JP7844538B2 - Communication device, control method for communication device, program - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a communication device, a control method for a communication device, and a program.

In recent years, wireless LANs (Local Area Networks) have been incorporated into various devices such as digital cameras and smartphones. This makes it possible to easily communicate data between devices. Establishing wireless LAN communication generally starts with an access point building a network (transmitting beacons), and then the client discovering that network. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for discovering networks built by surrounding access points and displaying the SSIDs and channel numbers of multiple networks found. By understanding these SSIDs and channels, the user can select the appropriate network.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-220962

However, with the above display method, it may be difficult to distinguish between networks when SSIDs are duplicated.

Furthermore, some channel numbers available in the 6GHz band for wireless LANs overlap with channel numbers available in the 2.4GHz or 5GHz bands. That is, if other frequency bands (2.4GHz or 5GHz) using the same channel numbers as the 6GHz band are present in the vicinity, the above display method presents a problem: it becomes difficult for users to distinguish between the 6GHz band and other frequency bands.

This invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a technology that makes it easier for users to recognize network frequency bands.

The communication device according to the present invention comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires information indicating the frequency band used at each of one or more access points; a determination unit that uses the information acquired by the acquisition unit to determine which of the one or more access points uses the first frequency band; and a control unit that performs display control to display a list of the one or more access points in a manner that allows the determination unit to identify the access points that have been determined to use the first frequency band, wherein the first frequency band is 6 GHz, and the control unit performs the display control in a manner that allows it to identify that the channel corresponding to the first frequency band is a PSC (Preferred Scanning Channel) .

According to the present invention, the frequency band used by the access point (AP) in a communication device can be made more easily recognizable to the user.

This is a block diagram showing the configuration of a digital camera in one embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the connection configuration between the digital camera and AP according to the first embodiment. This figure illustrates the display screen of a digital camera according to the first embodiment. This is a flowchart of the process performed by the digital camera according to the first embodiment. This figure illustrates the display screen of a digital camera according to the second embodiment. This is a flowchart of the process performed by the digital camera according to the second embodiment.

The embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below are merely examples of means for realizing the present invention, and may be modified or changed as appropriate depending on the configuration of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied and various conditions. Furthermore, it is possible to combine the embodiments as appropriate.

<First Embodiment>
A communication device according to the first embodiment of the present invention will now be described. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of a digital camera 100, which is an example of a communication device according to this embodiment. Although a digital camera is assumed as an example of a communication device here, the communication device is not limited to this. The communication device according to this embodiment may be, for example, a portable media player, a so-called tablet device, a personal computer, or other information processing device.

The control unit 101 of the digital camera 100 is implemented, for example, by a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and controls various parts of the digital camera 100 according to signals input to the control unit 101 and the program described later. Alternatively, instead of the control unit 101 controlling the entire device, multiple hardware components may share the processing to control the entire device.

The imaging unit 102 includes, for example, an optical lens unit, an optical system for performing optical control such as aperture, zoom, and focus, and an image sensor that converts light (image) entering the device via the optical lens unit into an electrical image signal. As the image sensor, a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) is employed. The imaging unit 102, in accordance with the control unit 101, converts the subject light imaged by the lens of the imaging unit 102 into an electrical signal using the image sensor, performs noise reduction processing, and outputs the resulting digital data as image data. In the digital camera 100 of this embodiment, the image data is stored in the storage medium 110 according to the DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System) standard.

The non-volatile memory 103 is an electrically erasable and non-volatile memory, and programs executed by the control unit 101 (described later) are stored in the non-volatile memory 103. The working memory 104 is used as a buffer memory for temporarily holding image data captured by the imaging unit 102, as well as for image display in the display unit 106 and as a working area for the control unit 101. Furthermore, the working memory 104 is also used as a buffer memory for temporarily storing audio data input from the microphone 107.

The operation unit 105 is used to receive instructions from the user for the digital camera 100. The operation unit 105 includes, for example, a power button for instructing the user to turn the digital camera 100 ON/OFF, a release switch for instructing the user to take a picture, and a playback button for instructing the user to play back image data. It also includes operating members such as a dedicated connection button for starting communication with an external device via the connection unit 111, which will be described later. The touch panel formed on the display unit 106, which will be described later, is also included in the operation unit 105. The release switch has two switches (SW1 and SW2). When the release switch is in a so-called half-press state, switch SW1 is turned ON. As a result, the operation unit 105 receives instructions for preparing for shooting, such as AF (autofocus) processing, AE (auto exposure) processing, AWB (auto white balance) processing, and EF (flash pre-flash) processing. When the release switch is in a so-called fully pressed state, switch SW2 is turned ON. As a result, the control unit 105 receives instructions to take a photograph.

The display unit 106 displays the viewfinder image during shooting, displays captured image data, and displays text for interactive operation with the user. Note that the display unit 106 does not necessarily have to be present in the digital camera 100. The digital camera 100 can be connected to an internal or external display unit 106 and only needs to have at least a display control function to control the display of the display unit 106.

