Communication device, method for controlling communication device, program, and storage medium

Abstract

There has been room for improvement in optimal communication and usability in multi-AP communication. Accordingly, this communication device comprises: a communication unit that communicates with at least one wireless access point (AP); and a setting unit that selects any one of a plurality of settings, including a first setting for disabling multi-AP communication and a second setting for enabling multi-AP communication. The communication device also has a control unit that controls the communication device to transmit or receive single content data via a single access point when connected to an access point within an access point group constituting multi-AP communication while the first setting is selected, and controls the communication device to transmit or receive single content data via a plurality of access points included in the access point group when connected to any access point of the access point group constituting multi-AP communication while the second setting is selected.

Description

Communication Apparatus, Control Method Therefor, Program, and Storage Medium

[0001] The technique of the present disclosure relates to a communication apparatus capable of using wireless communication conforming to IEEE 802.11, a control method therefor, a program, and a storage medium.

[0002] In recent years, along with an increase in the amount of data communicated, development of communication technologies such as wireless LAN (Local Area Network) has been progressing. The IEEE 802.11 standard series is known as a major communication standard for wireless LAN. The IEEE 802.11 standard series includes standards such as IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax / be.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a communication apparatus compatible with IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax.

[0004] Also, a mechanism of Multi-AP communication in which a plurality of APs cooperatively transmit data to an STA has been studied.

[0005] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2018-50133

[0006] In Multi-AP communication, there has been room for improvement in suitable communication and usability.

[0007] Therefore, the technique of the present disclosure provides a mechanism for performing Multi-AP communication more suitably.

[0008] To solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a communication device is provided, comprising: communication means for communicating with at least one wireless access point (AP); setting means for setting to one of a plurality of settings, including a first setting for disabling multi-AP communication and a second setting for enabling the multi-AP communication; and, when the first setting is made and the device is connected to any access point in the access point group constituting the multi-AP communication, control means for controlling the communication device to transmit or receive a single content data through a single access point; and when the second setting is made and the device is connected to any access point in the access point group constituting the multi-AP communication, control means for controlling the communication device to transmit or receive a single content data through a plurality of access points included in the access point group.

[0009] The above configuration improves the usability of wireless connectivity for communication devices that can communicate simultaneously with multiple APs over a wireless LAN. Furthermore, by supporting the ON / OFF setting of Multi-AP communication, the setting can be turned OFF in environments where Multi-AP communication is not implemented, thereby suppressing power consumption due to unnecessary communication by Multi-AP communication. In addition, in environments where Multi-AP communication is implemented, security risks can be reduced by preventing connections with unintended APs.

[0010] Other features and advantages of the technical ideas derived from this disclosure will become apparent from the following description with reference to the attached drawings. In the attached drawings, the same or similar components are given the same reference numeral.

[0011] 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. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a wireless communication system. A diagram showing an example of the appearance of the MFP 100. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of the MFP 100. A diagram showing an example of the display on the MFP 100. A diagram showing an example of the display on the MFP 100. A diagram showing an example of the display on the MFP 100. A diagram showing an example of the display on the MFP 100. A diagram showing an example of the display on the MFP 100. A diagram showing an example of the display on the MFP 100. A diagram showing an example of the appearance of the mobile terminal device 101. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of the mobile terminal device 101. An example of the configuration of an access point (AP). A sequence diagram explaining the processing of the STA (MFP 100) and the access point related to Multi-AP communication. A diagram showing an example of the system configuration according to this embodiment. A diagram showing an example of the setting of a wireless network according to this embodiment. A diagram showing an example of a screen where the MFP 100 searches for an AP and connects to an AP. A diagram showing an example of a screen where the MFP 100 searches for an AP and connects to an AP. This diagram shows an example screen where the MFP100 searches for APs and connects to APs. This diagram shows an example screen where the MFP100 searches for APs and connects to APs. This diagram shows an example screen where the MFP100 searches for APs and connects to APs. This diagram shows an example screen where the MFP100 searches for APs and connects to APs. This diagram shows an example screen where the MFP100 sets the ON / OFF status for multi-AP group connections. This diagram shows an example screen where the MFP100 sets the ON / OFF status for multi-AP group connections. This diagram shows an example screen where the MFP100 sets the ON / OFF status for multi-AP group connections. This diagram shows an example screen where the MFP100 sets the ON / OFF status for multi-AP group connections. This diagram shows an example screen where the MFP100 sets the ON / OFF status for multi-AP group connections. This diagram shows an example screen where the MFP100 sets the ON / OFF status for multi-AP group connections. This diagram shows an example screen where the MFP100 sets the ON / OFF status for multi-AP group connections. This is a flowchart illustrating the series of steps involved in the MFP100 connecting to an AP. This is a flowchart illustrating the sequence of events when the MFP100 connects to the AP. This is a flowchart illustrating how the MFP100 switches Multi-AP communication ON / OFF. This is a flowchart illustrating how the MFP100 switches Multi-AP communication ON / OFF.This is a flowchart illustrating how the MFP100 switches Multi-AP communication ON / OFF.

[0012] 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, the same or similar components are given the same reference numeral, and redundant descriptions are omitted. Note that these embodiments are merely examples, and unless otherwise specified, specific examples of components, processing steps, display screens, etc., are not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

[0013] (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.

[0014] 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.

[0015] 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.

[0016] 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.

[0017] 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 operate in a coordinated manner by forming a group (Multi-AP group 110).

[0018] 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.

[0019] 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.

[0020] (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 includes a touch panel display and is configured to accept user input for activating various functions and setting various options as an MFP. The operation display unit 220 may also include physical operation keys such as character input keys, cursor keys, select keys, and cancel keys, as well as LEDs or LCDs. 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 this wireless communication. The MFP 100 can perform wireless communication via WLAN, similar to the mobile terminal device 101.

[0021] (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. The main board 211 is configured to include, 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. Furthermore, 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 3F 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] Icon 324 is an operation icon selected when displaying various information from the MFP 100.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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 3B. The wireless LAN settings menu screen displays the following menu items (options): "Enable / Disable Wireless LAN," "Wireless LAN Setup," "Display Wireless LAN Settings," and "Turn Multi-AP Group Connection ON / OFF." 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. Selecting the "Turn Multi-AP Group Connection ON / OFF" option displays the multi-AP group connection settings menu shown in Figure 3E.

[0040] 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.

