Communication device, method, program, and storage medium

Abstract

This communication device includes: a communication means for performing wireless LAN communication with a plurality of access points that cooperatively operate to transmit or receive content data; and a control means for performing control to output a single display item indicating that communication can be performed via the plurality of access points, in a first situation in which communication can be performed via the plurality of access points belonging to a first group.

Description

Communication device, method, program, storage medium

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a communication device capable of performing wireless communication, a method executed in the communication device, a program, and a storage medium.

[0002] In recent years, with the increase in the amount of data to be communicated, the development of communication technologies such as wireless LAN (Local Area Network) has been promoted. As the main communication standards for wireless LAN, the IEEE802.11 standard series is known. The IEEE802.11 standard series includes standards such as IEEE802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax / be.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a communication device corresponding to IEEE802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax. In addition, a mechanism for Multi-AP communication in which a plurality of access points (APs) cooperate to transmit data to a station (STA) has been studied.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-50133

[0005] In Multi-AP communication, there is room for improvement in suitable communication and user usability. The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a mechanism for improving user usability when communicating by a predetermined communication method.

[0006] The communication device according to the present disclosure includes communication means for performing wireless LAN communication with a plurality of access points that cooperate to transmit or receive content data, and a first situation in which communication via a plurality of access points belonging to a first group is possible. Control means for controlling to output a single display item indicating that the situation is a situation where communication via a plurality of access points is possible.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve user usability when communicating by a predetermined communication method.

[0008] Other features and advantages of the technical idea derived from the present disclosure will be clarified by the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals.

[0009] The attached drawings are included in the specification and constitute a part thereof, illustrating embodiments in this disclosure and used to explain the technical ideas derived from this disclosure together with their descriptions. Diagram showing the configuration of a wireless communication system. Diagram showing the configuration of a communication device. Diagram showing the configuration of a communication device. Diagram showing a user interface screen. Diagram showing a user interface screen. Diagram showing a user interface screen. Diagram showing a user interface screen. Diagram showing the configuration of a mobile terminal device. Diagram showing the configuration of a mobile terminal device. Diagram showing the configuration of an access point. Sequence diagram between STA and AP related to Multi-AP communication. Flowchart showing the process performed by the communication device. Flowchart showing the process performed by the communication device. Flowchart showing the process performed by the communication device. Diagram illustrating the classification of the connection status of an access point. Diagram illustrating the classification of the connection status of an access point. Diagram illustrating the classification of the connection status of an access point. Diagram illustrating the method for calculating the signal strength of an access point. Diagram illustrating the method for calculating the signal strength of an access point. Diagram illustrating the method for calculating the signal strength of an access point. Diagram illustrating the method for calculating the signal strength of an access point. Diagram illustrating an example of icons according to the connection status of an access point. Diagram illustrating an example of icons according to the connection status of an access point. Diagram illustrating an example of icons according to the connection status of an access point. Diagram illustrating an example of icons according to the connection status of an access point. This figure shows examples of icons corresponding to the connection status of an access point. This figure shows examples of icons corresponding to the connection status of an access point. This figure shows examples of icons corresponding to the connection status of an access point. This figure shows examples of icons corresponding to the connection status of an access point. This figure shows examples of icons corresponding to the connection status of an access point. This figure shows examples of icons corresponding to the connection status of an access point. This figure shows examples of icons corresponding to the connection status of an access point. This figure shows examples of icons corresponding to the connection status of an access point. This figure shows examples of icons corresponding to the connection status of an access point.This is a diagram showing examples of icons corresponding to the connection status of an access point. This is a diagram showing examples of icons corresponding to the connection status of an access point. This is a diagram showing examples of icons corresponding to the connection status of an access point. This is a diagram showing examples of icons corresponding to the connection status of an access point. This is a diagram showing examples of icons corresponding to the connection status of an access point. This is a diagram showing examples of displays on the operation display unit of a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of displays on the operation display unit of a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of displays on the operation display unit of a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of displays on the operation display unit of a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of displays on the operation display unit of a mobile terminal device. This is a diagram showing examples of displays on the operation display unit of a mobile terminal device. This is a diagram showing examples of printed settings information for a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of printed settings information for a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of printed settings information for a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of printed settings information for a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of printed settings information for a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of the operation display unit and icons for a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of the operation display unit and icons for a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of the operation display unit and icons for a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of the operation display unit and icons for a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of the operation display unit and icons for a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of the operation display unit and icons for a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of the operation display unit and icons for a communication device. This is a diagram showing examples of the operation display unit and icons for a communication device.

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

[0011] (System Configuration) Figure 1 shows an example of the system configuration according to this embodiment. In one example, this system is a wireless communication system in which multiple communication devices can communicate with each other wirelessly. The system in Figure 1 includes an MFP 100 which is a communication device, a mobile terminal device 101, a multi-AP group 110 which includes multiple access points (APs), a DHCP server 114, a DNS server 115, and a network 120. The multi-AP group 110 is described as including APs 111, 112, and 113, but the multi-AP group 110 may include more APs.

[0012] The mobile terminal device 101 is a device having wireless communication capabilities such as a wireless LAN. In the following, wireless LAN may be referred to as WLAN. The mobile terminal device 101 may be a personal information terminal such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a mobile phone terminal (smartphone), a tablet terminal, a digital camera, a personal computer, etc.

[0013] The MFP 100 is a printing device with printing capabilities, and may also have reading (scanning), fax, and telephone functions. Furthermore, the MFP 100 in this embodiment has a communication function that allows wireless communication with the mobile terminal device 101. While this embodiment describes the use of the MFP 100 as an example, it is not limited to this. For example, a scanner, projector, mobile terminal, smartphone, notebook PC, tablet terminal, PDA, digital camera, music playback device, television, smart speaker, etc., each with communication capabilities, may be used instead of the MFP 100. Note that MFP is an acronym for Multi-Function Peripheral.

[0014] AP111 is installed separately (externally) from the mobile terminal device 101 and MFP100, and operates as a WLAN base station device. Communication devices with WLAN communication capabilities can communicate in WLAN infrastructure mode via AP111. Infrastructure mode is sometimes referred to as "wireless infrastructure mode." AP111 communicates wirelessly with communication devices that it has authorized to connect to (authenticated) and relays wireless communication between those communication devices and other communication devices. AP111 can also be connected to a wired communication network, for example, and can relay communication between communication devices connected to that wired communication network and other communication devices that are wirelessly connected to AP111.

[0015] AP112 and AP113 have the same hardware configuration as AP111. Furthermore, AP111, AP112, and AP113 are APs that support Multi-AP communication, as described later, and they form a group (multi-AP group 110) and operate in a cooperative manner.

[0016] The DHCP server 114 connects to the MFP 100 via AP 111 and network 120, and provides services to the MFP 100 by responding to requests from the MFP 100. In Figure 1, the DHCP server 114 is described as being connected as a separate device from AP 111, AP 112, and AP 113, but it is also possible for AP 111, AP 112, and AP 113 to have DHCP server functionality.

[0017] The DNS server 115 is connected to the MFP 100 and mobile terminal device 101 via AP 111 and network 120, and provides name resolution services by responding to requests from the MFP 100 and mobile terminal device 101. Here, network 120 may be the so-called internet, a closed network within a company, or a mobile phone network.

[0018] (External Configuration of MFP) Figure 2A shows an example of the external configuration of MFP 100. MFP 100 has, for example, a document tray 201, a document cover 202, a paper insertion slot 203, a paper output slot 204, and an operation display unit 220. The document tray 201 is a tray on which the document to be scanned is placed. The document cover 202 is a cover that holds down the document placed on the document tray 201 and prevents light from the light source that illuminates the document during scanning from leaking to the outside. The paper insertion slot 203 is an insertion slot that can accommodate paper of various sizes. The paper output slot 204 is an output slot that discharges the paper after printing is complete. The paper set in the paper insertion slot 203 is transported to the printing unit one sheet at a time, and after printing is performed in the printing unit, it is discharged from the paper output slot 204. The operation display unit 220 is configured to include a touch panel display and is capable of accepting user operations for activating various functions and setting various settings as an MFP. The operation display unit 220 may also be configured to include physical operation keys such as character input keys, cursor keys, select keys, and cancel keys, as well as LEDs or LCDs.

[0019] The MFP 100 has a wireless communication function via WLAN and does not necessarily need to be visible from the outside, but it is configured to include a wireless communication antenna 206 for that wireless communication. The MFP 100 can perform wireless communication via WLAN, similar to the mobile terminal device 101.

[0020] (MFP Configuration) Figure 2B shows an example of the configuration of the MFP 100. The MFP 100 is configured to include a main board 211 that performs the main control of the device itself, and a wireless unit 250 which is a communication module that performs WLAN communication using at least one antenna. The MFP 100 may also be configured to include, for example, a wired LAN unit for wired LAN communication.

[0021] The main board 211 is composed of, for example, a CPU 212 (Central Processing Unit), ROM 213, RAM 214, non-volatile memory 215, image memory 216, read control unit 217, data conversion unit 218, read unit 219, and code decoding unit 221. The main board 211 also includes, for example, a printing unit 222, a paper feeding unit 223, a print control unit 224, and an operation display unit 220. These functional units within the main board 211 are interconnected via a system bus 230 managed by the CPU 212. The main board 211 and the wireless unit 250 are connected, for example, via a dedicated bus 225.

[0022] 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 a program stored in the ROM 213. Dedicated hardware may be provided for each process. The ROM 213 is a non-volatile memory that stores control programs and embedded OS programs executed by the CPU 212. In this embodiment, the CPU 212 loads each control program stored in the ROM 213 into the RAM 214 and executes them under the management of the embedded OS stored in the ROM 213, thereby performing software control such as scheduling and task switching.

[0023] RAM 214 is a volatile memory composed of SRAM or the like. RAM 214 stores data such as program control variables, user-registered settings, and MFP 100 management data. RAM 214 can also be used as a buffer for various work. Non-volatile memory 215 is composed of memory such as flash memory and continues to store data even when the MFP 100 is powered off. Image memory 216 is composed of memory such as DRAM. Image memory 216 stores image data received via the wireless unit 250 and image data processed by the code decoding processing unit 221. Note that the memory configuration of MFP 100 is not limited to the above configuration. Data conversion unit 218 performs analysis of various data formats and conversion from image data to print data.

[0024] The reading control unit 217 controls the reading unit 219 (for example, a CIS (contact image sensor)) to optically read (scan) 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 signal) and outputs it. At this time, the reading control unit 217 may perform various image processing such as binarization and halftone processing before outputting the image data.

[0025] The operation display unit 220 includes a touch panel display that displays images based on display control by the CPU 212, and performs functions such as generating signals in response to user operations on the touch panel display or physical operation keys.

[0026] The code-decoding processing unit 221 performs encoding and decoding processing, as well as scaling processing, for image data (JPEG, PNG, etc.) handled by the MFP 100.

[0027] 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 to hold multiple types of paper in one device, and the print control unit 224 can control which paper feed unit to use for feeding.

[0028] The print control unit 224 applies various image processing to the image data to be printed, such as smoothing, print density correction, and color correction, and outputs the processed image data to the print unit 222. The print unit 222 is configured to perform, for example, an inkjet printing process, and ejects ink supplied from an ink tank from a print head to record an image on a recording medium such as paper. The print unit 222 may also be configured to perform other printing processes such as electrophotography. Furthermore, the print control unit 224 can periodically read information from the print unit 222 and update status information, including the remaining amount of ink in the ink tanks and the status of the print head, which is stored in the RAM 214.

