Communication device, method for controlling communication device, and program

Abstract

This communication device comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires information indicating, for each of one or more access points, a frequency band to be used at the access point; a determination unit that uses the information acquired by the acquisition unit to determine an access point, at which a first frequency band is to be used, among the one or more access points; and a control unit that performs display control for displaying a list of the one or more access points in a mode in which the access point determined, by the determination unit, to use the first frequency band can be identified.

Description

Communication device, communication device control method, and program

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication device, a control method for a communication device, and a program.

[0002] In recent years, wireless local area networks (LANs) have been installed in various devices, such as digital cameras and smartphones. This allows for easy data communication between devices. Establishing wireless LAN communication generally begins with an access point building a network (transmitting a beacon) and a client searching for that network. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for searching for networks built by surrounding access points and displaying the SSIDs and channel numbers of multiple networks found. Users can select an appropriate network by knowing the SSIDs and channels.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-220962

[0004] However, with the above display method, it may be difficult to distinguish between networks when SSIDs overlap.

[0005] Furthermore, some of the channel numbers available in the 6 GHz band of wireless LAN overlap with those available in the 2.4 GHz band or 5 GHz band. In other words, if there is another frequency band (2.4 GHz band or 5 GHz band) in the vicinity that uses the same channel numbers as the 6 GHz band, the above display method presents a problem in that it is difficult for the user to distinguish between the 6 GHz band and the other frequency bands.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a technique that makes it easier for users to recognize the frequency band of a network.

[0007] The communication device of the present invention is characterized by having an acquisition unit that acquires information indicating the frequency band used at each of one or more access points; a determination unit that uses the information acquired by the acquisition unit to determine which of the one or more access points uses a first frequency band; and a control unit that performs display control to display a list of the one or more access points in a manner that allows the access points determined by the determination unit to use the first frequency band to be identified.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to make it easier for a user to recognize the frequency band used by an AP in a communication device.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a digital camera according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a connection configuration between a digital camera and an AP according to a first embodiment. FIGS. 3A to 3G are diagrams illustrating examples of display screens of a digital camera according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of processing executed by a digital camera according to the first embodiment. FIGS. 5A to 5G are diagrams illustrating examples of display screens of a digital camera according to a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of processing executed by a digital camera according to the second embodiment.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are examples of means for realizing the present invention, and may be modified or changed as appropriate depending on the configuration of the device to which the present invention is applied and various conditions. Furthermore, the embodiments may be combined as appropriate.

[0011] First Embodiment A communication device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a digital camera 100, which is an example of a communication device according to this embodiment. Note that, although a digital camera is assumed as an example of a communication device here, the communication device is not limited to this. The communication device according to this embodiment may also be an information processing device such as a portable media player, a so-called tablet device, or a personal computer.

[0012] The control unit 101 of the digital camera 100 is realized by, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and controls each unit of the digital camera 100 in accordance with signals input to the control unit 101 and programs described below. Note that instead of the control unit 101 controlling the entire device, the entire device may be controlled by multiple pieces of hardware sharing the processing.

[0013] The imaging unit 102 includes, for example, an optical lens unit, an optical system that performs optical control such as aperture, zoom, and focus, and an imaging element that converts light (image) entering the device through the optical lens unit into an electrical video signal. The imaging element may be a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) or a charge coupled device (CCD). Under the control of the control unit 101, the imaging unit 102 converts subject light focused by the lens of the imaging unit 102 into an electrical signal using the imaging element, and outputs the resulting digital data as image data after noise reduction processing. In the digital camera 100 of this embodiment, the image data is stored in the storage medium 110 in accordance with the DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System) standard.

[0014] The nonvolatile memory 103 is a nonvolatile memory that can be electrically erased and stored, and programs to be executed by the control unit 101, which will be described later, are stored in the nonvolatile memory 103. The working memory 104 is used as a buffer memory that temporarily stores image data captured by the imaging unit 102, an image display memory for the display unit 106, a working area for the control unit 101, etc. The working memory 104 is also used as a buffer memory that temporarily stores audio data input from a microphone 107.

[0015] The operation unit 105 is used by the user to receive instructions for the digital camera 100. The operation unit 105 includes, for example, a power button for turning the digital camera 100 on and off, a release switch for instructing photography, and a playback button for instructing image data playback. It also includes operation members such as a dedicated connection button for starting communication with an external device via the connection unit 111 (described below). The operation unit 105 also includes a touch panel formed on the display unit 106 (described below). The release switch has two switches (SW1 and SW2). When the release switch is pressed halfway, switch SW1 is turned ON. This allows the operation unit 105 to receive instructions for preparing for photography, such as AF (autofocus), AE (autoexposure), AWB (auto white balance), and EF (pre-flash). When the release switch is pressed fully, switch SW2 is turned ON. As a result, the operation unit 105 receives an instruction to take a photograph.

