Wireless communication control apparatus and method, storage medium and program

• US 7,149,475 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2002
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawamura, Harumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US10/362,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20040048569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 413, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• 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 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

By making the most of the master and slave roles, the master device becomes the system controller to manage the control functions of the slave devices in a piconet. For one slave device to control another slave device, the controlling slave device issues a command to the master device, which transfers the received command to the controlled slave device. Each slave device control other slave devices in a piconet without being aware of other slave devices except the master device. Consequently, commands may be exchanged between the slave devices in a piconet which is constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices.

Claims

1. A wireless communication control apparatus for controlling, in a communication cell of a type constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices in which each of said plurality of slave devices is communicable only with said master device, a command exchange operation between the devices, comprising:

controller/target inquiry means for inquiring each master and slave device in said communication cell whether each master and slave device operates as a controller or a target;

support command inquiry means for inquiring each master and slave device having a target function for a command supported thereby;

support command managing means for managing the commands supported by each target device;

command receiving means for receiving a command from the controller in said communication cell; and

command processing means for processing the received command,

wherein said command processing means inquires said support command managing means to transfer the received command to the target which support said command.

2. A wireless communication control apparatus for controlling, in a communication cell of a type constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices in which each of said plurality of slave devices is communicable only with said master device, a command exchange operation between the devices, comprising:

controller/target inquiry means for inquiring each master and slave device in said communication cell whether each master and slave device operates as a controller or a target;

support command inquiry means for inquiring each master and slave device having a target function for a command supported thereby;

support command managing means for managing the commands supported by each target device;

command receiving means for receiving a command from the controller in said communication cell; and

command processing means for processing the received command,

wherein if there are at least two target devices which support the received command in said communication cell, said controller device has a function for specifying a particular target device and

wherein said command processing means transfers said command to the specified target device in accordance with the specification of the controller device from which said command is transmitted.

3. A wireless communication control apparatus for controlling, in a communication cell of a type constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices in which each of said plurality of slave devices is communicable only with said master device, a command exchange operation between the devices, comprising:

controller/target inquiry means for inquiring each master and slave device in said communication cell whether each master and slave device operates as a controller or a target;

support command inquiry means for inquiring each master and slave device having a target function for a command supported thereby;

support command managing means for managing the commands supported by each target device;

command receiving means for receiving a command from the controller in said communication cell;

command processing means for processing the received command;

reception log storage means for storing a reception log indicative of command reception; and

target identifying means for identifying a target which executes the received command on the basis of the newest log stored in said reception log storage means.

4. A wireless communication control apparatus for controlling, in a communication cell of a type constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices in which each of said plurality of slave devices is communicable only with said master device, a command exchange operation between the devices, comprising:

controller/target inquiry means for inquiring each master and slave device in said communication cell whether each master and slave device operates as a controller or a target;

support command inquiry means for inquiring each master and slave device having a target function for a command supported thereby;

support command managing means for managing the commands supported by each target device;

command receiving means for receiving a command from the controller in said communication cell; and

command processing means for processing the received command,

wherein, if there are at least two target devices which support the received command in said communication cell, said command processing means transfers the received command to all target devices which support said command.

5. A wireless communication control method for controlling, in a communication cell of a type constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices in which each of said plurality of slave devices is communicable only with said master device, a command exchange operation between the devices, comprising the steps of:

inquiring each master and slave device in said communication cell whether each master and slave device operates as a controller or a target;

inquiring each master and slave device having a target function for a command supported thereby;

managing the commands supported by each target device;

receiving a command from the controller in said communication cell; and

processing the received command,

wherein said command processing step inquires each target in said communication cell for supported commands to transfer the received command to the target which supports said command.

6. A wireless communication control method for controlling, in a communication cell of a type constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices in which each of said plurality of slave devices is communicable only with said master device, a command exchange operation between the devices, comprising the steps of:

inquiring each master and slave device in said communication cell whether each master and slave device operates as a controller or a target;

inquiring each master and slave device having a target function for a command supported thereby;

managing the commands supported by each target device;

receiving a command from the controller in said communication cell; and

processing the received command,

wherein if there are at least two target devices which support the received command in said communication cell, specifying a particular target device from said controller device,

said command processing step transferring said received command to the target device specified by the controller device from which said command is transmitted.

7. A wireless communication control method for controlling, in a communication cell of a type constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices in which each of said plurality of slave devices is communicable only with said master device, a command exchange operation between the devices, comprising the steps of:

inquiring each master and slave device in said communication cell whether each master and slave device operates as a controller or a target;

inquiring each master and slave device having a target function for a command supported thereby;

managing the commands supported by each target device;

receiving a command from the controller in said communication cell;

processing the received command;

storing a reception log indicative of command reception; and

identifying a target which executes the received command on the basis of the newest log stored in said reception log storage step.

8. A wireless communication control method for controlling, in a communication cell of a type constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices in which each of said plurality of slave devices is communicable only with said master device, a command exchange operation between the devices, comprising the steps of:

inquiring each device in said communication cell whether each device operates as a controller or a target;

inquiring each device having a target function for a command supported thereby;

managing the commands supported by each target device;

receiving a command from the controller in said communication cell; and

processing the received command,

wherein, if there are at least two target devices which support the received command in said communication cell, said command processing step transfers said received command to all target devices which support said received command.

