US 9,853,858 B2 · Communication device

Abstract

A communication device including a registration unit that registers an IP address of the communication device and a method information including a first method information indicating a first setting method for setting a dynamic IP address and a second method information indicating a second setting method for setting a static IP address. The registration unit includes a change unit that changes registered contents of a memory in accordance with a user's instruction. When the first method information and a first IP address are registered in the memory, the change unit does not change the method information in the memory from the first method information to the second method information in a case where a method change instruction for changing the first setting method to the second setting method is given by the user under a state where the first IP address has not been changed to another IP address.

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Drawings

Claims18

Dependent claims

A communication device comprising:

a memory;
and
a controller configured to:
register method information indicating an IP address setting method of the communication device and an IP address of the communication device in the memory, wherein the method information is any one of plural kinds of method information including:
a first kind of method information that indicates a first kind of setting method for setting a dynamic IP address automatically allocated to the communication device as the IP address of the communication device;
and
a second kind of method information that indicates a second kind of setting method for setting a static IP address manually designated by a user as the IP address of the communication device;
and
perform communication using the IP address registered in the memory,
wherein the controller is further configured to:
display a first screen on the display unit in a case where the first kind of method information and the first IP address are registered in the memory as the method information of the communication device and as the IP address of the communication device, respectively, wherein the first screen displays the first kind of setting method and a value string representing the first IP address;
display a second screen on the display unit in a case where a user instruction for changing the first kind of setting method displayed in the first screen to the second kind of setting method is given through the displayed first screen, wherein the second screen displays the second kind of setting method, and wherein at least a portion of values of the value string representing the first IP address is erased in the second screen although said at least the portion of values of the value string representing the first IP address has been displayed in the first screen;
and
in a case where a user instruction for changing the registered content of the memory is given through the displayed second screen after a second IP address different from the first IP address is input in the displayed second screen, change the registered content of the memory such that the second kind of setting method and the second IP address are newly registered in the memory instead of the first kind of setting method and the first IP address, respectively.

11 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer program for a communication device including a memory stored thereon and readable by a computer installed in the communication device, the computer program, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to perform operations comprising:

registering method information indicating an IP address setting method of the communication device and an IP address of the communication device in the memory, wherein the method information is any one of plural kinds of method information including:
a first kind of method information that indicates a first kind of setting method for setting a dynamic IP address automatically allocated to the communication device as the IP address of the communication device;
and
a second kind of method information that indicates a second kind of setting method for setting a static IP address manually designated by a user as the IP address of the communication device;
and
performing communication using the IP address registered in the memory,
wherein the registering comprises:
displaying a screen for allowing the user to change the registered content of the memory on a display unit;
and
changing the registered content of the memory in accordance with a user instruction, and
wherein the displaying of the screen comprises:
displaying a first screen on the display unit in a case where the first kind of method information and the first IP address are registered in the memory as the method information of the communication device and as the IP address of the communication device, respectively, wherein the first screen displays the first kind of setting method and a value string representing the first IP address;
displaying a second screen on the display unit in a case where a user instruction for changing the first kind of setting method displayed in the first screen to the second kind of setting method is given through the displayed first screen, wherein the second screen displays the second kind of setting method, and wherein at least a portion of values of the value string representing the first IP address is erased in the second screen although said at least the portion of values of the value string representing the first IP address has been displayed in the first screen;
and
in a case where a user instruction for changing the registered content of the memory is given through the displayed second screen after a second IP address different from the first IP address is input in the displayed second screen, change the registered content of the memory such that the second kind of setting method and the second IP address are newly registered in the memory instead of the first kind of setting method and the first IP address, respectively.

