Communication system and method, and information processing apparatus and method

• US 7,747,218 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2002
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sasai, Takashi, Higo, Masamitsu, Kakuda, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen; Junpeng
• Application Number:
  US10/492,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20040247023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,813 Days
• Field of Search: 455517-519, 455/550, 455/456, 455 411- 412, 455/556, 455/560, 455/73, 455/660.1, 4554561-4563, 455/556.1, 340/825.69, 370/465
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The present invention relates to a communication system, a communication method, an information processing apparatus, and an information processing method for easily and quickly organizing a communication group containing a plurality of apparatuses. The user places a PDA 2 in proximity to a personal computer 1. When an electromagnetic wave emitted from a reader/writer of the PDA 2 is received by a reader/writer of the personal computer 1, the personal computer 1 notifies the PDA 2 of stored communication group organizing information. The PDA 2 stores the communication group organizing information while establishing a synchronization for a Bluetooth communication with the personal computer 1 based on the communication group organizing information to establish the Bluetooth communication with the personal computer 1. The present invention is applicable to a variety of information processing apparatuses such as a personal computer and a PDA.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

first proximity radio communication means for transmitting predetermined information to and receiving predetermined information from a first information processing terminal belonging to a communication group when the first information processing terminal is closely positioned,

acquisition means for acquiring, through the first proximity radio communication means from the first information processing terminal, communication group organizing information containing at least identification information of a second information processing terminal managing the communication group, communication method information relating to a communication method of the radio communication providable by the communication group, and a service record of information representing a service provided by the first information processing terminal, wherein the service record contains each of (1) a history of services, (2) a frequency of use of each of the services and (3) a plurality of service attributes that are ranked according to a priority, and each service attribute contains a service ID and an attribute value and wherein the service record and a number of available devices for connection are updated prior to communication with the second information processing terminal,

second radio communication means for performing radio communication with the second information processing terminal,

storage means for storing the communication group organizing information acquired by the acquisition means,

selection means for selecting the communication method to be used in the radio communication of the second radio communication means in accordance with the communication method information,

synchronization establishing means for establishing synchronization of the radio communication with the second information processing terminal in accordance with the identification information, and

communication establishing means for establishing the radio communication, with the synchronization thereof established by the synchronization establishing means, using the communication method selected by the selection means.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising providing means for providing the communication group organizing information stored in the storage means to the second information processing terminal through the first proximity radio communication means when the second information processing terminal is in proximity.

12. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition means acquires the communication group organizing information using one of an electromagnetic-wave communication, an infrared communication and a Bluetooth communication which identifies a communication partner in a weak-power mode for device searching.

3. An information processing method comprising:

a first proximity radio communication step of transmitting predetermined information to and receiving predetermined information from a first information processing terminal belonging to a communication group when the first information processing terminal is closely positioned,

an acquisition step of acquiring, through the process of the first proximity radio communication step from the first information processing terminal, communication group organizing information containing at least identification information of a second information processing terminal managing the communication group, communication method information relating to a communication method of the radio communication providable by the communication group, and a service record of information representing a service provided by the first information processing terminal, wherein the service record contains each of (1) a history of services, (2) a frequency of use of each of the services and (3) a plurality of service attributes that are ranked according to a priority, and each service attribute contains a service ID and an attribute value,

a second radio communication step of performing radio communication with the second information processing terminal,

an update step of updating the service record and a number of available devices for connection prior to communication with the second information processing terminal,

a storage step of storing the communication group organizing information,

a selection step of selecting the communication method to be used in the second radio communication step in accordance with the communication method information,

a synchronization establishing step of establishing synchronization of the radio communication with the second information processing terminal in accordance with the identification information, and

a communication establishing step of establishing the radio communication, with the synchronization thereof established, using the communication method selected in the selection step.

4. An information processing apparatus comprising:

acquisition means for acquiring, using an electromagnetic wave, communication group organizing information containing at least identification information of an information processing terminal managing a communication group;

communication method information relating to a communication method of the radio communication providable by the communication group, stored in a radio communication device; and

a service record of information representing a service provided by the radio communication device, wherein the service record contains each of (1) a history of services, (2) a frequency of use of each of the services and (3) a plurality of service attributes that are ranked according to a priority, and each service attribute contains a service ID and an attribute value, when the radio communication device, which is driven from an electromotive force that is generated in response to a reception of the electromagnetic wave, comes in proximity,

update means for updating the communication group organizing information, including the service record and a number of available devices for connection, stored in the radio communication device using the electromagnetic wave,

radio communication means for performing radio communication with the information processing terminal,

selection means for selecting a communication method to be used in the radio communication of the radio communication means in accordance with the radio communication method information,

synchronization establishing means for establishing synchronization of the radio communication with the information processing terminal in accordance with the identification information, and

communication establishing means for establishing the radio communication, with the synchronization thereof established by the synchronization establishing means, using the selected communication method.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the acquisition means acquires the communication group organizing information further containing key information that is for use in an authentication to perform the radio communication.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the acquisition means acquires, from the radio communication device, the communication group organizing information further containing number information representing the number of apparatuses with which the information processing terminal concurrently communicates using the radio communication, and

the synchronization establishing means performs the radio communication with the information processing terminal in accordance with the number information.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the update means updates the number information of the communication group organizing information stored in the radio communication device by extracting one from the number information.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the acquisition means acquires, from the radio communication device, the communication group organizing information further containing time slot information representing a time slot within which the information processing terminal communicates using the radio communication, and

the synchronization establishing means establishes the synchronization when the synchronization establishing means determines in accordance with the time slot information that the radio communication with the information processing terminal is possible.

9. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the acquisition means acquires, from the radio communication device, the communication group organizing information further containing type information representing a type of an apparatus with which the information processing terminal communicates using the radio communication,

and the synchronization establishing means establishes the synchronization when the synchronization establishing means determines in accordance with the identification information that the radio communication with the information processing terminal is possible.

10. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising start means for starting the function of the radio communication when the acquisition means acquires the communication group organizing information from the radio communication device.

11. An information processing method comprising:

an acquisition step of acquiring, using an electromagnetic wave, communication group organizing information containing at least identification information of an information processing terminal managing a communication group;

communication method information relating to a communication method of the radio communication providable by the communication group, stored in a radio communication device; and

a service record of information representing a service provided by the radio communication device, wherein the service record contains each of (1) a history of services, (2) a frequency of use of each of the services and (3) a plurality of service attributes that are ranked according to a priority, and each service attribute contains a service ID and an attribute value, when the radio communication device, which is driven from an electromotive force that is generated in response to a reception of the electromagnetic wave, comes in proximity,

an update step of updating the communication group organizing information, including the service record and a number of available devices for connection, stored in the radio communication device using the electromagnetic wave,

a radio communication step of performing radio communication with the information processing terminal,

a selection step of selecting a communication method to be used in the radio communication step in accordance with the radio communication method information,

a synchronization establishing step of establishing synchronization of the radio communication with the information processing terminal, managing the communication group, in accordance with the identification information, and

a communication establishing step of establishing the radio communication, with the synchronization thereof established, using the selected communication method.