Communication apparatus, communication system, communication method, and program

• US 8,346,844 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2009
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Namekawa, Nobuo, Iwasaki, Jun, Konya, Satoshi, Yamagata, Tomonari, Miyachi, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Yohannes, Tesfay
• Application Number:
  US12/470,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20090290027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/226, 709/227, 208/201, 455/425, 455/563
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00236 using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer image input to or image output from a computer via a network H04N1/00209
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0043 Point to multipoint H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0044 Connecting to a plurality of different apparatus; Using a plurality of different connectors connection via a network H04N2201/0039
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0048 Type of connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver

Abstract

A communication apparatus of the present invention includes a transmission/reception coupler for performing a one-to-one communication at short distance with an apparatus of a communication opponent by electric field coupling or magnetic field coupling; a plural copy mode setting unit for setting a plural copy mode for transferring a data file to a plurality of apparatuses; a data file selecting unit for selecting a data file to transfer to the plurality of apparatuses; a file transfer processing unit for transferring the data file already selected in the data file selecting unit to an apparatus, which communication is established, when the plural copy mode is set; and a plural copy mode canceling unit for canceling the plural copy mode.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a communication unit for performing a one-to-one communication at short distance with an apparatus of a communication opponent by electric field coupling or magnetic field coupling;

a plural transfer mode setting unit for setting a plural transfer mode for sequentially transferring a data file to a plurality of apparatuses;

a data file selecting unit for selecting a data file to transfer to the plurality of apparatuses;

a transfer processing unit for sequentially transferring the data file already selected in the data file selecting unit to each of the plurality of apparatuses, with which communication is established, when the plural transfer mode is set;

a plural transfer mode canceling unit for canceling the plural transfer mode; and

a time counter for determining whether or not time-out occurred,

wherein the plural transfer mode canceling unit cancels the plural transfer mode when the time-out occurred.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, comprising an input unit for receiving a number of times the data file is to be transferred, wherein

the plural transfer mode canceling unit cancels the plural transfer mode when the number of times the data file is to be transferred by the transfer processing unit reaches the number of times received by the input unit.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, comprising an input to an input unit with a cancel command of the plural transfer mode, wherein

the plural transfer mode canceling unit cancels the plural transfer mode when the cancel command is input to the input unit.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a display processing unit for displaying setting or canceling of the plural transfer mode.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

an ID holding unit for holding an ID of an apparatus already transferred with the data file;

a connection establishment processing unit for comparing an ID of a device, with which connection is established, and the ID of an apparatus already transferred with the data file when a connection is established with the device; and

a display processing unit for displaying an error message when the ID of the device, with which connection is established, and the ID of the apparatus already transferred with the data file are the same.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the connection establishment processing unit cancels the connection with the device, with which connection is established, when the ID of the device, with which connection is established, and the ID of the apparatus already transferred with the data file are the same.

7. A communication system comprising:

a first communication apparatus for performing a communication with a second communication apparatus by a one-to-one communication at short distance by electric field coupling or magnetic field coupling; and

a second communication apparatus including a plural transfer mode setting unit for setting a plural transfer mode for sequentially transferring a data file to a plurality of apparatuses, a data file selecting unit for selecting a data file to transfer to the plurality of apparatuses, a transfer processing unit for sequentially transferring the data file already selected in the data file selecting unit to each of the plurality of apparatuses, with which communication is established, when the plural transfer mode is set, a plural transfer mode canceling unit for canceling the plural transfer mode, and a time counter for determining whether or not time-out occurred, wherein the plural transfer mode canceling unit cancels the plural transfer mode when the time-out occurred.

8. A communication method comprising the steps of:

performing a one-to-one communication at short distance with an apparatus of a communication opponent by electric field coupling or magnetic field coupling;

setting a plural transfer mode for sequentially transferring a data file to a plurality of apparatuses;

selecting a data file to transfer to the plurality of apparatuses;

sequentially transferring the data file already selected to each of the plurality of apparatuses, with which communication is established, when the plural transfer mode is set;

determining whether or not time-out occurred; and

canceling the plural transfer mode when the time-out occurred.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a program for causing a computer to function as:

a unit for performing a one-to-one communication at short distance with an apparatus of a communication opponent by electric field coupling or magnetic field coupling;

a unit for setting a plural transfer mode for sequentially transferring a data file to a plurality of apparatuses;

a unit for selecting a data file to transfer to the plurality of apparatuses;

a unit for sequentially transferring the data file already selected to each of the plurality of apparatuses, with which communication is established, when the plural transfer mode is set;

a unit for determining whether or not time-out occurred; and

a unit for canceling the plural transfer mode when the time-out occurred.