Information processing apparatus, and connection establishment method therefor

• US 8,422,471 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2010
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kurose, Kengo, Minemura, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit, Bunjob
• Application Number:
  US12/877,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20110222516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/06 including a wireless LAN interface

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a information processing apparatus includes a wireless communication unit, a first search unit, and a connection unit. The wireless communication unit performs wireless communication with another apparatus which is utilizable as a wireless base station. The first search unit is configured to: use the wireless communication unit to sequentially transmit, in a second transmission period different from a first transmission period, plural of first identification signals having different center frequencies within a frequency band usable by the wireless communication unit, as an activation request signal for requesting activation of a wireless communication unit included in the another apparatus; repeatedly transmit, in a first repetition period, the first signals in the frequency band; and search for the another apparatus. The connection unit uses the communication unit to establish connection with the another apparatus which is searched for.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with another information processing apparatus which is utilizable as a wireless base station and with an access point, wherein, when communicating with the another information processing apparatus, a plurality of first identification signals repeated with a second transmission period are used, and when communicating with the access point, a plurality of second identification signals repeated with a first transmission period which is different from the second transmission period are used;

a first search unit configured to;

use the wireless communication unit to sequentially transmit the plurality of first identification signals each having different center frequencies within a frequency band usable by the wireless communication unit, as an activation request signal for requesting activation of a wireless communication unit included in the another information processing apparatus;

repeatedly transmit the first identification signals in the frequency band; and

search for the another information processing apparatus which transmits a response to the first identification signals; and

a connection unit configured to use the wireless communication unit to establish connection with the another information processing apparatus which is searched for by the first search unit.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when a particular operation is performed, the first search unit uses the wireless communication unit to sequentially transmit the plurality of first identification signals as the activation request signal.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second search unit configured to:

use the wireless communication unit to sequentially transmit the plurality of second identification signals each having different center frequencies within the frequency band usable by the wireless communication unit;

repeatedly transmit the second identification signals in the frequency band; and

search for the access point which transmits a response to the second identification signals to connect thereto; and

when it is determined based on the search by the second search unit that there is no access point utilizable by the information processing apparatus, the first search unit uses the wireless communication unit to sequentially transmit the plurality of first identification signals as the activation request signal, repeatedly transmits the first identification signals in the frequency band, and searches for the another information processing apparatus which transmits the response to the first identification signals.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first identification signals are Probe Request signals which the wireless communication unit sends out when a mode of the wireless communication unit is a first mode, and the second identification signals are the Probe Request signals which the wireless communication unit sends out when the mode of the wireless communication unit is a second mode.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the wireless communication unit is a WLAN communication module;

the first mode is one of a Station mode and an Adhoc mode according to an Active Scan system relating to the WLAN communication module; and

the second mode is a Station mode relating to the WLAN communication module.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first transmission period is a de facto transmission period of a Beacon signal sent out from the access point.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second transmission period is shorter than the first transmission period.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first identification signals are identification information which is used for identifying the another information processing apparatus and contains unique word information which is set between the information processing apparatus and the another information processing apparatus.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the first transmission period is a period other than a de facto transmission period of a Beacon signal sent out from the access point, the second transmission period is different not only from the first transmission period but also from the de facto transmission period of the Beacon signal sent out from the access point.

10. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with another information processing apparatus and with an access point, wherein, when communicating with the another information processing apparatus, a plurality of first identification signals repeated with a second transmission period are used, and when communicating with the access point, a plurality of second identification signals repeated with a first transmission period which is different from the second transmission period are used;

a transmission control unit configured to perform control so as to use the wireless communication unit to sequentially transmit the plurality of first identification signals, which have particular center frequencies within a frequency band usable by the wireless communication unit, as an activation request signal for requesting activation of a wireless communication unit included in the another information processing apparatus; and

a connection unit configured to use the wireless communication unit to establish connection with the another information processing apparatus after the wireless communication unit transmits the first identification signals and receives a response to the first identification signals from the another information processing apparatus;

wherein the wireless communication unit transmits the first identification signals to the another information processing apparatus including a detecting unit which detects the activation request signal and is different from the wireless communication unit of the another information processing apparatus.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, when a particular operation is performed, the transmission control unit performs control so as to use the wireless communication unit to sequentially transmit the first identification signals as the activation request signal.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a search unit configured to:

use the wireless communication unit to sequentially transmit the plurality of second identification signals, which have different center frequencies within the frequency band usable by the wireless communication unit;

repeatedly transmit the second identification signals in the frequency band; and

search for the access point which transmits a response to the second identification signals to connect thereto; and

when it is determined based on the search by the search unit that there is no access point utilizable by the information processing apparatus, the transmission control unit performs control so as to use the wireless communication unit to sequentially transmit the first identification signals as the activation request signal.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first identification signals are Beacon signals which the wireless communication unit sends out when a mode of the wireless communication unit is a first mode, and the second identification signals are Probe Request signals which the wireless communication unit sends out when the mode of the wireless communication unit is a second mode.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

the wireless communication unit is a WLAN communication module;

the first mode is one of an Adhoc mode and an AP mode relating to the WLAN communication module; and

the second mode is a Station mode relating to the WLAN communication module.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first transmission period is a de facto transmission period of a Beacon signal sent out from the access point.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, in a case where the first transmission period is a period other than a de facto transmission period of a Beacon signal sent out from the access point, the second transmission period is different not only from the first transmission period but also from the de facto transmission period of the Beacon signal sent out from the access point.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the second transmission period is shorter than the first transmission period.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first identification signals are identification information which is used for identifying the another information processing apparatus and contains unique word information which is set between the information processing apparatus and the another information processing apparatus.

19. A connection establishment method for an information processing apparatus comprising:

configuring a wireless communication unit which performs wireless communication with another information processing apparatus which is utilizable as a wireless base station and with an access point, wherein, when communicating with the another information processing apparatus, a plurality of first identification signals repeated with a second transmission period are used, and when communicating with the access point, a plurality of second identification signals repeated with a first transmission period which is different from the second transmission period are used;

a wireless communication step including performing wireless communication with the another information processing apparatus;

a search step including;

using the wireless communication unit to sequentially transmit the plurality of first identification signals, which have different center frequencies within a frequency band usable by the wireless communication unit, as an activation request signal for requesting activation of a wireless communication unit included in the another information processing apparatus;

repeatedly transmitting the first identification signals in the frequency band; and

searching for the another information processing apparatus which transmits a response to the first identification signals; and

a connection step including using the wireless communication unit to establish connection with the another information processing apparatus which is searched for by processing in the search step.