[0016] The display unit 106 displays a viewfinder image during shooting, displays captured image data, and displays text for interactive operations with the user. Note that the display unit 106 does not necessarily have to be included in the digital camera 100. The digital camera 100 can be connected to an internal or external display unit 106, and it is sufficient that it has at least a display control function for controlling the display on the display unit 106.

[0017] The microphone 107 collects sound waves such as voice and generates audio data. When capturing a video with audio, the control unit 101 generates audio-accompanied video data from the audio data generated by the microphone 107 and the image data generated by the imaging unit 102. The control unit 101 can also store the audio data generated by the microphone 107 in association with the image data generated by the imaging unit 102. In this embodiment, the microphone 107 is built into the digital camera 100. Note that the process of generating audio data from sound waves by the microphone 107 may be performed by other hardware (for example, the control unit 101) sharing part of the processing.

[0018] The storage medium 110 stores image data output from the imaging unit 102. In this embodiment, the storage medium 110 is configured to be detachable from the digital camera 100. For example, the storage medium 110 is a storage medium that is detachable from the digital camera, such as an SD card or a CF Express card.

[0019] The connection unit 111 is an interface for communicating with a smart device via a so-called wireless LAN conforming to the IEEE 802.11 standard. The digital camera 100 transmits and receives data to and from the smart device via the connection unit 111. For example, the digital camera 100 can transmit image data generated by the imaging unit 102 to the smart device via the connection unit 111.

[0020] In this embodiment, it is assumed that frequency bands usable in wireless LANs include the 2.4 GHz band, the 5 GHz band, and the 6 GHz band. For 6 GHz band communications, the digital camera 100 has three transmission output modes: Standard Power (SP) mode, Low Power Indoor (LPI) mode, and Very Low Power (VLP) mode. The SP mode is intended for both indoor and outdoor use at high output, and determines the channel and output depending on the location of the AP. The LPI mode is a mode that can only be used indoors, while the VLP mode reduces the transmission output, allowing for outdoor use without any restrictions on location. The digital camera 100 in this embodiment is assumed to support the VLP mode.

[0021] The connection unit 111 does not necessarily have to be built into the digital camera 100. The digital camera 100 only needs to have at least a connection control function that controls the operation of the internal or external connection unit 111. The control unit 101 controls the connection unit 111 to realize wireless communication with the smart device.

[0022] The short-range wireless communication unit 112 is composed of, for example, an antenna for wireless communication, a modulation / demodulation circuit for processing wireless signals, and a communication controller. The short-range wireless communication unit 112 outputs modulated wireless signals from the antenna and demodulates wireless signals received by the antenna to achieve short-range wireless communication in accordance with the IEEE 802.15 standard (so-called Bluetooth (registered trademark)). In this embodiment, it is assumed that Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication employs Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy version 4.0, which is low-power consumption. This Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication has a narrower communication range (i.e., a shorter communication distance) than wireless LAN communication. Furthermore, Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication has a slower communication speed than wireless LAN communication. On the other hand, Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication consumes less power than wireless LAN communication.

[0023] The digital camera 100 of this embodiment can transmit and receive data to and from a smart device via the short-range wireless communication unit 112. For example, when the control unit 101 receives a command to take a photograph from the smart device via the short-range wireless communication unit 112, it controls the imaging unit 102 to perform a photographing operation. When the control unit 101 receives a command to transmit and receive data via wireless LAN communication, it controls the connection unit 111 to start wireless LAN communication.

[0024] The wired communication unit 113 is an interface for wired connection with a smart device. The digital camera 100 of this embodiment can send and receive data to and from the smart device via the wired communication unit 113. In this embodiment, the wired communication unit 113 includes an interface for communicating with the smart device via a wired LAN. The control unit 101 controls the wired communication unit 113 to achieve wired communication with the smart device. The communication method is not limited to a wired LAN.

[0025] The connection unit 111 has an AP (access point) mode in which it operates as an access point in infrastructure mode, and a CL (client) mode in which it operates as a client in infrastructure mode. By operating the connection unit 111 in CL mode, the digital camera 100 in this embodiment can operate as a CL device in infrastructure mode. When the digital camera 100 operates as a CL device, it can connect to a nearby access point and participate in a network formed by the access point.

