Broadcast Communication for Network Setting Information Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for image forming apparatuses connected to a network face challenges in transmitting setting information when their network addresses differ, preventing unicast communication and thus hindering the display of setting information.
Innovation Solution
Implementing broadcast communication to transmit and receive information between information providing and display apparatuses, allowing them to exchange specific information even when network settings are inappropriate for unicast communication, using broadcast packets with designated IP addresses like 255.255.255.255 to reach all connected devices on a wireless LAN.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If unicast communication is used to transmit setting information between image forming apparatuses, then communication efficiency is improved, but communication reliability deteriorates when network addresses differ or network settings are inappropriate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the communication method from unicast to broadcast communication. This parameter change allows the information providing apparatus to transmit setting information to all apparatuses on the network simultaneously, ensuring that the information display apparatus can receive the information even when network addresses differ or network settings are inappropriate, thus resolving the reliability issue while maintaining reasonable communication efficiency
2Reliability
If broadcast communication is used to transmit information to all apparatuses, then communication reliability is improved, but network energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by having the information display apparatus selectively process broadcast packets based on its specific needs. The display apparatus monitors broadcast communications but only processes packets containing relevant setting information, while other apparatuses can ignore them. This localized processing approach maintains communication reliability through broadcast while reducing unnecessary energy consumption across the entire network
Data Source
AI summary
A communication system includes an information display apparatus and an information providing apparatus which perform communication with each other. The information display apparatus transmits, through the network, an information transmission request for requesting transmission of specific information related to the information providing apparatus to a plurality of apparatuses connected to the network by broadcast communication, receives the specific information transmitted, through the network, from the information providing apparatus to a plurality of apparatuses connected to the network by broadcast communication, as a response to the information transmission request, and controls a display unit to display the specific information received as the response to the information transmission request.