Electronic Terminal Wireless Network Search for Image-Forming Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image-forming device control technologies face inefficiencies in searching for available devices due to lengthy network connection and disconnection processes, especially when multiple network access points are present, leading to increased user inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for controlling image-forming devices that acquire currently-available wireless networks, establish a list of devices, and connect to the target device by directly utilizing network identifiers from broadcast messages, reducing unnecessary connections and disconnections, and implementing a network switching strategy based on signal strength or user selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the electronic terminal connects to each wireless network sequentially to search for image-forming devices, then the device identifier can be acquired, but the search time becomes relatively long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by scanning and collecting device identifiers from broadcast messages of all available wireless networks in advance, before establishing actual connections. This allows the terminal to have a pre-prepared list of image-forming devices and their corresponding networks, eliminating the need for sequential connection attempts during the search phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by extracting device identifiers from broadcast messages (which contain information about connected devices) rather than directly connecting to each network. The terminal creates a copy of the device identifier information from the broadcast data, allowing identification without physical connection.
2Loss of information
If the electronic terminal establishes connection with each network access point to acquire device identifier, then complete device information can be obtained, but the number of connection and disconnection operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses broadcast messages as an intermediary to transfer device identifier information. Instead of directly connecting to each network access point, the terminal receives broadcast messages that contain information about image-forming devices connected to those networks, thus obtaining complete device information through an indirect channel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the necessary device identifier information from broadcast messages without requiring full network connection. By taking out just the essential identification data from the broadcast content, the system avoids the complexity of establishing and tearing down multiple network connections.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the electronic terminal searches through multiple network access points, then all image-forming devices can be found, but user selection becomes inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the device identifiers obtained from all wireless networks into a single unified list displayed to the user. This consolidation allows users to view all available image-forming devices in one place, making selection convenient while maintaining comprehensive device search coverage across multiple networks.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and a device for controlling image-forming devices, and an electronic terminal using the method are provided in the present disclosure. The method includes acquiring currently-available wireless networks; when a wireless network is provided by an image-forming device, acquiring a first network identifier of the wireless network; when a wireless network is not provided by the image-forming device, connecting to the wireless network and acquiring a first device identifier of the image-forming device connected to the wireless network; adding the first network identifier and the first device identifier acquired to the list of the image-forming devices; according to the list of the image-forming devices, selecting a target image-forming device; and connecting to a wireless network corresponding to the target image-forming device and establishing a communication with the target image-forming device, thereby controlling the target image-forming device to execute an image-forming task. The method for controlling image-forming devices provided in the present disclosure may solve the problem of relatively long search time for image-forming devices in the existing technology.