Wireless Communication Apparatus and Communication Control Method

• US 20080166966A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takagi, Kenji, Matsuo, Michiaki, Sakakibara, Mizuho, Saso, Atsushi, Hisatomi, Kenji, Hamasaki, Shogo
• Application Number:
  US11/793,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20080166966A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A wireless communication apparatus for performing wireless communication with another communication apparatus comprises: a contact sensor 101 operable to detect physical contact with the another communication apparatus; a short-range communication unit 102 operable to transmit management information required for a session of the wireless communication to the another communication apparatus, using a short-range communication method different from a method of the wireless communication; and a control unit 106 operable to cause the short-range communication unit 102 to transmit the management information in response to a detection of the physical contact by the contact sensor 101, and start the session with the another communication apparatus after the management information is transmitted.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus for performing wireless communication with another communication apparatus, comprising:

a detection unit operable to detect physical contact with the another communication apparatus;

a transmission unit operable to transmit 1^st management information required for a session of the wireless communication to the another communication apparatus, using a short-range communication method different from a method of the wireless communication; and

a communication control unit operable to cause the transmission unit to transmit, in response to a detection of the physical contact, the 1^st management information for a predetermined period of time, and start the session with the another communication apparatus after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

2. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a reception unit operable to, using the short-range communication method, receive 2^nd management information transmitted by the another communication apparatus, wherein

the communication control unit causes the reception unit to receive, in response to the detection of the physical contact, the 2^nd management information for one of the predetermined period of time and a predetermined reception period longer than the predetermined period of time, and performs the session based on the received 2^nd management information.

3. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the short-range communication method used by the transmission unit to transmit the 1^st management information uses a radio wave whose transmit power is smaller than a transmit power of a radio wave used for the wireless communication.

4. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the short-range communication method is a communication method for transmitting and receiving a signal to and from the another communication apparatus through a signal path via a point of the physical contact.

5. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the 1^st management information includes an apparatus address of the wireless communication apparatus, the apparatus address being used in the wireless communication.

6. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the 1^st management information includes an authentication key used in authentication of the wireless communication apparatus, and

the communication control unit authenticates communication with the another communication apparatus using the authentication key when starting the session.

7. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the 1^st management information includes an encryption key, and

the communication control unit, using the encryption key, encrypts data to be transmitted in the wireless communication and decrypts data received in the wireless communication.

8. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the detection unit detects the physical contact in a case where a contact detecting portion of the another communication apparatus comes in contact with a contact detecting portion of the wireless communication apparatus.

9. An integrated circuit of a wireless communication apparatus that performs wireless communication with another communication apparatus, comprising:

a detection receiving unit operable to receive a detection signal indicating a detection of physical contact between the wireless communication apparatus and the another communication apparatus;

a transmission unit operable to transmit management information required for a session of the wireless communication to the another communication apparatus, using a short-range communication method different from a method of the wireless communication; and

a communication control unit operable to cause the transmission unit to transmit, in response to reception of the detection signal by the detection receiving unit, the management information for a predetermined period of time, and start the session with the another communication apparatus after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

10. A communication control method used by a wireless communication apparatus that performs wireless communication with another communication apparatus, comprising:

a detection step of detecting physical contact between the wireless communication apparatus and the another communication apparatus;

a transmission step of transmitting, in response to a detection of the physical contact, management information required for a session of the wireless communication to the another communication apparatus for a predetermined period of time using a short-range communication method different from a method of the wireless communication; and

a start step of starting the session with the another communication apparatus after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

11. A computer program used for controlling a wireless communication apparatus that performs wireless communication with another communication apparatus, the computer program causing the wireless communication apparatus to execute:

a detection step of detecting physical contact between the wireless communication apparatus and the another communication apparatus;

a transmission step of transmitting, in response to a detection of the physical contact, management information required for a session of the wireless communication to the another communication apparatus for a predetermined period of time, using a short-range communication method different from a method of the wireless communication; and

a start step of starting the session with the another communication apparatus after the management information is transmitted predetermined period of time has elapsed.