Communication Apparatus Service Discovery Error Response

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless LAN systems, resource conflicts and performance deficiencies can lead to service operation limitations, where services that cannot be used are still notified to other apparatuses, and the detection of limited service operations is delayed until the service is executed.

Innovation Solution

A communication apparatus and method that prevent notification of limited services and allow detection of service states before connection, using a service discovery function to check if a service can be executed, and if not, returning an error response to prevent connection establishment, thereby improving user convenience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If service information is advertised and searched using the service discovery function, then other apparatuses can identify available services before connection, but limited services (those with resource conflicts or performance deficiencies) are still notified to other apparatuses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice information accuracyVSAvoidservice availability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by checking service executability status before advertising service information. The service discovery function verifies whether a service can be executed (considering resource conflicts and performance deficiencies) prior to notifying other apparatuses. This prevents inaccurate service information from being propagated, resolving the contradiction between information accuracy and service availability reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If service execution is monitored only during service operation, then service limitations can be detected, but the detection is delayed until the service is executed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice limitation detectionVSAvoiddetection time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary detection of service limitations by checking executability status before service execution. The service discovery function performs resource conflict checks and performance assessments in advance, allowing service limitations to be detected during the service search stage rather than during execution. This eliminates detection delays and allows prompt user intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If all services are advertised regardless of executability status, then service discovery completeness is maintained, but user convenience deteriorates due to unnecessary notifications of limited services

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice discovery completenessVSAvoiduser convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating service advertisement based on individual service executability status. Instead of uniformly advertising all services, the system selectively advertises only those services with executability status indicating they can be executed. This maintains service discovery completeness for available services while eliminating unnecessary notifications, thereby improving user convenience without sacrificing adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2949137B1Communication apparatus, method for controlling the same, and program
Publication Date: 2020.07.15 CANON KK
  • EP2949137B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2949137B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2949137B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Another apparatus is prevented from being notified of a service which cannot be used, in spite of the service that cannot be used. A communication apparatus includes a receiving unit, a detection unit, and a controller. The receiving unit receives a search signal from a second communication apparatus. The detection unit detects an execution state of a predetermined service. The controller transmits no response signals to the search signal or transmits a signal indicating that it is impossible to provide a service in response to the search signal when the predetermined service is being executed.