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EP-4742814-A2 - IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD, PROGRAM, AND MEDIUM

EP4742814A2EP 4742814 A2EP4742814 A2EP 4742814A2EP-4742814-A2

Abstract

In a case where an image forming apparatus (151) operates as a master station determining a communication channel used in wireless communication, the image forming apparatus (151) transmits a second trigger frame that includes information indicating inexecution of carrier sensing and complies with an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard, to a slave station apparatus connected to the master station.

Inventors

  • TSUCHIYA, KEIGO

Assignees

  • Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20230227

Claims (13)

  1. A communication system (151), comprising: communication control means (156) for enabling both a first mode in which wireless communication is performed via an external access point (131), wherein the external access point (131) is located outside the communication system (151) and a second mode in which wireless communication is not performed via the external access point (131); reception means (154) for receiving a first trigger frame including information about execution of carrier sensing, from the external access point (131) while the first and second modes are enabled, the first trigger frame complying with an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard; transmission means for transmitting, in a case where the first trigger frame includes information indicating execution of carrier sensing, data after executing carrier sensing; communication means for communicating, in a case where the communication system (151) operates as a master station configured to determine a communication channel used in wireless communication of the second mode while the first mode and the second mode are enabled, with a slave station apparatus connected to the master station; and a scan control means for performing control to read a document to acquire scan data to be transmitted; wherein the communication means does not transmit, in a case where the communication system operates as a master station while the first mode and the second mode are enabled and the first trigger frame is received, information indicating execution of carrier sensing.
  2. The communication system (151) according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the carrier sensing is executed and it is determined that sensed energy is less than a threshold, the transmission means transmits the scan data by using at least one resource means allocated to the communication system (151) by the first trigger frame.
  3. The communication system (151) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the communication means transmits, in a case where the communication system operates as the master station while the first mode and the second mode are enabled and the first trigger frame is received, a second trigger frame including information indicating inexecution of carrier sensing, and information about allocation of at least one resource unit.
  4. The communication system (151) according to claim 3, wherein a maximum number of apparatuses to which resource means designated by the second trigger frame are allocated is equal to a maximum number of slave station apparatuses maintainable in the wireless communication of the second mode in parallel.
  5. The communication system (151) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the communication system (151) operating as the master station maintains wireless connection of the second mode with a predetermined number or less than the predetermined number of slave station apparatuses in parallel.
  6. The communication system (151) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein wireless communication of the first mode and wireless communication of the second mode are performed through the same communication channel.
  7. The communication system (151) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein wireless communication of the first mode and wireless communication of the second mode are performed through different communication channels.
  8. The communication system (151) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the communication system performs wireless communication using a frequency band selected from 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz.
  9. The communication system (151) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising print processing means (155) for performing print processing on a sheet based on print data received from the slave station apparatus.
  10. The communication system (151) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising FAX control means for performing control to perform facsmile.
  11. A method for performing a print job by a communication system (151), the method comprising: setting a first mode in which wireless communication is performed via an external access point (131), wherein the external access point (131) is located outside the communication system (151) and a second mode in which wireless communication is not performed via the external access point (131); receiving a first trigger frame including information about execution of carrier sensing, from the external access point (131) while the first and second modes are enabled, the first trigger frame complying with an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard; transmitting via a transmission means, in a case where the first trigger frame includes information indicating execution of carrier sensing, data after executing carrier sensing; communicating via a communication means, in a case where the communication system (151) operates as a master station configured to determine a communication channel used in wireless communication of the second mode while the first mode and the second mode are enabled, with a slave station apparatus connected to the master station; and performing control via a scan control means to read a document to acquire scan data to be transmitted; in a case where the communication system operates as a master station while the first mode and the second mode are enabled and the first trigger frame is received, not transmitting via the communication means information indicating execution of carrier sensing.
  12. A computer program comprising instructions, which when executed by a communication system causes the communication system to perform the method of claim 11.
  13. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon the program of claim 13.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a method, program, and a medium. Description of the Related Art Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-19487 discusses a technique that enables an image forming apparatus to concurrently perform wireless communication in an infrastructure mode through an access point and wireless communication in an ad hoc mode. In recent years, wireless communication has been used in various cases, and it is desirable to provide wireless communication with high convenience. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus as specified in claims 1 to 8. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method as specified in claim 9. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program as specified in claim 10. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medium as specified in claim 11. Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration according to an embodiment.Fig. 2A is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a mobile terminal. Fig. 2B is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus.Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of an access point.Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of communication processing according to the present embodiment.Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a frame configuration.Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a frame configuration.Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a frame configuration.Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of communication processing according to the present embodiment.Fig. 9 is a flowchart performed in the image forming apparatus. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to drawings. It should be noted that the embodiment is merely illustrative, and specific examples of components, processing steps, display screens, and the like are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention unless otherwise noted. (System Configuration) Fig. 1 illustrates a configuration example of a system according to the present embodiment. As an example, the system is a wireless communication system in which a plurality of communication apparatuses can wirelessly communicate with one another. In the example of Fig. 1, the system includes an access point 131, a multifunctional peripheral (MFP) 151, and a mobile terminal 101. The mobile terminal 101 is illustrative, and can be a laptop computer or a smartphone. The MFP 151 includes a printing function, a reading function (scanner), and a facsimile (FAX) function. The MFP 151 according to the present embodiment further includes a communication function that can perform wireless communication with the mobile terminal 101. In the present embodiment, a case where the MFP 151 is used is described as an example; however, an apparatus is not limited thereto. For example, in place of the MFP 151, a facsimile apparatus, a scanner apparatus, a projector, or a printing apparatus having a single function can be used. In the present embodiment, an apparatus including a printing function is also referred to as an image forming apparatus in some cases. The access point 131 is provided separately from (outside) the mobile terminal 101 and the MFP 151, and operates as a base station apparatus for wireless local area network (WLAN). The access point 131 is also referred to as an external access point 131 or an external wireless base station (or external master station) in some cases. The MFP 151 having a WLAN communication function can perform communication in an infrastructure mode of the WLAN through the access point 131. In the following, the access point is also referred to as an "AP" in some cases. Further, the infrastructure mode is also referred to as a "wireless infrastructure mode" in some cases. The infrastructure mode is a mode in which the MFP 151 communicates with another apparatus through an external apparatus (e.g., access point 131) forming a network. Connection with the external access point established by the MFP 151 operating in the infrastructure mode is referred to as infrastructure connection. In the present embodiment, the MFP 151 operates as a slave station and the external access point operates as a master station in the infrastructure connection. In the present embodiment, a master station is an apparatus determining a communication channel used in a network to which the master station belongs, and a slave station is a