the recommended APs may include APs with an enterprise mode. Conversely, when the authentication method with the currently connected AP is enterprise mode (an authentication method using an authentication server), the recommended APs may include APs with an authentication method different from that of enterprise, such as personal mode APs. In such cases, if the MFP 100 switches the destination AP to a candidate AP based on a request to change the destination, the security situation expected by the user may not be maintained, or connection to the destination AP may fail. Therefore, some ingenuity is required to switch the STA to an appropriate destination AP. Therefore, in this embodiment, control is performed to prevent the destination AP from being changed to an AP with a different authentication method from that used by the currently connected AP.

[0075] In this specification, a request to change the destination AP that MFP 100 receives from the currently connected AP may be expressed as a "request to change the destination AP" or a "change request." In addition, in this specification, a request to change the destination AP is, in other words, a request to switch the destination AP.

[0076] (Processing based on a request from the connected AP) 7 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by MFP 100 in response to an AP search request or a connection destination change request. In this flowchart, the processing executed by MFP 100 is realized by CPU 212 reading various programs stored in memory such as ROM 213 into RAM 214 and executing them.

[0077] In S701, the CPU 212 starts wireless LAN setup. Specifically, the CPU 212 receives an instruction to start wireless infrastructure mode setup. The instruction to start wireless infrastructure mode setup may be, for example, an instruction based on a user operation on the wireless LAN setup menu screen shown in FIG. 3(d). The user operation may be, for example, the user selecting "Wireless LAN Setup" on the wireless LAN setup menu screen. The instruction to start wireless infrastructure mode setup may also be, for example, reception of a specific signal from an external device such as the mobile terminal device 104.

[0078] In S702, the CPU 212 acquires AP information necessary for setting the wireless infrastructure mode. Specifically, for example, the CPU 212 acquires the AP information by an AP search. For example, in S702, the CPU 212 starts searching for an AP by transmitting a device discovery request (ProbeRequest). Thereafter, the CPU 212 searches for and finds the AP by receiving wireless signals such as a device discovery response (ProbeResponse) transmitted from the AP and a Beacon (information that the AP voluntarily transmits periodically). The AP information acquired from the AP by such an AP search includes at least one of information indicating the SSID, radio wave strength, frequency band, MAC address, authentication method, encryption method, etc. of the AP. Note that the content of the AP information differs depending on the model, model number, settings, etc. of the AP.

[0079] For example, CPU 212 may exclude AP information from the AP search results if the security method (authentication method, encryption method) used by the AP is not supported by MFP 100. Also, if the security method used by the AP is a security method that is not supported by MFP 100 and / or is restricted by MFP 100, CPU 212 may exclude such AP information from the AP search results.

[0080] In S702, after completing the AP search, the CPU 212 displays a list of APs found by the AP search on the operation / display unit 200 of the MFP 100. The AP list indicates the results of the AP search. The AP list may be displayed, for example, as an interface that can accept a user's selection instruction. For example, the CPU 212 may display, as the AP list, a list of AP identification information acquired by the AP search on the operation / display unit 220. The AP identification information may be, for example, an SSID or a device name. For example, if the AP selected by the user has a security method that requires authentication information such as a password, the CPU 212 accepts input of the password of the AP selected by the user. In this way, the CPU 212 may accept input of the AP password by the user and obtain the password of the AP selected by the user. Note that if the security method of the AP selected by the user does not require a password, the CPU 212 does not accept input of the password in S702. Examples of methods that do not require a password include the OPEN method and the EAP method, which will be described later.

[0081] In the present embodiment, the CPU 212 displays the results of the AP search on the operation / display unit 220 of the MFP 100 and accepts input of the password of the AP selected by the user. However, this is not limiting. For example, the AP information in S702 may be acquired from the AP using a function called Wi-Fi Protected Setup (hereinafter, WPS) (registered trademark). Alternatively, the AP information in S702 may be acquired from an external device such as the mobile terminal device 104 using a function called Wi-Fi Easy Connect (hereinafter, WEC) (registered trademark). Alternatively, the AP information in S702 and the user's instruction to select an AP may be acquired by receiving a specific signal from an external device such as the mobile terminal device 104.

[0082] In S703, the CPU 212 controls to record AP information required for setting the wireless infrastructure mode in the RAM 214 and / or nonvolatile memory 215 based on the AP information acquired in S702 (recording control). Details of this process will be described later with reference to FIG. 8. When storing the AP information in this process, information indicating the authentication method and encryption method of the AP is collectively stored as a security method. The AP information required for setting the wireless infrastructure mode stored in S703 includes, for example, one or more of the SSID, password, security method (authentication method and / or encryption method), frequency band, channel, communication standard, certificate information, and user name. The SSID is one or both of the ESSID and BSSID. This information is stored based on a user's operation on the operation / display unit 200 of the MFP 100 or a specific signal received from an external device such as the AP or the mobile terminal device 104.

[0083] In S704, the CPU 212 uses the AP information acquired in S702 to perform connection processing to connect to the AP in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard. The AP to connect to in S704 is the AP selected by the user in S702.

[0084] In S705, CPU 212 determines whether or not a measurement request has been received from the currently connected AP. If it is determined that a measurement request has been received, the process proceeds to S706; if not, the process proceeds to S713. Here, the measurement request is the same as the inquiry about radio wave strength (measurement request) described above in S601. In other words, the measurement request is a request for the results of an AP search, and is also a request for the measurement results of the radio wave conditions (signal quality) of APs around MFP 100.