The microphone 107 captures sound waves, such as voice, and generates audio data. When recording video with sound, the control unit 101 generates video data with sound from the audio data generated by the microphone 107 and the image data generated by the imaging unit 102. The control unit 101 can also associate and store the audio data generated by the microphone 107 with the image data generated by the imaging unit 102. In this embodiment, the microphone 107 is built into the digital camera 100. Note that the process of the microphone 107 generating audio data from sound waves may be partially performed by other hardware (e.g., the control unit 101).

The storage medium 110 stores the image data output from the imaging unit 102. In this embodiment, the storage medium 110 is configured to be detachable from the digital camera 100. For example, the storage medium 110 is a storage medium that can be attached to and detached from the digital camera, such as an SD card or a CF Express card.

The connection unit 111 is an interface for communicating with a smart device via a so-called wireless LAN, in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard. The digital camera 100 transmits and receives data with the smart device via the connection unit 111. For example, the digital camera 100 can transmit image data generated by the imaging unit 102 to a smart device via the connection unit 111.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the usable frequency bands for wireless LAN include the 2.4 GHz band, the 5 GHz band, and the 6 GHz band. For 6 GHz band communication, the digital camera 100 has three transmission power modes: Standard Power (SP) mode, Low Power Indoor (LPI) mode, and Very Low Power (VLP) mode. SP mode is intended for high-power outdoor and indoor use, and determines the channel and output according to the AP installation location. LPI mode is usable only indoors, and VLP mode, by reducing the transmission power, is usable outdoors without location restrictions. In this embodiment, the digital camera 100 is assumed to support VLP mode.

Furthermore, the connection unit 111 does not necessarily need to be built into the digital camera 100. The digital camera 100 only needs to have at least a connection control function to control the operation of the internal or external connection unit 111. The control unit 101 enables wireless communication with the smart device by controlling the connection unit 111.

The short-range wireless communication unit 112 consists of, for example, an antenna for wireless communication, a modulation/demodulation circuit for processing wireless signals, and a communication controller. The short-range wireless communication unit 112 outputs a modulated wireless signal from the antenna and demodulates the wireless signal received by the antenna to realize short-range wireless communication in accordance with the IEEE 802.15 standard (so-called Bluetooth®). In this embodiment, it is assumed that Bluetooth® Low Energy version 4.0, which has low power consumption, is used for Bluetooth® communication. This Bluetooth® communication has a narrower communication range (i.e., a shorter communication distance) compared to wireless LAN communication. Also, Bluetooth® communication has a slower communication speed compared to wireless LAN communication. On the other hand, Bluetooth® communication consumes less power compared to wireless LAN communication.

The digital camera 100 of this embodiment can transmit and receive data with a smart device via the short-range wireless communication unit 112. For example, when the control unit 101 receives a shooting command from a smart device via the short-range wireless communication unit 112, it controls the imaging unit 102 to perform the shooting operation. Furthermore, when the control unit 101 receives a command to exchange data via wireless LAN communication, it controls the connection unit 111 to start wireless LAN communication.

The wired communication unit 113 is an interface for wired connection with a smart device. In this embodiment, the digital camera 100 can transmit and receive data with a smart device via the wired communication unit 113. In this embodiment, the wired communication unit 113 includes an interface for wired LAN communication with the smart device. The control unit 101 achieves wired communication with the smart device by controlling the wired communication unit 113. The communication method is not limited to wired LAN.

The connection unit 111 has two modes: AP (Access Point) mode, which operates as an access point in infrastructure mode, and CL (Client) mode, which operates as a client in infrastructure mode. By operating the connection unit 111 in CL mode, the digital camera 100 in this embodiment can operate as a CL device in infrastructure mode. When the digital camera 100 operates as a CL device, it can connect to nearby access points and participate in the network formed by those access points.

Furthermore, by operating the connection unit 111 in AP mode, the digital camera 100 in this embodiment, although a type of access point, can also operate as a simpler access point with more limited functionality (hereinafter referred to as a simple AP). When operating as a simple AP, the digital camera 100 forms a network. Peripheral devices of the digital camera 100 recognize the digital camera 100 as an access point and can participate in the network formed by the digital camera 100. The program for operating the digital camera 100 as a simple AP is stored in the non-volatile memory 103.

The digital camera 100, which operates as a simplified AP in this embodiment, is a type of access point, but it does not have a gateway function to transfer data received from client devices to an internet provider or the like. Therefore, even if the digital camera 100 receives data from other devices participating in the network it has formed, it cannot transfer the received data to the internet or other networks. This concludes the explanation of the digital camera 100.