[0026] Furthermore, by operating the connection unit 111 in AP mode, the digital camera 100 of this embodiment can also operate as a simple access point (hereinafter referred to as a simple AP), which is a type of access point but has more limited functionality. The digital camera 100 forms a network when operating as a simple AP. Devices surrounding the digital camera 100 then recognize the digital camera 100 as an access point and are able to join the network formed by the digital camera 100. A program for operating the digital camera 100 as a simple AP is stored in non-volatile memory 103.

[0027] The digital camera 100 operating as a simple AP in this embodiment is a type of access point, but does not have a gateway function for forwarding data received from a client device to an Internet provider, etc. Therefore, even if the digital camera 100 receives data from other devices participating in the network formed by the digital camera 100, the received data cannot be forwarded to a network such as the Internet. This concludes the description of the digital camera 100.

[0028] <Overview of Connection Configuration> Next, with reference to FIG. 2 , the connection configuration between the digital camera 100 and the AP 200 in this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the connection configuration between the digital camera 100 and the AP 200 in this embodiment. The control unit 101 of the digital camera 100 controls the connection unit 111 to detect the AP 200 in the vicinity of the digital camera 100. The digital camera 100 receives a beacon transmitted from the AP 200 and acquires information about the AP 200. The acquisition of AP information will be described in detail. The AP 200 information includes information such as the SSID of the AP 200, the supported authentication method, encryption type, channel, and frequency band. Of these, the SSID, supported authentication method, and encryption type are information contained in the beacon, and are therefore acquired by referencing the information contained in the received beacon. On the other hand, the channel and frequency band are acquired by referencing information contained in the beacon, which is the frequency at which the beacon is transmitted. Specifically, a table associating frequencies with channel numbers is stored, and the channel number is acquired by referencing the table using the frequency contained in the beacon as a key. The same may be done for the frequency band. However, the method of acquiring the frequency is not limited to this. When receiving a beacon, the digital camera 100 performs a scanning operation. The scanning operation determines whether or not a beacon has been received at the frequency to be scanned, so once a beacon is received, it is known that it is a beacon of that frequency. Therefore, the frequency may be identified by referring to information that the control unit 101 of the digital camera 100 knows about, which frequency is being scanned. Furthermore, the AP 200 is not limited to an AP such as a wireless LAN router, but may also be another digital camera, a smartphone, or the like.

[0029] <AP Detection Result Display Processing> Next, with reference to FIGS. 3A to 3G and 4, the AP detection result display processing in the digital camera 100 will be described. FIGS. 3A to 3G are diagrams showing an example of a UI screen displayed on the display unit 106 of the digital camera 100. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of processing for displaying APs detected by the control unit 101 of the digital camera 100. The processing shown in this flowchart is implemented by the control unit 101 controlling each unit of the digital camera 100 in accordance with an input signal and a program. The processing of this flowchart is initiated when the user of the digital camera 100 selects a "New Settings" item 301 for setting up a new connection with an AP on the communication setting screen shown in FIG. 3A in accordance with menu operations and presses an "OK" button 302. The processing of this flowchart is implemented by the control unit 101 expanding a program stored in the non-volatile memory 103 into the work memory 104 and executing it.

[0030] First, in step S401, the control unit 101 controls the connection unit 111 to search for APs present around the digital camera 100, acquire information about the detected APs, and store the acquired information in the working memory 104. The surrounding APs broadcast beacons including an SSID and a channel number. Here, "searching for surrounding APs" means that the connection unit 111 detects the networks of the surrounding APs by receiving the beacons. The same applies hereinafter. Here, the control unit 101 is an acquisition unit that acquires information indicating the frequency band used by each of one or more access points.

[0031] Next, in step S402, the control unit 101 identifies the frequency band used by the detected AP using the AP information stored in the work memory 104 in step S401. Next, in step S403, the control unit 101 determines whether the frequency band used by the AP identified in step S402 is the 6 GHz band. Here, the control unit 101 is a determination unit that determines an access point that uses a first frequency band (6 GHz band) among one or more access points. If the control unit 101 determines that the frequency band used by the AP is the 6 GHz band (S403: YES), the control unit 101 proceeds to step S404. On the other hand, if the control unit 101 determines that the frequency band of the AP is not the 6 GHz band (S403: NO), the control unit 101 proceeds to step S405.

[0032] In step S404, the control unit 101 stores in the working memory 104 information indicating that the AP determined to be in the 6 GHz band in step S403 is an AP that displays to the user in a manner that allows the user to identify that the frequency band it uses is the 6 GHz band.

[0033] Next, in step S405, the control unit 101 determines whether the frequency bands of all APs acquired in step S402 have been determined. If the control unit 101 determines that the frequency bands of all APs have been determined (S405: YES), the control unit 101 proceeds to step S406. On the other hand, if the control unit 101 determines that the frequency bands of all APs have not been determined (S405: NO), the control unit 101 returns to step S402.

