CLIENT DEVICE

• US 20130204939A1
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: YAJIMA, Chikashi, Kawakami, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 9,749,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

An information processing apparatus that stores a table associating first identification information corresponding to the information processing apparatus, second identification information corresponding to another information processing apparatus, and an image corresponding to the another information processing apparatus; captures image data; determines whether the captured image data includes the image corresponding to the another information processing apparatus; and controls a wireless interface to transmit, to the another information processing apparatus, a request for pairing with the another information processing apparatus when the determining determines that the captured image data includes the image corresponding to the another information processing apparatus.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a storage unit that stores a table associating first identification information corresponding to the information processing apparatus, second identification information corresponding to another information processing apparatus, and an image corresponding to the another information processing apparatus;

a wireless interface configured to communicate with the another information processing apparatus;

an imaging unit that captures image data;

an image recognition unit that determines whether the captured image data includes the image corresponding to the another information processing apparatus; and

a controller that controls the wireless interface to transmit, to the another information processing apparatus, a request for pairing with the another information processing apparatus when the image recognition unit determines that the captured image data includes the image corresponding to the another information processing apparatus.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the second identification information corresponding to the another information processing apparatus includes address information corresponding to the another information processing apparatus.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the address information corresponding to the another information processing apparatus includes at least one of a Media Access Control (MAC) address and a Service Set IDentifier (SSID).

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the controller controls the wireless interface to transmit the request for pairing to the another information processing apparatus based on the address information.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication interface configured to communicate with a server that manages the association between the first identification information, the second identification information and the image.

6. The information processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein

the controller controls the communication interface to transmit, to the server, a request including the first identification information corresponding to the information processing apparatus, and

the communication interface receives, from the server, the second identification information and the image in response to the request.

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

a user interface that receives a user input requesting the information processing apparatus to poll the server for at least one another information processing apparatus available for pairing.

8. The information processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein

the controller controls the communication interface to transmit the request to the server in response to the user input received at the user interface.

9. The information processing apparatus of claim 6, wherein

the controller controls the storage unit to store the association between the first identification information, the second identification information and the image upon receiving the second information and the image from the server.

10. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the storage unit stores an association between first identification information corresponding to the information processing apparatus, and a plurality of second identification information corresponding to a plurality of another information processing apparatuses, and a plurality of images corresponding each of the plurality of another information processing apparatuses.

11. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a display that displays the captured image data.

12. The information processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein

the wireless interface receives, from the another information processing apparatus, confirmation that paring with the another information processing apparatus has been established.

13. The information processing apparatus of claim 12, wherein

the controller controls the display to display a virtual object on the captured image data indicating that pairing with the another information processing apparatus has been established based on the confirmation received from the another information processing apparatus.

14. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the storage unit stores the table associating the first identification information corresponding to the information processing apparatus, the second identification information corresponding to the another information processing apparatus, the image corresponding to the another information processing apparatus, and information corresponding to at least one communication protocol supported by the another information processing apparatus.

15. The information processing apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a user interface including a display that displays the captured image data.

16. The information processing apparatus of claim 15, wherein

the controller controls the display to display a virtual object on the captured image data indicating the at least one protocol supported by the another information processing apparatus.

17. The information processing apparatus of claim 16, wherein

the user interface receives a selection corresponding to the at least one protocol supported by the another information processing apparatus.

18. The information processing apparatus of claim 17, wherein

the controller that controls the wireless interface to transmit, to the another information processing apparatus, the request for pairing with the another information processing apparatus that includes information identifying the at least one protocol corresponding to the selection received at the user interface.

19. An information processing method performed by an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:

storing a table associating first identification information corresponding to the information processing apparatus, second identification information corresponding to another information processing apparatus, and an image corresponding to the another information processing apparatus;

capturing image data by an imaging unit;

determining whether the captured image data includes the image corresponding to the another information processing apparatus; and

controlling a wireless interface to transmit, to the another information processing apparatus, a request for pairing with the another information processing apparatus when the determining determines that the captured image data includes the image corresponding to the another information processing apparatus.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer program instructions, which when executed by an information processing apparatus, cause the information processing apparatus to perform a process comprising:

storing a table associating first identification information corresponding to the information processing apparatus, second identification information corresponding to another information processing apparatus, and an image corresponding to the another information processing apparatus;

capturing image data;

determining whether the captured image data includes the image corresponding to the another information processing apparatus; and

controlling a wireless interface to transmit, to the another information processing apparatus, a request for pairing with the another information processing apparatus when the determining determines that the captured image data includes the image corresponding to the another information processing apparatus.