Communication apparatus, program, communication method and communication system

• US 8,369,777 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2009
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Iwasaki, Jun, Sugisaki, Eiko, Kinoshita, Natsuko
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIEH, PING Y
• Application Number:
  US12/500,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20100048132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/67.11, 455/88, 455/552.1
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

A communication apparatus including a first communication unit for communicating with other communication apparatus through electric field coupling or magnetic field coupling, an approach detection unit for detecting an approach between the other communication apparatus and the first communication unit, and a selection unit for, when the other communication apparatus and the first communication unit are separated from each other, selecting different data to be transmitted depending on a time for which the other communication apparatus and the first communication unit were in close proximity to each other.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a first communication unit for communicating with other communication apparatus through electric field coupling or magnetic field coupling;

an approach detection unit for detecting an approach between the other communication apparatus and the first communication unit; and

a selection unit for, when the other communication apparatus and the first communication unit are separated from each other, selecting different data to be transmitted depending on a time for which the other communication apparatus and the first communication unit were in close proximity to each other, when the selection unit determines the time is less than a predetermined time, the selection unit selects first data to be transmitted, and when the selection unit determines the time is greater than the predetermined time, the selection unit selects different second data second data to be transmitted.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects first data to be transmitted when a time for which the other communication apparatus and the first communication unit were in close proximity to each other is shorter than a setting time, and

selects second data partially containing the first data to be transmitted when the time for which the other communication apparatus and the first communication unit were in close proximity to each other is longer than the setting time.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first communication unit periodically transmits a signal, and when the other communication apparatus and the first communication unit were in close proximity to each other, receives a response to the signal from the other communication apparatus,

the approach detection unit counts the number of times the first communication unit continuously receives the response, and

the selection unit selects data depending on the number of times counted by the approach detection unit.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first communication unit receives a signal periodically transmitted from the other communication apparatus,

the approach detection unit counts the number of times the first communication unit continuously receives the response, and

the selection unit selects data depending on the number of times counted by the approach detection unit.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the other communication apparatus and the first communication unit approach each other again after the other communication apparatus and the first communication unit are separated from each other and when a time for which the other communication apparatus and the first communication unit are being separated from each other is within a predetermined time, the first communication unit transmits the data selected by the selection unit.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second communication unit,

wherein the data selected by the selection unit is transmitted from the second communication unit.

7. A non-transitory computer storage medium having program instructions stored thereon that when executed by a computer cause the computer to function as:

a communication unit for communicating with other communication apparatus through electric field coupling or magnetic field coupling;

an approach detection unit for detecting an approach between the other communication apparatus and the communication unit; and

a selection unit for, when the other communication apparatus and the communication unit are separated from each other, selecting different data to be transmitted depending on a time for which the other communication apparatus and the communication unit were in close proximity to each other, when the selection unit determines the time is less than a predetermined time, the selection unit selects first data to be transmitted, and when the selection unit determines the time is greater than the predetermined time, the selection unit selects different second data second data to be transmitted.

8. A communication method comprising the steps of:

detecting an approach with other communication apparatus communicating through electric field coupling or magnetic field coupling;

detecting a separation from the other communication apparatus; and

selecting different data to be transmitted depending on a time for which the other communication apparatus is in close proximity, wherein when the selecting determines the time is less than a predetermined time, the selecting selects first data to be transmitted, and when the time is greater than the predetermined time, the selecting selects different second data to be transmitted.

9. A communication system comprising:

a first communication apparatus; and

a second communication apparatus having;

a communication unit for communicating with the first communication apparatus through electric field coupling or magnetic field coupling;

an approach detection unit for detecting an approach between the first communication apparatus and the communication unit; and

a selection unit for, when the first communication apparatus and the communication unit are separated from each other, selecting different data to be transmitted depending on a time for which the first communication apparatus and the communication unit were in close proximity to each other, when the selection unit determines the time is less than a predetermined time, the selection unit selects first data to be transmitted, and when the selection unit determines the time is greater than the predetermined time, the selection unit selects different second data second data to be transmitted.