Patent ID: 8375147

Claim:
An electronic device comprising: a response-request transmitting unit that, when the electronic device is connected to an external device through a first network, transmits a response request including a second identifier, the second identifier being an address of said response-request transmitting unit on a second network, to the external device through the first network; a response receiving unit that receives a response from the external device including a first identifier, the first identifier being an address of said external device on said first network, wherein the response is transmitted through said second network using the second identifier as a destination address of the response, the response being transmitted in response to said response request; and a control unit to detect, when the electronic device is connected to the external device through the first network, whether the electronic device is connected to the external device through the second network, based on whether the response receiving unit receives the response transmitted through said second network from said external device in response to said response request.