Patent ID: 7739373
Filing Date: 2010-06-15
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A communication apparatus capable of connecting to a network and capable of controlling a controlled device having a predetermined function, comprising: a device detecting unit that (a) detects the controlled device among a plurality of devices connected to the network, and (b) obtains an IP address of the controlled device, wherein the device detecting unit uses a first communication protocol to detect the controlled device and to obtain the IP address of the controlled device; a communication unit that transmits a request for inquiring whether the controlled device having the obtained IP address is directly connected to the communication apparatus via a first transmission medium which uses a second communication protocol, the communication apparatus being directly connected to the first transmission medium, and the request being transmitted via the first transmission medium; and a determining unit that determines whether the communication apparatus and the controlled device are directly connected to the first transmission medium for communication via the second communication protocol, wherein the determining unit (a) determines that the communication apparatus and the controlled device are directly connected to the first transmission medium, if a response corresponding to the request transmitted by the communication unit is received from the controlled device, and (b) determines that the communication apparatus and the controlled device are not directly connected to the first transmission medium but that the controlled device is connected to the network via a second transmission medium different from the first transmission medium, if no response corresponding to the request is received from the controlled device, thereby the communication apparatus and the controlled device are not able to communicate with each other using the second communication protocol via the first transmission medium but are able to communicate with each other via the first communication protocol, wherein the communication apparatus displays warning information on a display unit if the determining unit determines that the communication apparatus and the controlled device are not directly connected to the first transmission medium and the controlled device is connected to the network via the second transmission medium.