[0041] Figure 3E shows an example of the multi-AP connection settings menu screen displayed when the "Multi-AP Group Connection ON / OFF" option is selected in the screen shown in Figure 3C. Selecting "ON" in the multi-AP group connection settings menu enables the connection settings to the wireless network formed by the multi-AP, while selecting "OFF" disables the connection settings.

[0042] Figure 3F shows an example of the screen displayed when selecting the settings menu to restrict changes to some of the MFP100's settings to the administrator. If the "Wireless LAN" item is selected in Figure 3B, the screen in Figure 3F is displayed, and the user is prompted to enter a password to log in to administrator mode. If the login is successful, the screen in Figure 3C is displayed, and the user can proceed to the "Wireless LAN" settings.

[0043] (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.

[0044] The mobile terminal device 101, although it is not necessarily required to be visually recognizable from its external appearance, includes a wireless unit 401 that provides a WLAN communication function. The wireless unit 401 is configured to be capable of executing 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, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the wireless unit 401 may be capable of executing communication in a WLAN system compliant with other standards. In the present example, it is assumed that the wireless unit 401 can communicate in both the 2.4 GHz band and the 5 GHz frequency band. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the wireless unit 401 may be capable of communicating in any one or more frequency bands including the 2.4 GHz band, the 5 GHz band, and the 6 GHz band. Furthermore, it is assumed that the wireless unit 401 can execute communication based on WFD, communication in a soft AP mode, communication in a wireless infrastructure mode, and the like. Operations in these modes will be described later.

[0045] (Configuration of Mobile Terminal Device) FIG. 4B shows a configuration example of the mobile terminal device 101. In one example, the mobile terminal device 101 includes a main board 411 that performs 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, a ROM 413, a RAM 414, an image memory 415, a data conversion unit 416, a telephone unit 417, a GPS 419, a camera unit 421, a non-volatile memory 422, a data storage unit 423, a speaker unit 424, and a power supply unit 425. Here, CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit, ROM is an acronym for Read Only Memory, RAM is an acronym for Random Access Memory, and GPS is an acronym for Global Positioning System. Furthermore, the mobile terminal device 101 includes a display unit 420 and an operation unit 418. These functional units in the main board 411 are mutually connected via a system bus 428 managed by the CPU 412. Additionally, the main board 411 and the wireless unit 429 (the aforementioned wireless unit 401) are connected via, for example, a dedicated bus 426.

[0046] The CPU 412 is a system control unit including at least one processor, and controls the entire mobile terminal device 101. In one example, the processing of the mobile terminal device 101 described below is realized by the CPU 412 executing a program stored in the ROM 413. Dedicated hardware may be provided for each process. The ROM 413 stores control programs and embedded operating system (OS) programs that the CPU 412 executes. In this embodiment, the CPU 412 performs software control such as scheduling and task switching by executing each control program stored in the ROM 413 under the management of the embedded OS, which is also stored in the ROM 413.

[0047] The RAM 414 is composed of SRAM (Static RAM) or the like. The RAM 414 stores data such as program control variables, user-registered settings, and management data for the mobile terminal device 101. The RAM 414 can also be used as a buffer for various tasks. The image memory 415 is composed of memory such as DRAM (Dynamic RAM). The image memory 415 temporarily stores image data received via the wireless unit 429 and image data read from the data storage unit 423 for processing by the CPU 412. The non-volatile memory 422 is composed of memory such as flash memory, and continues to store data even when the power to the mobile terminal device 101 is turned off. Note that the memory configuration of the mobile terminal device 101 is not limited to the above configuration. For example, the image memory 415 and the RAM 414 may be shared, or data backup may be performed using the data storage unit 423. Furthermore, while DRAM is given as an example of the image memory 415 in this embodiment, other storage media such as hard disks or non-volatile memory may be used.

[0048] The data conversion unit 416 analyzes data in various formats and performs data conversion such as color conversion and image conversion. The telephone unit 417 controls telephone lines and processes audio data input and output via the speaker unit 424, thereby implementing telephone communication. The GPS 419 receives radio waves transmitted from satellites and acquires position information such as the current latitude and longitude of the mobile terminal device 101.

[0049] The camera unit 421 has a function of electronically recording and encoding an image input via a lens. 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 implementing a function of inputting or outputting audio for a telephone function and other functions such as alarm notification. The power supply unit 425 is, for example, a portable battery, and controls power supply to the inside of the device. Power states include, for example, an out-of-battery state where the battery has no remaining power, a power-off state where the power key 404 is not pressed, a normal activated starting state, and a power-saving state where the device is activated but operates in a power-saving manner.

[0050] The display unit 420 displays various input operations, the operating status and status of the MFP 100, and the like under the control of the CPU 412. When a user operation is received, the operation unit 418 performs control such as generating an electrical signal corresponding to the operation and outputting the signal to the CPU 412.

[0051] The mobile terminal device 101 performs wireless communication using the wireless unit 429, and performs 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. Further, the wireless unit 429 restores packets from other external devices into original data and outputs the original data to the CPU 412. Each wireless unit 429 is a unit for implementing communication conforming to WLAN standards. The wireless unit 429 can operate in parallel in at least two communication modes including a wireless infrastructure mode and a P2P (WLAN) mode. It should be noted that the frequency bands used in these communication modes may be limited by the functions and performance of the hardware.

[0052] (Access Point Configuration) Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of AP111, which has wireless LAN access point functionality. AP111 consists of a main board 510 that controls AP111, a wireless LAN unit 516, a wired LAN unit 518, and operation buttons 520.

[0053] 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 516 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 LAN unit 516 may also be capable of performing communication in a WLAN system compliant with other standards. In this example, the wireless LAN unit 516 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 these, and the wireless LAN unit 516 may be capable of communication in one or more frequency bands, including the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands.

[0054] 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.

[0055] Furthermore, AP111 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.

[0056] AP112 and AP113 have the same configuration as AP111.

[0057] (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).

[0058] 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.

[0059] A communication device with WFD communication capabilities (for example, a mobile terminal device 101) 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.

[0060] ●Soft AP Mode In soft AP mode, the communication device (e.g., mobile terminal device 101) 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.

[0061] ●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.

