Image processing apparatus which performs communication with external apparatus

A method for controlling an image processing apparatus that performs communication process with an external apparatus via a network, comprising steps of:

• determining whether or not the external apparatus that is an object of the communication process is an apparatus registered in a blacklist type list in which one or more apparatuses in which an earlier timeout has occurred are registered, by a first determination process, when performing the communication process;
• determining occurrence of the timeout in accordance with a timeout period having a duration decided based on whether or not the external apparatus is on the blacklist type list as determined by the first determination process, by a second determination process, in the communication process, the timeout period being a period of time during which the image processing apparatus attempts to connect with the external apparatus and does not receive a response from the external apparatus, and
• updating the blacklist type list according to the determination result of the second determination process and the determination result of the first determination process, wherein
• the second determination process determines a time shorter than a predetermined period as the duration of the timeout period, when the first determination process determines that the external apparatus to be subjected to the communication process is the apparatus registered in the blacklist type list, and
• the second determination process determines the predetermined period as the duration of the timeout period, when the first determination process determines that the external apparatus to be subjected to the communication process is not the apparatus registered in the blacklist type list.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a controlling program for an image processing apparatus that performs communication process with an external apparatus via a network, the program causing a computer to execute the steps of:

• determining whether or not the external apparatus that is an object of the communication process is an apparatus registered in a blacklist type list in which one or more apparatuses in which an earlier timeout has occurred are registered, by a first determination process, when performing the communication process;
• determining occurrence of the timeout in accordance with a timeout period having a duration decided based on whether or not the external apparatus is on the blacklist type list as determined by the first determination process, by a second determination process, in the communication process, the timeout period being a period of time during which the image processing apparatus attempts to connect with the external apparatus and does not receive a response from the external apparatus, and
• updating the blacklist type list according to the determination result of the second determination process and the determination result of the first determination process, wherein
• the second determination process determines a time shorter than a predetermined period as the duration of the timeout period, when the first determination process determines that the external apparatus to be subjected to the communication process is the apparatus registered in the blacklist type list, and
• the second determination process determines the predetermined period as the duration of the timeout period, when the first determination process determines that the external apparatus to be subjected to the communication process is not the apparatus registered in the blacklist type list.