[0034] Next, in step S406, the control unit 101 displays a list of detected APs based on the information stored in the working memory 104 in step S404 indicating that the AP is an "AP that displays to the user in a manner that the frequency band it uses is the 6 GHz band." Here, the control unit 101 is a control unit that performs display control to display a list of one or more access points such that the access points determined by the determination unit to use the first frequency band can be identified. Details of the display control by the control unit 101 will be described below.

[0035] 3B to 3G show examples of AP detection result screens displayed on the display unit 106 in step S406. In the example of FIG. 3B, the detection result screen displays a list including the SSID 311 of the detected AP, an icon 312 indicating that the AP is password protected, and the channel 313 of the AP. Note that the AP list is also displayed in the examples of FIGS. 3C to 3G in the same manner as in FIG. 3B. In FIG. 3B, it is displayed that the frequency band used by the AP with the SSID "Network-0004" is the 6 GHz band. Specifically, on the display unit 106, an icon 303 indicating "6 GHz" is displayed between the SSID ("Network-0004") and the channel ("13ch"). As a result, on the display unit 106, it is displayed in a manner that is recognizable to the user that the frequency band used by the AP is the 6 GHz band.

[0036] If none of the frequency bands used by the detected APs are the 6 GHz band, the control unit 101 displays a list 304 of the detected APs and channels on the display unit 106, as shown in Figure 3C, and does not display the 6 GHz band as shown in Figure 3B.

[0037] The display mode of the display unit 106 indicating that the frequency band used by the AP is the 6 GHz band is not limited to the mode shown in Fig. 3B . For example, the control unit 101 can display to the user that the frequency band used by the AP is the 6 GHz band by changing the color or font of the SSID of the AP that uses the 6 GHz frequency band. As an example, as shown in Fig. 3D , a display mode using a display tab 305 that switches the display of detected APs for each frequency band may be adopted.

[0038] 3E, the 6 GHz band may be displayed only when there is an AP 306 ("Network-0001") that belongs to the same channel as the channel of AP 307 ("Network-0008") that uses the 6 GHz frequency band. For example, in FIG. 3E, assume that there is no AP that belongs to the same channel ("36ch" in this example) as an AP that uses the 6 GHz frequency band (e.g., an AP with an SSID of "Network-0003"). In this case, the display unit 106 does not display that the AP with an SSID of "Network-0003" uses the 6 GHz frequency band.

[0039] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3F , the display unit 106 may also display a Preferred Scanning Channel (hereinafter, PSC), which is a channel that is prioritized for searching among the 6 GHz band channels, in a manner that is recognizable to the user. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3F , for an AP with an SSID of "Network-0009," the fact that the frequency band being used is the 6 GHz band and that it is a PSC are displayed in a manner that is recognizable to the user ("6 GHz (PSC)" icon 308). Note that the fact that the frequency band being used is the 6 GHz band and that it is a PSC may be displayed by changing the color or font on the display unit 106. Furthermore, only the 6 GHz band is displayed in a manner that is recognizable to the user on the display unit 106, and the 2.4 GHz band and the 5 GHz band do not need to be displayed in a manner that is recognizable to the user. This is because only the 6 GHz band channel numbers overlap with other frequency bands. Because the channel numbers for the 2.4 GHz band and the 5 GHz band do not overlap, it is possible to distinguish between the 2.4 GHz band and the 5 GHz band by looking at the channel number, even without displaying whether the band is the 2.4 GHz band or the 5 GHz band. Also, in the example of Figure 3F, non-PSC 6 GHz band channels may be displayed more prominently than PSC channels. This is because PSC channels are preferentially searched, and it is considered relatively likely that many devices will connect to them, causing network congestion and slowing communication speeds. By highlighting non-PSC 6 GHz band channels, it becomes easier to select a less crowded network.

[0040] 3G, the frequency band used for each detected AP may be displayed on the display unit 106. This makes it easier for users with little knowledge of channel numbers to distinguish between the 2.4 GHz band and the 5 GHz band. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3G, the display unit 106 displays an icon 309 indicating that the frequency band used is the 2.4 GHz band and an icon 310 indicating that the frequency band used is the 5 GHz band. Furthermore, the display unit 106 displays an icon 311 indicating that the frequency band used is the 6 GHz band in a manner that is more noticeable to the user than the icons 309 and 310.

