COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, NOTIFICATION METHOD, AND PROGRAM PRODUCT

• US 20130267205A1
• Filed: 06/06/2013
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takada, Kazuo, Soma, Isao, Kuroda, Seiji, Ishikawa, Yasuharu, Yoneda, Yoshihiro, Miyabayashi, Naoki
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72484 wherein functions are triggered by incoming communication events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0016 Hand-off preparation specially adapted for end-to-end data sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0038 of security context information
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel

Abstract

There is provided a communication apparatus including: a first communication unit having a first communication range; a second communication unit having a second communication range wider than the first communication range; a control unit which transmits a request signal for starting communication via the second communication unit from the first communication unit to another communication apparatus, and transmits authentication information from the second communication unit to the another communication apparatus in the case where it is determined that communication with the another communication apparatus via the second communication unit is possible based on a response signal after the first communication unit receives the response signal in response to the request signal; and a notification unit which notifies a user after the second communication unit receives a result of authentication based on the authentication information.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a first communication unit that transmits a request signal to another communication apparatus and receives a response signal in response to the request signal;

a second communication unit that transmits authentication information to the another communication apparatus in response to a determination that communication with the another communication apparatus is possible based on the response signal received by the first communication unit; and

a notification unit that notifies a user after the response signal is received by the first communication unit,

wherein a communication range of the second communication unit is wider than a communication range of the first communication unit.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit is configured to notify the user after the response signal is received by the first communication unit and the second communication unit receives a result of authentication based on the authentication information.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the response signal includes setting information for communication with the another communication apparatus via the second communication unit.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the setting information is address information.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the setting information is authentication method information.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the request signal is transmitted in response to an operation by the user.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the notification unit is configured to notify by using sound.

8. The communication apparatus according to the claim 6, wherein the notification unit is configured to notify by using light.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first communication unit is configured to transmit the request signal and receive the response signal by using a proximity communication method.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the proximity communication method is a non-contact communication method according to NFC standards.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the computer program causes the communication apparatus to notify the user after the response signal is received by the first communication unit and the second communication unit receives a result of authentication based on the authentication information.

11. A communication method comprising:

transmitting, by a first communication unit, a request signal to another communication apparatus;

receiving, by the first communication unit, a response signal in response to the request signal;

transmitting, by a second communication unit, authentication information to the another communication apparatus in response to a determination that communication with the another communication apparatus is possible based on the response signal received by the first communication unit; and

notifying, by a notification unit, a user after the response signal is received by the first communication unit,

wherein a communication range of the second communication unit is wider than a communication range of the first communication unit.

12. The communication method according to claim 11, wherein notifying the user is after the response signal is received by the first communication unit and the second communication unit receives a result of authentication based on the authentication information.

13. The communication method according to claim 12, wherein the response signal includes setting information for communication with the another communication apparatus via the second communication unit.

14. The communication method according to claim 13, wherein the setting information is address information.

15. The communication method according to claim 13, wherein the setting information is authentication method information.

16. The communication method according to claim 12, wherein the request signal is transmitted in response to an operation by the user.

17. The communication method according to claim 16, wherein sound is used for the notifying.

18. The communication method according to the claim 16, wherein light is used for the notifying.

19. The communication method according to claim 16, a proximity communication method is used to transmit the request signal and receive the response signal.

20. The communication method according to claim 19, wherein the proximity communication method is a non-contact communication method according to NFC standards.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a communication apparatus to:

transmit, by a first communication unit, a request signal to another communication apparatus;

receive, by the first communication unit, a response signal in response to the request signal;

transmit, by a second communication unit, authentication information to the another communication apparatus in response to a determination that communication with the another communication apparatus is possible based on the response signal received by the first communication unit; and

notify, by a notification unit, a user after the response signal is received by the first communication unit,

wherein a communication range of the second communication unit is wider than a communication range of the first communication unit.

23. A communication system comprising:

a first communication apparatus; and

a second communication apparatus,

wherein the first communication apparatus includes;

a first communication unit that transmits a request signal to the second communication apparatus and receives a response signal in response to the request signal;

a second communication unit that transmits authentication information to the second communication apparatus in response to a determination that communication with the second communication apparatus is possible based on the response signal received by the first communication unit; and

a notification unit that notifies a user after the response signal is received by the first communication unit and the second communication unit receives a result of authentication based on the authentication information, and

wherein the second communication apparatus includes;

a third communication unit that receives the request signal from the first communication apparatus and transmits the response signal in response to the request signal; and

a forth communication unit that receives the authentication information from the first communication apparatus and transmits the result of authentication, and

wherein communication range of the second communication unit and the forth communication unit is wider than that of the first communication unit and the third communication unit.

24. A communication method comprising:

transmitting, by a first communication unit of a first communication apparatus, a request signal to a second communication apparatus;

receiving, by the first communication unit of the first communication apparatus, a response signal in response to the request signal;

transmitting, by a second communication unit of the first communication apparatus, authentication information to the second communication apparatus in response to a determination that communication with the second communication apparatus is possible based on the response signal received by the first communication unit; and

notifying, by a notification unit, a user after the response signal is received by the first communication unit and the second communication unit receives a result of authentication based on the authentication information;

receiving, by a third communication unit in the second communication apparatus, that receives the request signal from the first communication apparatus;

transmitting, by the third communication unit in the second communication apparatus, the response signal in response to the request signal;

receiving, by a forth communication unit in the second communication apparatus, the authentication information from the first communication apparatus; and

transmitting, by the fourth communication unit in the second communication apparatus, the result of authentication,

wherein communication range of the second communication unit and the forth communication unit is wider than that of the first communication unit and the third communication unit.