[0085] In S706, the CPU 212 performs an AP search as described above in S602 and S702. The CPU 212 stores in the RAM 214 a list of AP information found in the AP search.

[0086] The following processing of S707 to S711 is performed for each AP found in the AP search. The AP found in the AP search may be included as a recommended AP as a connection destination AP in a change request received from the currently connected AP. In other words, the AP found in the AP search can also be considered a candidate AP that is a candidate for the connection destination AP of the MFP 100. The processing of S708 to S709 is processing for determining whether the AP found in the AP search is an appropriate AP as a connection destination candidate for the MFP 100. Furthermore, the processing of S710 is processing for suppressing the transmission of a connection request including an inappropriate connection destination AP by sending a false response, as in the suppression processing 2 described above, for information about an inappropriate connection destination AP. In other words, the processing of S707 to S711 is processing for suppressing connection to an AP that is not desirable as a connection destination for the MFP 100. In other words, the processing of S707 to S711 can also be considered processing for changing the MFP 100 to an appropriate connection destination AP. Instead of searching for an AP in S706, the CPU 212 may perform the processes in S707 to S712 using AP information previously searched and stored.

[0087] In S707, the CPU 212 starts repeating the processes of S708 to S710 for each AP found in the AP search in S706.

[0088] In S708, the CPU 212 determines whether the AP found in the AP search satisfies a predetermined condition and stores the determination result. The predetermined condition is a target condition for determining whether the AP is a desirable AP to change the connection destination. That is, in S708, the CPU 212 determines whether the AP found in the AP search is a desirable AP to change the connection destination. Details of this process will be described later with reference to FIG. 9.

[0089] In S709, the CPU 212 determines whether the target AP satisfies the eligibility conditions for a new AP based on the determination result of S708. If it is determined that the target AP satisfies the eligibility conditions, the process proceeds to S711. On the other hand, if it is determined that the target AP does not satisfy the eligibility conditions, the process proceeds to S710. Specifically, the CPU 212 makes the determination based on the information (determination result) stored in S905 or S906, which will be described later. That is, if the determination is made as in S905, which will be described later, the process proceeds to S711, and if the determination is made as in S906, which will be described later, the process proceeds to S710.

[0090] In S710, the CPU 212 creates a list of AP information with different content from the list stored in S706. For example, the CPU 212 excludes (deletes) information about APs that do not satisfy the target conditions from the list of AP information. Alternatively, the CPU 212 creates information about APs that do not satisfy the target conditions from the list of AP information stored in S706 with information that differs from the conditions actually measured. The different information is information that indicates lower signal quality than the signal quality actually measured in the AP search. This processing is the same as that described in the suppression processing 2 above. Signal quality, in other words, is the radio wave conditions, such as radio wave strength.

[0091] In this way, if an AP found by the AP search does not satisfy the conditions for a connection destination AP, CPU 212 excludes the AP that does not satisfy the conditions from the AP search results. Alternatively, CPU 212 generates information for the AP that does not satisfy the conditions that is different from the actual measurement results. This makes it possible to prevent an AP that does not satisfy the target conditions from being included as a recommended AP in a connection destination change request transmitted from an AP currently connected to MFP 100. In other words, it is possible to prevent MFP 100 from changing its connection destination to an AP that does not satisfy the security method conditions.

[0092] In S711, the CPU 212 continues to repeat the processes of S708 to S709 or S708 to S710 for other APs found in the AP search of S706. When these processes have been completed for all APs found in the AP search of S706, the process proceeds to S712.

[0093] In S712, the CPU 212 transmits a response to the measurement request to the currently connected AP, as described in S603 of Fig. 6. For example, when the processing of S710 is performed, the content differs from the result of the AP search, so in S712, the list of AP information is transmitted as a fake response.

[0094] In S713, the CPU 212 determines whether or not a connection destination change request has been received from the currently connected AP. This change request corresponds to the request sent by AP1 (101) in S605 of Fig. 6. If the CPU 212 determines that a change request has been received, the process proceeds to S714; otherwise, the process proceeds to S718.

[0095] In S714 to S716, the CPU 212 determines whether or not to change the connection destination to the recommended AP included in the change request, and if the change is not desirable, performs processing to suppress the change of the connection destination in response to the change request. This processing corresponds to the suppression processing 1 described above.

[0096] In S714, the CPU 212 determines whether the recommended AP included in the received change request satisfies a predetermined condition. The predetermined condition is a target condition for determining whether the recommended AP is preferable (suitable) as an AP to be changed as a connection destination. That is, in S714, the CPU 212 determines whether the recommended AP is preferable as an AP to be changed as a connection destination. Details of this process will be described later with reference to FIG. 9.

[0097] In S715, based on the determination result of S714, CPU 212 determines whether the recommended AP included in the change request satisfies the target AP eligibility conditions for the AP after the change of the destination AP. If the target AP eligibility conditions are met, the process proceeds to S716, and if not, the process proceeds to S718. Specifically, if the determination is made as in S905 (described later), the process proceeds to S716, and if the determination is made as in S906 (described later), the process proceeds to S718.

[0098] In S715, if the CPU 212 determines that the target conditions are not met (NO in S715), it may not connect to the recommended AP and may send a refusal response to the currently connected AP, as described above in the suppression process 1. In other words, the refusal means that the connection destination AP will not be changed. Furthermore, if the CPU 212 determines that the target conditions are not met, it may ignore the change request without returning a response.

