Communication system, communication apparatus, communication method, and program

• US 20070124759A1
• Filed: 09/22/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Kenji, Sheng, Zhongyao, Hagimori, Masashige, Oryoji, Hiroshi, Sano, Ikuya, Toyama, Yoshihiro, Otani, Yomei
• Granted Patent: US 8,520,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/26 using dedicated tools for LAN [Local Area Network] management
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a communication system for enabling a first communication apparatus and second communication apparatuses to communicate with one another over a network. The first communication apparatus includes: a detection device; a display control device; a transmission device. The second communication apparatuses includes: a reception device; a notification device; an instruction device; and a registration device.

Claims

1. A communication system for enabling a first communication apparatus and second communication apparatuses to communicate with one another over a network;

wherein said first communication apparatus includes;

detection means configured to detect said second communication apparatuses connected to said network;

display control means configured to control display of a screen showing a list of the detected second communication apparatuses;

transmission means configured to transmit a first request to any one of said second communication apparatuses if that second communication apparatus is selected by a user from said list on the display, said first request requesting said second communication apparatus to give notification that said second communication apparatus has been selected,

wherein each of said second communication apparatuses includes;

reception means configured to receive said first request sent from said first communication apparatus; and

notification means configured to notify said user that said second communication apparatus has been selected in response to the received first request,

wherein, if said user performs an operation to register said first communication apparatus with said second communication apparatus, then said transmission means sends to said second communication apparatus a second request requesting said second communication apparatus to register said first communication apparatus;

wherein said reception means receives said second request sent from said first communication apparatus; and

wherein each of said second communication apparatuses further includes;

instruction means configured to give an instruction to register said first communication apparatus in response to an operation by said user upon receipt of said second request; and

registration means configured to register said first communication apparatus if the instruction to register said first communication apparatus is given in response to the operation by said user.

2. A communication apparatus for carrying out communications over a network, comprising:

detection means configured to detect other communication apparatuses connected to said network;

display control means configured to control display of a screen showing a list of the detected other communication apparatuses; and

transmission means configured to transmit a first request to any one of said other communication apparatuses if said another communication apparatus is selected by a user from said list on the display, said first request requesting the selected another communication apparatus to give notification that said another communication apparatus has been selected;

wherein, if said user performs an operation to register said communication apparatus with said another communication apparatus, then said transmission means sends to said another communication apparatus a second request requesting said another communication apparatus to register said communication apparatus.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

reception means configured to receive a response sent from said another communication apparatus in response to said first request, said response indicating that the notification given to said user by said another communication apparatus has succeeded,

wherein, if said user performs the operation to register said communication apparatus with said another communication apparatus, then said transmission means sends to said another communication apparatus said second request requesting said another communication apparatus to register said communication apparatus.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

registration means configured to register said another communication apparatus if an instruction to register said communication apparatus is given by said another communication apparatus in response to an operation by said user.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said reception means receives a response sent from said another communication apparatus in response to said second request, said response indicating that the registration of said communication apparatus with said another communication apparatus has been completed;

and

wherein said registration means registers said another communication apparatus on the basis of the received response.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, upon receipt of said response, said display control means controls the display of a screen on which said user performs the operation to register said another communication apparatus.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first request is a request requesting said another communication apparatus to blink a light emitting diode arrangement.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said first and said second requests includes information regarding a media access control address of said communication apparatus.

9. A communication method for use with a communication apparatus for carrying out communications over a network, said communication method comprising the steps of:

detecting other communication apparatuses connected to said network;

controlling display of a screen showing a list of the detected other communication apparatuses; and

controlling transmission of a first request to any one of said other communication apparatuses if said another communication apparatus is selected by a user from said list on the display, said first request requesting the selected another communication apparatus to give notification that said another communication apparatus has been selected,

wherein, if said user performs an operation to register said communication apparatus with said another communication apparatus, then said transmission controlling step controls transmission to said another communication apparatus of a second request requesting said another communication apparatus to register said communication apparatus.

10. A program for causing a computer to execute a procedure enabling a communication apparatus to carry out communications over a network, said procedure comprising the steps of:

detecting other communication apparatuses connected to said network;

controlling display of a screen showing a list of the detected other communication apparatuses; and

controlling transmission of a first request to any one of said other communication apparatuses if said another communication apparatus is selected by a user from said list on the display, said first request requesting the selected another communication apparatus to give notification that said another communication apparatus has been selected;

wherein, if said user performs an operation to register said communication apparatus with said another communication apparatus, then said transmission controlling step controls transmission to said another communication apparatus of a second request requesting said another communication apparatus to register said communication apparatus.

