PORTABLE TERMINAL APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING PORTABLE TERMINAL APPARATUS, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING COMMUNICATION APPARATUS

• US 20120084397A1
• Filed: 06/03/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shinohara, Masahito
• Granted Patent: US 9,094,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/06 including a wireless LAN interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

In order to solve the problem of performing data transmission between a server and a communication apparatus via a portable terminal apparatus at a high speed, the portable terminal apparatus is provided with: a first communication means which connects with a server on a network and communicates data, a second communication means which connects with the communication apparatus and performs data communication, a temporary storage means which temporarily stores data when relaying data communication between the server and the communication apparatus using the first communication means and the second communication means, and a control means which can control data communication performed by the first communication means and the second communication means asynchronously and in parallel when relaying data communication between the server and the communication apparatus.

Claims

1. A portable terminal apparatus comprising:

a first communication unit which connects to a server on a network and performs data transmission;

a second communication unit which connects to a communication apparatus and performs data transmission;

a temporary storage unit which, using said first communication unit and said second communication unit at the time of relaying a . communication of data between said server and said communication apparatus, temporarily stores said data; and

a control unit which controls said data communication of said first communication unit and said second communication unit asynchronously and in parallel at the time of relaying the communication of data between said server and said communication apparatus.

2. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said control unit, after temporarily storing at least one part of data received from either of said first communication unit or said second communication unit in said temporary storage unit, transmits said temporarily stored data in said temporarily storage unit by the other communication unit in parallel with continuing the reception of said data.

3. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the communication speed of said first communication unit is different from that of said second communication unit.

4. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said first communication unit performs mobile telephone communication via a cellular phone network, and connects with said network.

5. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said first communication unit performs a wireless LAN communication via an access point, and connects with said network.

6. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said second communication unit performs a wireless LAN communication.

7. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said second communication unit performs Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication.

8. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a monitoring unit which monitors a communication state of said first communication unit and that of said second communications unit respectively,

wherein said control unit independently controls said data communication of said first communication unit and said second communication unit according to said communication state.

9. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising an informing unit which informs said communication state to the user.

10. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a notifying unit which notifies said communication state to said server or said communication apparatus.

11. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a receiving unit which receives an inquiry of said communication state from said server or said communication apparatus,

wherein said notifying unit replies to said inquiry which said reception unit received and notifies said communication state to said server or said communication apparatus.

12. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said first communication unit receives a connection request from said communication apparatus to said server, and connects with said connection requested server.

13. A communication apparatus comprising:

a communication unit which connects with a server on a network via a portable terminal apparatus and performs communication;

a request unit which requests data communication with said server to said portable terminal apparatus;

a control unit which makes said portable)terminal apparatus carry out said data communication via said communication unit;

an inquiry unit which inquires the communication state of said data communication with said server to said portable terminal apparatus;

a reception unit which receives said communication state from said portable terminal apparatus; and

a presentation unit which presents said communication state that said reception unit received.

14. The communication apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising an informing unit which determines whether or not said data communication with said server ended based on said communication state that said reception unit received, and informs that said data communication to said server has ended to the user.

15. A communication system comprising:

a portable terminal apparatus; and

the communication apparatus according to claim 13;

wherein said portable terminal apparatus comprises;

a first communication unit which connects to a server on a network and performs data transmission;

a second communication unit which connects to a communication apparatus and performs data transmission;

a temporary storage unit which, using said first communication, unit and said second communication unit at the time of relaying a communication of data between said server and said communication apparatus, temporarily stores said data; and

a control unit which controls said data communication of said first communication unit and said second communication unit asynchronously and in parallel at the time of relaying the communication of data between said server and said communication apparatus,

wherein said portable terminal apparatus relays the communication of data between said communication apparatus and said server.

16. A control method of a portable terminal apparatus including a first communication unit that connects with a server on the network and performs data communication, a second communication unit that connects with a communication apparatus and performs data communication, and a temporary storage unit, comprising:

storing said data in said temporary storage unit when relaying communication of data between said server and said communication apparatus by using said first communication unit and second communication unit; and

controlling said data communication of said first communication unit and said second communication unit asynchronously and in parallel when relaying communication of data between said server and said communication apparatus.

17. A control method of a communication apparatus including a communication unit that connects with a server on the network via a portable terminal apparatus and performs communication, comprising:

requesting data communication with said server to said portable terminal apparatus;

making said portable terminal apparatus to carry out said data communication via said communication unit;

inquiring the communication state of said data communication with said server to said portable terminal apparatus;

receiving said communication state from said portable terminal apparatus; and

presenting said received communication state.

18. A computer-readable recording medium in which a control program of a portable terminal apparatus is recorded, wherein the control program makes the computer of the portable terminal execute process comprising:

a first communication procedure which connects with a server on a network and performs data communication;

a second communication procedure which connects with a communication apparatus and performs data communication;

a temporary storage procedure which, when relaying communication of data between said server and said communication apparatus in said first communication procedure and said second communication procedure, temporary stores said data in said temporary storage unit; and

a control procedure which controls, when relaying communication of data between said server and said communication apparatus, said data communication in said first communication procedure and said second communication procedure asynchronously and in parallel.

19. A computer-readable recording medium in which a control program of a communication apparatus is recorded, wherein the control program makes the computer of the portable terminal execute process comprising:

a communication procedure which connects with a server on a network via a portable terminal apparatus and performs communication;

a request procedure which requests data communication with said server to said portable terminal apparatus;

a control procedure which makes said portable terminal apparatus to carry out said data communication in said communication procedure;

an inquiry procedure which inquires the communication state of said data communication with said server of said portable terminal apparatus;

a receiving procedure which receives said communication state from said portable terminal apparatus; and

a presentation procedure which presents said received communication state.

20. A portable terminal apparatus comprising:

a first communication means which connects to a server on a network and performs data transmission;

a second communication means which connects to a communication apparatus and performs data transmission;

a temporary storage means which, using said first communication means and said second communication means at the time of relaying a communication of data between said server and said communication apparatus, temporarily stores said data; and

a control means which controls said data communication of said first communication means and said second communication means asynchronously and in parallel at the time of relaying the communication of data between said server and said communication apparatus.

21. A communication apparatus comprising:

a communication means which connects with a server on a network via a portable terminal apparatus and performs communication;

a request means which requests data communication with said server to said portable terminal apparatus;

a control means which makes said portable terminal apparatus carry out said data communication via said communication means;

an inquiry means which inquires the communication state of said data communication with said server to said portable terminal apparatus;

a reception means which receives said communication state from said portable terminal apparatus; and

a presentation means which presents said communication state that said reception means received.