[0062] (Wireless Infrastructure Mode) In wireless infrastructure mode, communication devices that communicate with each other (for example, the mobile terminal device 101 and the MFP 100) are connected to an external AP (for example, AP 111) that manages the network, and communication between communication devices takes place 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 101 and the MFP 100 each discover AP 111, send connection requests to AP 111, and connect, communication between these communication devices in wireless infrastructure mode via AP 111 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, AP 111 determines the frequency band and frequency channel. Therefore, AP111 can select which frequency band to use from 5GHz, 2.4GHz, and 6GHz, and which frequency channel to use within that frequency band.

[0063] (Multi-AP communication) The IEEE 802.11be standard specifies Multi-Link communication (Multi-AP communication), in which one AP (Access Point) establishes multiple links with one STA (Station) via multiple different frequency channels and communicates in parallel.

[0064] Furthermore, the IEEE 802.11bn standard, the successor to the IEEE 802.11be standard, is exploring methods to improve usability using Multi AP communication.

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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.

[0067] 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.

[0068] 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 operating 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.

[0069] 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, APs and STAs). For example, the frequency resources used by AP112 and MFP100 are separated from those used by AP113 and MFP100 (STA) so as not to overlap. This prevents interference between communications between each BSS. If an STA has the capability to simultaneously transmit and receive data on 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 (content data such as images, audio, documents, and print data) to the same STA. In this case, for example, AP 112 can transmit packet 1 of content A to MFP 100, and AP 113 can transmit packet 2 of content A to MFP 100, both in parallel.

[0070] In the Joint-TX (Joint-Transmission) method, the same signal is transmitted and received between multiple access points (APs) and one staging area (STA). In this case, the multiplexed waves (superimposed waves, multiplexed waves, composite waves) that are combined and amplified by the interference of the radio waves emitted from multiple APs are controlled to be received by the STA. This controls the signal so that the STA receives a stronger signal (amplified signal) than the signal from only one AP. For example, the same signal is multiplexed and transmitted between AP112 and MFP100 (STA) and between AP113 and MFP100 (STA) so as to be amplified at the MFP100. For example, at the same time, AP112 transmits packet 1 of content A to MFP100, and AP113 transmits a single packet 1 of content A to MFP100 so as to be multiplexed with the radio wave of content A at the MFP100. This improves the reliability (connectivity) of communication between the STA and AP, as well as the speed of data transmission and reception.

[0071] 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 the STA (MFP100). 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 into RAM and executing them.

[0072] 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.

[0073] 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 this 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). The BSSID to be used in common is notified in the case of the Joint-TX method. Furthermore, with the Co-OFDMA method, it is not necessary to use a common SSID within the same multi-AP group.

[0074] 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 a Multi-AP IE (Information Element) within their Beacon frames. 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 (SSID 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 (common communication channel if using Joint-TX. If using 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) The method and structure of storing this information are not limited to this, and similar information may be stored and transmitted in a similar format. Multi-AP IE may also be named by another name, 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.

[0075] In S604, the STA (MFP100) begins establishing a connection with the AP using wireless infrastructure mode. The STA (MFP100) sends a ProbeRequest to begin searching for the AP in order to determine whether the AP supports Multi-AP communication.

[0076] In S605, the STA (MFP100) searches for and discovers APs by receiving device discovery responses (ProbeResponses) and Beacons transmitted from APs, which are responses to AP discovery. The processes shown in S604 and S605 are executed when the user selects the menu item "Enter password and set up" on the wireless LAN setup screen (Figure 3D) of the MFP100, and the AP discovery results are displayed in a list based on the discovery responses.

[0077] In S606, STA (MFP100) performs connection processing with at least one Coordinated AP based on the information received in S605. Here, as an example, MFP100 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 IEEE 802.11. STA (MFP100) may also add Multi-AP IE to the Association Request frame it sends to indicate a request for Multi-AP communication. Upon receiving the Association Request frame, AP112 sends an Association Response frame in response. This establishes a wireless LAN connection between the MFP100 and AP112.

[0078] In S607, if AP112 establishes a connection with STA (MFP100), it notifies CoordinatorAP (AP111) that it has established a connection with STA, along with connection parameters related to the connected STA. The connection parameters related to the connected 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 STA identifier. Similarly, if AP113 connects with STA (MFP100), it also notifies CoordinatorAP that it has established a connection.

[0079] After S607, AP111 may send connection parameters related to the STA transmitted in S607 to AP113, and AP113 may use these parameters to establish a connection with MFP100. However, in the case of the Joint-TX method, data can be transmitted from APs that have not established a connection (APs that have not established a connection can also be sources of multiplexed radio waves), so it is not necessary to perform the process of establishing a connection between AP113 and MFP100.

[0080] 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 with the STA, and then allocates the transmission data. The determined transmission parameter information is notified to each Coordinated AP by a Multi-AP Trigger frame. AP112 and AP113 set their own transmission parameters (transmission timing, transmission power, and resource units to be used) based on the notified information. The Multi-AP Trigger frame may have a different name. It may also be an extension of the IEEE 802.11ax / be standard Trigger frame.

[0081] In S609, the CoordinatorAP (AP111) sends the data to be sent to the STA (MFP100) (for example, content data such as images, documents, and print data) to the CoordinatedAP.

[0082] In S610, when the Coordinated APs (AP112, 113) receive data to be transmitted from the Coordinator AP (AP111), they coordinately transmit that data to the MFP100. Also, when the Coordinated APs (AP112, 113) receive data from the MFP100, 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, data reception from STA may occur before data transmission to STA.

[0083] 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 simultaneously issuing instructions to AP112 or AP113 to transmit and receive wireless frames with the STA. Furthermore, when the Coordinator AP causes the Coordinated AP to transmit wireless frames, it may transmit 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.

[0084] 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 control units. 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.

[0085] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 shows the configuration of a wireless network with a single multi-AP group to explain Multi-AP, but generally, environments with multiple wireless networks coexist. To reiterate, AP stands for Wireless Access Point, and is also simply called an access point. In an environment with multiple wireless networks, one method of connecting the STA (MFP100) to a desired AP is to display a list of multiple APs detected by AP discovery as shown in Figure 6 on the operation screen of the MFP100, and allow the user to select from among them. Specifically, this corresponds to selecting the "Enter password and set up" method from the menu items on the "Wireless LAN Setup" screen (Figure 3D).

[0086] However, conventional communication devices conforming to the IEEE 802.11 series standards did not take into account configurations in which the STA connects to multiple APs simultaneously, resulting in issues with convenience when connecting to Multi-APs.