[0099] In S716, the CPU 212 transmits a response indicating that it will comply with the received connection destination change request to the currently connected AP, and the process proceeds to S717. This process corresponds to the process of S606 in FIG.

[0100] In S717, the CPU 212 disconnects the currently connected AP and executes a process of connecting to the recommended AP included in the connection destination change request (the recommended AP determined to satisfy the target condition in S714). This process corresponds to the processes of S607 and S608 in FIG. 6.

[0101] In this way, if the recommended AP does not satisfy the conditions as a destination AP, CPU 212 performs control to send a response to the change request to the AP currently connected to MFP 100 indicating that the change request is rejected, or to ignore the change request (NO in S715). This makes it possible to prevent MFP 100 from changing the destination AP to an AP that uses an undesirable security method among the recommended APs that are candidate destination APs. On the other hand, if the recommended AP satisfies the conditions as a destination AP, CPU 212 sends a response to comply with the change request and performs connection processing with the recommended AP (YES in S715, S716 to S717). With this control by CPU 212, MFP 100 can connect to an appropriate AP.

[0102] In S718, CPU 212 determines whether or not to terminate the connection with the currently connected AP. If it is determined that the connection is to be terminated, the processing of FIG. 7 ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the connection is not to be terminated, the processing proceeds to S705. Specifically, for example, CPU 212 determines whether or not an instruction to power off MFP 100 has been received. The instruction to power off may be an instruction based on the fact that operation display unit 220 or the like of MFP 100 has not been operated for a predetermined period of time, or may be an instruction based on the operation of a power button (not shown) of MFP 100, etc.

[0103] 7, an example in which both the processes of S707 to S711 (suppression process 2) and the processes of S714 to S716 (suppression process 1) are performed is described, but this is not limiting. For example, it is possible to perform either one of the processes of S707 to S711 (suppression process 2) and the processes of S714 to S716 (suppression process 1) without performing the other.

[0104] (Process to memorize the security method to be used when connecting to an AP) 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for storing information indicating the authentication method and encryption method of an AP as a security method to be used when connecting to the AP when setting the wireless infrastructure mode of MFP 100. In this flowchart, the process executed by MFP 100 is realized by CPU 212 reading various programs stored in a memory such as ROM 213 into RAM 214 and executing them. Note that this process is executed in S703 based on the AP information acquired in S702.

[0105] Here, the security methods will be explained. The following security methods have been used in wireless communication using wireless LANs based on the IEEE802.11 standard.

[0106] <Authentication method> The authentication methods supported by the wireless AP include, for example, the following types: (1) PSK method using a pre-shared key (2) SAE method using SAE (Simultaneous Authentication of Equals) (3) EAP method that authenticates communication devices connected to a network using an IEEE802.1X / EAP compatible authentication server. Among these, the security methods using PSK (1) include, for example, the following methods: (1-1)WPA(Wi-Fi Protected Access)-PSK (1-2)WPA2-PSK method The PSK method is a personal method, and differs from the enterprise method in terms of authentication method (type of authentication, authentication classification, type of security).

[0107] In addition, the security methods using SAE (2) include, for example, the following methods. (2-1)WPA3-SAE method In addition, security methods using an authentication server (3) include, for example, the following methods. (3-1)WPA-EAP (3-2)WPA2-EAP (3-3)WPA3-EAP method The security method using an authentication server is an authentication method for the enterprise system, and is different from the personal system in terms of authentication method (type of authentication, authentication classification, type of security).

[0108] <Encryption method> The encryption method includes, for example, the following methods. -CCMP (Counter mode with CBC-MAC Protocol) method using AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) method using RC4 ·WEP method In this specification, EAP stands for Extensible Authentication Protocol, and WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy.

[0109] Of the security methods (authentication methods, encryption methods) described above, relatively secure security methods are, for example, the WPA3-SAE method (2-1) and the WPA / WPA2 / WPA3-EAP methods (3-1) to (3-3). The next most secure methods are the WPA / WPA2-PSK methods (1-1) and (1-2). A relatively insecure security method is, for example, the WEP method. Another insecure method is OPEN (no authentication). Regarding encryption methods, a method using AES is a relatively secure method, the TKIP method is a relatively insecure method, and no encryption is an insecure method.

[0110] The security methods supported by the MFP 100 vary depending on the model, model number, settings, etc. of the MFP 100. Security methods supported by the MFP 100 in this embodiment are, for example, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK, WPA3-SAE, WPA-EAP, WPA2-EAP, WPA3-EAP, and OPEN (no authentication, no encryption). Security methods not supported by the MFP 100 are, for example, methods that use TKIP or WEP as the encryption method.

[0111] In S801, the CPU 212 determines whether the authentication method used to connect to the AP is the WPA3-SAE method. For example, the CPU 212 determines the authentication method used by the AP that accepted the user's selection instruction, based on the AP information acquired in S702. If it is determined that the authentication method is the WPA3-SAE method, the process proceeds to S802. On the other hand, if it is determined that the authentication method is not the WPA3-SAE method, the process proceeds to S803.

[0112] In S802, the CPU 212 stores the relatively secure method (WPA3-SAE method) in the RAM 214 and / or the nonvolatile memory 215 as the security method.

