Communication apparatus, communication system, and method for setting communication parameters of the communication apparatus

A first communication apparatus comprising:

• a memory unit;
• and
• a computer processor cooperating with the memory unit,
• wherein memory unit stores instructions that cause the computer processor to perform a method of deciding whether the first communication apparatus is to become a providing device that provides communication parameters or a receiving device that receives the communication parameters from the providing device, the method comprising:
• acquiring a first capability attribute and a first parameter setting identifier of a second communication apparatus, wherein the first capability attribute indicates at least one of a capability for providing communication parameters of the second communication apparatus acting as the providing device and a capability for receiving communication parameters of the second communication apparatus;
• and
• deciding whether the first communication apparatus is to become the providing device or the receiving device of the communication parameters, based on the first capability attribute and the first parameter setting identifier of the second communication apparatus acquired in the acquiring step and a second capability attribute and a second parameter setting identifier of the first communication apparatus.

A method of deciding whether a device is to become either a providing device that provides communication parameters or a receiving device that receives the communication parameters from the providing device, the method comprising steps of:

• acquiring a first capability attribute and a first parameter setting identifier of a first communication apparatus, wherein the first capability attribute of the first communication apparatus indicates at least one of a capability of providing communication parameters and a capability of receiving communication parameter;
• and
• determining whether a second communication apparatus different from the first communication apparatus is capable of becoming the providing device, based on a second capability attribute and a second parameter setting identifier of the second communication apparatus;
• and
• deciding whether the second communication apparatus is to become the providing device or the receiving device of the communication parameters, based on the first capability attribute and the first parameter setting identifier of the first communication apparatus acquired in the acquiring step and a second capability attribute and a second parameter setting identifier of the first communication apparatus and a result of the determining in the determining step,
• wherein the determining step includes determining whether the first communication apparatus is capable of acting as the receiving device, and determining whether the first communication apparatus is in a state in which the first communication apparatus can provide the communication parameters,
• wherein, if the second communication apparatus cannot be determined to be the providing device or the receiving device based on whether the first communication apparatus is capable of acting as the receiving device, the determining step includes determining whether the first communication apparatus is in the state in which the first communication apparatus can provide the communication parameters, and
• wherein at least one of the above steps is performed, at least in part, by a computer processor.

A method of deciding whether a device is to become either a providing device that provides communication parameters or a receiving device that receives the communication parameters from the providing device, the method comprising steps of:

• acquiring a first capability attribute and a first parameter setting identifier of a first communication apparatus, wherein the first capability attribute of the first communication apparatus indicates at least one of a capability of providing communication parameters and a capability of receiving communication parameter;
• and
• determining whether a second communication apparatus different from the first communication apparatus is capable of becoming the providing device, based on a second capability attribute and a second parameter setting identifier of the second communication apparatus;
• and
• deciding whether the second communication apparatus is to become the providing device or the receiving device of the communication parameters, based on the first capability attribute and the first parameter setting identifier of the first communication apparatus acquired in the acquiring step and a second capability attribute and a second parameter setting identifier of the first communication apparatus and a result of the determining in the determining step,
• wherein, if the second communication apparatus cannot be determined to be the providing device or the receiving device based on the capability attribute of the first communication apparatus, the method further includes determining whether the second communication apparatus is to be the providing device or the receiving device based on the second parameter setting identifier of the second communication apparatus and the first parameter setting identifier of the first communication apparatus, and
• wherein at least one of the above steps is performed, at least in part, by a computer processor.

A first communication apparatus for deciding whether the first communication apparatus is to become either a providing device that provides communication parameters or a receiving device that receives the communication parameters from the providing device, the apparatus comprising:

• an acquisition unit configured to acquire a first capability attribute and a first parameter setting identifier of the first communication apparatus, wherein the first capability attribute of the first communication apparatus indicates at least one of a capability of providing communication parameters and a capability of receiving communication parameter;
• and
• a determination unit configured to determine whether a second communication apparatus different from the first communication apparatus is capable of becoming the providing device, based on a second capability attribute and a second parameter setting identifier of the second communication apparatus;
• and
• a decision unit configured to decide whether the second communication apparatus is to become the providing device or the receiving device of the communication parameters, based on the first capability attribute and the first parameter setting identifier of the first communication apparatus acquired by the acquisition unit and a second capability attribute and a second parameter setting identifier of the first communication apparatus result of the determining by the determination unit,
• wherein the determination unit determines whether the first communication apparatus is capable of acting as the receiving device, and determines whether the first communication apparatus is in a state in which the first communication apparatus can provide the communication parameters,
• wherein, if the second communication apparatus cannot be determined to be the providing device or the receiving device based on whether the first communication apparatus is capable of acting as the receiving device, the determination unit determines whether the first communication apparatus is in the state in which the first communication apparatus can provide the communication parameters, and
• wherein at least one of the above units is performed, at least in part, by a computer processor.

A first communication apparatus for deciding whether the first communication apparatus is to become either a providing device that provides communication parameters or a receiving device that receives the communication parameters from the providing device, the apparatus comprising:

• an acquisition unit configured to acquire a first capability attribute and a first parameter setting identifier of the first communication apparatus, wherein the first capability attribute of the first communication apparatus indicates at least one of a capability of providing communication parameters and a capability of receiving communication parameter;
• and
• a determination unit configured to determine whether a second communication apparatus different from the first communication apparatus is capable of becoming the providing device, based on a second capability attribute and a second parameter setting identifier of the second communication apparatus;
• and
• a decision unit configured to decide whether the second communication apparatus is to become the providing device or the receiving device of the communication parameters, based on the first capability attribute and the first parameter setting identifier of the first communication apparatus acquired by the acquisition unit and a second capability attribute and a second parameter setting identifier of the first communication apparatus result of the determining by the determination unit,
• wherein at least one of the above units is performed, at least in part, by a computer processor, and
• wherein, if the second communication apparatus cannot be determined to be the providing device or the receiving device based on the capability attribute of the first communication apparatus, the determination unit further determines whether the second communication apparatus is to be the providing device or the receiving device based on the second parameter setting identifier of the second communication apparatus and the first parameter setting identifier of the first communication apparatus.