Terminal, network apparatus, network apparatus searching system including the terminal and the network apparatus, and network apparatus searching method

• US 20100169473A1
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp NEC Display Solutions, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: NEC Display Solutions, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsuruzono, Kengo
• Granted Patent: US 8,756,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention has as its object providing a terminal capable of accurately searching for an apparatus installed near a user. The terminal connected to a network apparatus through a network includes a display section which performs a displaying operation and position searching means which, on receiving an instruction to make a search for the network apparatus, transmits a signal indicating specific content and then, on receiving a response signal from the network apparatus that receives the signal through the network, causes the display section to display information that shows that the network apparatus transmitting the response signal has received the signal.

Claims

1. A terminal connected to a network apparatus through a network comprising:

a display section which performs a displaying operation; and

position searching means which, on receiving an instruction to make a search for the network apparatus, transmits a signal indicating specific content and then, on receiving a response signal from the network apparatus that receives the signal through the network, causes the display section to display information showing that the network apparatus that transmitted the response signal has received the signal.

2. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the position searching means comprises:

a loudspeaker which outputs speech with the specific content shown in the signal; and

a CPU which, on receiving an instruction to make a search for the network apparatus, causes the loudspeaker to transmit the speech with the signal.

3. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the position searching means comprises:

ultrasonic wave transmitting means which outputs the signal carried by an ultrasonic wave; and

a CPU which, on receiving an instruction to make a search for the network apparatus, causes the ultrasonic wave transmitting means to transmit the signal carried by the ultrasonic wave.

4. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the position searching means, on receiving the response signal of the signal and reception intensity from each of a plurality of network apparatuses, causes the display section to display information indicating each network apparatus based on the reception intensity.

14. The terminal according to claim 2, wherein

the position searching means, on receiving the response signal of the signal and reception intensity from each of a plurality of network apparatuses, causes the display section to display information indicating each network apparatus based on the reception intensity.

15. The terminal according to claim 3, wherein

the position searching means, on receiving the response signal of the signal and reception intensity from each of a plurality of network apparatuses, causes the display section to display information indicating each network apparatus based on the reception intensity.

5. A network apparatus connected to a terminal through a network comprising:

receiving means which receives a signal indicating specific content when the terminal transmits the signal; and

responding means which determines whether the receiving means has received the signal based on the output signal of the receiving means and which transmits a response signal indicating that the network apparatus has received the signal transmitted to the terminal if the responding means has determined that the receiving means has received the signal.

6. The network apparatus according to claim 5, wherein,

if the responding means has determined that the receiving means has not received the signal, the responding means transmits the response signal, indicating that the network apparatus has not received the signal, to the terminal.

7. The network apparatus according to claim 5, wherein,

the responding means comprises:

a communication section which communicates with the terminal through the network;

measuring means which measures the intensity of the signal if the receiving means has received the signal; and

a CPU which causes the communication section to transmit the response signal indicating the value measured by the measuring means to the terminal.

16. The network apparatus according to claim 6, wherein,

the responding means comprises:

a communication section which communicates with the terminal through the network;

measuring means which measures the intensity of the signal if the receiving means has received the signal; and

a CPU which causes the communication section to transmit the response signal indicating the value measured by the measuring means to the terminal.

8. A network apparatus searching system comprising a terminal and a network apparatus connected to the terminal through a network, wherein,

the terminal includes:

a display section which performs a displaying operation; and

position searching means which, on receiving an instruction to make a search for the network apparatus, transmits a signal indicating a specific content and then, on receiving a response signal from the network apparatus that receives the signal through the network, causes the display section to display information that shows that the network apparatus transmitting the response signal has received the signal; and

the network apparatus includes;

receiving means which receives the signal when the terminal transmits the signal; and

responding means which determines whether the receiving means has received the signal based on the output signal of the receiving means and which transmits the response signal indicating that the network apparatus has received the signal to the terminal if the responding means has determined that the receiving means has received the signal.

9. The network apparatus searching system according to claim 8 further comprising:

a communication section which communicates with the terminal through the network;

measuring means which measures the intensity of the signal if the receiving means has received the signal; and

a first CPU which causes the communication section to transmit the response signal indicating the value measured by the measuring means to the terminal, wherein

the position searching means includes a second CPU which causes the display section to display the information in which the name of the network apparatus transmitting the response signal is associated with the measurement value indicated in the response signal, on receiving the response signal.

10. The network apparatus searching system according to claim 8, wherein

the responding means includes:

a communication section which communicates with the terminal through the network;

measuring means which measures the reception intensity of the signal if the receiving means has received the signal; and

a first CPU which causes the communication section to transmit the reception intensity and the response signal to the terminal; and

the position searching means includes a second CPU which causes the display section to display information indicating each network apparatus based on each reception intensity on receiving the response signal and on the reception signal from the plurality of network apparatus.

11. A network apparatus searching method used in a terminal connected to a network apparatus through a network comprising:

transmitting a signal indicating a specific content on receipt of an instruction to search for the network apparatus; and

displaying information showing that the network apparatus that transmits a response signal has received the signal on receipt of the response signal from the network apparatus receiving the signal through the network.

12. The network apparatus searching method according to claim 11 further comprising:

transmitting the speech signal of speech on receipt of an instruction to search for the network apparatus.

13. The network apparatus searching method according to claim 11 further comprising:

transmitting the signal of an ultrasonic wave on receipt of an instruction to search for the network apparatus.