[0113] In S803, the CPU 212 determines whether the authentication method used to connect to the AP is at least one of the WPA-EAP method, the WPA2-EAP method, and the WPA3-EAP method. For example, the CPU 212 determines the authentication method used by the AP that accepted the user's selection instruction based on the AP information acquired in S702. If it is determined that the authentication method used to connect to the AP is at least one of the WPA-EAP method, the WPA2-EAP method, and the WPA3-EAP method, the process proceeds to S804. On the other hand, if it is determined that the authentication method used to connect to the AP is not any of the WPA-EAP method, the WPA2-EAP method, and the WPA3-EAP method, the process proceeds to S805.

[0114] In S804, the CPU 212 stores the "relatively secure method (WPA / WPA2 / WPA3-EAP method)" in the RAM 214 and / or the nonvolatile memory 215 as the security method.

[0115] In S805, the CPU 212 determines whether the authentication method used to connect to the AP is at least one of the WPA-PSK method and the WPA2-PSK method. For example, the CPU 212 determines the authentication method used by the AP that accepted the user's selection instruction based on the AP information acquired in S702. If it is determined that the authentication method is at least one of the WPA-PSK method and the WPA2-PSK method, the process proceeds to S806. On the other hand, if it is determined that the authentication method is neither the WPA-PSK method nor the WPA2-PSK method, the process proceeds to S807.

[0116] In S806, the CPU 212 stores the "moderately secure method (WPA / WPA2-PSK method)" in the RAM 214 and / or the nonvolatile memory 215 as the security method.

[0117] In S807, the CPU 212 determines whether the authentication method used to connect to the AP is the OPEN (no authentication) method. For example, the CPU 212 determines the authentication method used by the AP that accepted the user's selection instruction, based on the AP information acquired in S702. If the CPU 212 determines that the authentication method is the OPEN method, the process proceeds to S808. On the other hand, if the CPU 212 determines that the authentication method is not the OPEN method, the process proceeds to S809.

[0118] In S808, the CPU 212 stores the "non-secure method (OPEN method)" in the RAM 214 and / or the non-volatile memory 215 as the security method.

[0119] In S809, the CPU 212 records other setting information (setting contents) for the wireless infrastructure mode in the RAM 214 and / or non-volatile memory 215. The setting information is, for example, AP information required for setting the wireless infrastructure mode. In this process, the security methods are stored collectively by the type () of the authentication method of the AP. As a result, if the strength of the security method of the recommended AP is the same type as the strength of the security method of the MFP 100, it becomes possible to connect to an AP with the same settings, such as the ESSID and password.

[0120] The security method that MFP 100 uses to connect to the AP may be restricted by a user's operation on operation display unit 200 of MFP 100 or by receiving a specific signal from an external device such as mobile terminal device 104.

[0121] 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for determining whether the AP to be determined satisfies predetermined conditions as a destination AP. That is, FIG. 9 shows an example of a process for determining whether the AP to be determined is an appropriate AP as a destination AP after a change of destination. In this flowchart, the process executed by MFP 100 is realized by CPU 212 reading various programs stored in a memory such as ROM 213 into RAM 214 and executing them.

[0122] The process in Fig. 9 is executed in S708 and S714 in Fig. 7. That is, this process is executed for APs discovered by an AP search based on a measurement request and for recommended APs included in a change request. That is, this process is executed when determining whether or not to change the destination AP.

[0123] In S901, the CPU 212 determines whether the security method of the AP (hereinafter referred to as the candidate AP), which is the AP to be determined and is a candidate for the connection switching destination, is usable by the MFP 100. If it is determined that the security method is usable, the process proceeds to S902. On the other hand, if it is determined that the security method is not usable, the process proceeds to S906. Specifically, for example, the CPU 212 determines that the security method used in the network formed by the candidate AP is usable if it is compatible with the MFP 100 and is not restricted by the MFP 100. Furthermore, the CPU 212 determines that the security method used by the candidate AP is not usable if it is at least one of a method not compatible with the MFP 100 and a method restricted by the MFP 100. The security methods supported by the MFP 100 vary depending on the model, model number, settings, etc. of the MFP 100, as described above. Furthermore, the security methods supported by the MFP 100 are stored in advance in, for example, the non-volatile memory 215. Furthermore, the security methods that can be used by MFP 100 may be restricted by settings based on user operations, as will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0124] In this way, in addition to the condition of whether or not the candidate AP is compatible with the MFP 100, if the candidate AP is compatible with the MFP 100 but its use is restricted by settings or the like, the result of S901 is determined to be NO and the process is performed. This makes it possible to prevent the connection destination AP from being changed if the security method of the candidate AP is not a method that can be used by the MFP 100 when the MFP 100 receives a change request from the connected AP.

[0125] In the present embodiment, the determination in S901 is based on whether or not the MFP 100 is compatible with the AP, and also on whether or not its use is restricted by the MFP 100. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in S901, the CPU 212 may determine only whether or not the MFP 100 is compatible with the AP, without determining whether or not its use is restricted by the MFP 100. For example, the CPU 212 may proceed to S902 if it determines that the security method of the AP to be determined is compatible with the MFP, and proceed to S906 if it is not.

[0126] In S902, CPU 212 determines whether the security strength of the security method of the candidate AP is equal to or greater than the security method stored in S703 of Fig. 7 (see Fig. 8). If it is determined that the security method has a strength equal to or greater than the stored security method, the process proceeds to S903. Otherwise, the process proceeds to S906.