[0041] Here, the conspicuous display mode mentioned in the description of Fig. 3F and Fig. 3G will be described. In this embodiment, the conspicuous display mode means, for example, that icon 311 indicating the 6 GHz band has a different font color or background color from icon 309 indicating the 2.4 GHz band or icon 310 indicating the 5 GHz band.

[0042] In this case, it is preferable that the font and background colors of icon 311 be more eye-catching than the font and background colors of icons 309 and 310. For example, if the background color of the network list is achromatic, it is preferable that the font and background colors of icon 311 be chromatic, warm colors with high saturation and brightness. In this case, it is also preferable that the font and background colors of icons 309 and 310 be achromatic or chromatic, cool colors with low saturation and brightness. In other words, it is preferable that the font and background colors of icon 311 be closer to colors that form a contrast in hue and brightness with respect to the background color of the network list than the font and background colors of icons 309 and 310.

[0043] Alternatively, the font of icon 311 may be made larger or bolder than the fonts of icons 309 and 310. Furthermore, the icon size of icon 311 itself may be made larger than icons 309 and 310. In addition, a further display mode may be adopted, such as flashing icon 311 while not flashing icons 309 and 310. Although omitted in Fig. 3G for simplicity of explanation, even in the display mode shown in Fig. 3G, the PSC may be displayed in a manner that allows it to be identified as such, as in Fig. 3F.

[0044] In the above description, the processing of the flowchart in Fig. 4 is started when the user operates the operation unit 105 to press the "OK" button 302, but the trigger for starting the processing is not limited to this. For example, in the example of Fig. 3B, an "Update" button 314 may be further displayed on the display unit 106, and when the user operates to press the "Update" button 314, the processing of the flowchart in Fig. 4 may be started again. Alternatively or in addition to this, the control unit 101 may automatically start the processing of the flowchart in Fig. 4 again after an arbitrary time has elapsed since the processing of the flowchart in Fig. 4 was completed.

[0045] In the examples of Figures 3B to 3G, the display order of APs when displaying the detection results of APs may be the order in which the APs were detected by the digital camera 100, or may be in order of most recent connection time based on the connection history with the digital camera 100. Alternatively, the display order of APs when displaying the detection results of APs may be the 6 GHz band, 5 GHz band, and 2.4 GHz band based on the frequency band used by the AP, or may be in order of strongest radio wave strength based on the radio wave strength of the AP. Alternatively, the display order of APs when displaying the detection results of APs may be a combination of these, or a display order not limited to these may be appropriately adopted. Therefore, in this embodiment, the control unit 101 can perform display control in a manner that makes it possible to distinguish that the first frequency band (6 GHz band) is capable of faster communication than the second frequency band (2.4 GHz band or 5 GHz band).

[0046] According to the digital camera 100 of this embodiment, when the detection result of an AP is displayed on the display unit 106, the frequency band used by the AP is clearly displayed as 6 GHz. This allows the user of the digital camera 100 to identify the frequency band used by the detected AP and select the desired AP.

[0047] Second Embodiment Next, a communication device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, the same components and processes as those of the communication device according to the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0048] <Display Processing of Simple AP Setting Screen> Processing related to setting the AP displayed on the display unit 106 when the digital camera 100 according to this embodiment is operated as an AP will be described with reference to Figures 5A to 5G and 6. Figures 5A to 5G are diagrams showing an example of a UI screen displayed on the display unit 106 of the digital camera 100. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of processing related to setting the AP by the control unit 101 of the digital camera 100.

[0049] In this embodiment, the control unit 101 of the digital camera 100 causes the connection unit 111 to operate in AP (access point) mode, causing the digital camera 100 to operate as a simple access point (hereinafter referred to as a simple AP) with limited functionality. Here, the control unit 101 is an operation control unit that controls the operation of the digital camera 100, which is a communication device, to operate as an access point. When the digital camera 100 operates as a simple AP, the digital camera 100 forms a network for communicating with devices in the vicinity of the digital camera 100.

[0050] Peripheral devices of the digital camera 100 recognize the digital camera 100 as an AP and are able to participate in the network formed by the digital camera 100. Note that the program for operating the digital camera 100 as a simple AP and the program for executing the following processes are assumed to be stored in the non-volatile memory 103.

[0051] First, in step S601, the control unit 101 controls the display unit 106 to display a network selection screen. As an example, the network selection screen displays the SSID of the AP detected by the processing described in the first embodiment and a selection option for operating the digital camera 100 as an access point. The user operates the operation unit 105 to select the SSID of the AP to connect to or select the selection option for operating the digital camera 100 as a simple AP on the selection screen. Then, upon receiving the user's selection, the control unit 101 determines whether or not to operate the digital camera 100 as a simple AP based on the received selection. If the control unit 101 determines that the digital camera 100 should operate as a simple AP (S601: YES), the control unit 101 proceeds to step S602. On the other hand, if the control unit 101 determines that the digital camera 100 should not operate as a simple AP (S601: NO), the control unit 101 terminates the processing of this flowchart.