[0087] Figure 7 shows an example of the system configuration according to this embodiment. Figure 7 shows a typical wireless LAN environment in which multiple wireless networks coexist. Here, in addition to the multi-AP group 110 shown in Figure 1, another multi-AP group 130 and AP 141 which does not support Multi-AP each form their own wireless network.

[0088] AP131 and AP132, like the other APs in the multi-AP group 110, are APs that support Multi-AP communication and operate in cooperation with each other as they form an access point group (multi-AP group 130). While this explanation assumes that the multi-AP group 130 includes AP131 and AP132, the multi-AP group 130 may contain more APs.

[0089] In this embodiment, the multi-AP group 110 operates using the Co-OFDMA method, and AP 111 is described as operating as both a Coordinator AP and a Coordinated AP, communicating directly with the STA. Furthermore, the multi-AP group 130 operates using Joint-TX, and APs 131 and 132 are described as both operating as Coordinated APs. However, the technology of this disclosure is applicable not only to the multi-AP group configuration shown in Figure 7. Note that components identical to those in Figure 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0090] Each AP is assumed to be building its own wireless network with the settings shown in Figure 8. Figure 8 is an example of a search result list 800 that the STA saves as a search result after receiving an AP search response, but it can also be considered the AP settings, excluding the signal strength measured by the STA. AP 131 and AP 132 constitute a multi-AP group 130 using the Joint-TX method, and the value of BSS Color, which is the identifier for the multi-AP group, is set to 1. In the case of the Joint-TX method, the SSID used between Coordinated APs is common, and in this embodiment, it is set to "AP-130". Also, in the case of the Joint-TX method, the BSSID is also common within the multi-AP group, and for example, the value of AP 131's MAC address, "44:44:44:44:44:44", is set. In the case of the Joint-TX method, the security protocol is common, and in this embodiment, it is set to "WPA3-SAE".

[0091] AP111, AP112, and AP113 constitute a multi-AP group 110 using the Co-OFDMA method, and the value of BSS Color, which is the identifier for the multi-AP group, is set to 2.

[0092] In the Co-OFDMA method, the SSID used between Coordinated APs does not need to be common, but in this embodiment, a common value "AP-110" is set for each Coordinated AP. In the Co-OFDMA method, the BSSID differs for each Coordinated AP, and the MAC address value of each AP is set. In the Co-OFDMA method, the security protocol does not need to be common for each AP, and in this embodiment, "WPA2 / WPA3-PSK" is set for AP111 and AP113, and "WPA3-SAE" is set for AP112.

[0093] AP141 is an AP that does not support Multi-AP communication, and therefore does not have settings related to multi-AP groups. Consequently, the ProbeResponse frame that STA receives from AP141 does not contain any information corresponding to the Multi-AP IE.

[0094] The signal strength is the radio wave strength (RSSI) detected by the wireless unit 250 when it receives a ProbeResponse from each AP during AP search performed by the STA, for example, the MFP 100, and the unit is "dBm".

[0095] The bandwidth is included in the ProbeResponse frame that the STA receives from each AP when performing an AP search.

[0096] Note that Figure 8 is a schematic example of setting values ​​shown for illustrative purposes and does not represent a condition for obtaining the effects of the technology disclosed herein. Furthermore, the system to which this embodiment can be applied is not limited to the configuration shown in Figure 7; for example, the network with multi-AP groups may consist of three or more. Also, the Multi-AP communication method for each multi-AP group may be any method. Moreover, the number of APs that do not support Multi-AP communication may also be arbitrary.

[0097] The operation of the first embodiment, which sets whether or not to connect to a wireless network configured with a multi-AP group, in each device according to this embodiment having the system configuration shown in Figure 7, will be described below.

[0098] ●Multi-AP Group Connection Screen Figures 9A to 9F show examples of screens displayed on the MFP 100, which is the STA, when it searches for APs and connects to a discovered AP or multi-AP group. Here, the multi-AP group connection setting is a setting that determines whether or not to allow Multi-AP communication (also called multi-AP group connection) by the STA. If the multi-AP group connection setting is ON (enabled), the STA may perform Multi-AP communication. On the other hand, if the multi-AP group connection setting is OFF (disabled), the STA will not perform Multi-AP communication even if a multi-AP group is discovered through searching. The multi-AP group connection setting is stored, for example, in non-volatile memory 215, updated according to setting operations, and referenced when connecting to an AP.

[0099] Figure 9A shows the AP discovery results when the ON / OFF setting for multi-AP group connection is ON, i.e., when multi-AP group connection is enabled. Multi-AP group 110 and multi-AP group 130 are each listed together as a single item.

[0100] Figure 9B shows the AP discovery results when the ON / OFF setting for multi-AP group connection is OFF, i.e., when multi-AP group connection is disabled. The APs of multi-AP group 110 are listed as separate APs with different BSSIDs. Since the APs of multi-AP group 130 cannot be connected to individually, they are displayed in the list as unselectable when multi-AP group connection is disabled.

[0101] Figure 9C shows the password entry screen for connecting to an AP or multi-AP group. The connection is initiated when the user enters the password on this screen and presses the connect button.

[0102] Figure 9D shows the screen displayed when a connection to an AP or multi-AP group is successful. A message indicating a successful connection is displayed, and selecting the OK button returns the user to, for example, a predetermined initial screen.

[0103] Figure 9E shows the screen displayed when connection to an AP or multi-AP group fails. A message indicating the connection failure is displayed, and selecting the OK button returns the user to, for example, a predetermined initial screen.

[0104] Figure 9F shows the screen displayed when connecting to a multi-AP group fails to connect to some APs. It distinguishes between APs that successfully connected and those that failed to connect (e.g., due to password authentication failure) and displays the results in a list.

[0105] ●Multi-AP group connection settings screen Figures 10A to 10F show examples of screens displayed on the MFP100 when setting the multi-AP group connection settings of the STA, which is the MFP100, to ON (enable) or OFF (disable).

[0106] Figure 10A shows the screen displayed when the user transitions from Figure 3C to the screen corresponding to the "ON / OFF Multi-AP Group Connection" selection on the screen in Figure 3C, with the Multi-AP Group Connection setting OFF. This screen displays an ON button to enable the Multi-AP Group Connection setting and an OFF button to disable it. Furthermore, a message is displayed informing the user that enabling the Multi-AP Group Connection setting will enable high-speed communication and that the power consumption of the MFP100 will increase. In other words, the benefits and drawbacks of Multi-AP communication are displayed as a message. Although not shown in Figure 10A, the ON or OFF button may also be displayed in a manner corresponding to the current Multi-AP Group Connection setting, for example, by changing its color or shape.