<Overview of connection types>
Next, with reference to Figure 2, the connection configuration of the digital camera 100 and AP200 in this embodiment will be described. Figure 2 shows the connection configuration of the digital camera 100 and AP200 in this embodiment.
This diagram schematically shows the connection configuration. The control unit 101 of the digital camera 100 detects AP200s around the digital camera 100 by controlling the connection unit 111. The digital camera 100 receives beacons transmitted from AP200s and acquires information about AP200s. The acquisition of AP information will be explained in detail. The information about AP200s includes information such as the AP200's SSID, supported authentication method, encryption type, channel, and frequency band. Of these, the SSID, supported authentication method, and encryption type are information contained in the beacon, so they are acquired by referring to the information contained in the received beacon. On the other hand, the channel and frequency band are acquired by referring to the information of the frequency from which the beacon is transmitted, which is contained in the information contained in the beacon. Specifically, a table that associates frequencies with channel numbers is kept, and the channel number is acquired by referring to the table using the frequency contained in the beacon as a key. The same method may be used for the frequency band. Note that the method of acquiring the frequency is not limited to this. When receiving a beacon, the digital camera 100 performs a scan operation. The scanning operation determines whether or not a beacon has been received at the frequency to be scanned. Therefore, once a beacon is received, it is known that it is a beacon of that frequency. Consequently, the frequency may be identified by referring to the information held by the control unit 101 of the digital camera 100, which indicates which frequency is being scanned. Furthermore, AP200 is not limited to access points such as wireless LAN routers; it may also be other digital cameras or smartphones.

<Displaying AP detection results>
Next, the display process of AP detection results in the digital camera 100 will be explained with reference to Figures 3A to 3G and Figure 4. Figures 3A to 3G show examples of UI screens displayed on the display unit 106 of the digital camera 100. Figure 4 shows an example of a flowchart of the process for displaying APs detected by the control unit 101 of the digital camera 100. The process shown in this flowchart is realized by the control unit 101 controlling each part of the digital camera 100 according to the input signal and program. The process in this flowchart is started when the user of the digital camera 100 selects the "New Setting" item 301 to set up a new connection with an AP on the communication setting screen shown in Figure 3A, according to the menu operation, and presses the "OK" button 302. Furthermore, each process in this flowchart is realized by the control unit 101 loading the program stored in the non-volatile memory 103 into the working memory 104 and executing it.

First, in step S401, the control unit 101 controls the connection unit 111 to search for access points (APs) present around the digital camera 100, acquires information about the detected APs, and stores the acquired information in the working memory 104. The surrounding APs broadcast beacons containing their SSID and channel number. Searching for surrounding APs here means that the connection unit 111 detects the network of surrounding APs by receiving these beacons. The process continues similarly thereafter. Here, the control unit 101 is an acquisition unit that acquires information indicating the frequency band used by each of the one or more access points.

Next, in step S402, the control unit 101 uses the AP information stored in the working memory 104 in step S401 to identify the frequency band used by the detected AP. Next, in step S403, the control unit 101 determines whether the frequency band used by the AP identified in step S402 is the 6GHz band. Here, the control unit 101 is a determination unit that determines which of one or more access points uses the first frequency band (6GHz band). If the control unit 101 determines that the frequency band used by the AP is the 6GHz band (S403: YES), the process proceeds to step S404. On the other hand, if the control unit 101 determines that the frequency band of the AP is not the 6GHz band (S403: NO), the process proceeds to step S405.

In step S404, the control unit 101 stores in the working memory 104 information indicating that the AP determined to be in the 6GHz band in step S403 is an AP that "displays the fact that the frequency band being used is the 6GHz band in a manner that allows the user to identify it."

Next, in step S405, the control unit 101 determines whether or not it has determined the frequency bands of all APs acquired in step S402. If the control unit 101 determines that it has determined the frequency bands of all APs (S405: YES), it proceeds to step S406. On the other hand, if the control unit 101 determines that it has not determined the frequency bands of all APs (S405: NO), it returns to step S402.

Next, in step S406, the control unit 101 displays a list of detected access points (APs) based on the information stored in the working memory 104 in step S404, which indicates that the AP displays the 6GHz frequency band in a manner that allows the user to identify it. Here, the control unit 101 is a control unit that performs display control to display a list of one or more access points, allowing the determination unit to identify the access points that use the first frequency band. Details of the display control by the control unit 101 are described below.

Figures 3B to 3G show examples of the AP detection result screen displayed on the display unit 106 in step S406. In the example in Figure 3B, the detection result screen displays a list including the SSID 311 of the detected AP, an icon 312 indicating that the AP is password protected, and the channel 313 of the AP. In the examples in Figures 3C to 3G, the AP list is displayed in the same manner as in Figure 3B. In Figure 3B, it is indicated that the frequency band used by the AP with SSID "Network-0004" is the 6GHz band. Specifically, on the display unit 106, an icon 303 indicating "6GHz" is displayed between the SSID ("Network-0004") and the channel ("13ch"). This ensures that the display unit 106 displays the 6GHz band used by the AP in a manner that is easily identifiable to the user.

Furthermore, if the frequency band used by the detected APs is not the 6GHz band, the control unit 101 displays a list 304 of the detected APs and channels on the display unit 106, as shown in Figure 3C, and does not display the 6GHz band as illustrated in Figure 3B.