[0029] The wireless unit 250 is a unit capable of providing WLAN communication functions, and can provide functions similar to, for example, the wireless unit 401 of the mobile terminal device 101. That is, the wireless unit 250 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 their original data and outputs it to the CPU 212.

[0030] The wireless unit 250 is capable of communication as a Station (hereinafter referred to as STA) or Access Point (AP) compliant with the IEEE 802.11 standard series. Specifically, it is capable of communication compliant with the IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax / be / bn standards. The wireless unit 250 includes at least one processor and at least one memory that stores a program.

[0031] The communication control unit 240 is a unit that controls the communication functions of the MFP 100 and controls the wireless unit 250. The processing of the communication control unit 240 is realized by the CPU 212 executing a control program stored in the ROM 213. The communication control unit 240 and the wireless unit 250 are interconnected, for example, via a system bus 230 and a dedicated bus 225.

[0032] (MFP operation display unit) Figures 3A to 3D schematically show an example of the screen display on the display (touch panel display) included in the operation display unit 220 of the MFP 100.

[0033] Figure 3A is an example of the home screen displayed when the MFP 100 is powered on but not performing any operations such as printing or scanning (idle state, Standby state). The area 310 at the top of the home screen is the basic menu area, where menu items selected when issuing copy or scan commands are displayed. In Figure 3A, area 310 displays a list of icons 311 to 313, corresponding to copy, scan, and print, respectively, as menu items (display items) of the basic menu. When each menu item of the basic menu is selected, a detailed menu corresponding to it is displayed, and the MFP 100 can be instructed to execute the operation / function (copy or scan) corresponding to the selected menu item. By performing operations to display other pages of the basic menu (such as sliding left or right on area 310), menu items different from icons 311 to 313 can be displayed in area 310. For example, an icon corresponding to the cloud can be displayed. The cloud is a menu item related to cloud functions that utilize internet communication.

[0034] The network display area 321 is an area that displays icons indicating the network status. In the illustrated example, the network display area 321 displays icons indicating that both wireless infrastructure and wireless direct are disabled. Furthermore, touching the network display area 321 allows you to display the communication settings menu.

[0035] Icon 322 is an operation icon that accepts instructions to perform setup on a PC / smartphone. When icon 322 is touched, the same action as when "Set up on PC / smartphone" is selected in Figure 3D, which will be described later, is performed.

[0036] Icon 323 is the operation icon to select when changing settings or performing maintenance on the MFP100.

[0037] Figure 3B shows an example of the communication settings menu screen displayed when the network display area 321 is touched on the home screen of Figure 3A. 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. From these items, you can configure settings such as wired connection settings, enabling / disabling wireless infrastructure mode, and enabling / disabling P2P modes such as WFD and soft AP mode.

[0038] Figure 3C shows an example of the wireless LAN settings menu screen displayed when the "Wireless LAN" option is selected in the screen shown in Figure 3D. The wireless LAN settings menu screen displays the following menu items (options): "Enable / Disable Wireless LAN," "Wireless LAN Setup," and "Display Wireless LAN Settings." Selecting the "Enable / Disable Wireless LAN" option switches the setting of enabling or disabling the wireless infrastructure mode. Selecting the "Wireless LAN Setup" option displays the wireless LAN setup menu shown in Figure 3D. Selecting "Display Wireless LAN Settings" displays a detailed screen (wireless LAN settings display screen) that shows details such as the current wireless LAN settings and communication status.

[0039] Figure 3D shows an example of the wireless LAN setup menu screen displayed when the "Wireless LAN Setup" option is selected in the screen shown in Figure 3C. The wireless LAN setup menu screen displays the following menu items (options): "Set up with PC / smartphone," "Set up by entering a password," and "Set up using the router buttons." From these items, you can perform wireless LAN setup using the network setup mode described later, the password entry method, or the push-button method.

[0040] (External Configuration of the Mobile Terminal Device) Figure 4A shows an example of the external configuration of the mobile terminal device 101. In this embodiment, as an example, the case where the mobile terminal device 101 is a general-purpose smartphone is shown. The mobile terminal device 101 is configured to include, for example, a display unit 420, an operation unit 418, and a power key 404. The display unit 420 is a display that includes a display mechanism such as an organic EL (Electroluminescence) type or an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) type. The display unit 420 may also display information using, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode). In addition to or instead of the display unit 420, the mobile terminal device 101 may also have a function to output information by voice. The operation unit 418 is configured to include hard keys such as keys and buttons, a touch panel, etc., for detecting user operations. In this example, since the information display on the display unit 420 and the reception of user operations by the operation unit 418 are performed using a common touch panel display, the display unit 420 and the operation unit 418 are implemented in a single device. In this case, for example, button icons or a software keyboard are displayed using the display function of the display unit 420, and when the user touches these areas, the operation reception function of the operation unit 418 detects it. Alternatively, the display unit 420 and the operation unit 418 may be separated, with separate hardware for display and hardware for operation reception. The power key 404 is a hard key for receiving user operations to turn the power of the mobile terminal device 101 on or off.

[0041] The mobile terminal device 101 does not necessarily need to be visible from its external appearance, but it has a wireless unit 401 that provides WLAN communication functionality. The wireless unit 401 is configured to perform data (packet) communication in a WLAN system compliant with, for example, the IEEE 802.11 standard series (IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax / be / bn). However, it is not limited to this, and the wireless unit 401 may also be able to perform communication in a WLAN system compliant with other standards. In this example, the wireless unit 401 is assumed to be able to communicate in both the 2.4 GHz band and the 5 GHz band. However, it is not limited to this, and the wireless unit 401 may also be able to communicate in one or more frequency bands including the 2.4 GHz band, the 5 GHz band, and the 6 GHz band. Furthermore, the wireless unit 401 is assumed to be able to perform WFD-based communication, soft AP mode communication, wireless infrastructure mode communication, etc. The operation of these modes will be described later.

[0042] (Configuration of the mobile terminal device) Figure 4B shows an example of the configuration of the mobile terminal device 101. In one example, the mobile terminal device 101 has a main board 411 that performs the main control of the device itself, and a wireless unit 429 that performs WLAN communication. The main board 411 includes, for example, a CPU 412, ROM 413, RAM 414, image memory 415, data conversion unit 416, telephone unit 417, GPS 419, camera unit 421, non-volatile memory 422, data storage unit 423, speaker unit 424, and power supply unit 425. Here, CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit, ROM is for Read Only Memory, RAM is for Random Access Memory, and GPS is for Global Positioning System. The mobile terminal device 101 also includes a display unit 420 and an operation unit 418. These functional units within the main board 411 are interconnected via a system bus 628 managed by the CPU 412. The main board 411 and the wireless unit 429 (the aforementioned wireless unit 401) are connected, for example, via a dedicated bus 426.

[0043] The CPU 412 is a system control unit including at least one processor, and controls the entire portable terminal device 101. The processing of the portable terminal device 101 described below is realized, in one example, by the CPU 412 executing a program stored in the ROM 413. Note that dedicated hardware for each process may be prepared. The ROM 413 stores a control program executed by the CPU 412, an embedded operating system (OS) program, and the like. In the present embodiment, the CPU 412 executes each control program stored in the ROM 413 under the management of the embedded OS also stored in the ROM 413, thereby performing software control such as scheduling and task switching.

[0044] The RAM 414 is constituted by an SRAM (Static RAM) or the like. The RAM 414 stores data such as variables for program control, setting values registered by the user, and management data of the portable terminal device 101. Further, the RAM 414 can be used as various work buffers. The image memory 415 is constituted by a memory such as a DRAM (Dynamic RAM). The image memory 415 temporarily stores image data received via the wireless unit 429 or image data read from the data storage unit 423 for processing by the CPU 412. The non-volatile memory 422 is constituted by a memory such as a flash memory, and continues to store data even when the power of the portable terminal device 101 is turned off. Note that the memory configuration of the portable terminal device 101 is not limited to the above-described configuration. For example, the image memory 415 and the RAM 414 may be shared, or data backup or the like may be performed using the data storage unit 423. Also, in the present embodiment, a DRAM is cited as an example of the image memory 415, but other storage media such as a hard disk and a non-volatile memory may be used.

[0045] The data conversion unit 416 performs analysis of various types of data and data conversions such as color conversion and image conversion. The telephone unit 417 controls the telephone line and realizes telephone communication by processing voice data input and output via the speaker unit 424. The GPS 419 receives radio waves transmitted from satellites and acquires position information such as the current latitude and longitude of the portable terminal device 101.

[0046] The camera unit 421 has a function of electronically recording and encoding an image input via a lens. The image data obtained by imaging with the camera unit 421 is stored in the data storage unit 423. The speaker unit 424 performs control for realizing functions such as inputting or outputting voice for the telephone function and other functions such as alarm notification. The power supply unit 425 is, for example, a portable battery and controls the power supply to the device. The power supply state includes, for example, a battery depletion state where there is no remaining battery, a power-off state where the power key 404 is not pressed, a startup state where it is normally started, and a power-saving state where it is started but in a power-saving mode.

[0047] The display unit 420 performs various input operations, displays the operation status of the MFP 100, status status, etc. based on the control of the CPU 412. The operation unit 418 executes control such as generating an electrical signal corresponding to the operation and outputting it to the CPU 412 when a user operation is received.

[0048] The portable terminal device 101 performs wireless communication using the wireless unit 429 and conducts data communication with other devices such as the MFP 100. The wireless unit 429 converts data into packets and transmits the packets to other devices. Also, the wireless unit 429 restores the packets from external other devices to the original data and outputs it to the CPU 412. The wireless unit 429 is a unit for realizing communication compliant with the WLAN standard respectively. The wireless unit 429 can operate in parallel in at least two communication modes including the wireless infrastructure mode and the P2P (WLAN) mode. Note that the frequency bands used in these communication modes may be limited by the functions and performance of the hardware.

[0049] (Access Point Configuration) Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of AP1 (101) which has wireless LAN access point functionality. AP1 (101) is configured to include a main board 510 that controls AP1 (101), a wireless LAN unit 516, a wired LAN unit 518, and operation buttons 520.

[0050] The microprocessor-type CPU 511 located on the main board 510 operates according to the control program stored in the ROM-type program memory 513 connected via the internal bus 512 and the contents of the RAM-type data memory 514. The CPU 511 controls the wireless LAN unit 516 through the wireless LAN communication control unit 515 to perform wireless LAN communication with other communication terminal devices. Specifically, the wireless LAN unit 616 is configured to perform data (packet) communication in a WLAN system compliant with, for example, the IEEE 802.11 standard series (IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax / be / bn) as wireless LAN communication. It is also capable of communication as an AP compatible with Multi-AP communication, which will be described later. However, it is not limited to this, and the wireless unit 616 may also be capable of performing communication in a WLAN system compliant with other standards. In this example, the wireless unit 616 is assumed to be capable of communication in the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz frequency bands. However, it is not limited to this, and the wireless unit 616 may be capable of communication in one or more frequency bands, including the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands.

[0051] Furthermore, the CPU 511 controls the wired LAN unit 518 through the wired LAN communication control unit 517 to perform wired LAN communication with other communication terminal devices. The CPU 511 can accept user operations via the operation buttons 520 by controlling the operation control unit control unit 519. The CPU 511 includes at least one processor.

[0052] AP1 (101) also includes an interference wave detection unit 521 and a channel changing unit 522. The interference wave detection unit 521 performs interference wave detection processing when wireless communication is being performed in the band where DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) is implemented. The channel changing unit 522 performs channel changing processing when an interference wave is detected while wireless communication is being performed in the band where DFS is implemented, and when it is necessary to immediately switch to an available channel, etc.

