Communication Apparatus Relay Status Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smartphones often cannot execute the relay function simultaneously with other network connections, leading to unnecessary communication traffic as existing systems do not consider the capability of smartphones serving as external relay apparatuses before requesting the relay function.
Innovation Solution
A communication apparatus that checks the status of a relay function in connected devices and requests only capable devices to start the relay function, using both BLE and wireless LAN communication standards to manage connections efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a communication apparatus requests any smartphone to start the relay function, then the relay function may be activated, but unnecessary communication traffic is generated when the smartphone cannot execute the relay function
Solution Approach 1:
The communication apparatus performs preliminary verification by checking the relay function status of the smartphone before requesting the relay function to start. This preliminary action prevents unnecessary communication traffic by identifying incapable devices in advance, ensuring that relay function requests are only sent to smartphones that can actually execute the function.
2Ease of operation
If a smartphone is connected to another access point as a client of wireless LAN, then wireless LAN communication is established, but the relay function cannot be executed simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by having smartphones report their relay function status (whether they can execute the relay function or not) to the communication apparatus. This feedback mechanism allows the communication apparatus to make informed decisions about which smartphones to request for relay functionality, avoiding requests to devices that are already connected as wireless LAN clients.
3Reliability
If a smartphone does not implement the relay function or has it disabled by network carrier settings, then the smartphone maintains its current configuration, but the communication apparatus cannot utilize relay functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The smartphone provides feedback about its relay function capability through status information (indicating whether the relay function is valid or not). This feedback allows the communication apparatus to verify capability without complex configuration changes, simply by checking the reported status before initiating relay function requests.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication apparatus includes one or more computers, with each computer having a memory for storing instructions and a processor for executing the instructions to obtain status information which indicates whether a relay function of a first apparatus, different from the communication apparatus, which uses a first wireless communication method is valid or not, using a second wireless communication method, and to request, using the second wireless communication method, the first apparatus to start the relay function, in a case where the obtained status information indicates that the relay function is valid. In addition, data for communicating with a second apparatus, different from the communication apparatus, connected via the first apparatus is communicated with the first apparatus using the first wireless communication method, in a case where the first apparatus is requested to start the relay function.