The display method for indicating that the AP is using the 6GHz band on the display unit 106 is not limited to the method shown in Figure 3B. For example, the control unit 101 can display that the AP is using the 6GHz band in a way that allows the user to identify it by changing the color or font of the SSID, etc., of the AP that is using the 6GHz band. As an example, as shown in Figure 3D, a display method using a display tab 305 that switches the display of APs detected for each frequency band may be adopted.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3E, the 6GHz band indication may only be displayed if there is an AP 306 ("Network-0001") that belongs to the same channel as AP 307 ("Network-0008"), which uses the 6GHz band. For example, in Figure 3E, consider a case where there are no APs belonging to the same channel (in this example, "36ch") as an AP that uses the 6GHz band (for example, an AP with SSID "Network-0003"). In this case, the display unit 106 will not indicate that the AP with SSID "Network-0003" uses the 6GHz band.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3F, the display unit 106 may also display the Preferred Scanning Channel (hereinafter referred to as PSC), which is a channel that is prioritized for searching within the 6GHz band, in a manner that is recognizable to the user. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3F, for an AP with SSID "Network-0009", the frequency band being used is the 6GHz band and that it is a PSC is displayed in a manner that is recognizable to the user (the "6GHz (PSC)" icon 308). Note that the display unit 106 may also display the fact that the frequency band being used is the 6GHz band and that it is a PSC by changing the color or font. In addition, the display unit 106 only displays the 6GHz band in a manner that is recognizable to the user; the 2.4GHz band and 5GHz band do not need to be displayed in a manner that is recognizable to the user. This is because only the channel numbers of the 6GHz band overlap with those of other frequency bands. Since the channel numbers for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands do not overlap, it is possible to distinguish between the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands by looking at the channel number, even without indicating whether it is the 2.4GHz or 5GHz band. Also, in the example in Figure 3F, the display method could be made more prominent for the 6GHz band channels that are not PSC channels than for the PSC channels. This is because PSC channels are searched preferentially, so there is a relatively higher possibility that many devices will connect to them, causing network congestion and slower communication speeds. By making the 6GHz band channels that are not PSC channels more prominent, it becomes easier to select a less congested network.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3G, the display unit 106 may display the frequency band used for each detected AP. This makes it easier for users with limited knowledge of channel numbers to distinguish between the 2.4 GHz band and the 5 GHz band. In this case, as shown in Figure 3G, the display unit 106 displays an icon 309 indicating that the frequency band used is the 2.4 GHz band, and an icon 310 indicating that the frequency band used is the 5 GHz band. In addition, the display unit 106 displays an icon 311 indicating that the frequency band used is the 6 GHz band, in a display manner that is more conspicuous to the user than icons 309 and 310.

Here, we will explain the conspicuous display methods described in the explanations of Figures 3F and 3G. In this embodiment, a conspicuous display method means, for example, using an icon 311 indicating the 6GHz band, which differs from the icon 309 indicating the 2.4GHz band and the icon 310 indicating the 5GHz band, by using different font and background colors.

In this case, it is preferable to use a more eye-catching color for the font and background of icon 311 than for the font and background of icon 309 and icon 310. For example, if the background color of the network list is achromatic, it is preferable that the font and background color of icon 311 be a chromatic, warm color with high saturation and brightness. Furthermore, it is preferable that the font and background colors of icon 309 and icon 310 be achromatic or a chromatic, cool color with low saturation and brightness. In other words, it is preferable to use a color for the font and background of icon 311 that is closer in hue and brightness to the background color of the network list than the font and background colors of icon 309 and icon 310.

Alternatively, the font size of icon 311 can be made larger or bolder than that of icons 309 and 310. Furthermore, the icon size of icon 311 itself can be made larger than that of icons 309 and 310. In addition, further display modes may be adopted, such as making icon 311 blink while icons 309 and 310 do not blink. Also, although omitted in Figure 3G for simplicity, even with a display mode like that in Figure 3G, it may be possible to indicate that it is a PSC in the same way as in Figure 3F.

In the above description, the processing of the flowchart in Figure 4 was started when the user pressed the "OK" button 302 by operating the operation unit 105, but the trigger for starting the processing is not limited to this. For example, in the example of Figure 3B, the display unit 106 may further display the "Update" button 314, and when the user presses the "Update" button 314, the processing of the flowchart in Figure 4 may be started again. Alternatively, or in addition to this, the control unit 101 may automatically start the processing of the flowchart in Figure 4 again after an arbitrary amount of time has elapsed since the completion of the processing of the flowchart in Figure 4.

In the examples shown in Figures 3B to 3G, the display order of the APs when displaying the AP detection results may be the order in which the APs were detected by the digital camera 100, or it may be in order of the most recent connection time according to the connection history with the digital camera 100. Alternatively, the display order of the APs when displaying the AP detection results may be in the order of 6GHz band, 5GHz band, and 2.4GHz band according to the frequency band used by the AP, or it may be in order of strongest signal strength according to the signal strength of the AP. Alternatively, a combination of these orders may be used for the display order of the APs when displaying the AP detection results, or any other display order may be used as appropriate. Therefore, in this embodiment, the control unit 101 can perform display control in a manner that allows identification that the first frequency band (6GHz band) enables faster communication than the second frequency band (2.4GHz band or 5GHz band).

