Wireless communication system

• US 7,110,784 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2003
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nasu, Hidetada, Kuroda, Kousuke, Tatsumi, Hidenori, Arase, Yoshitaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, HUY Q
• Application Number:
  US10/496,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20040266404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/575.2, 455/95, 455/513, 455/510, 455/517
• US Class Current: 455/517
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• 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 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

In response to the receipt of an inquiry sent out from a wireless headset 2 serving as a source wireless communication device, each of cellular phones 1a and 1b serving as prospective destinations determine whether it is currently able to provide a service, based on a current service provision environment concerning itself. Assuming that only the cellular phone 1a is currently able to provide a service, the cellular phone 1a sends an inquiry response to the presently received inquiry to the wireless headset 2. In response to the receipt of the inquiry response, the wireless headset 2 selects the cellular phone 1a which has returned the inquiry response as the destination. As a result, there is provided a wireless communication system which makes it possible for a source wireless communication device to establish a connection with a wireless communication device which is able to provide a service.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device, for use as a destination wireless communication device to which a wireless communication link from a source wireless communication device is to be established, operable to provide a service selected from among at least one category of services for the source wireless communication device via the wireless communication link, said wireless communication device comprising:

at least one service provision section operable to provide a service after the wireless communication link is established, the service being provided by data communication via the established wireless communication link;

a wireless communication section operable to receive an inquiry, which is sent from the source wireless communication device and contains service information representing a service which is requested by the source wireless communication device, before the wireless communication link is established;

a first determination section operable to determine whether or not the service requested in the inquiry received by said wireless communication section matches a service provided by said at least one service provision section; and

a second determination section is operable to determine whether or not said at least one service provision section is currently able to provide the requested service, based on a current service provision environment concerning said at least one service provision section,

wherein only when it is determined, based on the determination results of said first and second determination sections, that said at least one service provision section is currently able to provide the requested service, said wireless communication section is operable to send out an inquiry response, which represents that it is determined that the requested service is providable, to the presently received inquiry.

2. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the inquiry response sent out by said wireless communication section contains currently-providable service information representing a service which said at least one service provision section is currently able to provide.

3. The wireless communication device according to claim 2, wherein:

after establishing the wireless communication link, said destination wireless communication device is operable to send data acquired from a remote device to the source wireless communication device, and

said at least one service provision environment at least includes an environment for a communication between said destination wireless communication device and the remote device.

4. The wireless communication device according to claim 3, wherein the service environment information at least comprises one selected from the group consisting of a type of said destination wireless communication device, a reception state of radiowaves at said destination wireless communication device, a communication speed and communication cost of said destination wireless communication device, and remaining battery power of a battery and processing power of a processor incorporated in said destination wireless communication device.