INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM

• US 20120001733A1
• Filed: 06/23/2011
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Abeno, Takashi, Kousaka, Satoshi
• Application Number:
  US13/167,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20120001733A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

There is provided an information processing apparatus including a retrieval unit for obtaining an activator for preparing activation of a communication function of the information processing apparatus and a driver for activating the communication function of the information processing apparatus, an execution unit for executing the activator and the driver obtained by the retrieval unit, a storage unit for causing the execution unit to execute the activator and obtaining an activation key representing the communication function allowed to be activated in the information processing apparatus, and an activation unit for causing the execution unit to execute the driver and activating the communication function, allowed to be activated in the information processing apparatus, indicated by the activation key.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an activator retrieval unit for obtaining an activator for preparing activation of a communication function of the information processing apparatus;

an activator execution unit for executing the activator obtained by the activator retrieval unit;

an activation information retrieval unit for obtaining activation information representing a communication function allowed to be activated in the information processing apparatus in accordance with the activator execution unit executes the activator;

a driver retrieval unit for obtaining a driver for activating the communication function of the information processing apparatus;

a driver execution unit for executing the driver obtained by the driver retrieval unit; and

an activation unit for activating the communication function allowed to be activated in the information processing apparatus indicated by the activation information in accordance with the driver execution unit executes the driver.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the activation information is an activation key.

3. The information processing apparatus according claim 1,

wherein the activator retrieval unit obtains the activator when a password is authenticated.

4. The information processing apparatus according claim 1,

wherein activation unit activates the communication function when a one time password is authenticated.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a setting unit for setting the activation key to a storage unit,

wherein the activation unit activates the communication function, allowed to be activated in the information processing apparatus, indicated by the activation key set in the storage unit.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a detection unit for detecting connection of a communication device to the information processing apparatus; and

a communication device information retrieval unit, wherein when the detection unit detects connection of the communication device to the information processing apparatus, the communication device information retrieval unit obtains information about the communication device held in a storage unit of the communication device,

wherein the activator retrieval unit obtains the activator for preparing activation of the communication function of the communication standard of the communication device in the information processing apparatus, on the basis of the information about the communication device obtained by the communication device information retrieval unit.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a communication standard determination unit for determining the communication standard of the communication device, on the basis of the information about the communication device obtained by the communication device information retrieval unit;

a communication function activation determination unit for determining whether the communication function of the communication standard of the communication device determined by the communication standard determination unit is activated or not in the information processing apparatus; and

a transmission unit, wherein when the communication function of the communication standard of the communication device is determined not to be activated in the information processing apparatus as a result of the determination made by the communication function activation determination unit, the transmission unit transmits, to a server, activation possibility determination information with which the server determines whether the communication function can be activated or not,

wherein the activator retrieval unit obtains the activator for preparing activation of the communication function of the communication standard of the communication device in the information processing apparatus, which is determined to be obtainable when the server determines that the communication function of the communication standard of the communication device in the information processing apparatus can be activated on the basis of the activation possibility determination information.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the activation possibility determination information includes one time password that is input from a communication medium communicating with the communication device.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a setting unit for setting the activation key to a storage unit;

a reference unit for looking up the storage unit when the driver execution unit executes the driver;

a setting determination unit for determining whether the activation key is set to the storage unit or not as a result of the look-up by the reference unit; and

a validity determination unit, wherein when the activation key is determined to be set to the storage unit as a result of the determination made by the setting determination unit, the validity determination unit determines whether the activation key set in the storage unit is valid or not,

wherein when the activation key set in the storage unit is determined to be valid as a result of the determination made by the validity determination unit, the activation unit activates the communication function, allowed to be activated in the information processing apparatus, indicated by the activation key set in the storage unit.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the validity determination unit determines whether the activation key is valid or not on the basis of a one time password.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the transmission unit transmits, to the server, the activation possibility determination information attached with application unique information of application desired to be used by a user in the information processing apparatus, and

the activator retrieval unit further obtains an activator for activating a function of the application from the server.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the transmission unit transmits, to the server, the activation possibility determination information attached with unique information of a card scanned over the communication device by a user, and

the activator retrieval unit further obtains an activator for activating the communication function in unit of particular card from the server.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the transmission unit transmits, to the server, the activation possibility determination information attached with information about an individual identifier of the communication device, and

the activator retrieval unit further obtains an activator for activating the communication function in unit of destination and individual product of particular communication device from the server.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the transmission unit transmits, to the server, the activation possibility determination information attached with time and date information, and

the activator retrieval unit further obtains an activator for activating the communication function in unit of lot of particular communication device from the server.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the transmission unit transmits, to the server, the activation possibility determination information attached with information about I/F and information about internal/external type, and

the activator retrieval unit further obtains an activator for activating the communication function in unit of I/F and type of particular communication device from the server.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the transmission unit transmits, to the server, the activation possibility determination information attached with information about vendor ID and product ID, and

the activator retrieval unit further obtains an activator for activating the communication function in unit of product of particular communication device from the server.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the password is a one time password.

18. An information processing method comprising:

obtaining an activator for preparing activation of a communication function of an information processing apparatus;

executing the activator obtained by in the activator retrieval step;

obtaining an activation key representing a communication function allowed to be activated in the information processing apparatus in accordance with the activator is executed in the activator execution step;

obtaining a driver for activating the communication function of the information processing apparatus;

executing the driver obtained in the driver retrieval step; and

activating the communication function, allowed to be activated in the information processing apparatus, indicated by the activation key in accordance with the driver is executed in the driver execution step.

19. A program for causing a computer to function as:

an activator retrieval unit for obtaining an activator for preparing activation of a communication function of an information processing apparatus;

an activator execution unit for executing the activator obtained by the activator retrieval unit;

an activation key retrieval unit for obtaining an activation key representing a communication function allowed to be activated in the information processing apparatus in accordance with the activator execution unit executes the activator;

a driver retrieval unit for obtaining a driver for activating the communication function of the information processing apparatus;

a driver execution unit for executing the driver obtained by the driver retrieval unit; and

an activation unit for activating the communication function, allowed to be activated in the information processing apparatus, indicated by the activation key in accordance with the driver execution unit executes the driver.