Information processing apparatus and method

• US 8,798,542 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Oba, Haruo, Sugawara, Taku, Inagaki, Takeo, Rekimoto, Junichi, Matsushita, Nobuyuki, Ayatsuka, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Zhiyu
• Application Number:
  US13/600,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20130017790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• 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: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to an information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus may have a memory configured to store an identification information of an IC tag in association with a communication profile in a table. The information processing apparatus may also have a first communication unit configured to communicate with the IC tag using a first communication function. The information processing apparatus may also have a second communication unit configured to communicate with an external apparatus using a second communication function different from the first communication function. In addition, the information processing apparatus may have a controller, which may be configured to receive identification information from the IC tag through the first communication unit and to establish a connection with the external apparatus through the second communication unit based on the received identification information and the table stored in the memory.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a memory configured to store, in a table, an identification information of an IC tag and a communication profile in association with the identification information, the communication profile indicating a method of data transmission;

a first communication unit configured to communicate with the IC tag using a first communication function;

a second communication unit configured to communicate with an external apparatus using a second communication function different from the first communication function; and

a controller configured to;

receive the identification information from the IC tag through the first communication unit;

obtain, from the table, the communication profile associated with the identification information; and

establish a connection with the external apparatus through the second communication unit using the obtained communication profile.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an interface capable of turning on the first communication function of the first communication unit.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

the first communication unit can communicate with the IC tag when the IC tag is placed at a first distance from the information processing apparatus,

the second unit can communicate with the external apparatus when the external apparatus is placed at a second distance from the information processing apparatus, and

the first distance is smaller than the second distance.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a display, wherein the controller is configured to notify a user of receipt of the identification information by displaying a first message on the display.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the controller is further configured to notify a user to enter a parameter of the IC tag by displaying a second message on the display.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the user has entered the parameter.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to register the parameter in association with the identification information in the table.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to notify the user that the parameter has been registered by displaying a third message on the display.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the identification information is a first identification information;

the memory is configured to store, in the table, a second identification information of the external apparatus in association with the first identification information and the communication profile; and

the controller is configured to;

obtain, from the table, the second identification information associated with the first identification information; and

establish the connection with the external apparatus through the second communication unit using the second identification information.

9. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a memory configured to store, in a table, an identification information of an IC tag and a communication profile in association with the identification information, the communication profile indicating a method of data transmission;

a near field communication unit configured to communicate with an IC tag based on a near field communication method;

a bluetooth communication unit configured to communicate with an external apparatus based on a bluetooth communication method; and

a controller configured to;

receive the identification information from the IC tag through the near field communication unit;

obtain, from the table, the communication profile associated with the identification information; and

establish a connection with the external apparatus through the bluetooth communication unit using the obtained communication profile.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an interface capable of turning on the near field communication function of the near field communication unit.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a display, wherein the controller is configured to notify a user of receipt of the identification information by displaying a first message on the display.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to notify a user to enter a parameter of the IC tag by displaying a second message on the display.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to register the parameter in association with the identification information in the table.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to notify the user that the parameter has been registered by displaying a third message on the display.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the IC tag is a seal.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the IC tag is a memory card.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the identification information is a first identification information;

the memory is configured to store, in the table, a second identification information of the external apparatus in association with the first identification information and the communication profile; and

the controller is configured to;

obtain, from the table, the second identification information associated with the first identification information; and

establish the connection with the external apparatus through the bluetooth communication unit using the second identification information.