[0053] AP112 and AP113 have the same configuration as AP111.

[0054] (P2P Communication Method) Next, we will outline the P2P (WLAN) communication method, which allows devices to communicate directly wirelessly with each other without the need for an external access point in WLAN communication. P2P (WLAN) communication can be implemented using multiple methods. For example, a communication device can support multiple modes for P2P (WLAN) communication and selectively use one of these modes to perform P2P communication (WLAN).

[0055] Two modes are assumed for P2P communication: • Soft AP mode • Wi-Fi Direct (WFD) mode A communication device capable of performing P2P communication may be configured to support at least one of these modes. On the other hand, a communication device capable of performing P2P communication is not required to support all of these modes, but may be configured to support only some of them.

[0056] A communication device with WFD communication capabilities (for example, a mobile terminal device 104) receives user input via its control panel, thereby calling a (possibly dedicated) application to implement the communication function. The communication device then displays a UI (user interface) screen provided by the application to prompt user input, and can perform WFD communication based on the received user input.

[0057] ●Soft AP Mode In soft AP mode, the communication device (e.g., mobile terminal device 104) operates as a client requesting various services. The other communication device (e.g., MFP 100) operates as a soft AP capable of performing WLAN AP functions through software configuration. The commands and parameters transmitted and received when establishing a wireless connection between the client and the soft AP are those specified in the Wi-Fi® standard, so their explanation is omitted here. In addition, the MFP 100 operating in 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 from 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz, and which frequency channel to use within that frequency band.

[0058] ●WFD Mode The MFP100 may be configured to start permanently as the master station in WFD mode (Autonomous Group Owner). In this case, the GO Negotiation process to determine the role is unnecessary. Also, in this case, the MFP100 determines the frequency band and frequency channel as the master station. Therefore, the MFP100 can select which frequency band to use from 5GHz and 2.4GHz, and which frequency channel to use within that frequency band.

[0059] (Wireless Infrastructure Mode) In wireless infrastructure mode, communication devices that communicate with each other (for example, the mobile terminal device 104 and the MFP 100) are connected to an external AP (for example, AP1 (101)) that manages the network, and communication between communication devices is performed via that AP. In other words, communication between communication devices is performed via the network established by the external AP. When the mobile terminal device 104 and the MFP 100 each discover AP1 (101), send a connection request to AP1 (101), and connect, communication between these communication devices in wireless infrastructure mode via AP1 (101) becomes possible. Note that multiple communication devices may be connected to separate APs. In this case, data transfer between APs enables communication between communication devices. The commands and parameters sent and received during communication between each communication device via the access point can be those specified in the Wi-Fi standard, so their explanation is omitted here. In this case, AP1 (101) determines the frequency band and frequency channel. Therefore, 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.

[0060] (Multi-AP communication) The IEEE 802.11be standard specifies Multi-Link communication, in which one Access Point (AP) establishes multiple links with one Station (STA) via multiple different frequency channels and communicates in parallel.

[0061] Furthermore, the IEEE 802.11bn standard, the successor to the IEEE 802.11be standard, is exploring methods to improve usability using Multi-AP communication.

[0062] For example, there is distributed MIMO technology, which is based on a technique called MIMO (multi-user multi-output) that uses multiple transmitting and receiving antennas simultaneously on the same channel. In distributed MIMO, in an environment with multiple access points (APs) and multiple stas (STAs), groups are formed among the APs to share information about the communication status and the status of each AP, and data is sent to the STA in parallel from multiple APs at the same time. By having multiple APs perform joint transmission, the number of spatial streams can be increased compared to the case of a single AP, and thus an improvement in throughput can be expected.

[0063] Another example is a technology that improves reception quality at the STA by having multiple APs transmit data to the STA at different times through time-division multiplexing, thereby utilizing the effects of time diversity and spatial diversity.

[0064] This type of communication technology, in which multiple access points (APs) form a group and operate in a coordinated manner, is called Multi-AP communication. APs are classified into a single Coordinator AP that manages all APs and Coordinated APs that operate under the management of the Coordinator AP.

[0065] In the following, in Multi-AP communication, the AP that manages the APs will be referred to as the "Coordinator AP" or "Sharing AP". Furthermore, the APs that operate under the management of the Coordinator AP will be referred to as the "Coordinated AP" or "Shared AP". The Coordinator AP and the Coordinated AP can send and receive signals from each other. Each of the multiple APs, including AP111 to AP113, may be connected wirelessly to perform wireless LAN communication, or connected via a wired connection to perform wired LAN communication. It is assumed that AP111 to AP113 are capable of Multi-AP communication compliant with the IEEE 802.11 series standards and support a configuration in which multiple APs cooperate to communicate with a common STA.

[0066] There are two types of Multi-AP communication methods: Co-OFDMA and Joint-TX. In the Co-OFDMA (Coordinated-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) method, the available frequency resources are separated among multiple BSSs (Basic Service Sets). For example, the frequency resources used by AP112 and MFP100 (STA) are separated from those used by AP113 and MFP100 (STA) so as not to overlap. This prevents interference between BSS communications. If the STA has the capability to simultaneously transmit and receive data across multiple frequency bands (multiple resource units within the same channel or spanning different channels, multiple channels, or multiple of the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands), then multiple APs can cooperate to transmit and receive data to the same STA. Data refers to content data such as image data, audio data, document data, and print data. In this case, for example, AP 112 can transmit packet 1 of content A to MFP 100 (STA), and AP 113 can transmit packet 2 of content A to MFP 100 (STA) in parallel.

[0067] In the Joint-TX (Joint-Transmission) method, the same signal is transmitted and received between multiple access points (APs) and one staging area (STA). At this time, the STA receives a multiplexed wave (superimposed wave, multiplexed wave, composite wave) created by combining the radio waves emitted from multiple APs in a way that is amplified by wave interference. This ensures that the STA receives a stronger signal (amplified signal) than a signal from a single AP alone. For example, the same signal is transmitted and received between AP112 and MFP100 (STA), and between AP113 and MFP100 (STA), multiplexed and amplified at the MFP100 (STA) location. For instance, at the same time, AP112 transmits packet 1 of content A to MFP100 (STA), and AP113 transmits packet 1 of content A to MFP100 (STA). At this time, the radio waves for content A are transmitted in a way that multiplexes them at the MFP100 (STA) location. This improves the reliability (connectivity) of communication between the STA and AP, as well as the speed of data transmission and reception.

[0068] Figure 6 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a process in which AP111 operates as a Coordinator AP, and Coordinated APs AP112 and AP113 cooperate to send and receive data to and from MFP100 (STA). In this sequence, the processing performed by each device is realized by the CPU of each device reading various programs stored in the memory such as ROM of each device into RAM and executing them.

[0069] In S601, AP111 to AP113 perform Multi-AP setup processing. In Multi-AP setup processing, capability information and parameters are exchanged between APs, and a group is formed for Multi-AP communication.

[0070] In S602, Multi-AP coordination processing is performed between AP111 and AP113. For example, the Multi-AP communication method is determined, the AP role (CoordinatorAP or CoordinatedAP) is determined, and parameters and network information are exchanged between APs. The Multi-AP communication method and the AP role are determined by exchanging and comparing parameters between AP111 and AP113. At that time, the CoordinatorAP (AP111) notifies the CoordinatedAPs (AP112 and AP113) of network information that should be used in common (such as the SSID to be used in common and the BSSID (Basic Service Set color ID) to be used in common). Note that the BSSID to be used in common is notified in the case of the Joint-TX method.

[0071] In S603, AP112 and AP113 transmit Beacon frames (information that APs voluntarily transmit periodically) according to the network information notified in S602. The Beacon frame contains information indicating that Multi-AP communication is possible with respect to the connected STA and information indicating the Multi-AP communication method. APs that support Multi-AP communication may also transmit Beacon frames with a Multi-AP IE (Information Element) attached. The Multi-AP IE contains at least one of the following pieces of information (one or more of the following pieces of information). - SSID used by multiple Coordinated APs belonging to the same multi-AP group (ESSID to be used in common as notified in S602) - BSSID (BSSID to be used in common by APs belonging to multi-AP group 110, as notified in S602 in the case of Joint-TX) - BSS color value (identifier) ​​for Multi-AP communication - Operating radio channel (communication channel to be used in common if it is Joint-TX. If it is Co-OFDMA, the communication channel and / or resource unit used by the source AP. In the case of Co-OFDMA, it may also include the communication channels and / or resource units used by other APs in multi-AP group 110.) - Multi-AP communication method (information that identifies whether it is Co-OFDMA or Joint-TX) Note that the storage method and configuration of this information are not limited to these, and similar information may be stored and transmitted in a similar format. Note that Multi-AP IE may be referred to by other names such as Multi-AP Element. Furthermore, Multi-AP IE may be included in wireless frames such as the S605 Probe Response frame or other Action frames.

[0072] In S604, the MFP100(STA) begins establishing a connection with the AP using wireless infrastructure mode. The MFP100(STA) sends a ProbeRequest frame to begin searching for the AP in order to determine whether the AP supports Multi-AP communication.

[0073] In S605, the MFP100 (STA) searches for and discovers APs by receiving ProbeResponse frames and Beacon frames transmitted from APs, which are responses to AP searches.

[0074] In S606, MFP100(STA) performs connection processing with at least one CoordinatedAP based on the information contained in the frame received in S605. Here, as an example, MFP100(STA) sends a connection request to AP112 and performs a connection attempt (connection processing). This connection processing includes processes such as Authentication and Association as defined in IEEE802.11. MFP100(STA) may also add Multi-AP IE to the Association Request frame it sends to indicate that it is requesting Multi-AP communication. AP112, upon receiving the Association Request frame, sends an Association Response frame in response. This establishes a wireless LAN connection between the MFP100 (STA) and AP112.

[0075] In S607, when AP112 establishes a connection with MFP100(STA), it notifies CoordinatorAP (AP111) of information indicating that it has established a connection with MFP100(STA), along with connection parameters related to the connected MFP100(STA). The connection parameters related to the connected MFP100(STA) include information used or generated during the connection process between AP112 and MFP100 (such as PMK cache, roaming information, authentication information, etc.), and the identifier of STA. Similarly, when AP113 connects with MFP100(STA), AP113 notifies CoordinatorAP (AP111) that it has established a connection.

[0076] After S607, AP111 transmits the connection parameters for MFP100(STA) transmitted in S607 to AP113. AP113 may use the transmitted connection parameters for MFP100(STA) to establish a connection with MFP100. However, in the Joint-TX method, data can be transmitted from APs that have not established a connection. In other words, APs that have not established a connection can also be sources of multiplexed radio waves. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform the process of establishing a connection between AP113 and MFP100.

[0077] In S608, the Coordinator AP (AP111) determines the transmission parameters (information necessary for determining the transmission timing and transmission power at each Coordinated AP and each antenna, and / or resource unit allocation information, etc.) based on the connection parameters (parameters received in S607) of the Coordinated AP that has connected to the MFP100 (STA), and then allocates the transmission data. The determined transmission parameter information is notified to each Coordinated AP via a Multi-AP Trigger frame. AP112 and AP113 set their own transmission parameters (transmission timing, transmission power, resource units to be used) based on the notified information. Note that the Multi-AP Trigger frame may have a different name. Furthermore, the Multi-AP Trigger frame may be an extension of the Trigger frame of the IEEE 802.11ax / be standard.

[0078] In S609, the CoordinatorAP (AP111) sends the data to be sent to the MFP100 (STA) (for example, content data such as image data, document data, and print data) to the CoordinatedAP.

