1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a peripheral control device and a method for controlling a peripheral device, and more specifically to a method for selecting communication between a device and host equipment each of which has a plurality of communication interfaces and can communicate with each other through each communication interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
A device having a plurality of communication interfaces can communicate with a host computer having a plurality of communication interfaces similarly by using one of these communication interfaces. Each communication path corresponding to each communication interface is established as a logical communication port between the OS and a device. For this reason, whether the printer device is physically a single device or not (a plurality of devices), a logical communication port is created for each communication interface alike, and the host computer can communicate with the device through any one of ports.
When any application on the host computer accesses the device, communication is conducted by specifying a logical communication port. In this case, the application detects a logical communication port that makes possible communication for a device having a pertinent function by a predetermined method. When a plurality of ports are detected, the application specifies an appropriate logical communication port by displaying these in such a way that a user can select it and receiving the selection or the like.
For example, when a word processor application currently executed on the host computer conducts printing, the application searches logical communication ports of the printer being connected to the host computer by a predetermined method. Subsequently, the application presents a search result to the user as a list of logical communication ports. Then, the application receives the choice of the logical communication port to realize printing on the printer that the user intends to use.
As an example, peripheral devices include wireless equipment compatible with the specification 802.11b standardized by IEEE, such as a wireless LAN access point and a wireless router. Moreover, PCs (personal computers) that have self-contained wireless interfaces and PCs that allow wireless interfaces to be installed thereon later as PCMCIA cards are sold widely. With printers, one-to-one connection with a PC through a local interface, such as USB, has been so far common. However, there is a growing demand for a networking capability of supporting such a need that a plurality of PCs can execute printing thereon even in home.
When conducting printing using a wireless LAN, the following must be done: a wireless LAN setting is established in the printer so that the printer can communicate with lo the access point; software enabling wireless LAN printing is installed onto the PC; and an appropriate setting is made for the printer. Conventional installation of a printer driver necessitates some degree of knowledge about a network in device setting for establishing network connection. Moreover, in wireless interface connection, knowledge about the wireless interface is needed as well. For this reason, there is a so-called utility application that is executed by the host computer side in order to communicate with these wireless/network devices and change wireless setting and network setting to support the user when using these devices. However, there is often the case that this application presents all logical communication ports through which communication with the object device can be performed as choices of a communication port for the setup. For example, in the case where a plurality of printers each equipped with both a USB interface and a wireless network interface are connected to the host computer and the both interfaces of each printer are in operable modes, the setup utility application of this printer presents all logical communication ports each of which makes communication possible as choices of communication port for the setup, and consequently logical communication ports for both USB and wireless interfaces will be displayed.
Therefore, it is difficult for the user to judge which two logical communication ports belong to the identical printer, and also it is difficult to judge which logical communication port can be used without affecting communication due to a change of the setting.
In addition, even when the user sets up an operation of a wireless interface and changes a setting of a network using a utility application like this, all logical communication ports each of which makes communication possible are presented as choices of communication port to be used for the setup. Accordingly, when the user changes the setting through the communication interface or network that the user intends to change, there may be a case where the user will be not able to perform communication as described above after the change depending on the selection of the port. After all, even if the user uses the utility application, there may be a case where it becomes impossible to change the setting or confirm a communication state continuously. The present invention discloses means for solving at least one of the above described problems.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds