Terminal Wi-Fi Pairing Without Probe Response From a Printer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication systems fail to establish a wireless connection between a terminal and a communication device when the terminal does not receive a Probe Response signal from the printer.

Innovation Solution

The terminal outputs specific information to prompt the user to perform an operation on the communication device, causing it to serve as a parent station in the wireless network, enabling the establishment of a wireless connection even if the initial response signal is not received.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the terminal transmits a Probe Request signal to the printer, then the terminal can establish a Soft AP connection with the printer, but the terminal cannot establish a connection if the Probe Response signal is not received

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection establishment reliabilityVSAvoidconnection establishment flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional connection establishment approach by allowing the terminal to initiate connection without requiring a Probe Response signal. Instead of the printer responding to the terminal's Probe Request, the terminal directly establishes connection parameters and connects to the printer, reversing the conventional request-response paradigm.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the Probe Response signal requirement from the connection establishment process. By removing the mandatory Probe Response signal, the system allows connection establishment to proceed based on the terminal's initiation alone, eliminating the bottleneck that prevented connection when the response signal was absent.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of operation

If the terminal waits for the Probe Response signal, then the connection protocol is followed, but the connection process is delayed or fails

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection establishment simplicityVSAvoidconnection establishment time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the terminal prepare and transmit connection parameters in advance, before receiving any response from the printer. The terminal proactively establishes the connection framework and parameters, eliminating the waiting period for Probe Response signal reception.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent skips the traditional Probe Request-Probe Response exchange by allowing the terminal to rush through the connection establishment process directly. The terminal transmits necessary parameters and establishes connection without the intermediate response signal step, significantly reducing connection establishment time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Data Source

PatentUS12615678B2Terminal, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions for terminal, and method implementable by terminal

Publication Date: 2026.04.28 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

A terminal includes a controller configured to perform: receiving, via a first interface, identification information for identifying a communication device; in response to receiving the identification information, transmitting a first request signal to the communication device via a second interface, the first request signal including first destination information generated based on the identification information; in response to receiving a first response signal as a response to the first request signal, establishing a first wireless connection between the terminal and the communication device; and in response to not receiving the first response signal as a response to the first request signal, causing the output unit to output specific information, the specific information indicating a request for performance of a specific operation on the communication device, the specific operation being for causing the communication device to serve as a parent station in a wireless network.