[0079] In S610, when the Coordinated APs (AP112, AP113) receive data to be transmitted from the Coordinator AP (AP111), they coordinately transmit that data to the MFP100. Also, when the Coordinated APs (AP112, AP113) receive data from the MFP100 (STA), they transmit that received data to the Coordinator AP (AP111). Note that this order of data transmission and reception is just an example; for example, the reception of data from STA may occur before the transmission of data to STA.

[0080] Furthermore, the Coordinator AP may directly transmit and receive signals with the STA. For example, AP111 may operate as both a Coordinator AP and a Coordinated AP. In this case, for example, AP111 may transmit and receive wireless frames between itself and the STA while issuing instructions to AP112 or AP113 to transmit and receive wireless frames between AP112 or AP113 and the STA. Furthermore, when the Coordinator AP causes the Coordinated AP to transmit wireless frames, it may send the data to be transmitted to the Coordinated AP. However, it is not limited to this, and the Coordinated AP may, for example, directly obtain the data to be transmitted from the Internet. Furthermore, while CoordinatorAP may receive data from CoordinatedAP that CoordinatedAP has received from STA, CoordinatedAP may also forward the data received from STA to the STA's partner device without forwarding it to CoordinatorAP.

[0081] Furthermore, any AP within the same network can operate as a Coordinator AP, and it may be determined by some criteria that one of the APs will operate as a Coordinator AP. A Coordinator AP may not operate as an AP that transmits Beacon frames, but may only perform the role of a Coordinator AP, such as sending instructions to other APs. Also, each AP may operate as multiple Coordinated APs by having multiple wireless LAN communication control units 515. Furthermore, a Coordinator AP may be implemented as a logical function, and one physical AP may operate as a Coordinator AP while simultaneously operating as one or more Coordinated APs.

[0082] This section describes the process of dynamically switching the display method of information about the AP connected to the MFP100, depending on the communication method with the AP. The AP information includes information indicating the radio wave conditions of the connected AP, as will be described later.

[0083] Figures 7A and 7B are flowcharts showing the process of connecting the MFP 100 to the AP (S701 to S711) and the process of displaying information about the AP connected to the MFP 100 according to the AP's communication method (S712 to S722). Each process in the flowcharts shown in Figures 7A and 7B is realized by the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 loading various programs stored in the computer-readable memory of the ROM 213 into the RAM 214 and executing them.

[0084] This process is initiated when the MFP 100 is started up or when the communication mode is enabled. It is also initiated, for example, when the MFP 100 is powered on based on user operation. Furthermore, it is initiated based on user operation such as selecting the "Wireless LAN Setup" item on the screen shown in Figure 3C on the operation display unit 220 to begin setting the wireless infrastructure mode. This process may also be initiated by receiving a specific signal from an external device such as a mobile terminal device 101. Additionally, this process may be initiated when the radio wave environment deteriorates, worsening the connection between the MFP 100 and an external AP, and the destination AP needs to be re-determined. This process may also be initiated when the communication method used for communication between the MFP 100 and an external AP is changed. Finally, the processes S712 to S723 in Figure 7B may be executed periodically while the MFP 100 is connected to an AP, or when the connection status between the MFP 100 and the AP changes.

[0085] In S701, the CPU 212 obtains AP information necessary for setting the wireless infrastructure mode. The CPU 212 obtains AP information by searching for APs using the MFP 100, for example. Specifically, in S701, the CPU 212 starts searching for APs by sending a device discovery request (ProbeRequest). This process corresponds to the process in S604 of Figure 6 described above.

[0086] Subsequently, the CPU 212 searches for and discovers the AP by receiving device discovery responses (ProbeResponses) and Beacons (information that the AP voluntarily transmits periodically) from the AP. This process corresponds to the process S605 in Figure 6 described above.

[0087] The information obtained from APs through the S701 AP search includes at least one piece of information such as the AP's SSID, signal strength (Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI)), communication quality (Signal-noise ratio (SNR)), link speed, frequency band, MAC address, authentication method, encryption method, and Multi-AP related information (Multi-AP IE) as explained with reference to Figure 6. Note that the content of the information obtained from APs in this process varies depending on the AP model, model number, settings, etc. Furthermore, if an AP does not support the security methods (authentication method, encryption method) supported by the MFP100, the information of the corresponding AP may be excluded from the search results. Also, if the MFP100 does not support the security methods supported by the AP, and / or if the security methods supported by the AP are restricted by the MFP100, the information of the corresponding AP may be excluded from the search results.

[0088] Furthermore, in S701, after the CPU 212 has finished searching for APs, it displays a list of APs on the operation display unit 220 of the MFP 100 and accepts the user to input the password for the AP selected by the user.

[0089] Furthermore, AP information in S701 may be obtained from the AP using a function called Wi-Fi Easy Connect (hereinafter, WEC) (registered trademark). Alternatively, AP information in S701 may be obtained from the AP using a function called Wi-Fi Protected Setup (hereinafter, WPS) (registered trademark). Alternatively, AP information in S701 may be obtained by receiving a specific signal from an external device such as a mobile terminal device 104. If AP information is already stored through a process described later, the CPU 212 may obtain AP information from the RAM 214 and / or non-volatile memory 215 of the MFP 100.

[0090] In S702, the CPU 212 stores AP information necessary for setting the wireless infrastructure mode in the RAM 214 and / or non-volatile memory 215 based on the information acquired in S701. The information stored in the RAM 214 and other memories in S702 includes at least one piece of information such as the AP's SSID, signal strength, communication quality, link speed, frequency band, MAC address, authentication method, encryption method, and Multi-AP related information (Multi-AP IE).

[0091] Next, in steps S703 to S709, the CPU 212 uses the AP information stored in memory such as RAM 112 in step S702 to perform a process to connect to the AP in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard. This process corresponds to the process in step S606 of Figure 6 mentioned above.

[0092] In steps S703 to S705, the CPU 212 determines the communication method supported by the AP to be connected to. Then, in steps S706 to S709, the CPU 212 performs the connection process with the AP.

[0093] In S703, the CPU 212 determines whether the AP is capable of performing Multi-AP communication. Whether the AP is capable of performing Multi-AP communication is determined based on information obtained from the AP, as explained with reference to Figure 6. For example, in the processing of S701, if the Beacon frame (information that the AP spontaneously transmits periodically) or the device discovery response (Probe Response) received from the AP contains Multi-AP IE, the CPU 212 determines that the AP is capable of performing Multi-AP communication and proceeds to S704; otherwise, it proceeds to S706.

[0094] In S704, the CPU 212 determines whether the AP is capable of performing Joint-TX communication in Multi-AP communication. The determination of whether the AP is capable of performing Joint-TX communication is made based on information obtained from the AP, similar to S703. For example, the determination is made based on the Multi-AP IE value included in the Beacon frame and device discovery response (Probe Response) received from the AP in S701. If the CPU 212 determines that the AP is capable of performing Joint-TX communication, it proceeds to S707; otherwise, it proceeds to S705.

[0095] In S705, the CPU 212 determines whether the AP is capable of performing Co-OFDMA communication in Multi-AP communication. The determination of whether the AP is capable of performing Co-OFDMA communication is made based on information obtained from the AP, similar to S704. In S705, the CPU 212 makes this determination based, for example, on the Multi-AP IE value included in the Beacon frame and device discovery response (Probe Response) received from the AP in S701. If the CPU 212 determines that the AP is capable of performing Co-OFDMA communication, the process proceeds to S708; otherwise, it proceeds to S709.

[0096] In S706, the CPU 212 uses the AP information stored in memory such as RAM 112 in S702 to perform connection processing to the AP in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard. Note that the connection processing with the AP in S706 may be connection processing that conforms to one or more of the IEEE 802.11 standards, including a / b / g / n / ac / ax / be.

[0097] In S707, the CPU 212 uses the AP information stored in memory such as RAM 112 in S702 to perform the process of connecting to the AP in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard. Specifically, in S707, the CPU 212 performs the process of connecting to the AP using the Joint-TX method in Multi-AP communication.

[0098] In S708, the CPU 212 uses the AP information stored in memory such as RAM 112 in S702 to perform the process of connecting to the AP in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard. Specifically, in S708, the CPU 212 performs the process of connecting to the AP using the Co-OFDMA method in Multi-AP communication.

[0099] In S709, the CPU 212 uses the AP information stored in memory such as RAM 112 in S702 to perform the process of connecting to the AP in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard. Specifically, in S709, the CPU 212 performs the process of connecting to the AP using Multi-AP communication, which is different from both the Joint-TX method and the Co-OFDMA method.

[0100] In S710, the CPU 212 determines whether the connection between the MFP 100 and the AP was successful by performing one of the connection processes in S706 to S709. If the CPU 212 determines that the connection was successful, it proceeds to S711. On the other hand, if the CPU 212 determines that the connection failed, it returns to S701 and attempts to obtain connection information with the AP and establish a connection with the AP again. Depending on the reason for the failure to connect with the AP, the CPU 212 may omit the processes in S701 and / or S702. For example, in S710, if the CPU 212 determines that the connection failed because the AP could not be found, it may attempt to establish a connection with the AP again using the AP information previously stored in memory such as RAM 112 in S702.

[0101] In S711, the CPU 212, similar to S702, stores AP information in RAM 214 and / or non-volatile memory 215 based on information obtained from the AP during the connection process with any of the APs in S706 to S709. The AP information stored in memory such as RAM 112 in S711 includes at least one of the following: connection status with the AP (connected), security method, frequency band, AP MAC address, IPv4 address and IPv6 address assigned to the MFP 100, signal strength, communication quality, link speed, and information indicating the Multi-AP communication method.

[0102] Furthermore, the signal strength of the AP may be stored by converting the RSSI obtained from the wireless unit 250 when connecting to the AP using a predetermined method. For example, as shown in Figure 10A, the value may be stored after converting it to 0% when the RSSI is -100 dBm or less, 20% when it is -85 dBm, and 100% when it is -35 dBm or more.

[0103] Furthermore, the communication quality may be stored as a value obtained by converting the SNR using a predetermined method. For example, as shown in Figure 10B, the value may be converted to 0% when the SNR is 0 dB or less, and to 100% when it is 50 dB or more.

[0104] Steps S712 to S722 in Figure 7B are processes that display information about the AP to which the MFP 100 is connected.

[0105] In S712, the CPU 212 starts checking the operating state of the communication mode of the MFP 100 and the connection status between the MFP 100 and the AP in order to determine how to display information indicating the radio wave conditions of the AP to which the MFP 100 is connected. In S712, the CPU 212 acquires connection information with the AP. Specifically, the CPU 212 acquires AP information stored in memory such as RAM 112 in S702 and / or S711. The CPU 212 may also acquire signal strength (RSSI) and communication quality (SNR) from the wireless unit 250.

[0106] Next, in S713 to S716, the CPU 212 uses the value obtained in S712 to determine how to display information indicating the radio wave conditions of the connected AP.

[0107] In S713, the CPU 212 uses the value obtained in S712 to determine whether the wireless infrastructure's communication mode is enabled and operating. If the CPU 212 determines that the wireless infrastructure's communication mode is enabled and operating, it proceeds to S714; otherwise, it proceeds to S720.

[0108] In S714, the CPU 212 determines whether the communication method used for communication with the AP is the Multi-AP method. Based on the value obtained in S712, if the CPU 212 determines that the communication method is Multi-AP communication, it proceeds to S715; otherwise, it proceeds to S721.

