# US 9,883,066 B2 · Method and device for performing printing operation through communication service of image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,883,066 B2 - Document ID: US9883066B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/179,226 - Filed: 2016-06-10 - Published: 2017-01-12 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2015-07-10 - Assignees: S-Printing Solution Co., Ltd. - Applicants: S-Printing Solution Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Jung-hyun Shin; Jeong-phil Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9883066B2 ## CPC - H04N 1/00891: {Switching on or off, e.g. for saving power when not in use (H04N1/00896 takes precedence)} - G06F 3/12: Digital output to print unit {, e.g. line printer, chain printer} - G06F 3/1203: {Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management} - G06F 3/1229: {Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels} - G06F 3/1236: {Connection management} - G06F 3/1292: {Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing} - H04N 1/00: Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof - H04N 1/00896: {using a low-power mode, e.g. standby} - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - H04W 52/0238: {where the received signal is an unwanted signal, e.g. interference or idle signal} - H04W 52/0245: {according to signal strength} - H04W 76/10: Connection setup - Y02B 70/30: Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract An image forming apparatus and a communication connection method thereof. The communication connection method includes: receiving, by a first image forming apparatus, packet information from a second image forming apparatus; measuring, by the first image forming apparatus, a signal strength of the received packet information; and changing a connection reference strength of the first image forming apparatus based on the measured signal strength. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication connection method comprising: receiving, by a first image forming apparatus, a signal including a data packet from a second image forming apparatus: the first image forming apparatus having a first connection reference strength level indicating a first connection boundary from the first image forming apparatus, the first image forming apparatus being configured to be connectable to devices located within the first connection boundary, and the second image forming apparatus having a second connection boundary from the second image forming apparatus, the second image forming apparatus being configured to be connectable to devices located within the second connection boundary; determining, by the first image forming apparatus, a signal strength of the received signal; and changing, by the first image forming apparatus, the first connection reference strength level based on the determined signal strength, so that the first connection boundary of the first image forming apparatus does not overlap with the second connection boundary of the second image forming apparatus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication connection method of claim 1, further comprising broadcasting, by the first image forming apparatus, a signal including a data packet from the first image forming apparatus to one or more devices among the devices located within the first connection boundary. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The communication connection method of claim 2, wherein the broadcasting of the signal from the first image forming apparatus further comprises increasing a packet transmission time interval when the first image forming apparatus does not receive a connection request for a first predetermined time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The communication connection method of claim 3, further comprising scanning a device among the one or more devices so as to discover the device, when the first image forming apparatus does not receive the connection request for a second predetermined time. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The communication connection method of claim 3, further comprising changing the first image forming apparatus from an awake mode to a sleep mode when the first image forming apparatus does not receive the connection request for a second predetermined time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The communication connection method of claim 5, further comprising, changing the first image forming apparatus from the sleep mode to the awake mode when the first image forming apparatus receives an input to change to the awake mode while the first image forming apparatus is in the sleep mode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The communication connection method of claim 1, wherein a device among the devices located within the first connection boundary is set as a connection target device by the first image forming apparatus, when a signal strength of a connection request to be received from the device is greater than or equal to the first connection reference strength level. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The communication connection method of claim 1, wherein the first connection reference strength level of the first image forming apparatus after the changing is greater than the first connection reference strength level of the first image forming apparatus before the changing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The communication connection method of claim 2, further comprising receiving a connection request from the one or more devices in response to the broadcasted signal by the first image forming apparatus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The communication connection method of claim 9, further comprising performing a procedure of using a communication service with the one or more devices when the one or more devices are set as a one or more connection target devices. ### Claim 11 A first image forming apparatus comprising: a communicator configured to receive a signal including a data packet from a second image forming apparatus: the first image forming apparatus having a first connection reference strength level indicating a first connection boundary from the first image forming apparatus, the first image forming apparatus being configured to be connectable to devices located within the first connection boundary, and the second image forming apparatus having a second connection boundary from the second image forming apparatus, the second image forming apparatus being configured to be connectable to devices located within the second connection boundary; and a controller configured to: determine a signal strength of the received signal, and change the first connection reference strength level based on the determined signal strength, so that the first connection boundary of the first image forming apparatus does not overlap with the second connection boundary of the second image forming apparatus. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The first image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein the communicator is further configured to broadcast a signal including a data packet from the first image forming apparatus to one or more devices among the devices located within the first connection boundary. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The first image forming apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to increase a packet transmission time interval when the communicator does not receive a connection request for a first predetermined time. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The first image forming apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller is set to scan a device among the one or more devices so as to discover the device, when the communicator does not receive the connection request for a second predetermined time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The first image forming apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to change the communicator from an awake mode to a sleep mode when the communicator does not receive the connection request for a second predetermined time. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The first image forming apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller is set to change the communicator from the sleep mode to an awake mode when the first image forming apparatus receives an input to change to the awake mode while the first image forming apparatus is in the sleep mode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The first image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein a device among the devices located within the first connection boundary is set as a connection target device by the first image forming apparatus, when a signal strength of a connection request to be received from the device is greater than or equal to the first connection reference strength level. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The first image forming apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first connection reference strength level of the first image forming apparatus after a change in the first connection reference strength is greater than the first connection reference strength level of the first image forming apparatus before the change in the first connection reference strength level. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The first image forming apparatus of claim 12, wherein the communicator is further configured to receive a connection request from the one or more devices in response to the broadcasted signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The first image forming apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller is set to perform a procedure of using a communication service with the one or more devices when the one or more devices are set as a one or more connection target devices.