Information processing apparatus, information processing system, information processing method and program

• US 9,019,290 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2008
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Mamoru, Ishibashi, Yoshihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarka, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHONG X
• Application Number:
  US12/331,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20090201304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,330 Days
• Field of Search: 340/644
• US Class Current: 345/530
• 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 19/07703 the interface being visual

Abstract

A detecting section which detects a carrier wave near the receiving section, a switching control section which controls a switching section so as to, when the detecting section detects the carrier wave, switch connecting destination of the first storage section into the receiving section, and when the detecting section does not detect the carrier wave, switch the connecting destination of the first storage section into the reading section, a second storage section which stores the data conversion information read by the reading section, and a display control section which converts the read display data using the data conversion information stored in the second storage section so as to display the information on the display section are provided.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a receiving circuit which receives a magnetic field signal;

a first storage circuit which stores display data contained in the magnetic field signal and data conversion information associating the display data to predetermined displayable information;

a reading circuit which reads the display data and the data conversion information stored in the first storage circuit;

a second storage circuit which stores the data conversion information read by the reading circuit;

a switch to connect the first storage circuit to one of the receiving circuit and the reading circuit;

a detecting circuit which detects a carrier wave near the receiving circuit;

a display control circuit to

cause the switch to connect the first storage circuit to the receiving circuit, when the detecting circuit detects the carrier wave,

cause the switch to connect the first storage circuit to the reading circuit, when the detecting circuit does not detect the carrier wave, and

to convert the display data, read from the first storage circuit by the reading circuit, by reading displayable information associated with the display data in the data conversion information stored in the second storage circuit;

a display to display the displayable information associated with the display data; and

a processing circuit to process information stored in the first storage circuit based on a command received by the receiving circuit via the carrier wave, when the command includes identification information identifying the information processing apparatus, the received command including version information of the data conversion information to be used by the processing circuit to process the information stored in the first storage circuit.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the data conversion information contained in the magnetic field signal received by the receiving circuit is updated based on the data conversion information stored in the second storage circuit,

the reading circuit reads the data conversion information stored in the first storage circuit, and

the second storage circuit updates the data conversion information already stored into the updated data conversion information.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiving circuit is a loop antenna.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the detecting circuit detects the carrier wave by detecting an electromagnetic field.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the detecting circuit includes an antenna separate from the loop antenna.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the information processing apparatus is powered by the magnetic field signal.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is a non-contact IC card.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the magnetic field signal further includes financial transaction data.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data conversion information includes a table that stores codes in association with information displayable on the display, the display data corresponding to the codes.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the information displayable on the display include train station and train schedule information.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuit does not process the information stored in the first storage circuit when the command received by the receiving circuit does not include information identifying the information processing apparatus.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switch is an electron switch.

14. An information processing system comprising:

a first device which receives data via wireless communication and stores the data therein; and

a second device which transmits/receives the data to/from the first device;

wherein the first device includes;

a receiving circuit which receives a magnetic field signal;

a first storage circuit which stores display data contained in the magnetic field signal and data conversion information associating the display data to predetermined displayable information;

a reading circuit which reads the display data and the data conversion information stored in the first storage circuit;

a second storage circuit which stores the data conversion information read by the reading circuit;

a switch to connect the first storage circuit to one of the receiving circuit and the reading circuit;

a detecting circuit which detects a carrier wave near the receiving circuit;

a display control circuit to

cause the switch to connect the first storage circuit to the receiving circuit, when the detecting circuit detects the carrier wave, and

cause the switch to connect the first storage circuit to the reading circuit, when the detecting circuit does not detect the carrier wave, and

convert the display data, read from the first storage circuit by the reading circuit, by reading displayable information associated with the display data in the data conversion information stored in the second storage circuit;

a display to display the displayable information associated with the display data; and

a processing circuit to process information stored in the first storage circuit based on a command received by the receiving circuit from the second device, when the receiving circuit receives identification information identifying the first device, the received command including version information of the data conversion information to be used by the processing circuit to process the information stored in the first storage circuit,

wherein the second device starts or interrupts transmission of a carrier wave at any timing.

15. An information processing method comprising:

receiving a magnetic field signal via a receiving circuit;

storing display data contained in the magnetic field signal and data conversion information associating the display data to predetermined displayable information in a first storage circuit;

reading the display data and the data conversion information stored in the first storage circuit;

detecting a carrier wave near the receiving circuit;

connecting the first storage circuit to the receiving circuit, when the carrier wave is detected;

connecting the first storage circuit to the reading circuit, when the carrier wave is not detected;

storing the read data conversion information in a second storage circuit;

converting the display data, read from the first storage circuit by the reading circuit, by reading displayable information associated with the display data in the data conversion information stored in the second storage circuit;

displaying the displayable information associated with the display data on a display; and

processing information stored in the first storage circuit based on a command received in the carried wave, when the received command also includes identification information corresponding to identification information stored in the first storage circuit, the received command including version information of the data conversion information to be used in processing of the information stored in the first storage circuit.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer-readable instructions thereon, the computer-readable instructions when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

receiving a magnetic field signal at a receiving circuit;

storing, in a first storage circuit, display data contained in the magnetic field signal and data conversion information associating the display data to predetermined displayable information;

reading the display data and the data conversion information stored in the first storage circuit;

detecting a carrier wave near the receiving circuit;

connecting the first storage circuit to the receiving circuit, when the carrier wave is detected;

connecting the first storage circuit to the reading circuit, when the carrier wave is not detected;

storing the read data conversion information in a second storage circuit;

converting the display data, read from the first storage circuit by the reading circuit, by reading displayable information associated with the display data in the data conversion information stored in the second storage circuit;

displaying the display data displayable information associated with the on the display; and

processing information stored in the first storage circuit based on a command received in the carried wave, when the received command also includes identification information corresponding to identification information stored in the first storage circuit, the received command including version information of the data conversion information to be used in processing of the information stored in the first storage circuit.