# US 10,873,784 B2 · Communication apparatus, image capturing apparatus, control method, and storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,784 B2 - Document ID: US10873784B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/244,403 - Filed: 2019-01-10 - Published: 2019-07-25 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-22 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Wataru Honjo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873784B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/4622: {Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet (web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859)} - H04L 67/51: Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services - H04N 21/4223: Cameras (H04N23/00 takes precedence) - H04N 21/44245: {Monitoring the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. its availability, bandwidth} - H04N 21/47: End-user applications - H04N 21/6543: for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording {(remote booting in general G06F9/4416)} - H04N 23/55: Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof - H04N 25/771: comprising storage means other than floating diffusion - H04W 8/005: {Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals} - H04W 76/19: Connection re-establishment - H04N 21/478: Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A communication apparatus determines, in a case where connection with an external apparatus is disconnected, whether the disconnection is performed by the external apparatus. In a case where reconnection to a network is performed after connection to the external apparatus is disconnected and it is determined that the disconnection is not performed by the external apparatus, a communication unit is controlled to maintain a limitation for communication with another external apparatus and to transmit a reconnection notification to the external apparatus by unicast. In a case where reconnection to the network is performed after connection to the external apparatus is disconnected and it is determined that the disconnection is performed by the external apparatus, the communication unit is controlled to communicate with the other external apparatus without the limitation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication apparatus comprising: a communication unit capable of executing, with an apparatus connecting to a network, communication related to transmission of a packet for discovery; a control unit configured to, after the communication apparatus is connected to an external apparatus via the network, control the communication unit to limit the communication with another external apparatus connecting to the network; and a determination unit configured to determine, in a case where the connection with the external apparatus is disconnected, whether the disconnection is performed by the external apparatus, wherein, in a case where reconnection to the network is performed after the connection to the external apparatus is disconnected and where it is determined that the disconnection is not performed by the external apparatus, the communication unit is controlled by the control unit to maintain the limitation for the communication with the other external apparatus and to transmit a reconnection notification to the external apparatus by unicast, and wherein, in a case where reconnection to the network is performed after connection to the external apparatus is disconnected and it is determined that the disconnection is performed by the external apparatus, the communication unit is controlled by the control unit to communicate with the other external apparatus without the limitation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if the connection is disconnected in accordance with a command received from the external apparatus via the communication unit, the control unit determines that the disconnection is performed by the external apparatus. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the command includes a command of a setting change request to change a setting of connection of the communication apparatus to the network. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if the communication apparatus is reactivated in accordance with a command received from the external apparatus via the communication unit, the control unit determines that the disconnection is performed by the external apparatus. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if a signal is transmitted to the external apparatus but it cannot be determined that transmission of the signal has succeeded, the control unit determines that the disconnection is performed by the external apparatus. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication related to transmission of the packet for discovery includes transmitting a signal indicating connection to the network when the communication apparatus is connected to the network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication related to transmission of the packet for discovery includes responding to a search signal from the apparatus connecting to the network, with which the communication apparatus executes the communication related to transmission of the packet for discovery. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the limitation includes not responding to the search signal from the other external apparatus. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the communication unit to limit the communication with the other external apparatus connecting to the network in response to reception of a signal to request the limitation from the external apparatus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the communication unit to limit the communication with the other external apparatus connecting to the network in response to establishment of connection to the external apparatus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit transmits an image to the external apparatus. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reconnection notification is a Hello packet. ### Claim 13 An image capturing apparatus comprising: an image capturing unit configured to capture an image; a communication unit capable of executing, with an apparatus connecting to a network, communication related to transmission of a packet for discovery and communication for transmitting the image to a communication partner apparatus; a control unit configured to, after the communication apparatus is connected to an external apparatus via the network, control the communication unit to limit the communication with another external apparatus connecting to the network; and a determination unit configured to determine, in a case where the connection with the external apparatus is disconnected, whether the disconnection is performed by the external apparatus, wherein, in a case where reconnection to the network is performed after the connection to the external apparatus is disconnected and where it is determined that the disconnection is not performed by the external apparatus, the communication unit is controlled by the control unit to maintain the limitation for the communication with the other external apparatus and to transmit a reconnection notification to the external apparatus by unicast, and wherein, in a case where reconnection to the network is performed after connection to the external apparatus is disconnected and it is determined that the disconnection is performed by the external apparatus, the communication unit is controlled by the control unit to communicate with the other external apparatus without the limitation. ### Claim 14 A control method for a communication apparatus that is capable of executing, with an apparatus connecting to a network, communication related to transmission of a packet for discovery and can control, after the communication apparatus is connected to an external apparatus via the network, the communication apparatus to limit the communication with another external apparatus connecting to the network, the method comprising: determining, in a case where the connection with the external apparatus is disconnected, whether the disconnection is performed by the external apparatus; in a case where reconnection to the network is performed after the connection to the external apparatus is disconnected and where it is determined that the disconnection is not performed by the external apparatus, controlling the communication apparatus to maintain the limitation for the communication with the other external apparatus, and controlling the communication apparatus to transmit a reconnection notification to the external apparatus by unicast, and in a case where reconnection to the network is performed after connection to the external apparatus is disconnected and it is determined that the disconnection is performed by the external apparatus, controlling the communication apparatus to communicate with the other external apparatus without the limitation. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a program for causing a computer, provided in a communication apparatus that is capable of executing, with an apparatus connecting to a network, communication related to transmission of a packet for discovery and can control, after the communication apparatus is connected to an external apparatus via the network, the communication apparatus to limit the communication with another external apparatus connecting to the network, to: determine, in a case where the connection with the external apparatus is disconnected, whether the disconnection is performed by the external apparatus; in a case where reconnection to the network is performed after the connection to the external apparatus is disconnected and where it is determined that the disconnection is not performed by the external apparatus, control the communication apparatus to maintain the limitation for the communication with the other external apparatus, and control the communication apparatus to transmit a reconnection notification to the external apparatus by unicast, and in a case where reconnection to the network is performed after connection to the external apparatus is disconnected and it is determined that the disconnection is performed by the external apparatus, control the communication apparatus to communicate with the other external apparatus without the limitation.