[0109] In S715, the CPU 212 determines whether the communication method used for communication with the AP is the Joint-TX method in Multi-AP communication. Based on the value obtained in S712, if the CPU 212 determines that the communication method is the Joint-TX method, it proceeds to S721; otherwise, it proceeds to S716.

[0110] In S716, the CPU 212 determines whether the communication method used for communication with the AP is the Co-OFDMA method in Multi-AP communication. If the CPU 212 determines from the value obtained in S712 that the connection method with the AP is the Co-OFDMA method, it proceeds to S717; otherwise, it proceeds to S721.

[0111] In S717, the CPU 212 determines whether the display area for AP information is smaller than a predetermined size. If the CPU 212 determines that it is smaller, it proceeds to S721; otherwise, it proceeds to S718. Depending on the display state (display screen), the size of the area used to display AP information may differ. Therefore, S717 is a process to determine what the current display state (display screen) is. Note that the determination in S717 may be omitted.

[0112] When the MFP 100 is capable of performing Multi-AP communication, it may be connected to multiple APs. If the MFP 100 is connected to multiple APs and the display area is smaller than a predetermined size, displaying information for multiple connected APs may make it difficult for the user to recognize the AP information. Also, it may not be possible to display all the AP information in the display area. Therefore, in this embodiment, if it is determined in S717 that the display area is smaller than a predetermined size, the process proceeds to S721, where the AP information is displayed collectively.

[0113] In S718, the CPU 212 determines whether the AP information display area is the home screen. If the CPU 212 determines that it is the home screen, it proceeds to S721; otherwise, it proceeds to S719. Note that the determination in S718 may be omitted.

[0114] The display area for AP information on the home screen is, for example, the network display area 321 in Figure 3A. Furthermore, as described above, when the MFP 100 is capable of Multi-AP communication, the MFP 100 may be connected to multiple APs. When the MFP 100 is connected to multiple APs, there may not be enough display space in the network display area 321 to display the information for each AP. Therefore, in this embodiment, if it is determined in S718 that the display area is the home screen, the AP information is displayed collectively by the process in S721, which will be described later.

[0115] In S719, the CPU 212 refers to the privileges (roles) of the logged-in user and determines whether the user logged into the MFP 100 has the authority to change the communication mode settings (network settings of the MFP 100). If the CPU 212 determines that the logged-in user has the authority to change the settings, it proceeds to S722; otherwise, it proceeds to S721. Note that the determination in S719 may be omitted.

[0116] In S720, the CPU 212 displays information indicating that the wireless infrastructure mode is disabled. For example, the CPU 212 displays an icon indicating the connection status (disconnected) of the wireless infrastructure in the network display area 321 of Figure 3A, and terminates the process. Figure 11A shows an example of an icon indicating that the wireless infrastructure mode is disabled. The CPU 212 may also display text information indicating that the wireless infrastructure mode is disabled on the wireless LAN settings display screen. Figures 14A to 14C show examples of the wireless LAN settings display screen. The wireless LAN settings display screen is a screen that displays the settings status of the MFP 100's wireless LAN. The wireless LAN settings display screen displays items such as "SSID", "Connection Status", "Communication Method (Number of APs)", "Frequency Band", "Signal Strength", and "Link Speed". In other words, the wireless LAN settings display screen can be said to be a screen that displays the settings status of the MFP 100's wireless LAN in more detail than the home screen of Figure 3A. In the S720, the CPU 212 may display text information such as "Disconnecting" or "Not Connected" to indicate that the wireless infrastructure mode is disabled, as content corresponding to the "connection status".

[0117] In S721, the CPU 212 displays information about the APs connected in wireless infrastructure mode. If S714 determines "No," it means that the MFP 100 is not communicating with multiple APs and is connected to a single AP. Therefore, if S714 determines "No," S721 will display the connection status with the single AP rather than displaying information about multiple APs connected in wireless infrastructure mode.

[0118] On the other hand, if the response in S714 is determined to be Yes and the process in S721 is executed, the MFP100 is performing Multi-AP communication and is connected to multiple APs. However, instead of displaying the individual information of the multiple connected APs, it displays aggregated information about the multiple connected APs.

[0119] In S721, if the destination for displaying AP information is the home screen shown in Figure 3A, the CPU 212 displays a single icon in the network display area 321 indicating the connection status of the wireless infrastructure (connected). In this case, as shown in Figure 11C, a different icon is displayed depending on the connection status with the AP. If the destination for displaying AP information is the wireless LAN settings display screen shown in Figure 14A, the CPU 212 displays text information such as "connected" as the content corresponding to the "connection status". Details of the processing in S721 will be described later in Figure 8. Note that even with the same connection status, if the destination for displaying AP information is the wireless LAN settings display screen, the CPU 212 may display the sum of the maximum signal strength and link speed of each AP, as shown in Figure 14B. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 14C, the CPU 212 may display the average signal strength of each AP. In other words, on the wireless LAN settings display screen, if a connection is made using the Multi-AP method, regardless of whether it is using the Joint-TX method or the Co-OFDMA method, it displays information about multiple Coordinated APs (multiple access points targeted for Multi-AP communication) that belong to the same Multi-AP group as the connected Multi-AP AP, from among the APs that have been detected.

[0120] In S722, the CPU 212 displays AP information for the connected wireless infrastructure mode without aggregating it. That is, in S722, the CPU 212 displays individual information for multiple APs to which the MFP 100 is connected. In other words, S722 displays information about multiple APs that are the target of Multi-AP communication. For example, if the destination for displaying AP information is the home screen in Figure 3A, the network display area 321 may display icons corresponding to the signal strength of each AP that can be used in parallel with the MFP 100's communication, as shown in Figure 11D. Also, even with the same connection status, if the destination for displaying AP information is the wireless LAN settings display screen in Figure 14A, the signal strength, frequency band, and link speed of each AP may be displayed side by side, as shown. In the example shown in Figure 14A, the MFP100 is connected to three Coordinated APs, and the frequency band / signal strength / link speed are as follows: the first Coordinated AP is connected at 2.4 GHz / 100% / 45 Mbps, the second Coordinated AP is connected at 5 GHz / 75% / 30 Mbps, and the third Coordinated AP is connected at 6 GHz / 45% / 15 Mbps.

[0121] Note that at least one of steps S714 to S719 in the process shown in Figure 7B above may be omitted. If all steps are omitted, the process in S721 will be performed if Yes is determined in S713. That is, if at least one of steps S714 to S719 is omitted, the AP information will be displayed together regardless of at least one of the following conditions (all or one or more), and the process in Figure 8 will begin. - Whether or not it is a Multi-AP system (S714) - Whether or not it is a Joint-TX system (S715) - Whether or not it is a Co-OFDMA system (S716) - Whether or not the AP information display area is smaller than a predetermined size (S717) - Whether or not the AP information display area is the home screen (S718) - Whether or not the logged-in user is a user who has the authority to change the communication mode settings (S719)

[0122] If steps S714 to S719 are all omitted, the process in S722 may be performed if the result in S713 is determined to be Yes.

[0123] In S723, the CPU 212 determines whether or not the MFP 100 is connected to the AP in wireless infrastructure mode. In S723, the CPU 212 makes the determination based on the value obtained in S712. For example, if the MFP 100 receives a Beacon frame or device discovery response (Probe Response) from the AP within a certain period of time, the CPU 212 determines that the MFP 100 is connected to the AP and proceeds to S712. Otherwise, the CPU 212 determines that the MFP 100 is disconnected from the AP (changed from a connected state to a disconnected state) and proceeds to S724.

[0124] In S724, the CPU 212 stores AP information in RAM 214 and / or non-volatile memory 215, similar to S702 and S711. The AP information stored in memory such as RAM 112 in S724 includes information indicating the connection status with the AP (disconnected).

[0125] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating the process of S721. Each process in the flowchart shown in Figure 8 is realized by the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 loading various programs stored in the computer-readable memory of ROM 213 into RAM 214 and executing them.

[0126] The CPU 212 checks the signal strength range of the connected AP in S801 to S803, and displays the corresponding signal strength in S804 to S807.

[0127] In S801, the CPU 212 determines whether the signal strength of the AP, calculated based on the RSSI obtained from the AP in S712 of Figure 7B, falls within a first range. If the CPU 212 determines that it falls within the first range, it proceeds to S804; otherwise, it proceeds to S802.

[0128] In S802, the CPU 212 determines whether the signal strength of the AP, calculated based on the RSSI obtained from the AP in S712 of Figure 7B, falls within the second range. If it falls within the second range, the CPU 212 proceeds to S805; otherwise, it proceeds to S803.

[0129] In S803, the CPU 212 determines whether the radio wave intensity calculated based on the RSSI obtained from the AP in S712 of Figure 7B falls within the third range. If it falls within the third range, the CPU 212 proceeds to S806; otherwise (i.e., if it falls within the fourth range), it proceeds to S807. The relative magnitudes of the radio wave intensity ranges are assumed to be: first range > second range > third range > fourth range.

[0130] In S804 to S807, the CPU 212 displays an icon corresponding to the radio wave strength.

[0131] In S804, the CPU 212 displays an icon corresponding to the first range.

[0132] In S805, the CPU 212 displays icons corresponding to the second range.

[0133] In S806, the CPU 212 displays an icon corresponding to the third range.

[0134] In S807, the CPU 212 displays icons corresponding to the fourth range.

[0135] Figure 11C shows examples of icons corresponding to each of the first to fourth ranges. The icons in Figure 11C indicate the signal strength level of the AP to which the MFP 100 is connected. The icons in Figure 11C are based on a fan shape, and the number of lines in the fan shape represents the signal strength level of the connected AP. Note that the shape of the icon indicating the signal strength level is not limited to the fan shape shown in Figure 11C. For example, any icon whose display form changes according to the signal strength of the connected AP would suffice. Alternatively, an icon that changes in stages according to the signal strength of the connected AP would also be acceptable. Specifically, an icon like the one shown in Figure 17F, which will be described later, would also be acceptable.

[0136] Next, in S808 to S810, the CPU 212 determines whether the conditions for displaying specific information (the number of APs connected) regarding APs connected via Multi-AP communication are met.

[0137] In S808, the CPU 212 determines whether the communication method used for communication with the AP is the Multi-AP communication method. Based on the value obtained in S712, if it is determined that the communication method is the Multi-AP communication method, the process proceeds to S809; otherwise, the process shown in Figure 8 is terminated without displaying the number of connected APs.

[0138] In S809, the CPU 212 determines whether the communication method used for communication with the AP is the Joint-TX method in Multi-AP communication. Based on the value obtained in S712, if the CPU 212 determines that the communication method is the Joint-TX method, it terminates the process shown in Figure 9; otherwise, it proceeds to S810.

[0139] Depending on the communication method, it may or may not be beneficial to display information for each AP connected to the MFP 100. In the Joint-TX method, multiple APs cooperate to communicate with a single STA. Therefore, even if the MFP 100 is connected to multiple APs, the number of APs available for communication using the Joint-TX method (number of communication devices) may not necessarily match the number of APs available. Also, when the communication method is the Joint-TX method, the communication speed does not increase in proportion to the increase in the number of communication devices. Therefore, if the MFP 100 displays information for each AP connected to it, the user may mistakenly believe that the radio wave conditions are better than they actually are. Accordingly, in this embodiment, if the communication method used for communication with the APs is the Joint-TX method, the CPU 212 terminates the process shown in Figure 8 without displaying the number of connected APs.

[0140] In S810, the CPU 212 determines whether the communication method used for communication with the AP is the Co-OFDMA method in Multi-AP communication. If the CPU 212 determines from the value obtained in S712 that the communication method with the AP is the Co-OFDMA method, it proceeds to S811; otherwise, it terminates the process shown in Figure 8 without displaying the number of connected APs.