12 more elements

A method comprising:

registering method information indicating an IP address setting method of a communication device and an IP address of the communication device in a memory of the communication device, wherein the method information is any one of plural kinds of method information including:
a first kind of method information that indicates a first kind of setting method for setting a dynamic IP address automatically allocated to the communication device as the IP address of the communication device;
and
a second kind of method information that indicates a second kind of setting method for setting a static IP address manually designated by a user as the IP address of the communication device;
and
performing communication using the IP address registered in the memory,
wherein the registering comprises:
displaying a screen for allowing the user to change the registered content of the memory on a display unit;
and
changing the registered content of the memory in accordance with a user instruction, and
wherein the displaying of the screen comprises:
displaying a first screen on the display unit in a case where the first kind of method information and the first IP address are registered in the memory as the method information of the communication device and as the IP address of the communication device, respectively, wherein the first screen displays the first kind of setting method and a value string representing the first IP address;
displaying a second screen on the display unit in a case where a user instruction for changing the first kind of setting method displayed in the first screen to the second kind of setting method is given through the displayed first screen, wherein the second screen displays the second kind of setting method, and wherein at least a portion of values of the value string representing the first IP address is erased in the second screen although said at least the portion of values of the value string representing the first IP address has been displayed in the first screen;
and
in a case where a user instruction for changing the registered content of the memory is given through the displayed second screen after a second IP address different from the first IP address is input in the displayed second screen, change the registered content of the memory such that the second kind of setting method and the second IP address are newly registered in the memory instead of the first kind of setting method and the first IP address, respectively.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description8,144 words

Summary167 words

#The present invention relates to a communication device, more specifically to a communication device that allows a user to select an IP address setting method.

#For example, there has been proposed a related-art printer that allows a user to select an IP address setting method. That is, the user can select any one of an automatic setting method for setting a dynamic IP address that is automatically allocated by a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server in a printer and a manual setting method for setting a static IP address that is manually designated by the user. Further, there has also been discloses a user operation manual for changing the IP address setting method of the printer from the automatic setting method to the manual setting method.

#Illustrative aspects of the present invention provide a technique for suppressing the occurrence of a phenomenon in which the execution of the appropriate communication becomes difficult due to the change of the IP address setting method of the communication device.

Brief description of the drawings5 figures

#FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a communication system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a registered contents change process;

#FIGS. 3A to 3C are diagrams illustrating respective displayed screens according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

Detailed description7,894 words

#<General Overview>

#In the related-art technique, in a case where the IP address setting method of a printer is an automatic setting method, the IP address setting method of the printer can be changed to a manual setting method even if a specified IP address that is currently set in the printer, that is, a specified IP address allocated from a DHCP server, is not changed to another IP address. In this case, the printer maintains the specified IP address that is the dynamic IP address allocated from the DHCP server as a static IP address, unless there is a user instruction for changing the IP address. On the other hand, in accordance with a request from another device, the DHCP server has a possibility of allocating the same IP address as the specified IP address to the other device. Due to this, according to the related-art technique, a plurality of devices (the printer and the other device), to which the same IP address has been set, may exist in the same LAN. In this case, it may be difficult to execute appropriate communication in the LAN.

#Accordingly, illustrative aspects of the present invention provides a technique for suppressing the occurrence of a phenomenon in which the execution of the appropriate communication becomes difficult due to the change of the IP address setting method of the communication device (in the above-described example, the printer).

Facts

Application

14/274,947Filed 12 May 2014 · continuation

Priority

JP 2010-06938725 Mar 2010

Published

US 2014/0250213 A14 Sep 2014

Granted

26 Dec 2017

Term ends

19 Apr 2032

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 395 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification7 codes

H04L 41/0803
Configuration management of networks or network elements: configuration setting
G06K 15/4045
Details not directly involved in printing, e.g. machine management, management of the arrangement as a whole or of its constitutive parts:…
H04L 41/22
Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks: comprising specially…
H04L 61/5007
Address allocation: internet protocol [IP] addresses

Family

Application13/052,906Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Mar 2011

US 2014/0250213 A1Pre-grant publication · published 4 Sep 2014

US 8,762,572 B2Parent of this continuation

US 2011/0238798 A1Published application

US 9,853,858 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Timeline

25 Mar 2010Priority claimedJP 2010-069387
12 May 2014Application filedUS 14/274,947
12 May 2014Assigned to Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaishaassignment of assignor's interest
4 Sep 2014PublishedUS 2014/0250213 A1
26 Dec 2017GrantedUS 9,853,858 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
19 Apr 2032Term endsEstimated, includes 395 days of adjustment

Communication device

Life of this patent

Communication device

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims18

Description8,144 words

Drawings

Classification7 codes

Life of this patent

Description8,144 words