[0127] A specific example of S902 will be described. For example, if the CPU 212 stores "WPA1 / 2-PSK" as the security method in S703 of FIG. 7 and the strength of the security method of the candidate AP is "WPA3-SAE" or "WPA1 / 2-PSK," the process proceeds to S903. If the CPU 212 stores "WPA1 / 2-PSK" in S703 and the strength of the security method of the candidate AP is "OPEN," the process proceeds to S906. If the CPU 212 records "WPA3-SAE" in S703 and the strength of the security method of the candidate AP is "WPA3-SAE," the process proceeds to S903. If the CPU 212 records "WPA3-SAE" in S703 and the strength of the security method of the candidate AP is "WPA1 / 2-PSK," the process proceeds to S906.

[0128] In this way, if the candidate AP uses a security method with a security strength lower than that of the currently connected AP, it is determined that the AP does not satisfy the conditions for a destination AP. This makes it possible to prevent the destination AP from being changed to an AP with a security strength lower than that of the currently connected AP when MFP100 receives a change request from the currently connected AP. On the other hand, if the candidate AP uses a security method with a security strength equal to or higher than that of the currently connected AP, it is determined that the AP satisfies the conditions for a destination AP.

[0129] In S903, the CPU 212 determines whether the type of authentication method of the candidate AP (for example, PSK, SAE, EAP, or OPEN) is the same as the type of the stored authentication method. If the authentication method is the same type, the CPU 212 proceeds to S905, and otherwise proceeds to S904.

[0130] For example, assume that the security method stored in the process of Fig. 8 (security method set when setting wireless infrastructure mode) is either the above-mentioned (1-1) WPA-PSK or (1-2) WPA2-PSK method. In this case, if the security method of the candidate AP is either the (1-1) WPA-PSK or (1-2) WPA2-PSK method, the authentication method type is the same PSK, and therefore, S903 will be determined as Yes. In other words, for example, if the security method stored in the process of Fig. 8 is the above-mentioned (1-1) WPA-PSK and the security method of the candidate AP is the (1-2) WPA2-PSK method, S903 will be determined as Yes.

[0131] On the other hand, for example, assume that the security method stored in Fig. 8 is either the above-mentioned (1-1) WPA-PSK or (1-2) WPA2-PSK method. In this case, if the security method of the candidate AP is the (2-1) WPA3-SAE method, the authentication method types are PSK and SAE, and therefore, a NO determination is made in S903. Similarly, if the method stored in the processing of Fig. 8 is either the above-mentioned (1-1) WPA-PSK or (1-2) WPA2-PSK method and the method of the candidate AP is (3-1) WPA-EAP or (3-2) WPA2-EAP, a NO determination is made in S903. Furthermore, if the security method stored in the processing of Fig. 8 corresponds to one of the personal mode and the enterprise mode, and the type of security method of the candidate AP corresponds to the other of the personal mode and the enterprise mode, the authentication method types are different.

[0132] In S904, the CPU 212 determines whether a setting value corresponding to the authentication method of the candidate AP (for example, SAE method, PSK method, EAP method, or OPEN method) is recorded. If it is determined that the setting value is stored, the process proceeds to S905. On the other hand, if it is determined that the setting value is not stored, the process proceeds to S906.

[0133] Here, setting values ​​corresponding to the authentication method will be described. A setting value required for the SAE method is, for example, a password. A setting value required for the PSK method is, for example, a password or a PSK (pre-shared key). A setting value required for the EAP method is, for example, a user name, a login name, or a certificate. EAP is an enterprise mode. In other words, the setting value is information required when MFP100 connects to an AP depending on the type of authentication method. A setting value corresponding to an authentication method is stored, for example, in the processing of S703. A setting value is stored, for example, in S809 of FIG. 8, which is executed as the processing of S703. In this way, even if the type of authentication method used with the AP to which MFP100 is currently connected is different from the type of authentication method used with the candidate AP, if information required for connection using the different type has been obtained, the different type is still considered to satisfy the eligibility conditions for the AP to which MFP100 is to be connected.

[0134] For example, if the security method of the currently connected AP is "WPA1 / 2-PSK" and the security method of the candidate AP is "WPA1 / 2-EAP," it is determined in S903 that the authentication method types are different. Also, if it is determined in S904 that the EAP method setting values ​​(user name, login name, and certificate required for EAP authentication) are stored, the candidate AP is not excluded from the targets for changing the connection destination. In other words, the candidate AP is not prevented from changing the connection destination based on a change request.

[0135] In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the process proceeds to S904 if the determination in S903 is NO, but this is not limiting. For example, if the determination in S903 is NO, the process may skip S904 and proceed to S905. That is, if the type of authentication method of the currently connected AP and the type of authentication method of the candidate AP are different, the CPU 212 may uniformly determine that the target condition is not met.

[0136] In S905, the CPU 212 determines that the candidate AP is eligible to be a target AP for the change of connection destination based on the change request. That is, the candidate AP is determined to satisfy the eligibility conditions as an AP after the change of connection destination. The CPU 212 also stores the determination result in the RAM 214 and / or the non-volatile memory 215.

[0137] In S906, the CPU 212 determines that the candidate AP is not eligible to be a target AP for the change of connection destination based on the change request. That is, the candidate AP is determined not to satisfy the eligibility conditions for being an AP after the change of connection destination. The CPU 212 stores the determination result in the RAM 214 and / or the non-volatile memory 215.

[0138] (Settings screen for restricting the security method used when connecting to an AP) Fig. 10 is an example of a setting screen that restricts the security method used when MFP 100 connects to an AP in wireless infrastructure mode. For example, when CPU 212 receives a selection of "wireless LAN detailed settings" on the screen of Fig. 3(d), it displays the setting screen of Fig. 10 on operation / display unit 220. Also, while the setting screen is described as being displayed on operation / display unit 220 of MFP 100 as an example, the present invention is not limited to this. The setting screen of Fig. 10 may be displayed by an application or web browser capable of configuring MFP 100 in an external device such as mobile terminal device 104, for example.