[0141] In the Co-OFDMA method, multiple APs cooperate to manage resources and communicate with the STA. Therefore, as the number of APs connected to the MFP 100 increases, the communication speed improves. In this embodiment, if the communication method used for communication with the APs is the Co-OFDMA method, the CPU 212 proceeds to S811 and displays the number of connected APs.

[0142] In S811, the CPU 212 displays an icon displayed by processing S804 to S807, with information corresponding to the number of APs connected to the MFP 100 (specific information about the APs) added. Figure 11E shows an example of an icon with information corresponding to the number of APs added. In the example in Figure 11E, the icon is shown with a number indicating the number of APs connected to the MFP 100 added as information corresponding to the number of APs connected. By displaying an icon with information corresponding to the number of APs added, the user can identify whether the number of connected devices in Multi-AP communication is large or small in each of the first, second, and third ranges of radio wave strength. Therefore, even if the radio wave strength is not in the first range, but in the second or third range, the user can recognize that the MFP 100 is able to communicate with multiple APs working in cooperation, and that the communication quality may not be too bad.

[0143] Thus, in this embodiment, if the CPU 212 is in a position to communicate using the Co-OFDMA method via multiple APs belonging to the multi-AP group (Yes in S810), it proceeds to S811. That is, the CPU 212 displays specific information about the multiple APs belonging to the multi-AP group, as well as type information (a single display item) indicating the radio wave conditions of the connected AP. On the other hand, if the CPU 212 is in a position to communicate using the Joint-TX method via multiple APs belonging to the multi-AP group (Yes in S809), it terminates the process in Figure 8 without proceeding to S811. That is, the CPU 212 does not display specific information about the multiple APs belonging to the multi-AP group, but instead displays type information (a single display item) indicating the radio wave conditions of the connected AP. In the example of Figure 11E, the specific information about the multiple APs is a number indicating the number of APs connected to the MFP 100. Also, the type information is an icon in the example of Figure 11E. This control allows the MFP 100 to appropriately output type information about the AP according to the communication method used to communicate with the AP. Alternatively, after S807 and before S808, similar to S719, it may be determined whether the logged-in user has the authority to change the communication mode settings. If the result is Yes, the process proceeds to S811; otherwise, it proceeds to S808. In other words, if the logged-in user is capable of changing network settings, the process may proceed to S811 in both cases (Joint-TX and Co-OFDMA) and display information about multiple access points that are the target of Multi-AP communication.

[0144] In the example shown in Figure 11E, the icon does not display the number of connected devices in Multi-AP communication when the signal strength is in the fourth range. This is because even if the MFP100 is connected to multiple APs with low signal strength, high communication quality cannot be expected. In other words, even if the MFP100 is connected to multiple APs with low signal strength, the signal conditions will not improve. Therefore, when the signal strength is in the fourth range, which is lower than the first to third ranges, the CPU 212 in S811 does not add information corresponding to the number of APs to the icon. In this way, even if there are many APs connected to the MFP100 (number of connected devices), by not displaying the number of connected devices when the signal conditions are not good, it is possible to prevent users from mistakenly believing that a large number of connected devices indicates high communication quality.

[0145] In the example shown in Figure 11E, an icon with a number indicating the number of APs connected to the MFP 100 is used as an example of specific information regarding the AP, but this is not the only example. In other words, the method of adding information according to the number of APs is not limited to this; for example, any display that changes according to the number of APs would suffice.

[0146] Figures 13A to 13D show alternative display examples in the situation where Figure 11E is displayed. The icons shown in Figures 13A to 13D are single icons (single items) that can indicate the signal strength level of each of the multiple connected APs. As shown in Figures 13A to 13D, the icon area is divided by the number of connected APs, and the signal strength level of each connected AP is represented in each area by the number of fan-shaped lines. In other words, the single item in Figures 13A to 13D indicates the signal status of each of the multiple APs that can be used in parallel with the communication of the MFP 100 when the MFP 100 is able to communicate using the Co-OFDMA method, in each of the multiple areas divided within the single item.

[0147] Figures 13A and 13B show examples of dividing the icon area into three parts when the MFP 100 is connected to three APs. The first to third areas in Figures 13A and 13B display the signal strength of each of the three connected APs. The order in which the APs are displayed in the first to third areas may be, for example, in order of strongest signal strength, or in order of fastest link speed. The width of the first to third areas may also be determined based on the ratio of the link speed of each AP to the sum of the link speeds of all APs. Figure 13A shows an example of the display when the range of signal strength of each AP is within the first range. Figure 13B shows an example of the display when the range of signal strength of each AP is within the first, second, and third ranges.

[0148] Figures 13C and 13D show examples of dividing the icon area into two when connected to two APs. Figure 13C is an example of the display when the signal strength ranges of each AP are a first range and a second range. Figure 13D is an example of the display when the signal strength ranges of each AP are a first range and a third range.

[0149] Furthermore, the method of adding information according to the number of APs may be, for example, displaying the frequency bands of multiple Coordinated APs connected via Multi-AP communication, as shown in Figure 12G. Alternatively, for example, displaying the link speeds of multiple Coordinated APs connected via Multi-AP communication, as shown in Figure 12I. Alternatively, for example, displaying the sum of the link speeds of multiple Coordinated APs connected via Multi-AP communication, as shown in Figure 12J.

[0150] The first range described above is the range in which wireless infrastructure communication can be performed stably. The second range is the range in which wireless infrastructure communication may become unstable. The third range is the range in which wireless infrastructure communication is highly likely to become unstable. The fourth range is the range in which wireless infrastructure communication is not possible or the connection to the AP is lost.

[0151] Figure 9A shows examples of the first to fourth ranges. In this example, the first range is when the AP's signal strength is 80% or more and 100% or less, the second range is when the AP's signal strength is 50% or more and less than 80%, the third range is when the AP's signal strength is 1% or more and less than 50%, and the fourth range is when it is less than 1%.

[0152] In addition, if it is determined in S714 of Figure 7B that the communication method with the AP is the Multi-AP communication method, it is possible that the MFP 100 is connected to multiple APs simultaneously. If it is determined in S714 that the communication method with the AP is the Multi-AP communication method, the radio wave strength value used to select the icon to display the AP information in the process of Figure 8 may be a value calculated from the radio wave strength values ​​of the multiple APs that are connected.

[0153] For example, if the MFP100 is connected to multiple APs simultaneously, it may display an icon corresponding to the maximum signal strength of each AP. In this case, if the signal strength of any of the connected APs falls within the first range, the first icon will be displayed. Similarly, if the maximum signal strength of an AP falls within the second range, the second icon will be displayed. Likewise, if the maximum signal strength of an AP falls within the third range, the third icon will be displayed, and otherwise, the fourth icon will be displayed.

[0154] Furthermore, the method for calculating the signal strength value used to select an icon when the MFP100 is simultaneously connected to multiple APs is not limited to this. For example, an icon corresponding to the average signal strength of each AP may be displayed. Figure 10C shows an example where the MFP100 is simultaneously connected to two Coordinated APs. In Figure 10C, if the average signal strength of the first and second APs falls within the first range, the first icon is displayed. Similarly, if the average signal strength of the APs falls within the second range, the second icon is displayed. Similarly, if the average signal strength of the APs falls within the third range, the third icon is displayed, and if it falls within the fourth range, the fourth icon is displayed.

[0155] Furthermore, when the MFP100 is connected to multiple APs simultaneously, the range of signal strength corresponding to each icon may be different from the range when the MFP100 is connected to a single AP. For example, the range of signal strength when the MFP100 is connected to a single AP may be the range shown in Figure 9A. Also, the range of signal strength when the MFP100 is connected to multiple APs may be the ranges shown in Figures 9B and 10D. In the examples in Figures 9B and 10D, the first range is when the AP's signal strength is 70% or more and 100% or less, the second range is when the AP's signal strength is 40% or more and less than 70%, the third range is when the AP's signal strength is 1% or more and less than 70%, and the fourth range is when it is less than 1%.

[0156] Furthermore, if the communication method used by the MFP100 with the AP it is connected to is the Multi-AP communication method, and it is connected to multiple APs simultaneously, the icon displayed by the MFP100 when it is connected to one AP (Figure 11C) may be different from the icon displayed when it is connected to one AP. For example, as shown in Figures 11F and 12A to 12G, the icon indicating the signal strength (Figure 11C) may be supplemented with an indicator showing that it is connected to multiple APs simultaneously.

[0157] Figure 11F shows an example of displaying an icon indicating signal strength with an added indicator showing that a connection is being made using the Multi-AP communication method. As shown in Figure 11F, the icon indicating signal strength (Figure 11C) may also be displayed with an added indicator such as "M", "Multi-AP", "Multi", "Multi-AP", "Multi", "Cooperative", or "Cooperative Mode". In other words, information indicating that there are multiple APs available for use in parallel with the MFP100's communication may be added and displayed.

[0158] Furthermore, if the MFP100 is using the Multi-AP communication (Co-OFDMA) method to communicate with the AP it is connected to, and is simultaneously connected to multiple APs, the icon indicating the signal strength (Figure 11C) may be displayed with an added indication that it is connected using the Multi-AP (Co-OFDMA) method. For example, as shown in Figure 12A, the icon indicating the signal strength (Figure 11C) may be displayed with an "O" and "Co-OFDMA". Alternatively, as shown in Figure 12B, the icon indicating the signal strength (Figure 11C) may be displayed with an indication such as "UHT", "Ultra High throughput", "High Speed", or "High Speed ​​Mode".

[0159] Furthermore, if the MFP100 is using the Multi-AP communication (Joint-TX) method to communicate with the AP it is connected to, and is simultaneously connected to multiple APs, the icon indicating the signal strength (Figure 11C) may be displayed with an added indication that it is connected using the Multi-AP (Joint-TX) method. For example, as shown in Figure 12C, the icon indicating the signal strength (Figure 11C) may be displayed with "J" and "Joint-TX". Alternatively, as shown in Figure 12B, the icon indicating the signal strength (Figure 11C) may be displayed with an added indication such as "UHR", "Ultra High Reliability", "High Reliability", or "High Reliability Mode".

[0160] In the process shown in Figure 8, an example was described in which the MFP 100 displays an icon corresponding to the signal strength of the AP as information about the AP to which it is connected. Specifically, in the process shown in Figure 8, the CPU 212 checks the range of the signal strength of the destination AP and displays an icon such as Figure 11C that corresponds to the range of the signal strength, such as Figure 9A, but it is not limited to this. For example, an icon corresponding to the link speed of the AP may be displayed. For example, the CPU 212 may determine the range of the link speed of the destination AP in S801 to S803 in Figure 8 and display an icon corresponding to the range of the link speed according to the determination result. Figure 9C shows an example of a link speed range. In the example of Figure 9C, the first range is when the link speed is 20 Mbps, the second range is when the link speed is 10 Mbps or more and less than 20 Mbps, the third range is when the link speed is 1 Mbps or more and less than 10 Mbps, and the fourth range is when the link speed is less than 1 Mbps. Figure 12H shows an example of an icon corresponding to a link speed range.

[0161] Furthermore, if the MFP100 is connected to an AP using the Multi-AP (Co-OFDMA) method and is simultaneously connected to multiple APs, the link speeds of the multiple Coordinated APs connected via Multi-AP communication may be summed up, and an icon (Figure 12H) corresponding to the link speed range (Figure 9C) may be displayed.

[0162] The display of icons indicating the wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) infrastructure connection status (radio wave conditions) as described above is not limited to the MFP100, but can be applied to various STA devices such as smartphones.

