# US 12,120,770 B2 · Communication apparatus capable of communicating with other devices, control method of communication apparatus, 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 12,120,770 B2 - Document ID: US12120770B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/699,926 - Filed: 2022-03-21 - Published: 2022-09-29 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-26 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Takashi Matsui - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120770B2 ## CPC - H04W 8/005: {Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals} - H04W 4/026: {using orientation information, e.g. compass} - H04W 16/28: using beam steering - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - 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 includes a first transmission unit configured to transmit a first signal for a search in a predetermined first range, a second transmission unit configured to transmit a second signal for a search in a second range narrower than the predetermined first range, a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with an external apparatus, a control unit configured to, upon receipt of a first response to the first signal transmitted by the first transmission unit, control the second transmission unit to transmit the second signal for the search in the second range narrower than the predetermined first range, based on a direction of the first response, and an informing unit configured to, upon receipt of a second response to the second signal transmitted by the second transmission unit, inform a user of a direction of the external apparatus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication apparatus comprising: at least one processor or circuit configured to function as: a first transmission unit configured to transmit a first signal for a search in a predetermined first range; a second transmission unit configured to transmit a second signal for a search in a second range narrower than the predetermined first range; a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with an external apparatus; a control unit configured to, upon receipt of a first response to the first signal transmitted by the first transmission unit, control the second transmission unit to transmit the second signal for the search in the second range narrower than the predetermined first range, based on a direction of the first response; and an informing unit configured to, upon receipt of a second response to the second signal transmitted by the second transmission unit, inform a user of a direction of the external apparatus, wherein in a case where communication is performed by the second transmission unit, the communication apparatus continuously communicates dummy data for the external apparatus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first transmission unit and the second transmission unit are separate but identical directional antennas. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first transmission unit is a non-directional antenna and the second transmission unit is a directional antenna. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, upon receipt of a response to a signal with higher directivity than directivity of a previously received response, the informing unit determines that the external apparatus has been discovered and indicates a location of the external apparatus. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external apparatus includes a measurement unit configured to measure efficiency of power receiving, and wherein information displayed by the informing unit is changed based on a result of measurement by the measurement unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external apparatus responds to the first signal transmitted by the first transmission unit using electric power obtained by receiving the first signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external apparatus includes a battery, and the external apparatus is set to, upon receipt of the first signal from the first transmission unit, instruct, before the battery becomes exhausted, the communication unit of the communication apparatus to continuously transmit dummy data to the external apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the external apparatus includes a notification unit, and the external apparatus provides a notification by the notification unit based on the result of the measurement by the measurement unit. ### Claim 9 A control method of a communication apparatus, the method comprising: transmitting a first signal for a search in a predetermined first range; after transmitting the first signal for a search in the predetermined first range, transmitting a second signal for a search in a second range narrower than the predetermined first range; wirelessly communicating with an external apparatus; upon receipt of a first response to the first signal, controlling the communication apparatus to transmit the second signal for the search in the second range narrower than the predetermined first range, based on a direction of the first response; and upon receipt of a second response to the second signal, informing a user of a direction of the external apparatus, wherein, in a case where communication is performed, the communication apparatus continuously communicates dummy data for the external apparatus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as the units of the communication apparatus according to claim 1.