[0107] Figure 10B shows the screen displayed when the MFP100 is connected to an AP and the multi-AP group connection setting in Figure 10A is changed from OFF to ON, but the connected AP is not part of a multi-AP group. Figure 10B indicates that the MFP100 is not currently connected to a Multi-AP compatible AP, and displays a message to confirm enabling Multi-AP communication, along with options for responding to it.

[0108] Figure 10C shows the screen displayed when the MFP 100 is connected to an AP and the multi-AP group connection setting in Figure 10A is changed from OFF to ON, and the connected AP belongs to a multi-AP group. Figure 10C indicates that the device is currently connected to a Multi-AP compatible AP, and displays a message confirming that Multi-AP communication should be enabled, along with options for responding to that message.

[0109] Figure 10D shows the screen displayed when the MFP 100 is not connected to an AP, and the multi-AP group connection setting in Figure 10A is changed from OFF to ON, resulting in the MFP 100 searching for APs but failing to find a multi-AP group. The screen in Figure 10D displays a message indicating that no APs belonging to the multi-AP group were found.

[0110] Figure 10E shows the screen displayed when the MFP 100 is not connected to an AP, and the multi-AP group connection setting in Figure 10A is changed from OFF to ON, resulting in the MFP 100 searching for APs and finding a multi-AP group. The screen in Figure 10E displays a message indicating that APs belonging to the multi-AP group have been found, and a message guiding the setup for Multi-AP communication. Although Figure 10E only shows the message guiding the user to the wireless LAN setup menu, it may also include a button to transition to the wireless LAN setup menu.

[0111] Figure 10F shows the screen displayed on the MFP100 when the multi-AP group connection setting is changed from ON to OFF while the MFP100 is connected to an AP belonging to a multi-AP group. The MFP100 notifies the user that the connection to the AP will be disconnected because the MFP100 will leave the multi-AP group network by turning off the multi-AP group connection setting.

[0112] ●Connection process with AP Figures 11A and 11B are flowcharts illustrating the sequence of events in which the MFP 100 searches for APs, selects an AP to connect to from the APs obtained as a result of the AP search, and connects to the selected AP. In this flow, the processing performed by each device is realized by the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 loading various programs stored in the memory such as the ROM 213 of the MFP 100 into the RAM 214 and executing them.

[0113] During AP discovery, the MFP 100 searches for APs for each channel in the frequency band supported by the wireless unit 250, and stores the AP information if a response is received from an AP.

[0114] In step S1101, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 searches for APs by sending device discovery requests (ProbeRequests) while sequentially switching frequency bands and channels. The ProbeRequest includes information such as an SSID with a length of 0 (wildcard SSID), security information, and supported data rates. If an AP receives a ProbeRequest with a blank SSID, all APs except those without a set SSID will respond.

[0115] In S1102, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 detects a Probe Response transmitted from the AP. If a response is detected, the process proceeds to S1103; otherwise, it returns to S1101 to transmit a Probe Request in the next frequency band and channel. In this embodiment, AP search is performed by transmitting a Probe Request, but AP search may also be performed by detecting a Beacon (information that the AP voluntarily transmits periodically).

[0116] In step S1103, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 registers the SSID, BSSID, security protocol, bandwidth, and radio wave strength detected by the wireless unit 250, as contained in the ProbeResponse frame or Beacon frame for each AP, into the search result list 800. An example of the search result list for each AP is shown in Figure 8, which has already been explained.

[0117] In S1104, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 checks whether the ProbeResponse frame and Beacon frame contain a Multi-AP Information Element (hereinafter referred to as Multi-AP IE), and determines whether the AP supports Multi-AP communication. If the Multi-AP IE is included in the AP discovery response, such as the ProbeResponse or Beacon, it can be determined that the AP supports Multi-AP. If it is determined that the AP supports Multi-AP communication, the process proceeds to S1105; otherwise, it proceeds to S1106.

[0118] In step S1105, the CPU 212 of the MFP100 adds the BSS color value for Multi-AP communication (hereinafter referred to as Multi-AP ID) and the multi-AP communication method included in Multi-AP IE to the search result list 800.

[0119] In S1106, the CPU 212 of the MFP100 determines whether all received Probe Responses have been processed. If it is determined that processing is complete, the process proceeds to S1107; otherwise, it returns to S1103.

[0120] In S1107, the CPU 212 of the MFP100 determines whether the scan of all available frequency bands has been completed. If it determines that it has been completed, it proceeds to S1108; otherwise, it returns to S1101. The AP search is completed up to S1107.

[0121] In S1108, the CPU 212 of the MFP100 checks the multi-AP group connection setting and determines whether the setting is ON or OFF. If it is determined that the setting is OFF, the process proceeds to S1109; if it is determined that the setting is ON, the process proceeds to S1112.

[0122] In S1109, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 refers to the search result list 800 and displays the search results for each BSSID shown in Figure 9B on the operation display unit 220. Furthermore, APs with the JT connection method are displayed with selection disabled, and the process proceeds to S1110. Displaying with selection disabled means that the item is displayed, but the user cannot select it, and it is desirable to display it in a manner that indicates that selection is not possible.

[0123] In S1110, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 waits for the BSSID to be selected via the operation display unit 220, and if selected, proceeds to S1111.

[0124] In step S1111, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 displays the password input screen shown in Figure 9C via the operation display unit 220 to accept password input. Upon receiving a connection start request, it connects to the AP of the selected BSSID. The SSID and password of the connected BSSID are stored in the ROM 213 as connection destination information, and the connection completion screen shown in Figure 9D is displayed via the operation display unit 220 to terminate the flowchart. The ROM 213 is assumed to be writable and erasable. Non-volatile memory 215 may be used instead of ROM 213.

[0125] In S1112, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 refers to the search result list 800 and displays the search results for each SSID shown in Figure 9A on the operation display unit 220. APs belonging to the same multi-AP group are grouped together and displayed in a list, and the process proceeds to S1113.

[0126] In S1113, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 waits for an SSID to be selected from the list of SSIDs displayed via the operation display unit 220, and once selected, proceeds to S1114.

[0127] In S1114, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 determines whether the selected SSID is the SSID of a CO-OFDMA multi-AP group. If it determines that the SSID of a CO-OFDMA multi-AP group is selected, the process proceeds to S1115. If it determines that the SSID of a JT method or an AP that does not support Multi-AP communication is selected, the process proceeds to S1111. In S1111, when connecting to an AP of a JT method multi-AP group, the BSSID is shared, so only one authentication request is made.