[0139] The setting screen displays setting items (options) 1001 to 1004 for the security method to be used when connecting to an AP in wireless infrastructure mode. The setting items 1001 to 1004 may be displayed as an interface that can accept an instruction to set the minimum security method, for example. That is, the setting screen is a screen on which the minimum security method to be used when MFP 100 connects to an AP can be set. The setting screen can also be said to be a screen on which the security methods that MFP 100 can use when connecting to an AP can be set. That is, the setting screen is, in other words, a security setting screen. The minimum security method is also, in other words, a standard for the security method when MFP 100 connects to an AP. In this way, by setting the standard for the security method on the setting screen, it is possible to prevent MFP 100 from changing the connection destination to an AP that uses a security method that does not satisfy the standard.

[0140] A relatively secure security method is displayed in the setting item 1001. Examples of the relatively secure method include WPA3-SAE(AES) and WPA1 / 2 / 3-EAP(AES).

[0141] A moderately secure security method is displayed in the setting item 1002. An example of a moderately secure method is the WPA1 / 2-PSK (AES) method.

[0142] A relatively insecure security method is displayed in the setting item 1003. An example of a relatively insecure method is the WPA-PSK (TKIP) method.

[0143] An unsecured security method is displayed in the setting item 1004. An unsecured method is, for example, a method that does not require authentication when connecting to an AP. An example of a method that does not require authentication is the OPEN method.

[0144] When a user selects one of security method setting items 1001 to 1004 on the setting screen, CPU 212 stores the security method of the selected setting item in RAM 214 and / or nonvolatile memory 215. That is, the security method of the setting item selected by the user is set as the lower limit of the security methods that MFP 100 will use when connecting to an AP. This restricts connection to an AP with a method less secure than the security method selected by the user when MFP 100 connects to an AP in wireless infrastructure mode. This makes it possible to prevent MFP 100 from connecting to an AP with a security method that the user does not intend.

[0145] Specifically, for example, when setting item 1001 is selected, the security method of setting item 1001 can be used when MFP 100 connects to an AP in wireless infrastructure mode. On the other hand, the use of the security methods of setting items 1002 to 1004 is restricted. Also, for example, when setting item 1002 is selected, the security methods of setting items 1001 to 1002 can be used when MFP 100 connects to an AP in wireless infrastructure mode. On the other hand, the use of the security methods of setting items 1003 to 1004 is restricted.

[0146] In addition, the setting items 1001 to 1004 of the security method selected by the user on the setting screen may be used to determine whether to change the destination AP based on the change request of S708 and S714 (S902 in Figure 9), thereby restricting the security method to be used for AP connection.

[0147] Also, in S702 and S706 of Figure 7, if the security method used by the AP obtained by the AP search is only one of the methods restricted on the settings screen, it may be excluded from the search results of the AP search, and the security method used for connecting to the AP may be restricted.

[0148] Also, for example, the setting screen may preferentially display items with higher security levels among the setting items 1001 to 1004. For example, on the setting screen, items with higher security levels may be displayed at the top or may be highlighted.

[0149] In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the security methods of the setting items 1000 to 1004 selected by the user on the operation / display unit 220 of the MFP 100 are stored, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as described above, when the setting screen of Fig. 10 is displayed on an external device such as the mobile terminal device 104, the security method setting may be stored based on a specific signal transmitted from the external device.

[0150] 9 executed in S708 of this embodiment, the MFP 100 executes an AP search when it receives a measurement request from the currently connected AP. The MFP 100 controls the beacon report (response to the measurement request) to include false information about APs found in the AP search that have security strength lower than that of the currently connected AP, as per the suppression process 2 described above. This prevents the currently connected AP from sending a change request to change the connection destination to an AP with a lower security method.

[0151] 9 , which is performed in S714 of this embodiment, when the MFP 100 receives a request to change the connection destination AP from the currently connected AP, it performs control based on the strength of the security method of the recommended AP. If the recommended AP uses a security method with lower security strength than the security strength of the currently connected AP, the MFP 100 performs control so as not to change the connection destination AP to the recommended AP, as in suppression process 1. That is, the MFP 100 does not change the connection destination to the recommended AP, does not respond to the change request, or responds that the connection destination AP will not be changed. This prevents a decrease in security strength with the AP due to a change in connection destination based on a change request for the connection destination. That is, it becomes possible to easily connect to an AP with a better communication environment while maintaining a secure connection with the AP.

[0152] 9 , which is performed in S708 of this embodiment, if there is an AP that is not supported by the MFP 100 or an AP whose use is restricted among the APs found as a result of the AP search, the MFP 100 performs the following control. Information about the AP that is not supported by the MFP 100 or an AP whose use is restricted is controlled to be falsely responded to in the beacon report (response to the measurement request), as in the above-described suppression process 2. This suppresses the transmission of a change request that would change the connection destination to an AP that uses a security method that the MFP 100 does not support or that uses a security method that is restricted by the MFP.

