Communication device and method therefor

• US 6,862,737 B1
• Filed: 04/21/2000
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwamura, Kazuaki, Horiguchi, Takeo, Tajika, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): BULLOCK JR, LEWIS ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US09/556,483
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 719/321, 719/310, 709/321, 709/327, 709/310, 709223-226, 709/229, 345/733, 345/734
• US Class Current: 719/321
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• 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 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A communication device to be used in an ad hoc network environment for enabling the user to utilize an application easily with a desired partner. After a communicable communication device was discovered, a service information provided by the communication device is acquired to display only the selected communication devices in accordance with the service information. The user selects the communication partner and causes the communication device to execute a predetermined application.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

service designating means for designating a service;

detection means for detecting communication devices capable of communicating with a local communication device;

attribute information acquiring means for acquiring attribute information for the detected communication devices, wherein said attribute information includes information regarding services capable of being provided by the detected communication devices;

selection means for selecting, on the basis of the acquired attribute information, one or more of the detected communication devices capable of providing the designated service;

display means for displaying the detected communication devices selected by said selection means without displaying the detected devices that are not capable of providing the designated service, wherein a user is capable of selecting one or more of the communication devices for executing an application; and

application execution instruction sending means for sending instruction information for executing the application to the one or more communication devices selected for executing the application.

2. A communication device according to claim 1 further comprising:

application execution instruction receiving means for executing a predetermined application when instruction information for executing the application is received from one of the detected communication devices.

3. A communication method comprising:

designating a service to be used as a basis for selecting devices;

detecting communication devices capable of communicating with a local communication device;

acquiring attribute information for the detected communication devices, wherein said attribute information includes services capable of being provided by the detected communication devices;

selecting, on the basis of the acquired attribute information, one or more of the detected communication devices capable of providing the designated service;

displaying the selected communication devices without displaying the detected devices that are not capable of providing the designated service;

selecting one or more of the displayed communication devices for executing an application; and

sending instruction information for executing the application to the communications devices selected for executing the application.

4. A communication method according to claim 3, further comprising:

executing a predetermined application when instruction information for executing the application is received from one of the detected communication devices.