Information processing method and information processing apparatus having communication function

• US 7,139,529 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2001
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Oba, Haruo, Rekimoto, Junichi, Ayatsuka, Yuji, Matsushita, Nobuyuki, Sciammarella, Eduardo A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US10/168,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20040024884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,855 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/426.1, 340/10.1, 340/505
• US Class Current: 455/41.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/002 Specific input/output arrangements not covered by G06F3/01 - G06F3/16 other optical apparatus G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/64 file transfer between terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• 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

The present invention is an information processing apparatus which obtains identification information of an electronic device and makes communication with the electronic device via a network based on the identification information. When a portable telephone (11) is placed on an input display section (2) of a personal computer (1), a reader/writer built in the personal computer (1) reads a telephone number of the portable telephone (11) stored in an RF tag built in the portable telephone (11). Based on the telephone number, a telephone line is connected between the portable telephone (11) and the personal computer (1). Data is interchanged between the portable telephone (11) and the personal computer (1) via the telephone line.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a first detection means for detecting that a first electronic device is closely positioned;

a second detection means for detecting that a second electronic device is closely positioned;

a first establishing means for establishing a first communication link at short distance when the first detection means detects that the first electronic device is closely positioned;

a second establishing means for establishing a second communications link at short distance when the second detection means detects that the second electronic device is closely positioned;

a first acquisition means for acquiring first identification information of the first electronic device via the first communication link;

a second acquisition means for acquiring second identification information of the second electronic device via the second communication link; and

a control means for establishing a third communication link at long distance between the first and second electronic devices based on the first and second identification information.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second acquisition means obtain an address as the first or second identification information.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a search means for searching for addresses for the first and second electronic devices based on the first or second identification information.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second acquisition means include reader/writers which communicate with RF tags provided for the first and second electronic devices to obtain the identification information.

5. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

a first detecting step of detecting that a first electronic device is closely positioned;

a second detecting step of detecting that a second electronic device is closely positioned;

establishing a first communication link at short distance when the first detecting step detects that the first electronic device is closely positioned;

establishing a second communication link at short distance when the second detecting step detects that the second electronic device is closely positioned;

acquiring first identification information of the first electronic device via the first communication link;

acquiring second identification information of the second electronic device via the second communication link; and

a control step of establishing a third communication link at long distance between the first and second electronic devices based on the first and second identification information.

6. A recording medium which records a computer-readable program, the computer-readable program comprising the steps of:

a first detecting step of detecting that a first electronic device is closely positioned;

a second detecting step of detecting that a second electronic device is closely positioned;

establishing a first communication link at short distance when the first detecting step detects that the first electronic device is closely positioned;

establishing a second communication link at short distance when the second detecting step detects that the second electronic device is closely positioned;

acquiring first identification information of the first electronic device via the first communication link;

acquiring second identification information of the second electronic device via the second communication link; and

a control step of establishing a third communication link at long distance between the first and second electronic devices based on the first and second identification information.