Communication apparatus and method

• US 20070026845A1
• Filed: 09/08/2004
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakano, Takehiko
• Application Number:
  US10/571,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20070026845A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

A communication apparatus and method configured to allow content, for which a communication range is limited, to be transmitted properly. A control section has communication suitability determination flags corresponding to terminals available of communicating, and sets 1 for a communication suitability determination flag corresponding to a terminal if the terminal is determined to be able to communicate by a communication suitability determination section. The control section also resets the communication suitability determination flag when a move of a terminal has been detected by a move detection section. The control section transmits the content to the terminal, for which the communication suitability determination flag is 1. The apparatus and method are applicable to content distribution apparatus.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus for transmitting content for which a communication range is limited, to another communication apparatus via a local network, comprising:

content management means for managing the content;

communication suitability determination means for transmitting data for generating authentication data for the another communication apparatus and a response requesting command for requesting return of the authentication data generated on the basis of the data as a response message, to the another communication apparatus, determining whether or not the another communication apparatus is an apparatus available of communicating, on the basis of a response time from the transmission of the response requesting command to reception of the response message corresponding to the response requesting command and of the authentication data incorporated into the response message, and storing determination result information indicating a result of the determination;

transmission control means for transmitting the content managed by the content management means to the another communication apparatus on the basis of the determination result information stored in the communication suitability determination means; and

power supply condition detection means for detecting whether an AC power supply plug of the communication apparatus is plugged in or out,

wherein the transmission control means, when transmitting the content to the another communication apparatus and if the determination result information indicates that the another communication apparatus is not an apparatus available of communicating, causes the communication suitability determination means to make the determination, and transmits the content to the another communication apparatus on the basis of a result of the determination, and if the determination result information indicates that the another communication apparatus is an apparatus available of communicating, acquires determination result information which is managed by the another communication apparatus and which indicates that the communication apparatus is or is not an apparatus available of communicating with the another communication apparatus, and transmits the content to the another communication apparatus on the basis of the acquired determination result information, and

rewrites the determination result information to indicate that the another communication apparatus is not an apparatus available of communicating, if a change of the power supply condition has been detected by the power supply condition detection means.

2-7. -7. (canceled)

8. A communication method for a communication apparatus that transmits content for which a communication range is limited, to another communication apparatus via a local network, comprising:

a content management step of managing the content;

a communication suitability determination step of transmitting data for generating authentication data for the another communication apparatus and a response requesting command for requesting return of the authentication data generated on the basis of the data as a response message, to the another communication apparatus, determining whether or not the another communication apparatus is an apparatus available of communicating, on the basis of a response time from the transmission of the response requesting command to reception of the response message corresponding to the response requesting command and of the authentication data incorporated into the response message, and storing determination result information indicating a result of the determination;

a transmission control step of transmitting the content managed in the content management step to the another communication apparatus on the basis of the determination result information stored in the communication suitability determination step; and

a power supply condition detection step of detecting whether an AC power supply plug of the communication apparatus is plugged in or out,

wherein the transmission control step, when transmitting the content to the another communication apparatus and if the determination result information indicates that the another communication apparatus is not an apparatus available of communicating, causes the communication suitability determination step to make the determination, and transmits the content to the another communication apparatus on the basis of a result of the determination, and if the determination result information indicates that the another communication apparatus is an apparatus available of communicating, acquires determination result information which is managed by the another communication apparatus and which indicates that the communication apparatus is or is not an apparatus available of communicating with the another communication apparatus, and transmits the content to the another communication apparatus on the basis of the acquired determination result information, and

rewrites the determination result information to indicate that the another communication apparatus is not an apparatus available of communicating, if a change of the power supply condition has been detected in the power supply condition detection step.