Communication system

• US 6,901,240 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Issued: 05/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tokoro, Mario
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William D.
• Application Number:
  US10/027,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20020052183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41, 455/3.03, 455/552, 455/403, 455/412, 455/420, 455/417, 455/463, 455/462, 455/411, 455/435, 455/11.1, 455/414, 709/200, 379/56.3, 340/7.23
• US Class Current: 455/3.03
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• 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: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/50 Telephonic communication in combination with video communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0027 Collaboration services where a computer is used for data transfer and the telephone is used for telephonic communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 : Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 : Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

When a line for communication of audio signals between first and second portable-telephone devices through a first portable-telephone base station, a second portable-telephone base station and a portable-telephone line network has been connected, IP addresses are exchanged. The IP addresses are required for communicating image data by first and second terminal adapters associated with the first and second portable-telephone devices respectively through an OCN. Image data is then transmitted to the IP addresses received in the communication through the OCN. To put it concretely, an image of the user of the first portable-telephone device is transmitted by the first terminal adapter through the OCN to the IP address of the second terminal adapter to be displayed by a second television receiver associated with the second terminal adapter. By the same token, an image of the user of the second portable-telephone device is transmitted by the second terminal adapter through the OCN to the IP address of the first terminal adapter to be displayed by a first television receiver associated with the first terminal adapter. Thus, by merely taking a portable-telephone device to a place like a store selling home electrical appliances including a television.

Claims

1. A communication system for at least voice communication and visual communication between at least two users, said communication system comprising:

a first communication device for receiving information from a first source via a first communication system, said first communication device comprising;

a first communication means for communicating with said first source via said first communication system;

a second communication means for communicating with a second communication device located in close proximity to said first communication device via a third communication system; and

a control means for controlling said first and second communication means;

said first communication device receiving address information of said second communication device from said second communication device via said third communication system;

said first communication device transmits, via said first communication system, said address information received from said second communication device to said first source via said first communication system;

said first communication device receives said address information of a second source from said first source via said first communication system;

said second communication device receives said address information of said second source from said first communication device via said third communication system; and

second communication device receives information from said second source in accordance with said address information of said second source via a second communication system.

2. A communication system according to claim 1, further comprising a communication control apparatus for controlling implementation of connection between said second communication device and said second source via said second communication system.

3. A communication system according to claim 2, wherein:

said first communication device further has a first storage means for storing first identification information thereof;

said second communication device further has a second storage means for storing second identification information thereof;

said second communication device transmits said second identification information to said first communication device via said third communication system;

said first communication device transmits said first identification information stored in said first storage means and said received second identification information to said first source via said first communication system; and

said first source transmits said first identification information and said second identification information received from said first communication device to said second source via a fourth communication system;

whereby said second communication device authenticates said second source and said second source authenticates said second communication device.

4. A total communication system according to claim 2, wherein said communication control apparatus comprises an accounting means for carrying out accounting processing for said first communication device.

5. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein said first, second and third communication systems are each a duplex communication system.

6. A communication system according to claim 5, wherein said first communication system is a communication system using an electric wave.

7. A communication system according to claim 5, wherein said second communication system is a communication system of a connectionless type.

8. A communication system according to claim 5, wherein said second communication system is a communication system of a connection type.

9. A communication system according to claim 5, wherein said third communication system is a communication system using an infrared ray.

10. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein said first communication device is a portable communication device.

11. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein said second communication device further comprises a video camera for picking up an image of an object and for generating image data on the basis of said image and with said second source.

12. A communication system according to claim 11, wherein said second communication device further comprises a display unit for displaying image data received from said second source.

13. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein said first communication means employed in said first communication device exchanges audio information with said first source in addition to said address information.

14. A communication system for at least voice communication and visual communication between at least two users, said communication system comprising:

a first communication device for receiving information from a first source via a first communication system;

said first communication device comprising;

a first communication means for communicating with said first source via said first communication system;

a second communication means for communicating with a second communication device located in close proximity to said first communication device via a third communication system;

a control means for controlling said first communication means and said second communication means to receive address information of said second communication device from said second communication device located in close proximity to said first communication device via said third communication system, to transmit the address information received from said second communication device to said first source via said first communication system, to receive address information of said second source from said first source via said first communication system and to transmit said address information of said second source received from said first communication device to said second communication device via said third communication system.

15. A first communication device according to claim 14, further comprising a first storage means for storing first identification information for identifying said first communication device.

16. A first communication device according to claim 15, wherein said first communication means transmits said first identification information stored in said storage means and second identification information received from said second communication device to said first source via said first communication system.

17. A first communication device according to claim 14, wherein said first, second and third communication systems are each a duplex communication system.

18. A first communication device according to claim 17, wherein said first communication system is a communication system using an electric wave.

19. A first communication device according to claim 17, wherein said second communication system is of a connectionless type.

20. A first communication device according to claim 17, wherein said second communication system is a communication system of a connection type.

21. A first communication device according to claim 17, wherein said third communication system is a communication system using an infrared ray.

22. A first communication device according to claim 14, wherein said first communication device is a portable communication device.

23. A first communication device according to claim 14, wherein said first communication means employed in said first communication device exchanges audio information with said first source in addition to said address information.

24. A communication system for at least voice communication and visual communication between at least two users, said communication system comprising:

a second communication device employed in said communication system comprising a first communication device, said first communication device comprising a first communication means communicating with a first source via a first communication system and a second communication means for communicating with said second communication device located in close proximity to said first communication device via a third communication system, said second communication device communicating with a second source via a second communication system, said second communication device comprising;

a third communication means for communicating with said second source via said second communication system;

a fourth communication means for communicating with said first communication device located in close proximity to said second communication device via said third communication system; and

a control means for controlling said fourth communication means to transmit address information of said second communication device to said first communication device and for controlling said third communication means to receive address information of said first source and address information of said second source from said first conununication device.

25. A second communication device according to claim 24, further comprising a second storage means for storing second identification information for identifying said second communication device.

26. A second communication device according to claim 25, wherein said third communication means transmits said second identification information stored in said storage means to said second source via said second communication system.

27. A second communication device according to claim 24, wherein said first, second and third communication systems are each a duplex communication system.

28. A second communication device according to claim 27, wherein said first communication system is a communication system using an electric wave.

29. A second communication device according to claim 27, wherein said first communication system is a communication system of a connectionless type.

30. A second communication device according to claim 27, wherein said second communication system is a conununication system of a connection type.

31. A second communication device according to claim 27, wherein said third communication system is a communication system using an infrared ray.

32. A second communication device according to claim 24, further comprising a video camera for picking up an image of an object and for generating image data on the basis of said image and said third communication means employed in said second source.

33. A communication method for at least voice communication and visual communication between at least two users, said communication method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a first communication device, address information of a second communication device from said second communication device located in close proximity to said first communication device via a third communication system;

transmitting, from said first communication device, said address information received from said second communication device via a first communication system to a first source connected to said first communication device via said first communication system;

receiving at said first communication device, the address information of a second source transmitted from said first source via said first communication system; and

receiving at said second communication device said address information of said second source from said first communication device via said third communication system.

34. A communication method according to claim 33, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting second identification information of said second communication device from said second communication device to said first communication device via said third communication system;

transmitting said second identification information received from said second communication device and first identification information of said first communication device from said first communication device to said first source via said first communication system;

transmitting said second identification information and said first identification information received from said first communication means from said first source to said second source via a fourth communication system;

authenticating said second communication device by said second source; and

authenticating said second source by said second communication device.