[0052] In step S602, the control unit 101 controls the display unit 106 to display an input screen for the SSID of the digital camera 100 as a simple AP. The user inputs the SSID by operating the SSID input screen displayed on the display unit 106. When the control unit 101 accepts the user's input of the SSID, the process proceeds to step S603.

[0053] In step S603, the control unit 101 controls the display unit 106 to display a selection screen for selecting a method for setting a frequency band and a channel to be used when the digital camera 100 operates as a simple AP. The user selects whether to automatically or manually set the frequency band and channel on the selection screen for setting the frequency band and channel displayed on the display unit 106. Then, upon receiving the user's selection, the control unit 101 determines whether to automatically set the frequency band and channel based on the received selection. If the control unit 101 determines that the frequency band and channel should be automatically set (YES in S603), the process proceeds to step S606. On the other hand, if the control unit 101 determines that the frequency band and channel should not be automatically set (manual setting) (NO in S603), the process proceeds to step S604.

[0054] In step S604, the control unit 101 controls the display unit 106 to display a setting screen for the frequency band and channel to be used when the digital camera 100 operates as a simple AP. Then, in step S605, the control unit 101 accepts settings for the frequency band and channel to be used when the digital camera 100 operates as a simple AP in response to a user's operation on the setting screen displayed on the display unit 106. Details of the setting screen display process in step S604 and the setting acceptance process in step S605 will be described later. Then, upon completing the process of step S605, the control unit 101 ends the process of this flowchart.

[0055] In step S606, the control unit 101 automatically sets the frequency band and channel to be used when the digital camera 100 operates as a simple AP. Here, the control unit 101 is a setting unit that sets the channel to be used by the AP when the digital camera 100, which is a communication device, operates as an AP. Note that the process related to automatic setting of the frequency band and channel can be realized using well-known technology, so detailed explanation of the process will be omitted here. Then, when the control unit 101 completes the process of step S606, it ends the process of this flowchart.

[0056] 5A to 5G show examples of AP setting screens displayed on the display unit 106 when the digital camera 100 is operated by the user to function as a simple AP in the processing of the above flowchart.

[0057] 5A is a diagram showing an example of a network selection screen displayed on the display unit 106 in step S601. In the example shown in FIG. 5A, the user operates the UI screen displayed on the display unit 106 to select the "camera access point mode" item 501 on the network selection screen and presses the "OK" button 502. This causes the control unit 101 to proceed from step S601 to step S602. The "camera access point mode" is a mode in which the digital camera 100 operates as a simple AP.

[0058] 5B and 5C show examples of setting screens related to a simple AP. Fig. 5B is a setting screen for setting the SSID of the simple AP. Fig. 5C is a setting screen for setting the channel of the frequency band used by the simple AP. Note that the setting screen for the simple AP displayed on the display unit 106 is not limited to this, and a setting screen for a password or the like related to the simple AP may also be displayed on the display unit 106.

[0059] When the control unit 101 advances the process to step S602, the UI screen displayed on the display unit 106 transitions to a setting screen for setting the SSID of the simple AP, as shown in FIG. 5B . In the example of FIG. 5B , the user inputs the SSID "camera-AP6" used when operating the digital camera 100 as a simple AP into the input box 503 on the setting screen. The user then presses the "OK" button 504. This causes the control unit 101 to advance the process from step S602 to step S603. Note that although the SSID is input by the user here, this is not a limitation. For example, a random SSID may be generated and displayed. Alternatively, a random SSID may be generated when entering this setting screen and displayed as entered in the input box 503. In this case, the user can modify the randomly generated SSID to any character string.

[0060] In step S603, as shown in Fig. 5C, a selection screen for selecting a channel to be used when operating the digital camera 100 as a simple AP is displayed on the display unit 106. On the selection screen, either the "Auto Setting" option or the "Manual Setting" option is selected by a user operation. In the example of Fig. 5C, the "Manual Setting" option 505 is selected by a user operation.

[0061] Then, in step S604, the user operates the channel switching button 507 displayed on the selection screen to switch channels and select a desired frequency band and channel. Here, the channel can be selected from the 2.4 GHz band, the 5 GHz band, and the 6 GHz band. Furthermore, when the user operates the channel switching button 507 to switch to a 6 GHz band channel, a "6 GHz" icon 508 is displayed along with the channel, as shown in FIG. 5D . This allows the frequency band used by the simple AP to be displayed in a manner that is easily identifiable as the 6 GHz band on the selection screen. Note that the display of the 6 GHz band on the selection screen is not limited to the icon 508, and any display manner may be adopted as long as the user can easily identify that the frequency band used by the simple AP is the 6 GHz band.

