Information processor, information processing method, program and recording medium

• US 20060132844A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kato, Wataru, Matsumoto, Kissei, Fukushima, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,813,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an information processor including, a first function portion including communication means for executing processing relating to communication of data, and communication managing means for controlling the communication means and for managing information representing whether or not the communication means is executing the processing relating to the communication of the data, a second function portion different from the first function portion, instructing means for issuing an instruction to stop the first function portion, determing means provided in the second function portion for, when the instructing means issues the instruction to stop the first function portion, determing based on the information managed by the communication managing means whether or not the communication means is executing the communication processing, and stopping means provided in the second function portion for, when the determing means determines that the communication means is executing the communication processing, stopping the first function portion after the communication processing is completed.

Claims

1. An information processor comprising:

a first function portion including communication means for executing processing relating to communication of data, and communication managing means for controlling said communication means and for managing information representing whether or not said communication means is executing the processing relating to the communication of the data;

a second function portion different from said first function portion;

instructing means for issuing an instruction to stop said first function portion;

determining means provided in said second function portion for, when said instructing means issues the instruction to stop said first function portion, determining based on the information managed by said communication managing means whether or not said communication means is executing the communication processing; and

stopping means provided in said second function portion for, when said determining means determines that said communication means is executing the communication processing, stopping said first function portion after the communication processing is completed.

2. The information processor according to claim 1, further comprising:

power supplying means for supplying a power used to drive said information processor itself; and

supply controlling means for controlling a supply of power to said first function portion by said power supplying means;

wherein said stopping means stops said first function portion by controlling said supply controlling means to stop the supply of power to said first function portion.

3. The information processor according to claim 1, wherein said second function portion executes processing relating to reproduction of content data.

4. The information processor according to claim 3, wherein said first function portion communicates with an other information processor to download content data, and records the content data in a recording medium installed in said second function portion, and said second function portion executes processing relating to reproduction of the content data recorded in said recording medium.

5. The information processor according to claim 4, wherein when said determining means determines that said communication means is downloading the content data, said stopping means stops said first function portion after the download is completed.

6. The information processor according to claim 1, further comprising presenting means for, when said instructing means issues the instruction to stop said first function portion, presenting based on the determined results obtained from said determining means whether or not said communication means is executing the communication processing.

7. An information processing method for use in an information processor including a first function portion having a communication step of executing processing relating to communication of data, and a communication managing step of controlling said communication step and of managing information representing whether or not the processing relating to the communication of the data is being executed in said communication step, and a second function portion having a function different from that of said first function portion, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an instruction to stop said first function portion;

determining based on the information managed in the processing of said communication managing step whether or not the communication processing is being executed in the processing of said communication step, when the instruction to stop said first function portion is received in the processing of an instruction receiving step, a determining step being executed in said second function portion, as one function of a plurality of function portions, different from said first function portion; and

stopping said first function portion after the communication processing is completed, when it is determined in the processing of said determining step that the communication processing is being executed in the processing of said communication step.

8. A computer readable program for making an information processor execute information processing, said information processor including a first function portion having a communication step of executing processing relating to communication of data, and a communication management step of controlling said communication step and of managing information representing whether or not the processing relating to the communication of the data is being executed in said communication step, and a second function portion having a function different from that of said first function portion, said program comprising instructions for executing the steps of:

receiving an instruction to stop said first function portion;

determining based on the information managed in the processing of said communication management step whether or not the communication processing is being executed in the processing of said communication step, when the instruction to stop said first function portion is received in the processing of an instruction reception step, said determining step being executed in said second function portion, as one function of a plurality of function portions, different from said first function portion; and

stopping said first function portion based on the determined results obtained from the processing of said determining step executed in said second function portion.

9. A recording medium having a computer readable program recorded, said program serving to make an information processor execute information processing, said information processor including a first function portion having a communication step of executing processing relating to communication of data, and a communication management step of controlling said communication step and of managing information representing whether or not the processing relating to the communication of the data is being executed in said communication step, and a second function portion having a function different from that of said first function portion, said program comprising instructions for executing the steps of:

receiving an instruction to stop said first function portion;

determining based on the information managed in the processing of said communication management step whether or not the communication processing is being executed in the processing of said communication step, when the instruction to stop said first function portion is received in the processing of an instruction reception step, said determining step being executed in said second function portion, as one function of a plurality of function portions, different from said first function portion; and

stopping said first function portion based on the determined results obtained from the processing of said determining step executed in said second function portion.

10. An information processor comprising:

a communication function portion for executing processing relating to communication of data;

a reproduction function portion for executing processing relating to reproduction of data of content containing data of content downloaded through communication with an other information processor made by said communication function portion;

first instructing means for issuing an instruction to activate or stop a predetermined function;

second instructing means for issuing an instruction to activate said communication function portion; and

power supplying means for, when said first instructing means issues the instruction to execute the predetermined function, supplying power to said reproduction function portion, for, when said second instructing means issues the instruction to activate said communication function portion, supplying power to said communication function portion, and for, when said first instructing means issues the instruction to stop said predetermined function, stopping a supply of power to said reproduction function portion and said communication function portion.

11. An information processing method for use in an information processor including

a communication function portion for executing processing relating to communication of data;

a reproduction function portion for executing processing relating to reproduction of data of content containing data of content downloaded through communication with an other information processor made by said communication function portion;

power supplying means for supplying a power required to drive said information processor;

first instructing means for issuing an instruction to activate or stop a predetermined function; and

second instructing means for issuing an instruction to activate said communication function portion;

wherein when said first instructing means issues the instruction to activate said predetermined function, said power supplying means supplies power to said reproduction function portion, when said second instructing means issues the instruction to activate said communication function portion, said power supplying means further supplies power to said communication function portion, and when said first instructing means issues the instruction to stop said predetermined function, said power supplying means stops a supply of power to said reproduction function portion and said communication function portion.