[0153] 9 , which is performed in S714 of this embodiment, the MFP 100 performs the following control when it receives a request to change the connection destination AP. If the security method of the recommended AP is a security method that the MFP 100 does not support or a security method whose use is restricted, the MFP 100 is controlled not to change the connection destination to the recommended AP, as in suppression process 1. That is, the MFP 100 does not respond to the change request, or responds that it will not change the connection destination AP. This makes it possible to prevent a situation from occurring in which the MFP 100 attempts to change the connection destination based on a connection destination change request, disconnects from the currently connected AP, but is unable to connect to the recommended AP (connection to the recommended AP fails).

[0154] If the MFP 100 does not perform the process of S901 as in this embodiment, but instead disconnects from the currently connected AP in response to a connection destination change request, and attempts to connect to a recommended AP that employs a security method that is not supported by the MFP 100 or a security method whose use is restricted, and if the MFP 100 fails to connect to the recommended AP, the following problems may occur.

[0155] The first problem is that once disconnection from the previous AP occurs, a period of time occurs during which the MFP 100 cannot communicate with the AP. Furthermore, there is a time required for connection processing with the recommended AP and for processing time required from the failure of connection to the recommended AP until connection to another AP is established. This prolongs the period during which communication is unavailable. This impedes stable communication. The second problem is that if the MFP 100 does not store information necessary for connecting to the previous AP after disconnecting from the previous AP based on a request to change the connection destination AP, it will be unable to reconnect to the previous AP. The information necessary for connection includes at least one of connection information such as an SSID and a password, as well as other setting information. In this embodiment, to prevent these problems from occurring, the MFP 100 controls connection to an AP with a better communication environment based on a change request, while reducing unnecessary disconnections from the AP, thereby enabling more stable communication.

[0156] 9 , which is performed in S708 of this embodiment, the MFP 100 executes an AP search when it receives a measurement request from the currently connected AP. For APs found in the AP search that have a security method type different from that of the currently connected AP, the MFP 100 sends a false response in the beacon report (response to the measurement request) as per the suppression process 2 described above. This prevents a change request from being sent that would change the connection destination to an AP with a different security method.

[0157] 9 , which is performed in step S714 of this embodiment, when the MFP 100 receives a request to change the connection destination AP from the currently connected AP, it performs control based on the type of authentication method of the recommended AP. If the type of authentication method of the recommended AP differs from the authentication method of the currently connected AP, the MFP 100 performs control so as not to change the connection destination to the recommended AP, as in suppression process 1. That is, the MFP 100 does not respond to the change request to the currently connected AP, or responds that the connection destination AP will not be changed. This makes it easier to connect to an AP with a better communication environment while maintaining the type of authentication method for connection with the AP the same as when wireless infrastructure mode was set. In other words, it makes it easier to connect to an AP with a better communication environment based on the change request, while preventing inconveniences such as a decrease in security or an overly strong security due to an unintended change in the type of authentication method with the AP.

[0158] Furthermore, by performing the process of S904 in this embodiment, even if the authentication method type is different, if a setting value corresponding to the authentication method type of the recommended AP is stored, the connection destination AP is changed based on the change request. This makes it possible to easily connect to an AP with a better communication environment while maintaining the connection with the currently connected AP as much as possible.

[0159] In the determination of S902, the security method of the candidate AP is compared with the security method of the AP stored when the wireless infrastructure mode was first set (S703 in FIG. 7), but this is not limiting. For example, the security method may be compared with a predetermined security method. Specifically, the security method may be compared with a security method stored by a user operating the operation display unit 200 of the MFP 100 as described in FIG. 10. Alternatively, the security method may be compared with a security method stored by receiving a specific signal from an external device such as the mobile terminal device 104. Furthermore, when the security method is compared with a predetermined security method in the processing of S902, the security method may be compared with an available security method stored in one or more of the ROM 213, RAM 214, and non-volatile memory 215 of the MFP 100.

[0160] Furthermore, in the determination of S901, a method of determining whether the security method of the candidate AP is supported by MFP 100 and whether it is restricted has been exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the determination of S901, CPU 212 may determine whether MFP 100 and the candidate AP are connectable based on information acquired from the candidate AP and capability information of MFP 100. For example, the determination may be based on one or more of the security method (authentication method and / or encryption method), frequency band, channel, and communication standard.

[0161] According to the present embodiment described above, it is possible to perform more suitable control in response to a connection destination change request from an AP, that is, it is possible to switch the MFP 100, which is an STA, to an appropriate AP.

[0162] The various controls described above as being performed by CPU 212 may be performed by a single piece of hardware, or the entire device may be controlled by multiple pieces of hardware (e.g., multiple processors or circuits) sharing the processing.

[0163] Furthermore, although the present invention has been described in detail based on preferred embodiments thereof, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms within the scope of the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention. Furthermore, each of the above-described embodiments merely represents one embodiment of the present invention, and each embodiment can be combined as appropriate.

[0164] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention has been described with reference to an MFP as an example. However, this is not limited to this example and can be applied to any wireless device that functions as an STA and is capable of processing a connection change request from an AP. Specifically, the present invention can be applied to personal computers, PDAs, tablet devices, mobile phone terminals such as smartphones, music players, game consoles, e-book readers, smartwatches, and various measuring devices (sensor devices) such as thermometers and hygrometers. The present invention can also be applied to digital cameras (including still cameras, video cameras, network cameras, and security cameras), printers, scanners, and drones. The present invention can also be applied to video output devices, audio output devices (e.g., smart speakers), media streaming players, and wireless LAN adapters (adapters) that can be connected via USB or LAN cable terminals. Video output devices include devices such as set-top boxes, which acquire (download) videos and still images from the Internet identified by a URL specified by an electronic device and output them to a connected display device via a video output terminal such as HDMI (registered trademark). This enables streaming playback on the display device and mirroring display (displaying the content displayed on the electronic device on the display device). Furthermore, video output devices include media players such as televisions, hard disk recorders, Blu-ray recorders, and DVD recorders, head-mounted displays, projectors, televisions, display devices (monitors), signage devices, etc. The present invention is also applicable to Wi-Fi-connectable devices known as smart home appliances, such as air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, ovens, microwave ovens, lighting equipment, heating equipment, and cooling equipment.