[0062] Furthermore, as in the case of FIG. 3F , the 6 GHz band PSC may be displayed in a manner that makes it distinguishable from other 6 GHz band channels. In this case, unlike the case of connecting to a nearby AP in FIG. 3F , since the digital camera 100 is in a position where surrounding devices are searching for a network, it is preferable to display the PSC in a manner that is more prominent than other channels. The aforementioned variations in the manner of visibility can be employed. Furthermore, for example, when a channel number that should be highlighted is selected, it may be difficult to switch to other channel numbers. For example, operation of the channel switch button 507 may be disabled for a certain period of time after the channel number that should be highlighted is selected. Furthermore, haptic feedback may be employed, for example, by providing a vibration unit formed by a motor (not shown) that causes the digital camera 100 to vibrate each time a channel number is selected. In such a case, when a channel number that should be highlighted is selected, the degree of feedback may be greater (i.e., the vibration may be stronger) than when a channel number that is not selected. The same applies when providing selection feedback via sound. Furthermore, for example, the channel may be switched not only by operation of the channel switch button 507 but also by a touch-and-move operation in the area where the channel number is displayed.

[0063] Here, a description will be given of another example of the display of the selection screen in step S603. In this example, as shown in FIG. 5E, the display unit 106 displays a selection screen for a frequency band to be used when the digital camera 100 operates as a simple AP. On the selection screen, one of three items, "2.4 GHz," "5 GHz," or "6 GHz," is selected by a user operation. In the example of FIG. 5E, the "6 GHz" item 509 is selected by a user operation. Then, the user presses an "OK" button 510. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5F, the display unit 106 displays a selection screen for a channel in which the frequency band usable for the simple AP is the 6 GHz band.

[0064] In step S604, the user operates the channel switching button 512 displayed on the selection screen of Fig. 5F to switch channels and select a desired channel. Since "6 GHz" was selected on the frequency band selection screen of Fig. 5E, a "6 GHz" icon 511 is displayed on the channel selection screen of Fig. 5F. This allows the selection screen to display in a manner that allows the user to identify that the frequency band used by the simple AP is the 6 GHz band. Note that the display in a manner that allows the user to identify that the frequency band used by the simple AP is the 6 GHz band is not limited to the icon 511, and any display manner may be adopted as long as the user can identify that the frequency band used by the simple AP is the 6 GHz band.

[0065] In the example shown in Fig. 5D, with channel "5ch" on which "6GHz" icon 508 is displayed selected on the selection screen, the user presses "OK" button 506. Also, in the example shown in Fig. 5F, with channel "5ch" selected on the selection screen, the user presses "OK" button 513. As a result, control unit 101 advances the process from step S604 to step S605.

[0066] In the above example, in step S605, the control unit 101 sets the frequency band and channel to 6 GHz and 5ch, respectively, when the digital camera 100 is operated as a simple AP. In this embodiment, the control unit 101 stores the settings of the simple AP configured as described above in the nonvolatile memory 103. The control unit 101 then displays a settings confirmation screen on the display unit 106 based on the setting information stored in the nonvolatile memory 103. As shown in FIG. 5G, the settings confirmation screen displays the SSID ("camera-AP6") entered in step S602 (FIG. 5B), an icon 514 indicating the frequency band ("6 GHz") used by the simple AP, and the channel ("5ch"). Note that information indicating the settings of the simple AP may be stored in the work memory 104 or the storage medium 110, but the storage location of the information is not limited to these. Furthermore, the control unit 101 may store the information indicating the settings of the simple AP in the nonvolatile memory 103 either after or before the simple AP is started. Furthermore, the control unit 101 can control the display unit 106 to display the setting content confirmation screen at any timing, whether after or before the simple AP is started.

[0067] As described above, with the digital camera 100 according to this embodiment, when the digital camera 100 is operated as a simple AP, it is possible to display in a manner that allows the user to identify that the frequency band used by the simple AP is the 6 GHz band. This allows the user of the digital camera 100 to identify the frequency band corresponding to the channel used by the simple AP and select a channel corresponding to the desired frequency band.

