Information processing method, recording medium, electronic device, information processing system, and terminal device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12185228-B2
Application number	US-202217745350-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2022
Priority date	May 28, 2021
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

An information processing method includes a presenting step, an obtaining step, and a connecting step. The presenting step is a step of presenting candidate information regarding candidates for an access point to a user via a terminal device communicable with an electronic device. Each of the candidate has a communication standard to which the electronic device conforms. The obtaining step is a step of obtaining, from the terminal device, connection information to be used in wireless communication connection with an access point corresponding to one connection destination candidate selected by the user using the terminal device from connection destination candidates based on the candidate information. The connecting step is a step of establishing the wireless communication connection with the access point corresponding to the one connection destination candidate with reference to the connection information obtained at the obtaining step.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An information processing method of connecting an electronic device to an external network by establishing wireless communication connection between the electronic device and an access point connected to the external network, the information processing method comprising:
presenting candidate information regarding one or more candidates for the access point to a user via a terminal device communicable with the electronic device, the one or more candidates each having a communication standard to which the electronic device conforms;
obtaining, from the terminal device, connection information to be used in wireless communication connection with an access point corresponding to one connection destination candidate selected by the user using the terminal device from one or more connection destination candidates based on the candidate information; and
establishing the wireless communication connection with the access point corresponding to the one connection destination candidate with reference to the connection information obtained in the obtaining,
wherein the presenting includes:
obtaining, as the candidate information, information that is outputted from the electronic device and indicates the communication standard to which the electronic device conforms; and
presenting, to the user, the one or more connection destination candidates with which each of the terminal device and the electronic device is communicable, the one or more connection destination candidates being based on the candidate information obtained in the obtaining.

2. The information processing method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
searching for the one or more connection destination candidates as the candidate information, by the electronic device, prior to the presenting.

3. The information processing method according to claim 1 , wherein
in the presenting, when an other device different from the electronic device has already established wireless communication 35 connection with an access point, a connection destination candidate corresponding to the access point is preferentially presented.

4. The information processing method according to claim 3 , wherein
the other device is the terminal device.

5. The information processing method according to claim 3 , wherein
the other device is another electronic device.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for causing one or more processors to execute the information processing method according to claim 1 .

7. An electronic device to be connected with an external network by establishing wireless communication connection with an access 35 point connected to the external network, the electronic device comprising:
an outputter that outputs candidate information regarding one or more candidates for the access point to a terminal device with which the electronic device is communicable, the one or more candidates each having a communication standard to which the electronic device conforms;
an obtainer that obtains, from the terminal device, connection information to be used in wireless communication connection with the access point corresponding to one connection destination candidate selected by the user using the terminal device from one or more connection destination candidates based on the candidate information; and
a connector that establishes the wireless communication connection with the access point corresponding to the one connection destination candidate with reference to the connection information obtained by the obtainer,
wherein the outputter obtains, as the candidate information, information that is outputted from the electronic device and indicates the communication standard to which the electronic device conforms; and presents, to the user, the one or more connection destination candidates with which each of the terminal device and the electronic device is communicable, the one or more connection destination candidates being based on the candidate information obtained by the obtainer.

8. An information processing system comprising:
the electronic device according to claim 7 ; and
the terminal device including a communicator that communicates with the electronic device.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hitotsuya Masashi
• Maeda Tomohiro
• Ogawa Kento

Classifications

• H04W88/06

  adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals · CPC title

• H04W76/10

  Connection setup · CPC title

• H04W48/20 Primary

  Selecting an access point · CPC title

• H04W88/04

  adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user · CPC title

• H04W76/14

  Direct-mode setup · CPC title