[0128] In S1115, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 refers to the search result list 800 and selects one AP that matches the SSID selected in S1113. In S1116, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 displays the password input screen shown in Figure 9C via the operation display unit 220 and accepts password input. Upon receiving a connection start request, it connects to the AP selected in S1115. The connected SSID and password are stored in the ROM 213 as connection destination information.

[0129] In S1117, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 refers to the search result list 800 and determines if there is an AP with the same Multi-AP ID (i.e., BSS Color) as the connected AP. If a matching AP is found, the process proceeds to S1118; otherwise, the flowchart terminates.

[0130] In S1118, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 connects to the AP determined to be a match in S1117 using the password of the connection destination information stored in S1115, and proceeds to S1119. The AP determined to be a match in S1117 is one of the APs registered in the search list 800 that has the same Multi-AP ID as the AP connected in S1116.

[0131] In S1119, the MFP 100 determines whether a connection has been completed with an AP in the search result list 800 that has the same Multi-AP ID as a connected AP. If it is determined that the connection has not been completed, i.e., if the corresponding AP is still available, it returns to S1118 and attempts to connect with the corresponding AP. If it is determined that the connection has been completed, the connection completion screen shown in Figure 9D is displayed via the operation display unit 220 and the flowchart ends.

[0132] The MFP 100 notifies the AP to which it is connecting that it is requesting Multi-AP communication. When connecting to the AP, for example, it adds Multi-AP IE to the Association Request frame it transmits, thereby turning on the Multi-AP communication request and notifying the AP. The relevant steps are S1111, S1116, and S1118, and the above notification should be made when requesting a Multi-AP connection in those steps.

[0133] Although Figure 11 does not show the flow for when the connection to the AP fails, if the connection fails, the system may display the screens shown in Figures 9E and 9D via the operation display unit 220, depending on the connection result, and terminate the flowchart.

[0134] ●Multi-AP Group Connection Settings Switching Diagrams 12A-1 to 12B-2 are a series of flowcharts illustrating the switching of Multi-AP communication ON / OFF by an STA, such as an MFP 100. In this flowchart, the processing performed by the MFP 100 is realized by the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 loading various programs stored in the memory such as the ROM 213 of the MFP 100 into the RAM 214 and executing them. This flowchart starts when the MFP 100 is started up, or when the wireless LAN is changed from disabled to enabled on the wireless LAN settings screen in Figure 3E.

[0135] In S1201, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 refers to the connection destination information, specifies the SSID of the connection destination information, sends a Probe Request, and proceeds to S1202. For example, information necessary for connection, such as the SSID and password of APs that have been successfully connected to, may be stored in the ROM 213 each time a connection is made to an AP, and the connection information referred to here may be such information.

[0136] In S1202, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 determines whether or not a Probe Response has been received in response to a Probe Request. If it determines that a response has been received, it proceeds to S1203; otherwise, it returns to S1201. Note that there may be more than one AP that sent the Probe Response. Also, a search result list 800 may be created at this point based on the Probe Response received.

[0137] In S1203, the CPU 212 of the MFP100 checks the multi-AP group connection setting and determines whether the setting is ON or OFF. If the multi-AP connection setting is ON, i.e., enabled, the process proceeds to S1204; if it is OFF, i.e., disabled, the process proceeds to S1209.

[0138] In S1204, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 determines whether there is an AP capable of Multi-AP communication among the APs that responded to the received Probe Request. If there is an AP capable of Multi-AP communication, the process proceeds to S1205; otherwise, it proceeds to S1208.

[0139] In S1205, the CPU 212 of the MFP100 determines the multi-AP group to connect to according to the criteria and registers its Multi-AP ID as the connected Multi-AP ID. The registered Multi-AP ID is called the registered Multi-AP ID. It is necessary to determine the Multi-AP ID according to the criteria when there are multiple multi-AP groups that match the SSID of the connection destination information. The criteria may be, for example, the security level. For example, by referring to the search result list created based on the ProbeResponse received in S1202, the weakest security protocols among the security protocols of APs belonging to multiple multi-AP groups with the same SSID are compared. As a result of the comparison, the multi-AP group to which the AP with the higher security level belongs is determined to be the multi-AP group to connect to. Alternatively, the criteria may be the received signal strength. In that case, the highest signal strength among APs belonging to the same SSID multi-AP group is compared, and the multi-AP group to which the AP with the higher signal strength belongs is determined to be the multi-AP group to connect to. The strength of the security protocols is, for example, highest to WPA3-SAE, next to WPA2 / WPA3-PSK, and then to WPA / WPA2-PSK.

[0140] In S1206, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 connects to one of the registered Multi-AP ID APs using the password corresponding to the SSID specified in S1201, which is included in the connection destination information. At this time, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 notifies the AP to connect that it requests Multi-AP communication, for example, by adding Multi-AP IE to the Association Request frame it sends, thereby turning on the Multi-AP communication request. The AP being a registered Multi-AP ID can be identified by referring to the search result list 800 created based on the ProbeResponse received in S1202. The connection attempt in S1206 is not guaranteed to be successful. If the connection fails, that AP may be excluded from the connection target and processing may proceed.

[0141] In S1207, the CPU 212 of the MFP100 determines whether it has completed attempts to connect with all APs belonging to the multi-AP group to which the AP that sent the Probe Response received in S1202 belongs. If attempts to connect with all APs have not been completed, it returns to S1206 and attempts to connect with one of the registered Multi-AP ID APs that has not yet been attempted to connect to. If attempts to connect with all of the relevant APs have been completed, it proceeds to S1213.

[0142] In S1208, the CPU 212 of the MFP100 determines whether or not ProbeResponses were received from multiple APs. If it determines that there were, it proceeds to S1209; if it determines that there were no responses, i.e., if ProbeResponses were received from only one AP, it proceeds to S1210.

[0143] In S1209, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 determines the AP to connect to according to the criteria and proceeds to S1210. The criteria for determining the AP to connect to include, for example, the AP with the highest security level of security protocols among the APs, the AP with the highest signal strength, and the order in which Probe Responses are received. In other words, in S1209, the search result list 800 created from the received Probe Responses may be used to determine the AP using the same criteria as those used to determine the multi-AP group in S1205.