[0165] (Other embodiments) The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and having one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program.The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0166] 100 MFP 101 AP1 102 AP2 103 DHCP Server 104 Portable terminal device 105 DNS Server

Claims

1. An electronic device, a change means for changing the access point (AP) to which the device is connected based on a change request for the access point received from the currently connected AP; a control means for controlling the change of the destination AP by the change means to prevent a second AP, which is connected using a second authentication method different in type from a first authentication method used for connecting to the first AP connected before the change of the destination, from being selected as the destination AP based on the change request; a receiving means for receiving a measurement request transmitted from the first AP to request a measurement result of the signal quality of APs around the electronic device; a measurement means for measuring the signal quality of the surrounding APs when the measurement request is received; a transmitting means for transmitting a response based on the measurement result by the measuring means to the first AP, The control means When the measurement result by the measurement means includes the signal quality of the second AP, the response is transmitted by the transmission means with a content indicating a signal quality lower than the signal quality of the second AP measured by the measurement means, or with a content not including the signal quality of the second AP. An electronic device characterized by:

2. The control means performing control so as to prevent the connection with the first AP from being disconnected by using the second AP as a new connection destination; 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a semiconductor device.

3. The control means When a third AP connected using an authentication method of the same type as the first authentication method is included in the candidate APs recommended as a change destination in the change request, control is performed so that the change destination AP is changed by the change means to the third AP as the connection destination after the change; When the second AP is included in the recommended APs, control is performed so that the change unit does not change the destination AP to the second AP after the change.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a semiconductor device.

4. The control means When the candidate AP recommended as a change destination in the change request is an AP connected using a second type of authentication method, the change means is controlled not to change the connection destination AP based on the change request, and the change means is controlled to transmit a response indicating refusal of the change of connection destination based on the change request to the first AP.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a semiconductor device.

5. The control means When the candidate AP recommended as a change destination in the change request is an AP connected using an authentication method of a type different from the first authentication method, control is performed so as not to transmit a response to the change request.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a semiconductor device.

6. The device further includes a recording control means for controlling the recording of the connection information to the first AP and the authentication method used for the connection to the first AP.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the change of the connection destination based on the change request based on the authentication method used for connecting to the first AP, which is recorded by the recording control means.

7. The device further includes a setting unit that sets a security method that can be used for connecting to the AP based on an operation by a user, The authentication method used in connection with the first AP is based on the security method set by the setting means.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a semiconductor device.

8. The control means Even if one of the candidate APs is an AP that is connected using a third authentication method different in type from the first authentication method, if the AP stores a setting value used for connection using the third authentication method, control is performed so as not to inhibit the change of the destination AP by the change means to the AP that is connected using the third authentication method.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a semiconductor device.

9. 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the type of the first authentication method is one of the SAE method, the PSK method, the EAP method, and the OPEN method, and the second authentication method is one of the SAE method, the PSK method, the EAP method, and the OPEN method that is different from the type of the first authentication method.

10. 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the type of the first authentication method is one of personal and enterprise, and the type of the second authentication method is the other of personal and enterprise.

11. The electronic device described in claim 1, characterized in that the control means further controls to prevent the change means from changing the destination AP by setting an AP that communicates using a security method with lower security strength than the security method used for communication with the first AP as the new destination AP.

12. The electronic device described in claim 1, characterized in that the control means further controls to prevent the change means from changing the destination AP by setting an AP that communicates using a security method that the electronic device does not support or a security method whose use is restricted in the electronic device as the new destination AP.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic device connects to and processes an AP in accordance with the IEEE 802.11ax standard.

14. 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is capable of performing at least one of processing conforming to Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) and processing conforming to Target Wake Time (TWT).

15. 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device can change the connection destination to an AP in the 6 GHz band by changing the connection destination based on the change request.

16. 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a printing unit capable of executing a printing process based on print data received via the AP.

17. 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control means performs control based on an authentication method of the candidate AP.

18. A program for causing at least one computer to function as each of the means of the electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

19. 18. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing at least one computer to function as each of the means of the electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

20. A method for controlling an electronic device, comprising: a change step of changing the access point (AP) to which the device is connected based on a change request for the access point received from the currently connected AP; a control step of controlling the change of the destination AP by the change step to prevent a second AP, which is connected using a second authentication method different in type from a first authentication method used for connecting to the first AP connected before the change of destination, from being selected as the destination AP based on the change request; a receiving step of receiving a measurement request transmitted from the first AP, the measurement request requesting a measurement result of the signal quality of APs around the electronic device; a measurement step of measuring the signal quality of the surrounding APs when the measurement request is received; a transmitting step of transmitting a response based on the measurement result in the measuring step to the first AP, The control step When the measurement result by the measurement step includes the signal quality of the second AP, the response is controlled so that the response has a signal quality lower than the signal quality of the second AP measured in the measurement step, or does not include the signal quality of the second AP. A method for controlling an electronic device.

Images