Information processing system, information processing device and method

• US 9,843,362 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2016
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kazuhiro, Shimohata, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia, Carlos E
• Application Number:
  US15/254,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20170104514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 340 1251, 340 1326, 463 36, 463 37, 463 42, 463 47
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

An information processing device includes: a communication control unit which performs short-range wireless communication with an IC tag; a base antenna; and a terminal to which an extension antenna device can be connected, the extension antenna device includes: extension antennas; and a terminal which, by being connected to the terminal to which an extension antenna device can be connected, connects the extension antennas and the information processing device to each other, and the communication control unit performs the short-range wireless communication with the IC tag via at least any of the base antenna 19 and the extension antennas.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising an information processing device and an extension antenna device connected to the information processing device, wherein

the information processing device comprises:

a communication control unit which performs short-range wireless communication with a communicator having a short-range wireless communication function;

a base antenna which is used for the short-range wireless communication; and

an information processing device-side terminal which is configured to be connected with the extension antenna device,

the extension antenna device comprises;

an extension antenna which is used for the short-range wireless communication; and

an extension antenna-side terminal which, by being connected to the information processing device-side terminal, connects the extension antenna and the information processing device to each other,

the communication control unit performs the short-range wireless communication with the communicator via at least one of the base antenna and the extension antenna,

the information processing device further comprises a switching unit configured to switch a signal to be sent to the communication control unit between a signal from the base antenna and a signal from the extension antenna,

the communication control unit controls switching of antennas by the switching unit; and

the communication control unit controls the switching unit so that a signal to be sent to the communication control unit is switched between a signal from the base antenna and a signal from the extension antenna for each prescribed time, and determines from which antenna the input of the signal as data has been made, based on a time block in which the signal has been input.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the information processing device further comprises an input device which receives an operation by a user.

3. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein

the communication control unit determines which antenna is to be used to acquire data in accordance with contents of an operation received by the input device.

4. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein

the information processing device further comprises an information processing unit which performs information processing in accordance with contents of the short-range wireless communication received from the communicator by the communication control unit and with contents of an operation received by the input device.

5. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the information processing device further comprises:

a first housing in which the communication control unit is provided;

a second housing in which the information processing unit is provided;

a first wireless communication unit which is provided in the first housing and which transmits contents of the short-range wireless communication received by the communication control unit to the information processing unit by wireless communication;

a second wireless communication unit which is provided in the second housing and which receives the contents transmitted by the first wireless communication unit; and

an information processing unit which is provided in the second housing and which performs information processing in accordance with contents of the short-range wireless communication received from the communicator by the communication control unit.

6. The information processing system according to claim 5, wherein

the information processing device further comprises an input device which is provided in the first housing and which receives an operation by a user,

the first wireless communication unit further transmits contents of an operation received by the input device to the information processing unit by wireless communication, and

the information processing unit performs information processing in accordance with contents of the short-range wireless communication received from the communicator by the communication control unit and with contents of an operation received by the input device.

7. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the extension antenna device comprises a first extension antenna and a second extension antenna.

8. The information processing system according to claim 7, wherein

the extension antenna device further comprises an extension switching unit configured to switch a signal to be sent to the communication control unit between a signal from the first extension antenna and a signal from the second extension antenna, and

the communication control unit controls the switching unit and the extension switching unit to switch a signal to be sent to the communication control unit among a signal from the base antenna, a signal from the first extension antenna, and a signal from the second extension antenna.

9. The information processing system according to claim 7, wherein

the extension antenna-side terminal and the information processing device-side terminal include a signal line for the first extension antenna and a signal line for the second extension antenna,

the switching unit is configured to switch a signal to be sent to the communication control unit among a signal from the base antenna, a signal from the first extension antenna, and a signal from the second extension antenna, and

the communication control unit controls the switching unit to switch a signal to be sent to the communication control unit among a signal from the base antenna, a signal from the first extension antenna, and a signal from the second extension antenna.

10. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the extension antenna device differs in size from the base antenna.

11. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the communicator includes a storage unit in which data is recorded and a short-range wireless communication unit which reads the data from the storage unit and transmits the data, and

contents of the short-range wireless communication received from the communicator by the communication control unit include the data.

12. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein

the extension antenna device further comprises a fixing unit which fixes the communicator in a range of the short-range wireless communication using the extension antenna.

13. An information processing system comprising an information processing device and an extension antenna device connected to the information processing device, wherein

the information processing device comprises:

a communication control unit which performs short-range wireless communication with a communicator having a short-range wireless communication function;

a base antenna which is used for the short-range wireless communication; and

an information processing device-side terminal which is configured to be connected with the extension antenna device,

the extension antenna device comprises;

an extension antenna which is used for the short-range wireless communication; and

an extension antenna-side terminal which, by being connected to the information processing device-side terminal, connects the extension antenna and the information processing device to each other, and

the communication control unit performs the short-range wireless communication with the communicator via at least one of the base antenna and the extension antenna;

the extension antenna device further comprises a fixing unit which fixes the communicator in a range of the short-range wireless communication using the extension antenna;

the communicator has a member having a prescribed shape and size, and

the fixing unit includes a fitting section to which the member fits.

14. An information processing device, comprising:

a communication control unit which performs short-range wireless communication with a communicator having a short-range wireless communication function;

a base antenna which is used for the short-range wireless communication; and

a terminal which is configured to be connected with an extension antenna device comprising an extension antenna used for the short-range wireless communication, wherein

the communication control unit performs the short-range wireless communication with the communicator via at least one of the base antenna and the extension antenna;

the information processing device further comprises a switching unit configured to switch a signal to be sent to the communication control unit between a signal from the base antenna and a signal from the extension antenna;

the communication control unit controls switching of antennas by the switching unit; and

the communication control unit controls the switching unit so that a signal to be sent to the communication control unit is switched between a signal from the base antenna and a signal from the extension antenna for each prescribed time, and determines from which antenna the input of the signal as data has been made, based on a time block in which the signal has been input.

15. A method executed by a computer comprising a base antenna used for short-range wireless communication and a terminal, which is configured to be connected with an extension antenna device comprising an extension antenna used for the short-range wireless communication, the method comprising:

performing the short-range wireless communication with a communicator having a short-range wireless communication function via at least one of the base antenna and the extension antenna; and

switching, using switching circuitry, a signal, which is sent to be processed in the performing the short-range wireless communication, between a signal from the base antenna and a single from the extension antenna;

controlling switching of antennas by the switching circuitry; and

controlling the switching circuitry so that the signal which is sent to be processed in the performing of the short-range wireless communication is switched between the signal from the base antenna and the signal from the extension antenna for each prescribed time, and

determining from which antenna the input of the signal as data has been made, based on a time block in which the signal has been input.