[0163] Figure 15A shows an example of the display on the display unit 420 of a mobile terminal device 101, which is a smartphone. The status bar 1500 is a display area that shows various states of the mobile terminal device 101. In the example in Figure 15A, icons 1501 are displayed from right to left, showing the battery level, the signal strength of mobile communication (cellular network), and the Wi-Fi (infrastructure connection) communication status. The status bar 1500 is an area that is displayed under the control of the mobile terminal device 101's operating system (OS), regardless of the active application running on the mobile terminal device 101. In other words, even if the active application software (hereinafter referred to as "app") switches from app A to app B, the same icon 1501 will be displayed on the status bar 1500 as long as the signal strength of the mobile terminal device 101 remains the same. However, if the entire screen is used to display the content of the app, such as in edge-to-edge communication (where the display area of ​​the status bar 1500 is also used to display the content of the app), the status bar 1500 will be hidden.

[0164] The above-described embodiment can be applied when displaying the icon 1501, which indicates Wi-Fi connection information, in the status bar 1500. Icon 1501 is the icon shown in Figure 11E above, which represents the case when there are three APs connected to the mobile terminal device 101 via Multi-AP communication and the signal strength range is within the first range. This icon 1501 allows the user to recognize that the mobile terminal device 101 is connected to three Coordinated APs via Multi-AP communication and that the signal strength is within the first range (good).

[0165] As described above, the status bar 1500 displays icons 1501 depending on whether the mobile terminal device 101 is performing Multi-AP communication (or is in a position to do so), the communication method of Multi-AP communication, the number of connected Coordinated APs, etc. Note that the icons 1501 are not limited to the example in Figure 15A, and as explained in the embodiments described above, any of the icons shown in Figures 11A to 11F and Figures 12A to J can be displayed depending on the radio wave conditions and communication status of the mobile terminal device 101.

[0166] Furthermore, the wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) infrastructure connection status of the first STA (e.g., MFP 100) is not limited to being displayed on the first STA itself, but can also be displayed on a second STA (e.g., a mobile terminal device 101) that can communicate with the first STA (MFP 100).

[0167] The display area 1510 in Figure 15A is an example of a screen displayed by the printer application software (hereinafter referred to as the print app) installed on the mobile terminal device 101. When the print app is launched and activated, the content provided by the print app is displayed in the display area 1510. Within the display area 1510, area 1520 is a status display area that shows the status of the printer, which is the device to be instructed (controlled) from the mobile terminal device 101. Here, we will explain an example in which the MFP 100 is set as the device to be instructed. In the example in Figure 15A, the printer of the A1234 series (the series name of the MFP 100) is registered and selected as the device to be instructed. Area 1520 displays an icon 1521 indicating the Wi-Fi (infrastructure connection) communication status of the device to be instructed, and information indicating whether the mobile terminal device 101 and the device to be instructed are able to communicate (online).

[0168] Icon 1521 indicates the radio wave conditions between the MFP 100 and the AP, not between the mobile terminal device 101 and the AP. The mobile terminal device 101 obtains the radio wave conditions between the MFP 100 and the AP from the target device using a specific protocol. The specific protocol is, for example, SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) or HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). The above-described embodiment can be applied when displaying icon 1521, which indicates the Wi-Fi communication status (connection information) of the target device in this area 1520. Icon 1521 is the icon in Figure 11E above, where there are 3 APs connected in Multi-AP communication and the radio wave strength range is within the first range. Icon 1521 allows the user to recognize that the MFP 100, which is the device being controlled, is connected to three Coordinated APs using the Multi-AP communication method, and that the radio signal strength is within the first range (good). In this way, icons 1521 are displayed in area 1520 according to the radio signal conditions, such as whether or not Multi-AP communication is being performed (or whether or not it is possible to perform it), the communication method of Multi-AP communication, and the number of Coordinated APs connected. Note that icons 1521 are not limited to the example in Figure 15A, and as explained in the above embodiment, any of the icons shown in Figures 11A to 11F and Figures 12A to J can be displayed depending on the radio signal conditions and communication status of the MFP 100.

[0169] Furthermore, in the lower part of the print application screen, below area 1520, icons indicating commands that can be issued to the target device are displayed. In the example shown, "Print," "Scan," "Copy," and "Cloud" are displayed, and by operating these icons, the corresponding actions can be made to be performed on the target device (MFP 100). In addition, the wireless LAN settings of the target device can be displayed from the "Menu" icon at the bottom. The wireless LAN settings displayed here show the setting status of the wireless LAN settings on the target device, MFP 100, and are displayed in the same way as in Figures 14A to C.

[0170] Furthermore, information about the device to be instructed (the device to be controlled) is not limited to being displayed by the printer application (control application software), but can also be displayed by the browser application software (hereinafter referred to as the browser application) of the mobile terminal device 101. By specifying the IP address or URL of the MFP 100, which is the device to be instructed, the browser application of the mobile terminal device 101 can retrieve the information set on the MFP 100 and display it on the display unit 420.

[0171] Figure 15B shows an example of how the settings of the MFP 100 are displayed by a browser application. Area 1530 is an example of the screen displayed by the browser application. When the browser application is launched and activated, an area similar to the status bar 1500 described in Figure 15A is displayed on the display unit 420. Area 1530 includes area 1531. Area 1531 displays the wireless LAN settings of the MFP 100 obtained from the MFP 100 by the browser application. Area 1531 can display the same content as in Figures 14A to C. In the example in Figure 15B, area 1531 displays the same settings as in Figure 14A, and the items "Communication Method" and "Number of Connected APs" indicate that the MFP 100 is connected to three Coordinated APs using the Multi-AP communication method. Items such as "Frequency Band," "Signal Strength," and "Link Speed" are displayed in the same way as in Figure 14A.

[0172] Furthermore, while the above description explains the display of the wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) infrastructure connection status (radio wave conditions, etc.), it is not limited to this. It is also acceptable to print and output the aforementioned wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) infrastructure connection status (radio wave conditions, etc.) using the MFP100.

[0173] Figures 16A to 16E show examples of LAN settings printed by the MFP 100 when "Print LAN settings" (Figure 3B) displayed on the MFP 100 is selected, or when "Print information" (Figure 15B) displayed on the mobile terminal device 101 is selected. Figures 16A to 16B show examples of LAN settings printed when the MFP 100 is not performing Multi-AP communication and is connected to one AP. Figures 16C to 16E show examples of LAN settings printed when the MFP 100 is performing Multi-AP communication and is connected to multiple APs.

[0174] As shown in Figure 16A, the printed LAN configuration document will include items such as "Diagnostic Result," "Connection Type," "Connection Status," "SSID," "Communication Method," "Frequency Band," "Signal Strength," and "Link Speed." In addition to these items, items such as IPv4 address and IPv6 address may also be printed.

[0175] The information of the APs to which the MFP 100 is connected may be displayed either collectively or separately, depending on the communication method with the APs to which the MFP 100 is connected, similar to the process in Figure 7B. When the information is displayed collectively (when printing LAN setting information under conditions that allow proceeding to S721 in Figure 7B), the maximum and average values ​​of the signal strength, communication quality, and link speed are printed, as shown in Figures 16C and 16D, similar to the process in Figure 8. When the information is displayed separately (when printing LAN setting information under conditions that allow proceeding to S722 in Figure 7B), the individual values ​​of signal strength, communication quality, and link speed are printed, as shown in Figure 16E.

[0176] Furthermore, when printing information about the AP to which the MFP 100 is connected in Figures 16A to 16E, icons indicating the connection status between the MFP 100 and the AP (Figures 11A to 11F, 12A to 12J) may be printed depending on the communication status of the MFP 100.

[0177] Furthermore, the "Diagnostic Results" section of the LAN settings printout will display the diagnostic results regarding any problems with the AP or network to which the MFP100 is connected, as shown in Figures 16A to 16E. Specifically, if the signal strength of the AP to which the MFP100 is connected is high, text information such as "No problem" will be printed. On the other hand, if the signal strength of the AP to which the MFP100 is connected is low, text information such as "Signal strength is weak" will be printed.

[0178] Furthermore, the range of signal strength corresponding to "Weak signal strength" in the "Diagnostic Result" may be the "Third Range" to the "Fourth Range" in Figures 9A to 9B. Also, when the MFP100 is simultaneously connected to multiple APs using the Multi-AP communication method, the range of signal strength corresponding to "Diagnostic Result" in the LAN setting printout may be different from the range when connected to one AP. For example, when the MFP100 is connected to one AP, "Diagnostic Result: Weak signal strength" may be printed when the signal strength is between 1% and less than 50%, as shown in Figure 9A. Also, for example, when the MFP100 is connected to two APs, "Diagnostic Result: Weak signal strength" may be printed when the signal strength is between 1% and less than 40%, as shown in Figure 9B.

[0179] In this embodiment, an example was described in which the operation display unit 220 of the MFP 100 includes a touch panel display, but it is not limited to this.

[0180] Figure 17A shows a first example of an operation display unit 205 provided by the MFP 100 in place of or in addition to the operation display unit 220. The operation display unit 205 consists of a display unit 1711 with a relatively narrow display area and an operation unit 1712 that includes hardware keys such as cursor keys and select keys. Specifically, the display unit 1711 is assumed to be a dot-matrix monochrome LCD capable of displaying graphics. The display unit 1711 has a lower resolution than the touch panel of the operation display unit 220.

[0181] Figure 17B shows a second example of an operation display unit 205 provided by the MFP 100 in place of or in addition to the operation display unit 220. The operation display unit 205 in the second example consists of a display unit 1721 with a smaller display area than the first example shown in Figure 17A, and an operation unit 1722 that includes hardware keys such as cursor keys and select keys. Specifically, the display unit 1721 is a dot matrix character LCD capable of displaying a limited number of characters and symbols. The display unit 1721 has a lower resolution than the display unit 1711.

[0182] Figure 17C shows a third example of an operation display unit 205 provided by the MFP 100 in place of or in addition to the operation display unit 220. The operation display unit 205 of the third example consists of a display unit 1731 with more limited information display capabilities than the second example shown in Figure 17B, and an operation unit 1732 including hardware keys such as cursor keys and select keys. Specifically, the display unit 1731 is a segment LCD 1733 capable of displaying predetermined shapes and numbers.

[0183] As shown in Figures 17A to 17C, even when the operation display unit 205 is configured to include a display unit with a relatively narrow display area, it may display the Wi-Fi (infrastructure connection) connection status as described in the above embodiment, and display one of the icons shown in Figures 11C to 11F and Figures 12A to 12J depending on the status. Icon 1713 in Figure 17A is an icon indicating the Wi-Fi (infrastructure connection) connection status, and is the icon for the first range in Figure 11C. That is, it indicates that the MFP 100 is not performing Multi-AP communication and the radio wave conditions are within the first range (good). When the MFP 100 is performing Multi-AP communication, one of the displays in Figures 11E to 11F and Figures 12A to 12J may be shown.

[0184] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 17A to 17C, if the operation display unit 205 is configured to include a display unit with a relatively narrow display area, the Wi-Fi (infrastructure connection) connection status may be displayed in a different display format than the icons shown in Figures 11C to 11F and Figures 12A to 12J. For example, icons in the display format shown in Figures 17E and 17F may be displayed.

[0185] Figure 17E shows the signal strength indicated by the display status of three dots, with more blacked-out dots indicating higher signal strength. The presence of the letter "M" (symbol) indicates that the MFP100 is connected to an AP using the Multi-AP communication method (multi-AP connection). The absence of the letter "M" indicates that the MFP100 is not connected to an AP using the Multi-AP communication method (multi-AP connection is not enabled).

