Methods and apparatus for downloading data between an information processing device and an external device via a wireless communications technique

• US 6,088,730 A
• Filed: 01/12/1998
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kanada, Yoshihisa, Kato, Naotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/005,962
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/218, 709/227, 709/230, 709/232, 709/250, 709/300, 709/302, 707/10, 707/104, 455/422, 455/433, 455/435, 455/73, 455/556, 455/557
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy

Abstract

To provide an improved information processing apparatus and a method for controlling the same, which enables to smoothly transfer data, such as processed results obtained from execution of an application program, an HTML file acquired from a Web server in accordance with the TCP/IP protocol or the like, to an external device (PDA) by using an infrared communication function. The disclosed information processing apparatus periodically accesses a predetermined server machine (e.g., a Web server) to acquire a desired file (e.g., an HTML file). This file acquisition operation is carried out without the involvement of operations of an infrared transceiver. In other words, the information processing apparatus attempts to continually perform caching of the most recent download data. As a result, when the PDA as an external device is set into an infrared communication mode and a user simply holds the PDA to a station discoverable region of the information processing apparatus, a connection between them is established, thereby enabling the PDA to receive the most recent data.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus having an infrared transceiver for transmitting/receiving an infrared code, a memory for storing download data, input means for allowing a user to input user commands, and connection means for connecting to a network, comprising the steps of:

(a) responsive to a data download command from the user, entering and staying in a station search state to transmit an infrared code to search for a destination station to which data is to be downloaded;

(b) responsive to receipt of an infrared code that indicates a response of station discovery from the destination station, executing an infrared communication to transmit the download data;

(c) responsive to termination of the infrared communication with the destination station, returning to the station search state;

(d) without the involvement of execution of any of said steps (a) through (c), acquiring a file from a predetermined server through said network, the file acquisition operation attempting to assure that the file is the most updated version available from the predetermined server; and

(e) storing the acquired data as the download data.

2. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus having an infrared transceiver for transmitting/receiving an infrared code, a memory for storing download data, input means for allowing a user to input user commands, and connection means for connecting to a network, comprising the steps of:

(a) responsive to a data download command from the user, entering and staying in a station search state to transmit an infrared code to search for a destination station to which data is to be downloaded;

(b) responsive to receipt of an infrared code that indicates a response of station discovery from the destination station, executing an infrared communication to transmit the download data;

(c) responsive to termination of the infrared communication with the destination station, returning to the station search state;

(d) without the involvement of execution of any of said steps (a) through (c), acquiring a file from a predetermined server through said network, the file acquisition operation attempting to assure that the file is the most updated version available from the predetermined server;

(e) storing the acquired data as the download data; and

(f) responsive to a command from the user, exiting the station search state.

3. An information processing apparatus having an infrared communication function, comprising:

an infrared transceiver for transmitting/receiving an infrared code;

connection means for connecting to a network;

file acquisition means, being operative without the involvement of said infrared transceiver, for acquiring a file from a predetermined server through said network, the file acquisition means attempting to assure that the file is the most updated version available from the predetermined server;

a memory for storing the acquired file as download data;

input means for allowing a user to input user commands; and

means, responsive to a data download command from the user, for entering and staying in a station search state to transmit an infrared code to search for a destination station to which data is to be downloaded.

4. An information processing apparatus having an infrared communication function, comprising:

an infrared transceiver for transmitting/receiving an infrared code;

connection means for connecting to a network;

file acquisition means, being operative without the involvement of said infrared transceiver, for acquiring a file from a predetermined server through said network, the file acquisition means attempting to assure that the file is the most updated version available from the predetermined server;

a memory for storing the acquired file as download data;

input means for allowing a user to input user commands;

means, responsive to a data download command from the user, for entering and staying in a station search state to transmit an infrared code to search for a destination station to which data is to be downloaded;

means, responsive to receipt of an infrared code that indicates a response of station discovery from the destination station, for executing an infrared communication to transmit the download data; and

means, responsive to termination of the infrared communication with the destination station, for returning to the station search state.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 4, further comprising means, responsive to a command from the user, for exiting the station search state.

