INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, COMPUTER PROGRAM AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20100257265A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hamada, Masashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,645,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

An information processing provided with a wireless communication unit adapted to communicate with a wireless network formed by a control apparatus, comprises: a first sending unit adapted to send a probe signal including identification data of the network via the wireless communication unit; a receiving unit adapted to receive a response signal to the probe signal from another information processing apparatus associated with the control apparatus via the wireless communication unit; and a determination unit adapted to determine an information processing apparatus capable of direct link communication, based on the response signal received by the receiving unit.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus provided with a wireless communication unit adapted to communicate with a wireless network formed by a control apparatus, said information processing apparatus comprising:

a first sending unit adapted to send a probe signal including identification data of said network via said wireless communication unit;

a receiving unit adapted to receive a response signal to said probe signal from another information processing apparatus associated with said control apparatus via said wireless communication unit; and

a determination unit adapted to determine an information processing apparatus capable of direct link communication, based on said response signal received by said receiving unit.

2. The information processing apparatus described in claim 1, wherein said response signal includes device identification data which identifies an information processing apparatus which has transmitted said response signal, and further comprising

an identification unit adapted to identify an information processing apparatus which has transmitted said response signal based on said device identification data included in said response signal.

3. The information processing apparatus described in claim 1, wherein when information indicating an information processing apparatus associated with said control apparatus is included in said response signal, said determination unit determines, that communication by direct link with the information processing apparatus which transmitted said response signal is possible.

4. The information processing apparatus described in claim 1, further comprising:

an acquisition unit adapted to acquire list information from other information processing apparatus via said network regarding stream data providable by the other information processing apparatus; and

a display control unit adapted to display a list of providable stream data for each information processing apparatus on a display unit, based on list information acquired by said acquisition unit.

5. The information processing apparatus described in claim 4, wherein said response signal further includes capacity information which indicates usable communication capacity of a communication channel used for stream data transfer, and

said display control unit displays stream data communicable via said communication channel to be identifiable, based on said capacity information.

6. The information processing apparatus described in claim 1, wherein said response signal includes information regarding communication capacity by direct link, and

said determination unit determines information processing apparatuses capable of communication by direct link based on information regarding said communication capacity by direct link included in said response signal.

7. The information processing apparatus described in claim 1, further comprising;

a second sending unit adapted to send said probe signal when performing communication with another information processing apparatus via said control apparatus using said communication channel, based on a link quality of communication with the other information processing apparatus; and

a communication control unit adapted to switch communication via said control apparatus to communication by direct link when said response signal corresponding to said probe signal is received and when said determination unit determines that communication by direct link with said other information processing apparatus is possible.

8. The information processing apparatus described in claim 1, further comprising;

a second sending unit adapted to send said probe signal when performing communication with another information processing apparatus via said control apparatus using said communication channel, based on reception of a setting request of a communication channel transmitted from another external apparatus; and

a communication control unit adapted to switch communication via said control apparatus to communication by direct link when said response signal corresponding to said probe signal is received and when said determination unit determines that communication by direct link with said other information processing apparatus is possible.

18. A computer program for enabling a computer to function as an information processing apparatus described in claim 1.

19. A computer-readable storage medium storing the computer program described in claim 18.

9. An information processing apparatus provided with a wireless communication unit adapted to communicate with a wireless network formed by a control apparatus, said information processing apparatus comprising:

a sending unit adapted to send a probe signal including identification data of said network via said wireless communication unit;

a receiving unit adapted to receive a response signal to said probe signal from another information processing apparatus operating under the control of said control apparatus via said wireless communication unit; and

a determination unit adapted to determine said other information processing apparatus associated with said control apparatus and existing in a range which enables direct communication with said information processing apparatus based on the response signal received by the receiving unit.

10. An information processing apparatus, equipped with a wireless communication unit adapted to communication with a wireless network formed by a control apparatus, and associated with said control apparatus, said information processing apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit adapted to receive a probe signal including network identification data from another external apparatus via said wireless communication unit; and

a sending control unit adapted to send a response signal to said probe signal via said wireless communication unit when said identification data included in the received said probe signal indicates a network to which said information processing apparatus belongs.

11. The information processing apparatus described in claim 10, wherein said response signal includes information indicating an association with said control apparatus.

12. The information processing apparatus described in claim 10, wherein said response signal includes device identification data for identifying said information processing apparatus.

13. The information processing apparatus described in claim 10, wherein a communication channel used for stream data transfer between another external apparatus may be set, and

said response signal further includes information Indicating a communication capacity usable by said communication channel.

14. The information processing apparatus described in claim 10, wherein said response signal includes information indicating whether communication by direct link is possible.

15. An information processing system equipped with a plurality of information processing apparatuses capable of mutual communication through a wireless network, wherein said plurality of information processing apparatuses include:

a first information processing apparatus comprising

a first sending unit adapted to send a probe signal including identification data of said network by a wireless communication unit, and

a determination unit adapted to determine, when receiving a response signal to said probe signal, an information processing apparatus capable of direct link communication based on said response signal; and

a second information apparatus comprising a second sending unit adapted to send a response signal when said probe signal is received and said identification data included in said probe signal indicates a network to which said information processing apparatus belongs.

16. A control method for an information processing apparatus provided with a wireless communication unit adapted to communicate with a wireless network formed by a control apparatus, said control method comprising the steps of:

sending a probe signal including identification data of said network via said wireless communication unit;

receiving a response signal to said probe signal from an external apparatus via said wireless communication unit; and

determining an information processing apparatus capable of direct link communication, based on said response signal received in said receiving step.

17. A control method for an information processing apparatus provided with a wireless communication unit adapted to communicate with a wireless network formed by a control apparatus, and associated with said control apparatus, said control method comprising the steps of:

receiving a probe signal including network identification data from an external apparatus via said wireless communication unit; and

sending a response signal to said probe signal via said wireless communication unit when said identification data included in the received said probe signal indicates a network to which said information processing apparatus belongs.