[0186] Figure 17F shows the signal strength indicated by the coloring of vertical bars of different heights; the more black bars there are, the higher the signal strength. The presence of the letter "M" (symbol) indicates that the MFP100 is connected to an AP using the Multi-AP communication method (multi-AP connection). The absence of the letter "M" indicates that the MFP100 is not connected to an AP using the Multi-AP communication method (multi-AP connection is not enabled).

[0187] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 17G to 17J, multiple segments arranged vertically and horizontally (in a matrix) may be used to display the radio wave conditions of each of the connected Coordinated APs when multiple APs are connected. In Figures 17G to 17J, each column corresponds to the radio wave conditions of a different Coordinated AP, and the number of blacked-out areas in the vertical direction indicates the radio wave conditions of the Coordinated AP in each column. For example, the example in Figure 17H ​​shows that three Coordinated APs are connected. It shows that the radio wave strength range of the first Coordinated AP is the first range, similarly the second range for the second, and the third range for the third. This shows the same situation as in Figure 13B. Similarly, Figure 17G shows the same situation as in Figure 13A, and Figures 17I to 17J show the same situations as in Figures 13C to 13D. In other words, the multiple segments in Figures 17G to 17J show the radio wave conditions of multiple access points (APs) that can be used in parallel with the MFP 100's communication in a situation where the MFP 100 can communicate using the Co-OFDMA method, within each of the multiple regions demarcated within a single item.

[0188] Figure 17D shows a fourth example of an operation display unit 205 provided by the MFP 100 in place of or in addition to the operation display unit 220. The operation display unit 205 in the fourth example consists of a light-emitting unit 1741 and an operation unit 1742 that includes hardware keys such as a START key. The light-emitting unit 1741 contains three light-emitting units, each corresponding to one of the three hardware keys included in the operation unit 1742. The light-emitting unit 1743 included in the light-emitting unit 1741 corresponds to a hardware key labeled "Wi-Fi" and is used to indicate the Wi-Fi infrastructure connection status. Specifically, each of the light-emitting units 1741 is an LED (light-emitting diode). In the operation display unit 205 of the fourth example, the Wi-Fi infrastructure connection status is indicated by the light-emitting pattern of the light-emitting unit 1743. For example, the ratio of the illumination time per cycle in the blinking pattern is changed according to the radio wave strength. Specifically, for example, you could do the following:

[0189] (A1) When the radio wave intensity is in the first range, the lighting time per cycle T of the flashing pattern is T × (4 / 4) (i.e., the light remains lit without any periods of being off).

[0190] (A2) When the radio wave intensity is in the second range, the lighting time per period T of the flashing pattern is set to T × (3 / 4) (i.e., the light is off for T × (1 / 4) of the time).

[0191] (A3) When the radio wave strength is in the third range, the lighting time per period T of the flashing pattern is set to T × (2 / 4) (i.e., the light is off for T × (2 / 4) time).

[0192] (A4) When the radio wave intensity is in the fourth range, the lighting time per period T of the flashing pattern is set to T × (1 / 4) (i.e., the light is off for T × (3 / 4) of the time).

[0193] In all of (A1) to (A4), the color of the emitted light indicates whether or not a multi-AP connection is active. For example, if the MFP100 is connected to multiple APs, it lights up green; otherwise (if connected to a single AP), it lights up red.

[0194] Alternatively, instead of using differences in emission color, the emission pattern alone may be used to indicate whether a multi-AP connection is present and the status of the radio signal strength. For example, as follows:

[0195] (B1) When the radio wave strength is within the first range and a multi-AP connection is active, the illumination time per cycle T of the blinking pattern is set to T × (4 / 4) (i.e., the light remains lit without any periods of being off).

[0196] (B2) When the radio signal strength is within the second range and a multi-AP connection is active, the illumination time per cycle T of the flashing pattern shall be T × (3 / 4) (i.e., the light shall be off for T × (1 / 4) of the time). The same light emission pattern shall also be used when the radio signal strength is within the first range and a single AP connection is active instead of a multi-AP connection.

[0197] (B3) When the radio signal strength is within the third range and a multi-AP connection is active, the illumination time per cycle T of the flashing pattern shall be T × (2 / 4) (i.e., the light shall be off for T × (2 / 4) time). The same light emission pattern shall also be used when the radio signal strength is within the second range and a single AP connection is active instead of a multi-AP connection.

[0198] (B4) When the signal strength is in the fourth range and a multi-AP connection is active, the illumination time per cycle T of the flashing pattern shall be T × (1 / 4) (i.e., the light shall be off for T × (3 / 4) time). The same light emission pattern shall also be used when the signal strength is in the third range and a single AP connection is active instead of a multi-AP connection. The same light emission pattern shall also be used when the signal strength is in the fourth range and a single AP connection is active instead of a multi-AP connection.

[0199] In (B1) to (B4), when a multi-AP connection is active, the proportion of the indicator light duration is increased compared to when it is not active, even at the same signal strength. This is because, when a multi-AP connection is active, improvements in communication throughput and reliability can be expected even at the same signal strength.

[0200] Beyond the examples above, the signal strength and whether or not a multi-AP connection is active may be indicated by differences in the light emission pattern.

[0201] As described above, according to this embodiment, when the MFP 100 should display radio wave status information of the AP to which it is connected, the CPU 212 switches the display method of AP information based on the communication method with the connected AP. The CPU 212 controls the display of AP information for multiple APs connected via Co-OFDMA if the communication method with the connected AP is Multi-AP, and displays AP information together if the communication method is Joint-TX. With this control, information indicating radio wave status can be appropriately displayed according to the communication method and communication status between the MFP 100 and the AP. Furthermore, even with wireless communication devices that have a limited display area, for example, the connection status with the AP can be displayed efficiently.

[0202] Furthermore, the various controls described above, which were explained as being performed by the CPU of each device, may be performed by a single piece of hardware, or multiple pieces of hardware (for example, multiple processors or circuits) may share the processing to control the entire device.

[0203] Furthermore, while this disclosure has been described in detail based on its preferred embodiments, this disclosure is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms are also included within this disclosure without departing from the gist of this disclosure. Moreover, each of the embodiments described above is merely one example of this disclosure, and it is possible to combine each embodiment as appropriate.

[0204] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiments used the application of this disclosure to an MFP as an example, this is not limited to this example, and it can be applied to any wireless device capable of Multi-AP communication. In other words, this disclosure can be applied to personal computers, PDAs, tablet terminals, 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. This disclosure can also be applied to digital cameras (including still cameras, video cameras, network cameras, and security cameras), printers, scanners, and drones. This disclosure can also be applied to video output devices, audio output devices (e.g., smart speakers), media streaming players, and wireless LAN adapters that can connect to USB terminals or LAN cable terminals. A video output device includes, for example, a set-top box, which acquires (downloads) videos and still images from the internet specified by a URL instructed by a communication device and outputs them to a display device connected via a video output terminal such as HDMI (trademark). This enables streaming playback on display devices and mirroring (displaying content shown on a communication device on a display device). Video output devices include media players such as televisions, hard disk recorders, Blu-ray recorders, and DVD recorders, as well as head-mounted displays, projectors, televisions, display devices (monitors), and signage devices. Furthermore, this disclosure is applicable to Wi-Fi-connected devices, often referred to as smart home appliances, such as air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, ovens, microwave ovens, lighting fixtures, heating appliances, and cooling appliances.

[0205] (Other Embodiments) The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0206] The technical ideas derived from this disclosure are not limited to the exemplary embodiments disclosed, but are intended to encompass various modifications of the exemplary embodiments, or substitutions with equivalent structures or functions. The scope of the following claims should be interpreted in the broadest way to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

[0207] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-233115, filed on 27 December 2024, and all of its contents are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A communication device characterized by comprising: communication means for performing wireless LAN communication with a plurality of access points that cooperate to transmit or receive content data; and control means for controlling the output of a single display item indicating that communication via a plurality of access points is possible when a first situation is in which communication via a plurality of access points belonging to a first group is possible.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first situation is a situation in which communication is possible using a first communication method via a plurality of access points belonging to the first group.

3. The communication device according to claim 2, characterized in that the first communication method is a communication method in which each of the multiple access points belonging to the first group communicates with the communication device using different resource units from each other.

4. The communication device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the first communication method is a Co-OFDMA (Coordinated-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) method in Multi-AP communication compliant with the IEEE 802.11 series standards.

5. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the single display item is a display form indicating that Multi-AP communication is possible.

6. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the single display item indicates at least one of the following: information indicating that there are multiple access points available for use in parallel with communication with the communication device; information indicating the number of multiple access points available for use in parallel with communication with the communication device; information corresponding to the radio wave strength of each of the multiple access points available for use in parallel with communication with the communication device; information indicating the communication method with the multiple access points available for use in parallel with communication with the communication device; information indicating the respective frequency bands of the multiple access points available for use in parallel with communication with the communication device; information corresponding to the respective link speeds of the multiple access points available for use in parallel with communication with the communication device; and information based on the sum of the respective link speeds of the multiple access points available for use in parallel with communication with the communication device.

7. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the single display item indicates information about a plurality of Coordinated APs belonging to the first group, but does not indicate information about a plurality of Coordinator APs belonging to the first group.

8. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the single display item is a single icon.

9. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the single display item is an icon having a fan-shaped motif indicating radio wave conditions and characters indicating that communication via multiple access points is possible.

10. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the single display item indicates the radio wave conditions of each of the multiple access points that can be used in parallel with communication with the communication device in the first situation, in each of the multiple regions partitioned within the single display item.

11. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the control means controls to display the single display item indicating the radio wave status of the connected access point in the first situation and on the first screen, and in the first situation and on a second screen which is different from the first screen and is for displaying the setting status of the wireless LAN in more detail than the first screen, to display information about a plurality of access points included in the first group in a display format different from the single display item.

12. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the control means controls the single display item to be displayed in an area that is displayed in both the case when the first application software is activated and when the second application software is activated in the first situation.

13. The communication device according to claim 12, wherein the communication device is a portable terminal, and the control means controls the single display item to be displayed on the status bar of the communication device where the battery level is displayed, in the first situation.

14. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the control means controls the display of the single display item when the communication status between the external device and the point is in the first state, as an external device capable of communicating with the communication device.

15. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the output is printed.

16. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the first situation is a situation in which communication compliant with IEEE 802.11bn can be performed.

17. The communication device according to any one of claims 2 to 16, characterized in that the control means outputs a single display item as a first type of display item indicating the radio wave conditions of the connected access point when the first situation is in which the first situation is in which the control means outputs a single display item as a first type of display item indicating the radio wave conditions of the connected access point when the second situation is in which communication using a second communication method via multiple access points belonging to a second group does not output a second type of display item indicating the radio wave conditions of the connected access point.

18. The communication device according to 17, characterized in that the second communication method is at least one of a communication method in which radio waves transmitted from each of a plurality of access points belonging to the second group are combined so as to be amplified at the location of the communication device, and a Joint-TX (Joint Transmission) method in a Multi-AP communication method compliant with the IEEE 802.11 series standards.

19. A method to be performed in a communication device, comprising: a communication step of performing wireless LAN communication with a plurality of access points that cooperate to transmit or receive content data; and a control step of controlling the device to output a single display item indicating that communication via a plurality of access points is possible when a first situation is in which communication via a plurality of access points belonging to a first group is possible.

20. A program for causing a computer to function as one of the means of a communication device described in any one of claims 1 to 18.

21. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as one of the means of a communication device described in any one of claims 1 to 18.

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