[0144] In S1210, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 determines whether the determined AP supports Multi-AP communication. If it determines that it does, the process proceeds to S1211; otherwise, it proceeds to S1212. This determination can be made by referring to, for example, the multi-AP group identifier in the search result list 800.

[0145] In S1211, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 connects using the determined AP and the password for the connection destination information. At this time, since the multi-AP group setting is OFF, the MFP 100 notifies the AP to which it is connecting that it does not request Multi-AP communication. To do this, for example, it adds a Multi-AP Information Element to the Association Request frame it sends, notifying the AP that it does not request Multi-AP communication and has turned it OFF. By making this notification, the AP to which it is connecting recognizes that MFP 100 has turned off Multi-AP communication. After the connection is established, the process proceeds to S1214.

[0146] In S1212, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 connects using the determined AP and password for the connection destination information, and proceeds to S1213 (see Figure 12B-1).

[0147] In S1213, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 determines whether authentication has been performed on the administrator mode login screen in Figure 3F in order to change the multi-AP group connection. If authentication has been performed and it is determined that the user has logged in to administrator mode, the process proceeds to S1214; otherwise, it proceeds to S1224. Whether or not the user is an administrator can be determined by the entered user account (or username) or the role associated with it. If the user has logged in to administrator mode and the multi-AP group connection setting menu is selected on the wireless LAN settings screen in Figure 3C, and the setting is OFF, the settings screen in Figure 10A is displayed. The screen in Figure 10A displays a message notifying the user that turning the setting ON will increase the power consumption of the MFP 100.

[0148] When changing the multi-AP group connection setting from OFF to ON, if the connected AP does not support Multi-AP communication, a message indicating that you are connected to an AP that does not support Multi-AP communication will be displayed on the screen shown in Figure 10B. Furthermore, the screen shown in Figure 10B will display a button to confirm whether to apply the setting. An example of a situation where the connected AP does not support Multi-AP communication is when connected to AP141.

[0149] When changing the multi-AP group connection setting from OFF to ON, if the connected AP supports Multi-AP communication, a message indicating that it is connected to a Multi-AP communication-compatible AP will be displayed on the screen shown in Figure 10C. Furthermore, a button will be displayed on the screen shown in Figure 10C to confirm whether to apply the setting. If the connected AP supports Multi-AP communication, for example, it means that it is connected to one of the APs in the multi-AP group 110.

[0150] When changing the multi-AP group connection setting from ON to OFF, if the multi-AP method was connected to an AP using the JT method, a message indicating that the connection to the AP will be disconnected will be displayed on the screen shown in Figure 10F, and the system will ask for confirmation whether to apply the setting.

[0151] In S1214, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 checks the changes to the multi-AP group connection setting and determines whether it has been changed from ON to OFF or from OFF to ON. If it is determined that it has been changed from ON to OFF, it proceeds to S1215; if it is determined that it has been changed from OFF to ON, it proceeds to S1219. Note that S1214 is a flow that is performed when connected to any AP, but when the multi-AP group connection setting is changed from OFF to ON while no AP is connected, the MFP 100 may send a Probe Request and check the received Probe Request frame or Beacon frame to check for the existence of a Multi-AP communication compatible AP, and switch the screen depending on whether or not one exists.

[0152] In S1215, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 disables Multi-AP communication by determining which AP to maintain the connection from among the connected APs according to the criteria, and proceeds to S1216. The criteria for determining which AP to maintain the connection may include, for example, security level or signal strength (received signal power). If security level is used as the criterion, the security levels of each security protocol within the AP group of the multi-AP group are compared. The AP with the highest security level may then be determined as the AP to maintain the connection. If signal strength is used as the criterion, the signal strengths of the APs belonging to the multi-AP group are compared. The AP with the highest signal strength is then used as the AP to maintain the connection. Security levels and signal strength can be determined by referring to the search result list 800. If the multi-AP method of the connected AP was the JT method, the connection cannot be maintained, and the process proceeds to S1216 with the AP to connect to undetermined.

[0153] In S1216, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 determines whether it is communicating via Multi-AP communication. If it determines that it is communicating via Multi-AP communication, it returns to S1216 and waits for the communication to finish. If it determines that it is not communicating via Multi-AP communication, it proceeds to S1217. For example, the MFP 100 is determined to be communicating via Multi-AP communication while it is communicating about print jobs or scan jobs with a mobile terminal device 101 or a communication terminal (not shown) connected to the network 120. Alternatively, it is determined to be communicating while it is downloading the firmware for the MFP 100 from a server (not shown) via Multi-AP communication. Thus, it is determined that the MFP is communicating via Multi-AP communication not only because it is connected to an AP via Multi-AP communication, but also because it is actually sending or receiving data via Multi-AP communication.

[0154] In S1217, the CPU 212 of MFP100 disconnects connections with APs other than those determined in S1215 to maintain the connection, and proceeds to S1218.

[0155] In S1218, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 notifies the APs maintaining the connection that Multi-AP communication has been disabled. For example, this notification is made by adding Multi-AP IE to the Association Request frame and resending an Association Request with Multi-AP communication requests turned OFF.

[0156] In S1219, the CPU 212 of the MFP100 determines whether the connected AP is a Multi-AP compatible AP. If it is a Multi-AP compatible AP, the process proceeds to S1220; otherwise, it returns to S1213.

[0157] In S1220, the CPU 212 of the MFP100 registers the Multi-AP ID of the connected AP as the connected Multi-AP ID, and proceeds to S1221.

[0158] In S1221, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 notifies the connected AP that Multi-AP communication has been enabled, and proceeds to S1222. For example, the notification is made by adding Multi-AP IE to the Association Request frame and resending the Association Request with Multi-AP communication request turned ON.

[0159] In S1222, the CPU 212 of the MFP100 refers to the connection destination information of the connected AP, specifies the SSID of the connection destination information, sends a Probe Request, and proceeds to S1223.

[0160] In S1223, the CPU 212 of the MFP 100 determines whether it has received a Probe Response from an AP belonging to the multi-AP group of the connection Multi-AP ID registered in S1220. If it determines that it has been received, it returns to S1206; if it determines that it has not been received, it returns to S1213. Note that, not limited to this step, if it has not been received within a certain period of time, it may be determined that it has not been received. If a Probe Response is received, processing from S1206 will be performed to establish a connection with the AP belonging to the multi-AP group.

