Wireless Communication Switching for Device Authentication

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional technologies for short distance wireless communication, such as NFC and Bluetooth, do not effectively search for processing target apparatuses, leading to difficulties in specifying appropriate devices for communication, especially when users fail to designate the processing target.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus and method that enables easy searching for devices to execute processing by utilizing both NFC and WLAN communication methods, allowing users to select and authenticate print apparatuses using NFC for low-speed communication and switching to WLAN for high-speed data transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If only NFC communication is used for device search, then authentication security is improved, but communication speed deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication securityVSAvoidcommunication speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The device search and communication process is segmented into two distinct phases: first using NFC for secure authentication and device identification, then switching to WLAN for high-speed data transfer. This segmentation allows each communication method to be optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between security and speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

NFC communication is performed as a preliminary action before WLAN communication. The NFC phase establishes authentication and exchanges necessary information (such as WLAN connection details) in advance, enabling the subsequent WLAN phase to proceed at high speed without compromising security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If automatic device search is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of device selectionVSAvoidcommunication system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic device search and selection without requiring complex user intervention. The terminal automatically searches for print apparatuses using both NFC and WLAN, identifies compatible devices, and presents them to the user in a simplified manner, allowing the system to handle the complexity internally while maintaining ease of operation externally.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If both NFC and WLAN search methods are used simultaneously, then completeness of device detection is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice detection completenessVSAvoidsearch processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The device search is performed in periodic sequential phases rather than simultaneously. First, NFC-based search is executed to identify nearby devices with high reliability. Then, WLAN-based search is performed to detect additional devices. This periodic sequential approach ensures comprehensive device detection while minimizing total search time by avoiding redundant simultaneous operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP2637092B1Information processing apparatus, control method of information processing apparatus, and program thereof
Publication Date: 2020.04.08 CANON KK
  • EP2637092B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2637092B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B
  • EP2637092B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~4B

AI summary

In an information processing apparatus (200) capable of executing a first wireless communication method and a second wireless communication method having a communication range wider than that of the first wireless communication method, an apparatus to be caused to execute predetermined processing is searched for using both the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method. When a common apparatus has been found by both the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method, the common apparatus is decided as the apparatus to be caused to execute the predetermined processing by the second wireless communication method.