Electronic equipment communication system, external device for the communication system, electronic equipment and electronic equipment communication method

• US 20020016908A1
• Filed: 07/13/2001
• Published: 02/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 6,871,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4415 Self describing peripheral devices

Abstract

An electronic equipment communication system has electronic equipment and an external device to be connected to the electronic equipment. Communication between the external device and electronic equipment takes place when they are connected to each other and the external device has a program recording unit, in which a control program is recorded that controls the external device itself, and a program output unit, which outputs to the electronic equipment a control program stored in this program recording unit in response to requests from the connected electronic equipment, The electronic equipment controls the external device based on a control program outputted from the program output unit. Because the external device is controlled by the optimal control program recorded in the program recording unit, the performance of the external device can be fully elicited.

Claims

1. An electronic equipment communication system comprising electronic equipment and an external device that is connected to the electronic equipment, and by which communication takes place there between them, wherein said external device includes:

a program recording unit in which a control program that controls the external device is recorded, and

a program output unit that outputs the control program recorded in said program recording unit to said electronic equipment in response to a request from said electronic equipment connected to said external device, and

said electronic equipment controls said external device based on a control program outputted from said program output unit.

2. The electronic equipment communication system as described in claim 1, wherein said external device is a controller.

3. The electronic equipment communication system as described in claims 1 or 2, wherein said external device and said electronic equipment each have an authentication means that authenticates whether the connection between said external device and said electronic equipment is a correct connection prior to an output of said control program.

4. The electronic equipment communication system as described in claims 1 or 2, wherein said electronic equipment has a nonvolatile main body-side program recording unit that stores control programs that control connected external devices, and a program judgement means that compares and judges control programs recorded in said main body-side program recording unit and said program recording unit.

5. The electronic equipment communication system as described in claim 3, wherein said electronic equipment has a nonvolatile main body-side program recording unit that stores control programs that control connected external devices, and a program judgment means that compares and judges control programs recorded in said main body-side program recording unit and said program recording unit.

6. The electronic equipment communication system as described in claim 4, wherein said electronic equipment has a program writing means that writes into said main body-side program recording unit the control program that is outputted from said program output unit.

7. The electronic equipment communication system as described in claims 1 or 2, wherein said electronic equipment has a nonvolatile main body-side program recording unit that stores control programs that control connected external devices, and a program judgment means that compares and judges control programs recorded in said main body-side program recording unit and said program recording unit.

8. An external device which is connectable to electronic equipment to provide communication with said electronic equipment, the external device comprising:

a program recording unit which is used by the electronic equipment in which a control program that controls the external device is recorded, and

a program output unit that outputs said control program recorded in said program recording unit, to the electronic equipment in response to a request from the electronic equipment.

9. The external device as described in claim 8, wherein said external device is a controller.

10. The external device as described in claims 8 or 9, further comprising an authentication means that, when the external device is connected to the electronic equipment, encodes and outputs its own identification signal prior to an output of said control program.

11. Electronic equipment to which an external device is connectable to provide communication of the electronic equipment with the external device, the electronic equipment comprising an authentication means that decodes an identification signal encoded and outputted from said external device and authenticates whether a correct external device has been connected to the electronic equipment.

12. The electronic equipment as described in claim 11, wherein said external device is a controller.

13. The electronic equipment as described in claims 11 or 12, further comprising a nonvolatile main body-side program recording unit that stores a control program that controls the external device connected to the electronic equipment and a program judgment means that compares and judges control programs recorded in said main body-side program recording unit and the control program that is to be outputted from said external device and controls the external device.

14. The electronic equipment as described in claim 13, further comprising a program writing means that writes into said main body-side program recording unit the control program that is outputted from said external device.

16. The electronic equipment communication method as described in claim 15, wherein said external device is a controller.

19. The electronic equipment communication method as described in claim 17, further comprising the steps of comparing and judging in a program judgment means of the electronic equipment respective control programs recorded in a nonvolatile main body-side program recording unit of the external device, that stores a control program which controls external devices connected to said electronic equipment, and in said program recording unit.

20. The electronic equipment communication method as described in claim 18, and further comprising the steps of comparing and judging in a program writing procedure that writes into said main body-side program recording unit the control program that is supplied from said program recording unit according to the results of said program judgment procedure.

21. The electronic equipment communication method as described in claim 19, further comprising the steps of comparing and judging in a program writing procedure that writes into said main body-side program recording unit the control program that is supplied from said program recording unit according to the results of said program judgment procedure.

15. An electronic equipment communication method comprising a program output procedure that is carried out between an electronic equipment and an external device that is connectable to the electronic equipment, and

an external device control procedure by which said electronic equipment performs control of said external device based on a control program outputted from said external device.

17. The electronic equipment communication method as described in claims 15 or 16, comprising the steps of authenticating in an authentication means of the electronic equipment, prior to said program output procedure, whether a connection between the electronic equipment and the external device is the correct connection.

18. The electronic equipment communication method as described in claims 15 or 16, further comprising the steps of comparing and judging in a program judgment means of the electronic equipment respective control programs recorded in a nonvolatile main body-side program recording unit of the external device that stores a control program that controls external devices connected to said electronic equipment, and in said program recording unit.