[0161] In S1224, the CPU 212 of the MFP100 checks the connection status with APs and determines whether the connection with all APs has been disconnected. If it is determined that the connection is with at least one AP, the process proceeds to S1225; if it is determined that the connection with all APs has been disconnected, the flowchart is terminated.

[0162] In S1225, the CPU 212 of the MFP100 checks the multi-AP group connection setting and determines whether the setting is ON or OFF. If the setting is determined to be ON, the process proceeds to S1226; if it is determined to be OFF, it returns to S1213.

[0163] In S1226, the CPU 212 of the MFP100 determines whether the connected AP is a Multi-AP compatible AP. If it is a Multi-AP compatible AP, the process proceeds to S1222; otherwise, it returns to S1213. By returning to S1213, the connection with the AP can be rebuilt according to the multi-AP group connection settings configured by the administrator.

[0164] Note that the flow from S1213 onwards is the flow after AP connection, so it is also possible to apply the flow from S1213 onwards after the completion of the flowchart in Figure 11. Alternatively, the flow from S1213 onwards, i.e., the flows in Figures 12B- and 12B-2, may be made independent as processing corresponding to the multi-AP connection settings by the administrator. In that case, the flows in Figures 12A-1 and 12A-2 may be terminated after S1207, S1211, and S1212. Also, the branching after S1218 in Figures 12B-1 and 12B-2, and from S1225 and S1226 to S1213, may be treated as the end of processing instead of those branching points.

[0165] The embodiments described above support the ON / OFF setting of Multi-AP communication, making it possible to turn off the setting in environments where Multi-AP communication is not implemented, thereby suppressing power consumption caused by unnecessary communication via Multi-AP communication. Furthermore, in environments where Multi-AP communication is implemented, it is possible to reduce security risks by preventing connections with unintended APs.

[0166] 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.

[0167] Furthermore, although the technology of this disclosure has been described in detail based on preferred embodiments, it is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms that do not depart from the gist of the technology of this disclosure are also included. Moreover, each of the embodiments described above is merely one example, and it is possible to combine each embodiment as appropriate.

[0168] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiments used the application of the technology 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, the technology of 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. The technology of this disclosure can also be applied to digital cameras (including still cameras, video cameras, network cameras, and security cameras), printers, scanners, and drones. The technology of 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 be connected via 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®. 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, the technology disclosed herein is applicable to Wi-Fi-connected devices, such as so-called smart home appliances, including air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, ovens, microwave ovens, lighting fixtures, heating appliances, and cooling appliances.

[0169] (Other Embodiments) The technology of this disclosure can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the embodiments described above 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.

[0170] 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.

[0171] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-049059 filed on 24 March 2025 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2026-008326 filed on 21 January 2026, and all of the contents of those applications are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising: communication means for communicating with at least one wireless access point (AP); setting means for setting to one of a plurality of settings, including a first setting for disabling multi-AP communication and a second setting for enabling multi-AP communication; and control means for controlling the communication device to transmit or receive a single content data via a single access point when connected to any access point in an access point group constituting the multi-AP communication while the first setting is configured, and when connected to any access point in an access point group constituting the multi-AP communication while the second setting is configured, to transmit or receive a single content data via a plurality of access points included in the access point group.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, characterized in that when switching from the second setting to the first setting, it maintains a connection with any of the access points included in the plurality of access points constituting the multi-AP communication, and disconnects from the other access points.

3. The communication device according to claim 2, characterized in that the access point to maintain the connection is determined based on predetermined conditions.

4. The communication device according to claim 3, characterized in that the predetermined condition is radio wave intensity.

5. The communication device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the predetermined condition is the security level of the security protocol connected to the access point.

6. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that when switching from the first setting to the second setting, it notifies the connected access point that the multi-AP communication has become possible.

7. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that when switching from the first setting to the second setting, it connects to an access point included in the access point group to which the connected access point belongs.

8. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, when connecting to an access point that does not support the multi-AP communication, it connects to a single access point regardless of whether the first setting or the second setting is set.

9. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that when switching from the second setting to the first setting, if a single content data is being transmitted or received via the multiple access points, the communication of the single content data is completed before switching from the second setting to the first setting.

10. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the setting for switching between the first setting and the second setting is restricted to a setting by the administrator of the communication device.

11. The communication device according to claim 10, characterized in that the administrator is identified based on the entered user account.

12. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising means for displaying a screen for switching from the first setting to the second setting, wherein the switching screen displays a message indicating that power consumption will increase when switching to the second setting.

13. A communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising means for displaying a screen for switching from the first setting to the second setting, wherein the switching screen displays a statement indicating that high-speed communication will be possible when the setting is switched to the second setting.

14. A communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized by having means for determining whether the connected access point supports the multi-AP communication when switching from the first setting to the second setting, and notification means for notifying that the multi-AP communication is possible if it is determined that the access point supports the multi-AP communication, and notifying that the multi-AP communication is not possible if it is determined that the access point does not support the multi-AP communication.

15. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it has a notification means for notifying that the connection with the connected access point will be disconnected when switching from the second setting to the first setting.

16. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that, when the multi-AP communication is enabled, the communication device controls the communication device to transmit or receive data of a single content via a plurality of Coordinated APs among a plurality of access points constituting the access point group.

17. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the multi-AP communication is a communication method that uses a Multi-AP communication method compliant with IEEE 802.11bn.

18. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the multi-AP communication supports a communication mode using the Co-OFDMA (Coordinated-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) method in a Multi-AP communication system compliant with IEEE 802.11bn.

19. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the multi-AP communication supports a communication mode using the Joint-TX (Joint Transmission) method in a Multi-AP communication system compliant with IEEE 802.11bn.

20. The communication device according to any one of items 1 to 19, characterized in that an access point that does not support the aforementioned multi-AP communication communicates using a communication method compliant with one or more of IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax / be.

21. A method for controlling a communication device having a setting means, a communication means for communicating with at least one wireless access point (AP), and a control means, the method comprising: a setting step of setting the setting means to one of a plurality of settings, including a first setting for disabling multi-AP communication and a second setting for enabling multi-AP communication; and a control step of controlling the communication device so that, when the first setting is made and the device is connected to any access point in the access point group constituting the multi-AP communication, the device transmits or receives a single content data through a single access point; and when the second setting is made and the device is connected to any access point in the access point group constituting the multi-AP communication, the device transmits or receives a single content data through a plurality of access points included in the access point group.

22. 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 20.

23. 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 20.

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