Information processing terminal

• US 6,973,302 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2001
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Owaki, Yoshihiko, Asai, Masahiro, Tsurumi, Kazushige
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ewart, James D.
• Application Number:
  US10/182,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20030003955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/430, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/558, 717168-178
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

The present invention relates to an information processing terminal that makes it possible to readily upgrade software of information processing terminals connected by a network. When a control program stored in a display apparatus 5B is upgraded by a control program stored on a memory card 10, an upgrade program for a base station 1 and the control program for display apparatus 5A and 5C read by the display apparatus 5B are transmitted to the base station 1. The base station 1 upgrades a control program stored therein by the upgrade program received by the base station 1, and also transmits the control program for the display apparatus 5A and 5C to the display apparatus 5A and 5C. The display apparatus 5A and 5C each upgrade a control program stored therein by the upgrade program received by the display apparatus 5A and 5C, respectively.

Claims

1. An information processing terminal comprising:

communicating means for communicating with an information processing apparatus by radio;

storing means for storing a first control program; and

control program rewriting means for rewrites said first control program stored by said storing means in accordance with a status of a user set setting,

wherein said control program rewriting means rewrites said first control program stored in said storing means on the basis of a new said first control program,

wherein said user set setting is a setting relating to the operation of said first control program that allows a user to block said control program rewriting means from rewriting said first control program, and

wherein said communicating means transmits a second control program stored on said recording medium to said information processing apparatus to upgrade an old said second control program.

2. An information processing terminal as set forth in claim 1, wherein said communicating means transmits to said information processing apparatus said second control program for said information processing apparatus corresponding to said first control program obtained by the rewriting of said control program rewriting means.

3. An information processing terminal as set forth in claim 1, wherein said storing means can store a plurality of said first control programs;

and

wherein said control program rewriting means rewrites only one of the plurality of said first control programs.

4. An information processing method comprising:

a communicating step for communicating with an information processing apparatus by radio;

a storing step for storing a first control program; and

a control program rewriting step for rewriting said first control program stored by processing of said storing step in accordance with a status of a user set setting,

wherein processing of said control program rewriting step rewrites said first control program stored by the processing of said storing step on the basis of a new said first control program,

wherein said user set setting is a setting relating to the operation of said first control program that allows a user to block said control program rewriting means from rewriting said first control program, and

wherein processing of said communicating step transmits a second control program stored on said recording medium to said information processing apparatus to upgrade an old said second control program.

5. A recording medium having a computer readable program recorded thereon, said program comprising:

a communicating step for communicating with an information processing apparatus by radio;

a storing step for storing a first control program; and

a control program rewriting step for rewriting said first control program stored by processing of said storing step in accordance with a status of a user set setting,

wherein processing of said control program rewriting step rewrites said first control program stored by the processing of said storing step on the basis of a new said first control program,

wherein said user set setting is a setting relating to the operation of said first control program that allows a user to block said control program rewriting means from rewriting said first control program, and

wherein processing of said communicating step transmits a second control program stored on said recording medium to said information processing apparatus to upgrade an old said second control program.

6. An information processing terminal comprising:

communicating means for communicating with an information processing apparatus by radio;

storing means for storing a control program; and

control program rewriting means for rewriting said control program stored by said storing means in accordance with a status of a user set setting,

wherein said control program rewriting means rewrites said control program stored by said storing means on the basis of a new said control program obtained by said communicating means from said information processing apparatus, and

wherein said user set setting is a setting relating to the operation of said control program that allows a user to block said control program rewriting means from rewriting said control program.

7. An information processing terminal as set forth in claim 6, wherein said storing means can store a plurality of said control programs;

and

wherein said control program rewriting means rewrites only one of the plurality of said control programs.

8. An information processing terminal as set forth in claim 6, wherein said communicating means obtains a new said control program transmitted from another information processing terminal to said information processing apparatus.

