COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD, INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD, INFORMATION PROCESSING TERMINAL AND METHOD

• US 20080287160A1
• Filed: 05/15/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kakuda, Hiroshi, Higo, Masamitsu, SASAI, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,194,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/002 Mutual synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

The present invention relates to a communication system and a method thereof, an information processing apparatus and a method thereof, an information processing terminal and a method thereof, which can start wireless communication easily and promptly. When an electromagnetic wave radiated from a reader/writer of a PDA 2 is received in a reader/writer of a personal computer 1, the personal computer 1 notifies the PDA 2 of device information stored therein. The PDA 2 establishes synchronization for Bluetooth communication with the personal computer 1 in accordance with a Bluetooth address contained in the device information and selects a service in accordance with a service record contained in the device information to establish communication via Bluetooth. The present invention can be applied to various information processing apparatuses such as a personal computer or a PDA.

Claims

1-37. -37. (canceled)

38. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an acquisition unit which, when a wireless communication apparatus is positioned close thereto, acquires communication information stored in the wireless communication apparatus, the communication information containing at least identification information for identifying the wireless communication apparatus and communication method information concerning a plurality of wireless communication methods available to the wireless communication apparatus;

a selection unit which selects one of the communication methods that is used in wireless communication on the basis of the communication method information in the communication information acquired by the acquisition unit; and

a communication establishing unit which establishes communication with the wireless communication apparatus on the basis of the communication method selected by the selection unit.

39. The information processing apparatus according to claim 38, further comprising:

a communication function activating request unit which requests the wireless communication apparatus to activate a communication function corresponding to the communication method selected by the selection unit.