[0068] While the present invention has been described in detail above based on preferred embodiments, it is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention are also encompassed by the present invention. Parts of the above-described embodiments may be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, the present invention also encompasses a case in which a software program implementing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device having a computer capable of executing the program, either directly from a storage medium or via wired or wireless communication, and the program is then executed. Therefore, the program code itself supplied to and installed on a computer to implement the functional processing of the present invention also embodies the present invention. In other words, the computer program itself for implementing the functional processing of the present invention is also encompassed by the present invention. In this case, the program may take any form, such as object code, a program executed by an interpreter, or script data supplied to an OS, as long as it has the program functionality. Examples of storage media for providing the program include magnetic storage media such as hard disks and magnetic tapes, optical / magneto-optical storage media, and non-volatile semiconductor memory. Another conceivable method of providing the program is to store the computer program implementing the present invention on a server on a computer network, and then download and program the computer program from a connected client computer.

[0069] The various controls described above may or may not be performed by a single piece of hardware (e.g., a processor or circuit). The entire device may be controlled by multiple pieces of hardware (e.g., multiple processors, multiple circuits, or a combination of one or more processors and one or more circuits) sharing the processing.

[0070] The processor is a processor in the broad sense, and includes general-purpose processors and dedicated processors. General-purpose processors include, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a micro processing unit (MPU), and a digital signal processor (DSP). Dedicated processors include, for example, a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a programmable logic device (PLD). Examples of programmable logic devices include a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and a complex programmable logic device (CPLD).

[0071] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, 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.

[0072] The present invention can also be realized by a process in which a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit that realizes one or more functions.

[0073] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the present invention.

[0074] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-073455, filed April 30, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0075] 100 Digital camera, 101 Control unit, 106 Display unit

Claims

1. A communication device comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires information indicating the frequency band used by each of one or more access points; a determination unit that uses the information acquired by the acquisition unit to determine which of the one or more access points uses a first frequency band; and a control unit that performs display control to display a list of the one or more access points in a manner that allows access points determined by the determination unit to use the first frequency band to be identified.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit performs the display control in a manner that makes it possible to identify that the first frequency band allows faster communication than the second frequency band.

3. The communication device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first frequency band is 6 GHz, and the control unit performs the display control in a manner that makes it possible to identify that the channel corresponding to the first frequency band is a PSC (Preferred Scanning Channel).

4. The communication device according to claim 3, characterized in that the control unit performs the display control so as to display the PSC in a manner different from the manner in which the first frequency band is displayed.

5. A communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the acquisition unit acquires the information for each of a plurality of access points, and the control unit performs the display control in the order in which the plurality of access points are detected.

6. A communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the acquisition unit acquires the information for each of a plurality of access points, and the control unit performs the display control in an order according to the connection history with the communication device.

7. A communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the acquisition unit acquires the information for each of a plurality of access points, and the control unit performs the display control in an order according to the frequency bands used by the plurality of access points.

8. A communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the acquisition unit acquires the information for each of a plurality of access points, and the control unit performs the display control in an order according to the radio wave strength of the plurality of access points.

9. A communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the control unit performs the display control when a frequency band different from the first frequency band belongs to the same channel.

10. A communication device comprising: a setting unit that sets a channel to be used by the access point when the communication device is operated as an access point; a determination unit that determines whether the channel set by the setting unit is a channel corresponding to a first frequency band; and a control unit that performs display control to display the channel in a manner that makes it possible to identify that the channel set by the setting unit is a channel corresponding to the first frequency band when the determination unit determines that the channel set by the setting unit is a channel corresponding to the first frequency band.

11. The communication device according to claim 10, wherein the control unit performs the display control in a manner that makes it possible to identify that the first frequency band allows faster communication than the second frequency band.

12. The communication device according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the first frequency band is 6 GHz, and the control unit performs the display control in a manner that makes it possible to identify that the channel corresponding to the first frequency band is a PSC.

13. The communication device according to claim 12, characterized in that the control unit performs the display control so as to display the PSC in a manner different from the manner in which the first frequency band is displayed.

14. A control method for a communication device, comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring information indicating the frequency band used by each of one or more access points; a determination step of using the information acquired by the acquisition step to determine which of the one or more access points uses a first frequency band; and a control step of performing display control to display a list of the one or more access points in a manner that allows identification of the access points determined by the determination step to use the first frequency band.

15. A control method for a communication device, comprising: a setting step for setting a channel to be used by the access point when the communication device is operated as an access point; a determination step for determining whether the channel set in the setting step is a channel corresponding to a first frequency band; and a control step for performing display control to display the channel in a manner that makes it possible to identify that the channel set in the setting step is a channel corresponding to the first frequency band, when the determination step determines that the channel set in the setting step is a channel corresponding to the first frequency band.

16. A program for causing a computer to function as each part of the communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

Images