9. A wireless communication control apparatus for controlling, in a piconet of a Bluetooth wireless network constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices, at least one slave device in said piconet having a controller function for issuing commands and at least one slave device having a target function for supporting commands, said master device having both controller and target functions, the wireless communication control apparatus comprising:

connecting means for establishing Bluetooth communication in said piconet;

controller/target function grasping means for grasping a slave device which functions as a target and/or a controller;

support command grasping means for managing the commands supported by each target in said piconet;

said wireless communication control apparatus operates as said master device for controlling a communication condition in said piconet, the wireless communication control apparatus further comprising command receiving means for receiving a command, which is connected with the slave device operating as the controller in said piconet; and

command processing means for processing the received command;

wherein said command processing means transfers the received command to the target which support said received command.

10. A wireless communication control apparatus for controlling, in a piconet of a Bluetooth wireless network constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices, at least one slave device in said piconet having a controller function for issuing commands and at least one slave device having a target function for supporting commands, said master device having both controller and target functions, the wireless communication control apparatus comprising:

connecting means for establishing Bluetooth communication in said piconet;

controller/target function grasping means for grasping a slave device which functions as a target and/or a controller;

support command grasping means for managing the commands supported by each target in said piconet;

said wireless communication control apparatus operates as said master device for controlling a communication condition in said piconet, the wireless communication control apparatus further comprising command receiving means for receiving a command, which is connected with the slave device operating as the controller in said piconet; and

command processing means for processing the received command,

wherein, if there are at least two target devices which support the received command in said piconet, said controller device has a function for specifying a particular target device, and

said command processing means transfers said command to the specified target device in accordance with a specification of the controller device from which said command is transmitted.

11. A wireless communication control apparatus for controlling, in a piconet of a Bluetooth wireless network constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices, at least one slave device in said piconet having a controller function for issuing commands and at least one slave device having a target function for supporting commands, said master device having both controller and target functions, the wireless communication control apparatus comprising:

connecting means for establishing Bluetooth communication in said piconet;

controller/target function grasping means for grasping a slave device which functions as a target and/or a controller;

support command grasping means for managing the commands supported by each target in said piconet;

said wireless communication control apparatus operates as said master device for controlling a communication condition in said piconet, the wireless communication control apparatus further comprising command receiving means for receiving a command, which is connected with the slave device operating as the controller in said piconet;

command processing means for processing the received command;

reception log storage means for storing a reception log indicative of command reception; and

target identifying means for identifying a target which executes the received command on the basis of the newest log stored in said reception log storage means.

12. A wireless communication control apparatus for controlling, in a piconet of a Bluetooth wireless network constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices, at least one slave device in said piconet having a controller function for issuing commands and at least one slave device having a target function for supporting commands, said master device having both controller and target functions, the wireless communication control apparatus comprising;

connecting means for establishing Bluetooth communication in said piconet;

controller/target function grasping means for grasping a slave device which functions as a target and/or a controller;

support command grasping means for managing the commands supported by each target in said piconet;

said wireless communication control apparatus operates as said master device for controlling a communication condition in said piconet, the wireless communication control apparatus further comprising command receiving means for receiving a command, which is connected with the slave device operating as the controller in said piconet; and

command processing means for processing the received command,

wherein, if there are at least two target devices which support the received command in said piconet, said command processing means transfers the received command to all target devices which support said command.

13. A wireless communication control method for controlling, in a piconet of a Bluetooth wireless network constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices, at least one slave device in said piconet having a controller function for issuing commands and at least one slave device having a target function for supporting commands, said master device having both controller and target functions, wherein said wireless communication control method is realized on said master device which controls a communication condition in said piconet, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing Bluetooth communication in said piconet;

grasping a slave device which functions as at least one of a target and a controller in said piconet;

managing the commands supported by each target in said piconet;

receiving a command, which is connected with the slave device operating as the controller in said piconet; and

processing the received command,

wherein said command processing step transfers the received command to the target which supports said received command.

14. A wireless communication control method for controlling, in a piconet of a Bluetooth wireless network constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices, at least one slave device in said piconet having a controller function for issuing commands and at least one slave device having a target function for supporting commands, said master device having both controller and target functions, said wireless communication control method is realized on said master device which controls a communication condition in said piconet, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing Bluetooth communication in said piconet;

grasping a slave device which functions as a target and/or a controller in said piconet;

managing the commands supported by each target in said piconet;

receiving a command, which is connected with the slave device operating as the controller in said piconet; and

processing the received command,

wherein, if there are at least two target devices which support the received command in said piconet, the method further comprising the step of;

specifying a particular target device,

said command processing step transfers said command to the specified target device in accordance with a specification of the controller device from which said command is transmitted.

15. A wireless communication control method for controlling, in a piconet of a Bluetooth wireless network constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices, at least one slave device in said piconet having a controller function for issuing commands and at least one slave device having a target function for supporting commands, said master device having both controller and target functions, said wireless communication control method is realized on said master device which controls a communication condition in said piconet, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing Bluetooth communication in said piconet;

grasping a slave device which functions as a target and/or a controller in said piconet;

managing the commands supported by each target in said piconet;

receiving a command, which is connected with the slave device operating as the controller in said piconet;

processing the received command;

storing a reception log indicative of command reception; and

identifying a target which executes the received command on the basis of the newest log stored in said reception log storage step.

16. A wireless communication control method for controlling, in a piconet of a Bluetooth wireless network constituted by one master device and a plurality of slave devices, at least one slave device in said piconet having a controller function for issuing commands and at least one slave device having a target function for supporting commands, said master device having both controller and target functions, said wireless communication control method is realized on said master device which controls a communication condition in said piconet, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing Bluetooth communication in said piconet;

grasping a slave device which functions as a target and/or a controller in said piconet;

managing the commands supported by each target in said piconet;

receiving a command, which is connected with the slave device operating as the controller in said piconet; and

processing the received command,

wherein, if there are at least two target devices which support the received command in said communication cell, said command processing step transfers the received command to all target devices which support said command.