According to the digital camera 100 of this embodiment, when the AP detection result is displayed on the display unit 106, it is clearly indicated that the frequency band used by the AP is the 6GHz band. This allows the user of the digital camera 100 to identify the frequency band used by the detected AP and select the desired AP.

<Second Embodiment>
Next, a communication device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, components and processes similar to those in the first embodiment of the communication device will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions will be omitted.

<Displaying the simplified AP settings screen>
Referring to Figures 5A to 5G and Figure 6, the process related to setting the AP displayed on the display unit 106 when operating the digital camera 100 according to this embodiment will be explained. Figures 5A to 5G are diagrams showing examples of UI screens displayed on the display unit 106 of the digital camera 100. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of the process related to setting the AP by the control unit 101 of the digital camera 100.

In this embodiment, the control unit 101 of the digital camera 100 operates the connection unit 111 in AP (Access Point) mode, causing the digital camera 100 to operate as a simplified access point (hereinafter referred to as a simplified AP) with limited functionality. Here, the control unit 101 is an operation control unit that performs operation control to operate the digital camera 100, which is a communication device, as an access point. When the digital camera 100 operates as a simplified AP, it forms a network for communication with devices in its vicinity.

Peripheral devices of the digital camera 100 can recognize the digital camera 100 as an AP (Access Point) and participate in the network formed by the digital camera 100. The program for operating the digital camera 100 as a simplified AP and the program for executing the following processes are stored in the non-volatile memory 103.

First, in step S601, the control unit 101 controls the display unit 106 to display the network selection screen. For example, the network selection screen displays the SSID of the AP detected by the process described in the first embodiment, and an option to operate the digital camera 100 as an access point. The user operates the operation unit 105 to select the SSID of the AP to connect to, or an option to operate the digital camera 100 as a simplified AP, on the selection screen. When the control unit 101 receives the user's selection, it determines whether or not to operate the digital camera 100 as a simplified AP based on the received selection. If the control unit 101 determines that the digital camera 100 should be operated as a simplified AP (S601: YES), it proceeds to step S602. On the other hand, if the control unit 101 determines that the digital camera 100 should not be operated as a simplified AP (S601: NO), it terminates the process in this flowchart.

In step S602, the control unit 101 controls the display unit 106 to display the SSID input screen for the digital camera 100, which is acting as a simple AP. The user operates the SSID input screen displayed on the display unit 106 to input the SSID. Upon receiving the SSID input from the user, the control unit 101 proceeds to step S603.

In step S603, the control unit 101 controls the display unit 106 to display a screen for selecting the frequency band and channel settings method used when operating the digital camera 100 as a simple AP. The user selects whether to automatically or manually set the frequency band and channel on the frequency band and channel setting method selection screen displayed on the display unit 106. Upon receiving the user's selection, the control unit 101 determines whether to automatically set the frequency band and channel based on the received selection. If the control unit 101 determines to automatically set the frequency band and channel (S603: YES), the process proceeds to step S606. On the other hand, if the control unit 101 determines not to automatically set the frequency band and channel (to manually set them) (S603: NO), the process proceeds to step S604.

In step S604, the control unit 101 controls the display unit 106 to display a screen for setting the frequency band and channel to be used when operating the digital camera 100 as a simple AP. Then, in step S605, the control unit 101 accepts the setting of the frequency band and channel to be used when operating the digital camera 100 as a simple AP, in response to the user's operation on the setting screen displayed on the display unit 106. Details of the display process of the setting screen in step S604 and the setting acceptance process in step S605 will be described later. After completing the process in step S605, the control unit 101 terminates the process of this flowchart.

Furthermore, in step S606, the control unit 101 automatically sets the frequency band and channel to be used when operating the digital camera 100 as a simplified AP. Here, the control unit 101 is a setting unit that sets the channel used by the AP when the digital camera 100, which is a communication device, is operated as an AP. Since the process related to the automatic setting of the frequency band and channel can be implemented using well-known technology, the details of the process are omitted here. After completing the process in step S606, the control unit 101 terminates the process in this flowchart.

Figures 5A to 5G show examples of the AP setting screen displayed on the display unit 106 when the digital camera 100 is operated as a simplified AP by the user in the process of the flowchart described above.

Figure 5A shows an example of the network selection screen displayed on the display unit 106 in step S601. In the example shown in Figure 5A, the user operates on the UI screen displayed on the display unit 106 to select the "Camera Access Point Mode" item 501 and presses the "OK" button 502. As a result, the control unit 101 proceeds the process from step S601 to step S602. "Camera Access Point Mode" is a mode that operates the digital camera 100 as a simple AP.

Figures 5B and 5C show examples of setting screens for the simplified AP. Figure 5B is a setting screen for configuring the SSID of the simplified AP. Figure 5C is a setting screen for configuring the channel of the frequency band used by the simplified AP. Note that the setting screens for the simplified AP displayed on the display unit 106 are not limited to these; other setting screens for the password and other settings related to the simplified AP may also be displayed on the display unit 106.

