Information processing apparatus and method of controlling the same

• US 20070079141A1
• Filed: 09/19/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwaki, Tsutomu
• Granted Patent: US 7,437,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/189
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus provided with a communication section, and capable of communicating with an external device, the information processing apparatus including a detection section configured to detect that the information processing apparatus is powered up, and a section configured to make the communication section available, wherein after being made available, the communication section transmits information regarding the information processing apparatus to the external device.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus provided with a communication section, and capable of communicating with an external device, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a detection section configured to detect that the information processing apparatus is powered up; and

a section configured to make the communication section available,

wherein after being made available, the communication section transmits information regarding the information processing apparatus to the external device.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, which further comprises a starting section configured to start an operating system after the information regarding the information processing apparatus is transmitted to the external device.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, which further comprises a section configured to determine whether the information regarding the information processing apparatus is to be transmitted or not, and wherein when the section determines that the information regarding the information processing apparatus is to be transmitted, the communication section, after being made available, transmits the information regarding the information processing apparatus to the external device.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information regarding the information processing apparatus is stored in a nonvolatile memory section provided in one of a BIOS-ROM and a controller.

5. An information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an external device, and comprising:

a display section; and

a setting section to be displayed by the display section, and configured to enable or disable a function of transmitting information regarding the information processing apparatus to the external device by using the communication section, after the information processing apparatus is powered up.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the setting section includes a second setting section configured to set information for use in transmitting the information regarding the information processing apparatus to the external device.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the setting section includes an authentication section which is used when the information set by the second setting section is re-set.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, which further comprises a determination section configured to determine whether the function is enabled or disabled, in accordance with starting of the information processing apparatus, after the setting section enables or disables the function.

9. A communication control method executable in an information processing apparatus which is provided with a communication section, and is capable of communicating with an external device, the communication control method comprising:

detecting that the information processing apparatus is powered up;

making the communication section available; and

transmitting information regarding the information processing apparatus to the external device by using the communication section, after the communication section is made available.

10. The communication control method according to claim 9, which further comprises:

starting an operating system, after transmitting the information regarding the information processing apparatus to the external device.

11. The communication control method according to claim 9, which further comprises:

determining whether the information regarding the information processing apparatus is to be transmitted or not; and

transmitting the information regarding the information processing apparatus to the external device by using the communication section, after the communication section is made available, when it is determined that the information regarding the information processing apparatus is to be transmitted.

12. The information control method according to claim 9, which further comprises:

reading information regarding the information processing apparatus which is stored in a nonvolatile memory section provided in one of a BIOS-ROM and a controller, after the information processing apparatus is powered up.