6. An information processing apparatus having an infrared communication function of the type which transmits by itself an exchange ID (XID) command to search for a destination station, establishes a connection with the destination station in response to receipt of an XID response from the destination station indicating station discovery, and disconnects the connection in response to transmission of a disconnection (DISC) frame by itself and receipt of an unnumbered acknowledgement (UA) frame from the destination station, comprising:

means for attempting to disconnect the connection by transmitting a DISC frame; and

means, responsive to disconnection of the connection, for returning to a station search state to transmit an XID command.

7. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus having an infrared communication function of the type which transmits by itself an exchange ID (XID) command to search for a destination station, establishes a connection with the destination station in response to receipt of an XID response from the destination station indicating station discovery, and disconnects the connection in response to transmission of a disconnection (DISC) frame by itself and receipt of an unnumbered acknowledgement (UA) frame from the destination station, comprising the steps of:

attempting to disconnect the connection by transmitting a DISC frame; and

responsive to disconnection of the connection, returning to a station search state to transmit an XID command.

8. A computer readable storage medium for storing in a tangible form a computer program executable on a computer system comprising an infrared transceiver for transmitting/receiving an infrared code, a memory for storing download data, input means for allowing a user to input user commands, and connection means for connecting to a network, said computer program comprising:

(a) a routine, responsive to a data download command from the user, for entering and staying in a station search state to transmit an infrared code to search for a destination station to which data is to be downloaded;

(b) a routine, responsive to receipt of an infrared code that indicates a response of station discovery from the destination station, for executing an infrared communication to transmit the download data;

(c) a routine, responsive to termination of the infrared communication with the destination station, for returning to the station search state;

(d) a routine, being operative without the involvement of execution of any of said routines (a) through (c), for acquiring a file from a predetermined server through said network, the file acquisition routine attempting to assure that the file is the most updated version available from the predetermined server; and

(e) a routine for storing the acquired data as the download data.

9. A computer readable storage medium for storing in a tangible form a computer program executable on a computer system comprising an infrared transceiver for transmitting/receiving an infrared code, a memory for storing download data, input means for allowing a user to input user commands, and connection means for connecting to a network, said computer program comprising:

(a) a routine, responsive to a data download command from the user, for entering and staying in a station search state to transmit an infrared code to search for a destination station to which data is to be downloaded;

(b) a routine, responsive to receipt of an infrared code that indicates a response of station discovery from the destination station, for executing an infrared communication to transmit the download data;

(c) a routine, responsive to termination of the infrared communication with the destination station, for returning to the station search state;

(d) a routine, being operative without the involvement of execution of any of said routines (a) through (c), for acquiring a file from a predetermined server through said network, the file acquisition routine attempting to assure that the file is the most updated version available from the predetermined server; and

(e) a routine for storing the acquired data as the download data; and

(f) a routine, responsive to a command from the user, for exiting the station search state.

10. A computer readable storage medium for storing in a tangible form a computer program executable on a computer system having an infrared communication function of the type which transmits by itself an exchange ID (XID) command to search for a destination station, establishes a connection with the destination station in response to receipt of an XID response from the destination station indicating station discovery, and disconnects the connection in response to transmission of a disconnection (DISC) frame by itself and receipt of an unnumbered acknowledgement (UA) frame from the destination station, said computer program comprising:

a routine for attempting to disconnect the connection by transmitting a DISC frame; and

a routine, responsive to disconnection of the connection, for returning to a station search state to transmit an XID command.

11. An information processing apparatus having a wireless communication function, comprising:

a wireless transceiver for transmitting/receiving a wireless code;

connection means for connecting to a network;

file acquisition means, being operative without the involvement of said wireless transceiver, for acquiring a file from a predetermined server through said network, wherein the file acquisition means attempts to assure that the file is the most updated version available from the predetermined server;

a memory for storing the acquired file as download data;

input means for allowing a user to input user commands; and

means, responsive to a data download command from the user, for entering and staying in a station search state to transmit a wireless code to search for a destination station to which data is to be downloaded.

12. An information processing apparatus having a wireless communication function, comprising:

a wireless transceiver for transmitting/receiving a wireless code;

connection means for connecting to a network;

file acquisition means, being operative without the involvement of said wireless transceiver means, for acquiring a file from a predetermined server through said network, wherein the file acquisition means attempts to assure that the file is the most updated version available from the predetermined server;

a memory for storing the acquired file as download data;

input means for allowing a user to input user commands;

means, responsive to a data download command from the user, for entering and staying in a station search state to transmit a wireless code to search for a destination station to which data is lo be downloaded;

means, responsive to receipt of a wireless code that indicates a response of station discovery from the destination station, for executing a wireless communication to transmit the download data; and

means, responsive to termination of the wireless communication with the destination station, for returning to the station search state.

13. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus having a wireless transceiver for transmitting/receiving a wireless code, a memory for storing download data, input means for allowing a user to input user commands, and connection means for connecting to a network, comprising the steps of:

(a) responsive to a data download command from the user, entering and staying in a station search state to transmit a wireless code to search for a destination station to which data is to be downloaded;

(b) responsive to receipt of a wireless code that indicates a response of station discovery from the destination station, executing a wireless communication to transmit the download data;

(c) responsive to termination of the wireless communication with the destination station, returning to the station search state;

(d) without the involvement of execution of any of said steps (a) through (c), acquiring a file from a predetermined server through said network, wherein the file acquisition operation attempts to assure that the file is the most updated version available from the predetermined server; and

(e) storing the acquired data as the download data.

14. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus having a wireless transceiver for transmitting/receiving a wireless code, a memory for storing download data, input means for allowing a user to input user commands, and connection means for connecting to a network, comprising the steps of:

(a) responsive to a data download command from the user, entering and staying in a station search state to transmit a wireless code to search for a destination station to which data is to be downloaded;

(b) responsive to receipt of a wireless code that indicates a response of station discovery from the destination station, executing a wireless communication to transmit the download data;

(c) responsive to termination of the wireless communication with the destination station, returning to the station search state;

(d) without the involvement of execution of any of said steps (a) through (c), acquiring a file from a predetermined server through said network, wherein the file acquisition operation attempts to assure that the file is the most updated version available from the predetermined server;

(e) storing the acquired data as the download data; and

(f) responsive to a command from the user, exiting the station search state.

15. A computer readable storage medium for storing in a tangible form a computer program executable on a computer system comprising a wireless transceiver for transmitting/receiving an infrared code, a memory for storing download data, input means for allowing a user to input user commands, and connection means for connecting to a network, said computer program comprising:

(a) a routine, responsive to a data download command from the user, for entering and staying in a station search state to transmit a wireless code to search for a destination station to which data is to be downloaded;

(b) a routine, responsive to receipt of a wireless code that indicates a response of station discovery from the destination station, for executing a wireless communication to transmit the download data;

(c) a routine, responsive to termination of the wireless communication with the destination station, for returning to the station search state;

(d) a routine, being operative without the involvement of execution of any of said routines (a) through (c), for acquiring a file from a predetermined server through said network, the file acquisition routine attempting to assure that the file is the most updated version available from the predetermined server; and

(e) a routine for storing the acquired data as the download data.

16. A computer readable storage medium for storing in a tangible form a computer program executable on a computer system comprising a wireless transceiver for transmitting/receiving a wireless code, a memory for storing download data, input means for allowing a user to input user commands, and connection means for connecting to a network, said computer program comprising:

(a) a routine, responsive to a data download command from the user, for entering and staying in a station search state to transmit a wireless code to search for a destination station to which data is to be downloaded;

(b) a routine, responsive to receipt of a wireless code that indicates a response of station discovery from the destination station, for executing a wireless communication to transmit the download data;

(c) a routine, responsive to termination of the wireless communication with the destination station, for returning to the station search state;

(d) a routine, being operative without the involvement of execution of any of said routines (a) through (c), for acquiring a file from a predetermined server through said network, the file acquisition routine attempting to assure that the file is the most updated version available from the predetermined server;

(e) a routine for storing the acquired data as the download data; and

(f) A routine, responsive to a command from the user, for exiting the station search state.

17. An information processing apparatus having a wireless communication function, comprising:

a wireless transceiver for transmitting/receiving a wireless code;

connection means for connecting to a web-based network;

file acquisition means, being operative without the involvement of said wireless transceiver, for acquiring a web-based file from a predetermined server through said network, wherein the file acquisition means attempts to assure that the web-based file is the most updated version available from the predetermined server;

a memory for storing the acquired file as download data;

input means for allowing a user to input user commands; and

means, responsive to a data download command from the user, for entering and staying in a station search state to transmit a wireless code to search for a destination station to which data is to be downloaded.