WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE, PROGRAM, WIRELESS COMMUNICATION METHOD, AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20110182207A1
• Filed: 01/13/2011
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Saito, Erika, Sato, Masanori, Naito, Masahiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,908,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

Provided is a wireless communication device including a communication unit, a storage unit that stores information of one wireless communication device forming a same communication group as the wireless communication device, received by the communication unit, and a control unit that discloses the information of the one wireless communication device during an information disclosure period initiated based on user operation for connecting the one wireless communication device forming the communication group and another wireless communication device and does not disclose the information of the one wireless communication device during another period.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

a communication unit;

a storage unit that stores information of one wireless communication device forming a same communication group as the wireless communication device, received by the communication unit; and

a control unit that discloses the information of the one wireless communication device during an information disclosure period initiated based on user operation for connecting the one wireless communication device forming the communication group and another wireless communication device, and does not disclose the information of the one wireless communication device during another period.

2. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit initiates the information disclosure period when a signal transmitted from said one wireless communication device based on the user operation on said one wireless communication device is received by the communication unit.

3. The wireless communication device according to claim 2, wherein

the control unit measures an elapsed time from initiation of the information disclosure period and, after a predetermined time is elapsed, terminates the information disclosure period.

4. The wireless communication device according to claim 2, wherein

the control unit terminates the information disclosure period when a connection process between said one wireless communication device and said another wireless communication device reaches a predetermined stage.

5. The wireless communication device according to claim 4, wherein

the control unit terminates the information disclosure period when a signal transmitted from said one wireless communication device based on completion of connection between said one wireless communication device and said another wireless communication device is received by the communication unit.

6. The wireless communication device according to claim 4, wherein

the control unit terminates the information disclosure period when a signal transmitted from said one wireless communication device after transmission and reception of a connection permission message between said one wireless communication device and said another wireless communication device is received by the communication unit.

7. The wireless communication device according to any one of claim 1, wherein

when the wireless communication device forms a same communication group with a plurality of wireless communication devices and the storage unit stores information of the plurality of wireless communication devices, the control unit discloses only information of said one wireless communication device on which the user operation is performed among the information of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

8. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein

when the user operation is performed on the wireless communication device, the control unit initiates the information disclosure period, measures an elapsed time from initiation of the information disclosure period and, after a predetermined time is elapsed, terminates the information disclosure period.

9. A program causing a computer to function as a wireless communication device comprising:

a communication unit;

a storage unit that stores information of one wireless communication device forming a same communication group as the wireless communication device, received by the communication unit; and

a control unit that discloses the information of the one wireless communication device during an information disclosure period initiated based on user operation for connecting the one wireless communication device forming the communication group and another wireless communication device, and does not disclose the information of the one wireless communication device during another period.

10. A wireless communication method comprising steps of:

receiving, by a wireless communication device, information of one wireless communication device forming a same communication group as the wireless communication device;

recording the information of the one wireless communication device into a storage medium; and

disclosing the information of the one wireless communication device during an information disclosure period initiated based on user operation for connecting the one wireless communication device forming the communication group and another wireless communication device, and not disclosing the information of the one wireless communication device during another period.

11. A wireless communication system comprising:

a first wireless communication device; and

a second wireless communication device forming a same communication group as the first wireless communication device, wherein

the first wireless communication device transmits a signal to the second wireless communication device upon detecting user operation for making connection to another wireless communication device, and

the second wireless communication device includes

a communication unit,

a storage unit that stores information of the first wireless communication device received by the communication unit, and

a control unit that discloses the information of the first wireless communication device during an information disclosure period initiated based on receiving the signal from the first wireless communication device, and does not disclose the information of the first wireless communication device during another period.