11. A communication apparatus for carrying out communications over a network, comprising:

reception means configured to receive a first request sent from another communication apparatus connected to said network, said first request requesting that a user of said communication apparatus be notified that said communication apparatus has been selected by said another communication apparatus; and

notification means configured to notify said user that said communication apparatus has been selected in response to the received first request;

wherein said reception means receives a second request sent from said another communication apparatus, said second request requesting registration of said another communication apparatus; and

wherein said communication apparatus further includes;

instruction means configured to give an instruction to register said another communication apparatus in response to an operation by said user upon receipt of said second request; and

registration means configured to register said another communication apparatus if the instruction to register said another communication apparatus is given in response to the operation by said user.

12. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising

transmission means configured to transmit a response to said another communication apparatus when said user is notified that said communication apparatus has been selected in response to said first request, said response indicating that the notification given to said user has succeeded,

wherein said reception means receives said second request sent from said another communication apparatus in response to said response.

13. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said notification means is constituted by a light emitting diode arrangement.

14. The communication apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising

notification control means configured to control said light emitting diode arrangement in such a manner that a blinking speed of said light emitting diode arrangement in effect when said first request is received from said another communication apparatus is different from the blinking speed in effect when the instruction to register said another communication apparatus is given in response to the operation by said user.

15. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein, if the registration of said another communication apparatus has succeeded, then said transmission means transmits a response to said another communication apparatus, said response indicating that the registration of said another communication apparatus has been completed.

16. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of said first and said second requests includes information regarding a media access control address of said another communication apparatus.

17. The communication apparatus according to claim 16, wherein, upon receipt of said second request, said registration means compares the information regarding the media access control address included in said first request with the information regarding the media access control address included in said second request, and registers said another communication apparatus if there is a match between the two kinds of information compared.

18. A communication method for use with a communication apparatus for carrying out communications over a network, said communication method comprising the steps of:

controlling reception of a first request sent from another communication apparatus connected to said network, said first request requesting that a user of said communication apparatus be notified that said communication apparatus has been selected by said another communication apparatus; and

notifying said user that said communication apparatus has been selected in response to the received first request;

wherein said reception controlling step controls reception of a second request sent from said another communication apparatus, said second request requesting registration of said another communication apparatus; and

wherein said communication method further includes the steps of;

giving an instruction to register said another communication apparatus in response to an operation by said user upon receipt of said second request; and

registering said another communication apparatus if the instruction to register said another communication apparatus is given in response to the operation by said user.

19. A program for causing a computer to execute a procedure enabling a communication apparatus to carry out communications over a network, said procedure comprising the steps of:

controlling reception of a first request sent from another communication apparatus connected to said network, said first request requesting that a user of said communication apparatus be notified that said communication apparatus has been selected by said another communication apparatus; and

notifying said user that said communication apparatus has been selected in response to the received first request;

wherein said reception controlling step controls reception of a second request sent from said another communication apparatus, said second request requesting registration of said another communication apparatus; and

wherein said procedure further includes the steps of;

giving an instruction to register said another communication apparatus in response to an operation by said user upon receipt of said second request; and

registering said another communication apparatus if the instruction to register said another communication apparatus is given in response to the operation by said user.

20. A communication apparatus for carrying out communications over a network, comprising:

a detection device configured to detect other communication apparatuses connected to said network;

a display control device configured to control display of a screen showing a list of the detected other communication apparatuses; and

a transmission device configured to transmit a first request to any one of said other communication apparatuses if said another communication apparatus is selected by a user from said list on the display, said first request requesting the selected another communication apparatus to give notification that said another communication apparatus has been selected,

wherein, if said user performs an operation to register said communication apparatus with said another communication apparatus, then said transmission device sends to said another communication apparatus a second request requesting said another communication apparatus to register said communication apparatus.

21. A communication apparatus for carrying out communications over a network, comprising:

a reception device configured to receive a first request sent from another communication apparatus connected to said network, said first request requesting that a user of said communication apparatus be notified that said communication apparatus has been selected by said another communication apparatus; and

a notification device configured to notify said user that said communication apparatus has been selected in response to the received first request;

wherein said reception device receives a second request sent from said another communication apparatus, said second request requesting registration of said another communication apparatus; and

wherein said communication apparatus further includes;

an instruction device configured to give an instruction to register said another communication apparatus in response to an operation by said user upon receipt of said second request; and

a registration device configured to register said another communication apparatus if the instruction to register said another communication apparatus is given in response to the operation by said user.