When the control unit 101 proceeds to step S602, the UI screen displayed on the display unit 106 transitions to a settings screen for configuring the SSID of the simplified AP, as shown in Figure 5B. In the example in Figure 5B, the user inputs the SSID "camera-AP6," which is used when operating the digital camera 100 as a simplified AP, into the input box 503 on the settings screen. The user then presses the "OK" button 504. This causes the control unit 101 to proceed from step S602 to step S603. While the SSID was input by the user in this example, this is not the only method. For example, a random SSID could be generated and displayed. Alternatively, a random SSID could be generated and entered into the input box 503 when entering this settings screen. In that case, the user can modify the randomly generated SSID to any string.

In step S603, the display unit 106 displays a channel selection screen for operating the digital camera 100 as a simple AP, as shown in Figure 5C. On this selection screen, the user selects either the "Automatic Setting" or "Manual Setting" option. In the example in Figure 5C, the user selects the "Manual Setting" option 505.

Then, in step S604, the user operates the channel switching button 507 displayed on the selection screen to switch channels and select the desired frequency band and channel. Here, the channel can be selected from the 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, and 6 GHz band channels. Furthermore, if the user switches to a 6 GHz band channel by operating the channel switching button 507, a "6 GHz" icon 508 will be displayed along with the channel, as shown in Figure 5D. This allows the selection screen to display in a way that makes it identifiable that the frequency band used by the simple AP is the 6 GHz band. Note that the display of the identifiable 6 GHz band on the selection screen is not limited to the icon 508; any display method that allows the user to identify that the frequency band used by the simple AP is the 6 GHz band may be adopted.

Furthermore, similar to the case in Figure 3F, the fact that it is a 6GHz band PSC may be displayed in a manner that makes it distinguishable from other 6GHz band channels. In this case, unlike when connecting to surrounding APs in Figure 3F, the digital camera 100 is in a position to have surrounding devices discover the network, so it is preferable to display that it is a PSC in a manner that stands out more than other channels. The variations described above can be used for the manner in which it stands out. In addition, for example, it may be made difficult to switch to other channel numbers when a channel number that you want to highlight is selected. For example, the operation of the channel switching button 507 may be disabled for a certain period of time after a channel number that you want to highlight is selected. Also, for example, a haptic feedback system may be adopted in which the digital camera 100 vibrates each time a channel number is selected, by providing a vibrating part consisting of a motor (not shown), for example. In such a case, when a channel number that you want to highlight is selected, the degree of feedback may be increased (i.e., the vibration may be increased) compared to when a channel number that you do not want to highlight is selected. The same applies when providing sound feedback for selection. Also, for example, the channel may be switched not only by operating the channel switching button 507, but also by a touch move operation on the area where the channel number is displayed.

Here, we will describe another example of the selection screen displayed in step S603. In this example, the display unit 106 displays a selection screen for the frequency band to be used when operating the digital camera 100 as a simple AP, as shown in Figure 5E. On the selection screen, the user selects one of three items: "2.4 GHz," "5 GHz," or "6 GHz." In the example in Figure 5E, the user selects the "6 GHz" item 509. Then, the user presses the "OK" button 510. As a result, the display unit 106 displays a selection screen for channels where the frequency band usable for the simple AP is the 6 GHz band, as shown in Figure 5F.

In step S604, the user operates the channel switching button 512 displayed on the selection screen in Figure 5F to switch channels and select the desired channel. Since "6GHz" was selected on the frequency band selection screen in Figure 5E, the "6GHz" icon 511 is displayed on the channel selection screen in Figure 5F. This allows the user to identify that the frequency band used by the simple AP is the 6GHz band on the selection screen. Note that the display on the selection screen that allows the user to identify the 6GHz band is not limited to the icon 511; any display that allows the user to identify that the frequency band used by the simple AP is the 6GHz band may be used.

In the example shown in Figure 5D, channel "5ch," which displays the "6GHz" icon 508, is selected on the selection screen, and the user presses the "OK" button 506. Similarly, in the example shown in Figure 5F, channel "5ch" is selected on the selection screen, and the user presses the "OK" button 513. As a result, the control unit 101 proceeds from step S604 to step S605.

In the above example, in step S605, the control unit 101 sets the frequency band to 6 GHz and the channel to 5ch when operating the digital camera 100 as a simple AP. In this embodiment, the control unit 101 stores the settings for the simple AP, as described above, in the non-volatile memory 103. Then, based on the setting information stored in the non-volatile memory 103, the control unit 101 displays a confirmation screen of the settings on the display unit 106. As shown in Figure 5G, the confirmation screen of the settings displays the SSID ("camera-AP6") entered in step S602 (Figure 5B), an icon 514 indicating the frequency band ("6 GHz") used by the simple AP, and the channel ("5ch"). Note that the information indicating the settings for the simple AP may be stored in the working memory 104 or the storage medium 110, and the storage location of the information is not limited to these. Also, the timing of when the control unit 101 stores the information indicating the settings for the simple AP in the non-volatile memory 103 may be before or after the simple AP is started. Furthermore, the control unit 101 can control the display unit 106 to display the setting confirmation screen at any time, whether before or after the simple AP is started.

