WIRELESS COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, WIRELESS COMMUNICATION METHOD, PROGRAM, AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20120218918A1
• Filed: 01/27/2012
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Itoh, Katsutoshi, Yamaura, Tomoya, Sato, Masanori, Suzuki, Hideyuki, TAKAE, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 11,115,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Provided is a wireless communication apparatus including an application, a communication control unit for controlling a search process for discovering at least one peripheral wireless communication apparatus and a connection process to a peripheral wireless communication apparatus, and a display control unit for generating a display screen including display of the at least one peripheral wireless communication apparatus discovered by the search process. The communication control unit starts control of the search process by start of the application, and controls the connection process to a wireless communication apparatus selected on the display screen.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus comprising:

an application;

a communication control unit for controlling a search process for discovering at least one peripheral wireless communication apparatus and a connection process to a peripheral wireless communication apparatus; and

a display control unit for generating a display screen including display of the at least one peripheral wireless communication apparatus discovered by the search process,

wherein the communication control unit starts control of the search process by start of the application, and controls the connection process to a wireless communication apparatus selected on the display screen.

2. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the communication control unit controls, in the search process, communication for inquiring of the at least one peripheral wireless communication apparatus about presence/absence of a function corresponding to the application, and

wherein the display screen generated by the display control unit includes display of a wireless communication apparatus, among the at least one peripheral wireless communication apparatus, having the function corresponding to the application.

3. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the display screen generated by the display control unit includes display of the at least one peripheral wireless communication apparatus and display corresponding to each of at least one piece of content data, and

wherein, when any of the at least one peripheral wireless communication apparatus and any of the at least one piece of content data are selected on the display screen, the communication control unit controls the connection process to the selected wireless communication apparatus and, after the connection process, controls transmission of the selected content data.

4. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the display control unit generates a list display of functions in a case the wireless communication apparatus selected on the display screen has a plurality of functions corresponding to the application, and

wherein the communication control unit performs control for notifying the wireless communication apparatus selected on the display screen of a function selected from the list display.

5. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the display control unit changes display, on the display screen, of the at least one peripheral wireless communication apparatus depending on whether an operation on the at least one peripheral wireless communication apparatus is necessary for the connection process or not.

6. A wireless communication method comprising:

starting an application;

performing a search process for discovering at least one peripheral wireless communication apparatus;

generating a display screen including display of the at least one peripheral wireless communication apparatus discovered by the search process; and

performing a connection process to a wireless communication apparatus selected on the display screen.

7. A program for causing a computer to function as a wireless communication apparatus including:

an application;

a communication control unit for controlling a search process for discovering at least one peripheral wireless communication apparatus and a connection process to a peripheral wireless communication apparatus; and

a display control unit for generating a display screen including display of the at least one peripheral wireless communication apparatus discovered by the search process,

wherein the communication control unit starts control of the search process by start of the application, and controls the connection process to a wireless communication apparatus selected on the display screen.

8. A wireless communication system comprising:

at least one first wireless communication apparatus; and

a second wireless communication apparatus including

an application,

a communication control unit for controlling a search process for discovering the first wireless communication apparatus and a connection process to the first wireless communication apparatus, and

a display control unit for generating a display screen including display of the first wireless communication apparatus discovered by the search process,

wherein the communication control unit starts control of the search process by start of the application, and controls a first wireless communication apparatus selected on the display screen.