Communication apparatus control method and storage medium

Abstract

A communication apparatus selects to transmit a first signal indicating that the communication apparatus can execute a first function of transmitting data on which output processing is performed by an output unit to an external apparatus, a second signal indicating that the communication apparatus can execute a second function of receiving data on which output processing is performed by an external apparatus and performing output processing based on the received data, or a third signal indicating that the communication apparatus can execute both the first function and the second function, based on a function of a first external communication apparatus that is connecting to the communication apparatus, and connects to a second external communication apparatus that has responded to one of the selected and transmitted signals.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication apparatus, comprising:
 an output unit configured to perform output processing based on data;   a first transmission unit configured to transmit a first signal indicating that the communication apparatus is able to execute a first function that is a function of transmitting, to an external apparatus, the data for which the output processing is being performed by the output unit;   a second transmission unit configured to transmit a second signal indicating that the communication apparatus is able to execute a second function that is a function of receiving data for which output processing is being performed by the external apparatus and performing output processing based on the received data;   a selection unit configured to select, as a signal to be transmitted by the communication apparatus, one of a plurality of types of signal that includes at least the first signal and the second signal, wherein the selection is based on information regarding a function of first another communication apparatus that is currently connected to the communication apparatus; and   a connection unit configured to establish a connection to second another communication apparatus that responds to the transmitted signal selected by the selection unit.   
     
     
         2 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the output unit outputs an image to a display.   
     
     
         3 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the output unit outputs audio to speakers.   
     
     
         4 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the connection unit transmits a connection request and performs wireless connection processing in a case where the selection unit selects to transmit the first signal, and   wherein the connection unit waits for a connection request and performs wireless connection processing in a case where the selection unit selects to transmit the second signal.   
     
     
         5 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first function is a Source function defined by Wi-Fi Miracast®, and   wherein the second function is a Sink function defined by Wi-Fi Miracast®.   
     
     
         6 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an acquisition unit configured to acquire information indicating in which of the first function or the second function the first another communication apparatus operates;   wherein, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit, the selection by the selection unit is made.   
     
     
         7 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the acquisition unit acquires the information indicating in which of the first function and the second function the first external communication apparatus operates, via a beacon, a probe request, a probe response, a service discovery request, or a service discovery response transmitted from the first another communication apparatus.   
     
     
         8 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein each of the first transmission unit and the second transmission unit performs transmission via a first communication unit, and   wherein the acquisition unit acquires, via a second communication unit different from the first communication unit, the information indicating in which of the first function and the second function the first another communication apparatus operates.   
     
     
         9 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the first communication unit performs wireless communication compliant with IEEE 802.11 series, and   wherein the second communication unit performs wireless communication compliant with Near Field Communication or Bluetooth®.   
     
     
         10 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third transmission unit configured to transmit a third signal indicating that the communication apparatus is able to execute a third function for execution of both of the first function and the second function;   wherein, based on the information regarding the function of the first another communication apparatus, the selection unit makes the selection from among the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal.   
     
     
         11 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the third function is a Dual-Role function defined by Wi-Fi Miracast®.   
     
     
         12 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the selection unit selects to transmit the third signal in a case where a number of apparatuses that execute the first function, from among a plurality of other communication apparatuses to which the communication apparatus is wirelessly connected, is less than a first threshold value, and the selection unit selects to transmit the second signal in a case where the number of apparatuses that execute the first function, from among the plurality of other communication apparatuses to which the communication apparatus is wirelessly connected, is not less than the first threshold value and where, in addition, a number of apparatuses that execute the second function, from among the plurality of other communication apparatuses to which the communication apparatus is wirelessly connected, is less than a second threshold value, and   wherein the selection unit selects to transmit the first signal in a case where the number of apparatuses that execute the first function, from among the plurality of other communication apparatuses to which the communication apparatus is wirelessly connected, is less than the first threshold value and where, in addition, the number of apparatuses that execute the second function, from among the plurality of other communication apparatuses to which the communication apparatus is wirelessly connected, is not less than the second threshold value.   
     
     
         13 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the selection unit selects to transmit none of the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal in a case where the number of apparatuses that execute the first function, from among the plurality of other communication apparatuses to which the communication apparatus is wirelessly connected, is not less than the first threshold value and where, in addition, the number of apparatuses that execute the second function, from among the plurality of other communication apparatuses to which the communication apparatus is wirelessly connected, is not less than the second threshold value.   
     
     
         14 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a decision unit configured to decide which of the first function and the second function the communication apparatus executes based on which of the first function and the second function the second another communication apparatus is able to execute.   
     
     
         15 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the decision unit decides to execute the second function in a case where the second another communication apparatus is able to execute the first function, and   wherein the decision unit decides to execute the first function in a case where the second another communication apparatus is able to execute the second function.   
     
     
         16 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the third transmission unit transmits the third signal by broadcast and by unicast.   
     
     
         17 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first transmission unit transmits the first signal by broadcast, and   wherein the second transmission unit transmits the second signal by unicast.   
     
     
         18 . The communication apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a notification unit configured to notify a user of information about the second another communication apparatus.   
     
     
         19 . A control method for a communication apparatus, comprising:
 causing an output unit to perform output processing based on data;   selecting, as a signal to be transmitted by the communication apparatus, one of a plurality of types of signal that includes at least a first signal and a second signal, wherein the selection is based on information regarding a function of first another communication apparatus that is currently connected to the communication apparatus, wherein the first signal indicates that the communication apparatus is able to execute a first function that is a function of transmitting, to an external apparatus, the data for which the output processing is being performed, and wherein the second function is a function of receiving data for which output processing is being performed by the external apparatus and performing output processing based on the received data;   transmitting the selected signal;   establishing a connection to second another communication apparatus that responds to the transmitted selected signal.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a communication apparatus to execute a communication method, the communication method comprising:
 causing an output unit to perform output processing based on data;   selecting, as a signal to be transmitted by the communication apparatus, one of a plurality of types of signal that includes at least a first signal and a second signal, wherein the selection is based on information regarding a function of first another communication apparatus that is currently connected to the communication apparatus, wherein the first signal indicates that the communication apparatus is able to execute a first function that is a function of transmitting, to an external apparatus, the data for which the output processing is being performed, and wherein the second function is a function of receiving data for which output processing is being performed by the external apparatus and performing output processing based on the received data;   transmitting the selected signal;   establishing a connection to second another communication apparatus that responds to the transmitted selected signal.