As described above, according to the digital camera 100 of this embodiment, when the digital camera 100 is operated as a simple AP, the frequency band used by the simple AP is displayed in a manner that allows the user to identify that it is in the 6GHz band. This allows the user of the digital camera 100 to identify the frequency band corresponding to the channel used by the simple AP and select a channel corresponding to the desired frequency band.

Although the present invention has been described in detail above based on its preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms that do not depart from the gist of the invention are also included in the present invention. Some of the above embodiments may be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, the present invention also includes cases in which a software program that realizes the functions of the above embodiments is supplied directly from a storage medium or via wired/wireless communication to a system or device having a computer capable of executing the program, and that program is executed. Therefore, the program code itself supplied to and installed on a computer in order to realize the functional processing of the present invention also realizes the present invention. In other words, the computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention is also included in the present invention. In that case, the form of the program is not limited as long as it has the function of a program, such as object code, a program executed by an interpreter, or script data supplied to an OS. As a storage medium for supplying the program, for example, a hard disk, a magnetic storage medium such as magnetic tape, an optical/magneto-optical storage medium, or a non-volatile semiconductor memory may be used. Furthermore, as a method of supplying the program, a method in which a computer program forming the present invention is stored on a server on a computer network, and a connected client computer downloads the computer program and runs the program, can also be considered.

Furthermore, the various controls described above may or may not be performed by a single piece of hardware (e.g., a processor or circuit). Multiple pieces of hardware (e.g., multiple processors, multiple circuits, or a combination of one or more processors and one or more circuits) may share the processing to control the entire device.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned processors are processors in a broad sense, including general-purpose processors and specialized processors. General-purpose processors include, for example, CPUs (Central Processing Units), MPUs (Micro Processing Units), and DSPs (Digital Signal Processors). Specialized processors include, for example, GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), and PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices). Programmable logic devices include, for example, FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) and CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Devices).

Furthermore, while embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms that do not depart from the spirit of the invention are also included. Moreover, the embodiments described above merely illustrate one embodiment of the present invention, and it is possible to combine these embodiments as appropriate.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit that implements one or more functions.

This embodiment includes the following configurations, methods, and programs.
(Composition 1)
An acquisition unit that acquires information indicating the frequency band used at each of the access points,
A determination unit that uses the information acquired by the acquisition unit to determine which of the one or more access points uses the first frequency band,
A control unit that performs display control to display a list of one or more access points in a manner that allows the determination unit to identify the access points that have been determined to use the first frequency band,
A communication device characterized by having the following features.
(Structure 2)
The communication device according to Configuration 1, characterized in that the control unit performs the display control in a manner that can identify that the first frequency band enables faster communication than the second frequency band. (Configuration 3)
The first frequency band is 6 GHz,
The control unit performs the display control in a manner that can identify that the channel corresponding to the first frequency band is a PSC (Preferred Scanning Channel).
A communication device according to configuration 1 or 2, characterized by the above.
(Composition 4)
The communication device according to configuration 3, characterized in that the control unit performs the display control to display that it is the PSC in a manner different from the manner in which it displays that it is the first frequency band.
(Composition 5)
The acquisition unit acquires the information for each of the multiple access points,
The communication device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, characterized in that the control unit performs the display control in the order in which the plurality of access points are detected.
(Composition 6)
The acquisition unit acquires the information for each of the multiple access points,
The communication device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, characterized in that the control unit performs the display control in an order corresponding to the connection history with the communication device.
(Composition 7)
The acquisition unit acquires the information for each of the multiple access points,
The communication device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, characterized in that the control unit performs the display control in an order corresponding to the frequency band used by the plurality of access points.
(Composition 8)
The acquisition unit acquires the information for each of the multiple access points,
The communication device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, characterized in that the control unit performs the display control in an order corresponding to the radio wave strength of the plurality of access points.
(Composition 9)
The communication device according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, characterized in that the control unit performs the display control when a frequency band different from the first frequency band belongs to the same channel.
(Composition 10)
A communication device,
When the aforementioned communication device is operated as an access point, a setting unit is provided for setting the channel to be used by the access point,
The setting unit determines whether the channel for which the setting unit is to be set is a channel corresponding to a first frequency band,
When the determination unit determines that the channel to be set by the setting unit is a channel corresponding to the first frequency band, the control unit performs display control to display the channel in a manner that can identify that the channel to be set by the setting unit is a channel corresponding to the first frequency band,
A communication device characterized by having the following features.
(Composition 11)
The communication device according to configuration 10, characterized in that the control unit performs the display control in a manner that can identify that the first frequency band enables faster communication than the second frequency band.
(Composition 13)
The first frequency band is 6 GHz,
The control unit performs the display control in a manner that can identify that the channel corresponding to the first frequency band is a PSC.
A communication device according to configuration 10 or 11, characterized by the above.
(Composition 13)
The communication device according to configuration 12, characterized in that the control unit performs the display control to display that it is the PSC in a manner different from the manner in which it displays that it is the first frequency band.
(Method 1)
An acquisition step to obtain information indicating the frequency band used at each of the access points,
A determination step in which, using the information obtained in the acquisition step, a determination step is made to determine which of the one or more access points uses the first frequency band,
A control step that performs display control to display a list of one or more access points in a manner that allows identification of the access points determined by the determination step to use the first frequency band,
A method for controlling a communication device, characterized by including the following:
(Method 2)
A method for controlling a communication device,
When the aforementioned communication device is operated as an access point, a setting step is performed to configure the channel used by the access point,
The setting step includes a determination step of determining whether the channel on which the setting is performed is a channel corresponding to a first frequency band,
If the determination step determines that the channel to be set by the setting step is a channel corresponding to the first frequency band, a control step is performed to display the channel in a manner that can identify that the channel to be set by the setting step is a channel corresponding to the first frequency band.
A method for controlling a communication device, characterized by including the following:
(program)
A program to cause a computer to function as one of the components of a communication device described in any of configurations 1 to 13.

