Communication method, information processing apparatus, and recording medium recording computer readable program

• US 10,171,932 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2015
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyabayashi, Naoki, Yoneda, Yoshihiro, Sueyoshi, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Hua
• Application Number:
  US14/593,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20150126124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

A communication method includes: a first transmission step of transmitting first setting information and first network organization information regarding one information processing apparatus of a second network via a first communication path; a first determination step of determining a role of communication with a first master apparatus via a second communication path on the basis of the first network organization information and role adjustment information; a second transmission step of transmitting second setting information and second network organization information to the first master apparatus via the first communication path; a second determination step of determining a role of the communication with a second master apparatus via the second communication path on the basis of the second network organization information and role adjustment information by the first master apparatus; and a first communication start step of starting the communication via the second communication path with another information processing apparatus.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a first communication unit configured to communicate with a first external apparatus via a first communication path;

a second communication unit configured to communicate with the first external apparatus via a second communication path, wherein the second communication path uses a different frequency range than the first communication path; and

a controller configured to determine a role of the information processing apparatus with the first external apparatus belonging to a network in the second communication path based on designation role information which is sent from the first external apparatus via the first communication path and received by the first communication unit, and the network is organized by a plurality of external apparatuses including the first external apparatus, wherein the determined role of the information processing apparatus is one of a first role and a second role,

wherein the controller makes the second communication unit communicate with each of the plurality of external apparatuses in the network via the second communication path when the determined role of the information processing apparatus is the first role, and

wherein the controller makes the second communication unit communicate directly only with the first external apparatus via the second communication path when the determined role of the information processing apparatus is the second role.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first communication unit carries out non-contact type communication via the first communication path.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second communication unit carries out Bluetooth communication via the second communication path.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first communication unit receives address information from the first external apparatus.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first communication unit receives a passcode from the first external apparatus.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the passcode is a random number.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller controls a communication by the second communication unit based on the address information and the passcode.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller controls a communication by the second communication unit based on the address information.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a role controller and a communication controller, and

wherein the role controller determines the role in communication by the second communication unit and the communication controller controls communication by the second communication unit according to the role.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the first communication unit receives address information and a passcode from the first external apparatus, and

the communication controller controls the communication by the second communication unit based on the address information and the passcode.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the display unit is formed by a touch screen.

13. An information processing method comprising:

communicating, by a first communication unit, with a first external apparatus via a first communication path;

communicating, by a second communication unit, with the first external apparatus via a second communication path, wherein the second communication path uses a different frequency range than the first communication path; and

determining, by a controller, a role of an information processing apparatus with the first external apparatus belonging to a network in the second communication path based on designation role information which is sent from the first external apparatus via the first communication path and received by the first communication unit, and the network is organized by a plurality of external apparatuses including the first external apparatus, wherein the determined role of the information processing apparatus is one of a first role and a second role

wherein the controller makes the second communication unit communicate with each of the plurality of external apparatuses in the network via the second communication path when the determined role of the information processing apparatus is the first role, and

wherein the controller makes the second communication unit communicate directly on with the first external apparatus via the second communication path when the determined role of the information processing apparatus is the second role.

14. The information processing method according to claim 13, wherein the first communication unit carries out non-contact type communication via the first communication path.

15. The information processing method according to claim 13, wherein the first communication unit receives address information from the first external apparatus.

16. The information processing method according to claim 15, wherein the first communication unit receives a passcode from the first external apparatus.

17. The information processing method according to claim 16, wherein the controller controls a communication by the second communication unit based on the address information and the passcode.

18. The information processing method according to claim 15, wherein the controller controls a communication by the second communication unit based on the address information.

19. The information processing method according to claim 13, wherein a display unit displays information.

20. The information processing method according to claim 19, wherein the display unit is formed by a touch screen.