Information processing apparatus, control method thereof and program

A method for controlling an information processing apparatus being capable of communication with an external apparatus via a network, the method comprising:

• setting a communication rate of data communication with the external apparatus, which is performed by a rate setting unit;
• receiving packets from the external apparatus via the network by using the set communication rate, which is performed by a receiving unit;
• measuring an inter-packet gap indicating a time period until the receiving step starts, after completing a reception of a first packet, a reception of a second packet to be received following the first packet, which is performed by a measurement unit;
• determining whether or not the measured inter-packet gap exceeds a predetermined threshold, which is performed by a determining unit;
• maintaining the currently set communication rate in a case where the measured inter-packet gap exceeds the predetermined threshold, and changing the currently set communication rate to a communication rate faster than the currently set communication rate in a case where the measured inter-packet gap does not exceed the predetermined threshold, which is performed by a rate control unit;
• counting, by a counter, a count value of a communication clock while a receiving valid signal is a low level and not a high level;
• outputting, by the counter, a high level signal in response to the count value being not more than the predetermined threshold;
• and
• outputting, by the counter, a low level signal in response to the count value being more than the predetermined threshold,
• wherein the maintaining and changing step is performed in accordance with the signal output by the counter.