100 Digital camera, 101 Control unit, 106 Display unit

Claims (17)

An acquisition unit that acquires information indicating the frequency band used at each of the access points,
A determination unit that uses the information acquired by the acquisition unit to determine which of the one or more access points uses the first frequency band,
A control unit that performs display control to display a list of one or more access points in a manner that allows the determination unit to identify the access points that have been determined to use the first frequency band,
It has,
The first frequency band is 6 GHz,
The communication device is characterized in that the control unit performs the display control in a manner that can identify that the channel corresponding to the first frequency band is a PSC (Preferred Scanning Channel) . An acquisition unit that acquires information indicating the frequency band used at each of the access points,
A determination unit that uses the information acquired by the acquisition unit to determine which of the one or more access points uses the first frequency band,
A control unit that performs display control to display a list of one or more access points in a manner that allows the determination unit to identify the access points that have been determined to use the first frequency band,
It has,
The communication device is characterized in that the control unit performs the display control in a manner that can identify that a channel corresponding to the first frequency band is a channel that is scanned preferentially over other channels of the first frequency band. The communication device according to claim 2 , characterized in that the control unit performs the display control in a manner that can identify that the first frequency band enables communication at a higher speed than the second frequency band. The first frequency band is 6 GHz,
The communication device according to claim 2 , characterized in that the channel that is scanned preferentially over other channels of the first frequency band is PSC . The communication device according to claim 4 , characterized in that the control unit performs the display control to display that it is the PSC in a manner different from the manner in which it displays that it is the first frequency band. The acquisition unit acquires the information for each of the multiple access points,
The communication device according to claim 2 , characterized in that the control unit performs the display control in the order in which the plurality of access points are detected. The acquisition unit acquires the information for each of the multiple access points,
The communication device according to claim 2 , characterized in that the control unit performs the display control in an order corresponding to the connection history with the communication device. The acquisition unit acquires the information for each of the multiple access points,
The communication device according to claim 2 , characterized in that the control unit performs the display control in an order corresponding to the frequency bands used by the plurality of access points. The acquisition unit acquires the information for each of the multiple access points,
The communication device according to claim 2 , characterized in that the control unit performs the display control in an order corresponding to the radio wave strength of the plurality of access points. The communication device according to claim 2 , characterized in that the control unit performs the display control when a frequency band different from the first frequency band belongs to the same channel. When the communication device is operated as an access point, it further includes a setting unit for setting the channel used by the communication device .
The communication device according to claim 2, characterized in that, when the channel set by the setting unit is a channel corresponding to the first frequency band , the control unit performs a second display control to display the channel set by the setting unit in a manner that can identify that the channel set by the setting unit is a channel corresponding to the first frequency band . The communication device according to claim 11 , characterized in that the control unit performs the second display control in a manner that can identify that the first frequency band enables communication at a higher speed than the second frequency band. The first frequency band is 6 GHz,
The communication device according to claim 11 , characterized in that the control unit performs the second display control in a manner that can identify that the channel corresponding to the first frequency band is a PSC. The communication device according to claim 13, characterized in that the control unit performs the second display control to display that it is the PSC in a manner different from the manner in which it displays that it is the first frequency band. An acquisition step to obtain information indicating the frequency band used at each of the access points,
A determination step in which, using the information obtained in the acquisition step, a determination step is made to determine which of the one or more access points uses the first frequency band,
A control step that performs display control to display a list of one or more access points in a manner that allows identification of the access points determined by the determination step to use the first frequency band,
Includes,
The first frequency band is 6 GHz,
A control method for a communication device, characterized in that the control step involves performing the display control in a manner that allows identification of the channel corresponding to the first frequency band as being a PSC . An acquisition step to obtain information indicating the frequency band used at each of the access points,
A determination step in which, using the information obtained in the acquisition step, a determination step is made to determine which of the one or more access points uses the first frequency band,
A control step that performs display control to display a list of one or more access points in a manner that allows identification of the access points determined by the determination step to use the first frequency band,
Includes,
A control method for a communication device, characterized in that the control step involves performing the display control in a manner that allows identification of a channel corresponding to the first frequency band as a channel that is scanned preferentially over other channels of the first frequency band. A program for causing a computer to function as a component of a communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 14 .