9. An information processing method comprising:

a communicating step for communicating with an information processing apparatus by radio;

a storing step for storing a control program; and

a control program rewriting step for rewriting said control program stored by processing of said storing step in accordance with a status of a user set setting, wherein processing of said control program rewriting step rewrites said control program stored by the processing of said storing step on the basis of a new said control program obtained by processing of said communicating step from said information processing apparatus, and

wherein said user set setting is a setting relating to the operation of said control program that allows a user to block said control program rewriting means from rewriting said control program.

10. A recording medium having a computer readable program recorded thereon, said program comprising:

a communicating step for communicating with an information processing apparatus by radio;

a storing step for storing a control program; and

a control program rewriting step for rewriting said control program stored by processing of said storing step in accordance with a status of a user set setting,

wherein processing of said control program rewriting step rewrites said control program stored by the processing of said storing step on the basis of a new said control program obtained by processing of said communicating step from said information processing apparatus, and

wherein said user set setting is a setting relating to the operation of said control program that allows a user to block said control program rewriting means from rewriting said control program.

11. An information processing apparatus comprising:

communicating means for communicating with an information processing terminal by radio;

storing means for storing a first control program; and

control program rewriting means for rewriting said first control program stored by said storing means on the basis of a second control program obtained by said communicating means from said information processing terminal in accordance with a status of a user set setting,

wherein said user set setting is a setting relating to the operation of said first control program that allows a user to block said control program rewriting means from rewriting said first control program.

12. An information processing apparatus as set forth in claim 11,

wherein when a plurality of said information processing terminals are provided, said communicating means transmits a control program obtained from a first said information processing terminal to a second information processing terminal to upgrade a control program of the second information processing terminal.

13. An information processing method comprising:

a communicating step for communicating with an information processing terminal by radio;

a storing step for storing a first control program; and

a control program rewriting step for rewriting said first control program stored by processing of said storing step on the basis of a second control program obtained by processing of said communicating step from said information processing terminal in accordance with a status of a user set setting,

wherein said user set setting is a setting relating to the operation of said first control program that allows a user to block said control program rewriting means from rewriting said first control program.

14. A recording medium having a computer readable program recorded thereon, said program comprising:

a communicating step for communicating with an information processing terminal by radio;

a storing step for storing a first control program; and

a control program rewriting step for rewriting said first control program stored by processing of said storing step on the basis of a second control program obtained by processing of said communicating step from said information processing terminal in accordance with a status of a user set setting,

wherein said user set setting is a setting relating to the operation of said first control program that allows a user to block said control program rewriting means from rewriting said first control program.

15. A communication system comprising an information processing terminal and an information processing apparatus said information processing terminal comprises:

first communicating means for communicating with said information processing apparatus by radio;

first storing means for storing a first control program; and

first control program rewriting means for rewriting said first control program stored by said first storing means in accordance with a status of a user set setting,

wherein said first control program rewriting means rewrites said first control program stored in said first storing means on the basis of a new said first control program,

wherein said user set setting is a setting relating to the operation of said first control program that allows a user to block said control program rewriting means from rewriting said first control program,

wherein said first communicating means transmits a new second control program stored on said recording medium to said information processing apparatus to upgrade an old said second control program; and

said information processing apparatus comprises;

second communicating means for communicating with said information processing terminal by radio;

second storing means for storing said second control program; and

second control program rewriting means for rewriting the old said second control program stored by said second storing means on the basis of the new said second control program obtained by said second communicating means from said information processing terminal.

16. A communication system comprising an information processing terminal and an information processing apparatus,

said information processing terminal comprises:

first communicating means for communicating with said information processing apparatus by radio;

first storing means for storing a first control program; and

control program rewriting means for rewriting said first control program stored by said first storing means in accordance with a status of a user set setting,

wherein said control program rewriting means rewrites said control program stored by said first storing means on the basis of a new control program obtained by said first communicating means from said information processing apparatus, and

wherein said user set setting is a setting relating to the operation of said first control program that allows a user to block said control program rewriting means from rewriting said first control program; and

said information processing apparatus comprises;

second communicating means for communicating with said information processing terminal by radio and transmitting said new control program obtained from a first said information processing terminal to a second information processing terminal to upgrade a different control program of the second said information processing terminal.