INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, MOBILE PHONE, SERVER, AND CONTROL METHODS AND CONTROL PROGRAMS THEREOF

• US 20150056978A1
• Filed: 03/18/2013
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Yoshikazu
• Granted Patent: US 9,571,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

When an input device is connected via a communication interface, a mobile phone determines whether a local device can control the input device. When it is determined that the local device cannot control the input device, the mobile phone requests a server connected via a wireless communication network to control the input device. The mobile phone controls signal transfer between the input device and the server via the communication interface and the wireless communication network so that the server can control the input device by establishing communication between the input device and the server. In response to the request from the mobile phone, the server controls the input device via the established communication with the input device.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising:

a mobile phone; and

a server,

said mobile phone comprising;

a determiner that, when an input device is connected via a communication interface, determines whether a local device can control the input device;

a requester that, when said determiner determines that the local device cannot control the input device, requests said server connected via a wireless communication network to control the input device; and

a signal transfer controller that controls signal transfer between the input device and said server via the communication interface and the wireless communication network so that said server can control the input device by establishing communication between the input device and said server, and

said server controlling the input device via the established communication with the input device in response to the request from said requester.

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

said determiner further determines whether the local device can process data provided by the input device,

when said determiner determines that the local device cannot process the data provided by the input device, said requester requests said server to process the data provided by the input device,

said signal transfer controller controls data transfer from the input device to said server via the communication interface and the wireless communication network so that said server can process the data provided by the input device, and

in response to the request from said requester, said server acquires the data provided by the input device via the communication established between the input device and said server, and processes the data.

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

said server comprises

a data acquisition unit that acquires the data provided by the input device,

a converter that converts the data acquired by said data acquisition unit into data processable by said mobile phone, and

a transmitter that transmits the data processable by said mobile phone, which has been converted by said converter, to said mobile phone via the wireless communication network, and

said mobile phone further comprises a receiver that receives the data processable by said mobile phone.

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

said server further comprises a message table that stores a correspondence relationship between a type of the input device and an inquiry message to inquire about an output destination of the data input from the input device, and

said server reads out, from said table, the inquiry message corresponding to the input device connected to said mobile phone, and displays the inquiry message on said mobile phone.

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

said server further comprises a processing candidate table that stores a correspondence relationship between the type of the input device and a candidate of processing which can be performed for the data acquired from the input device, and

said server reads out, from said processing candidate table, the candidate of the processing corresponding to the input device connected to said mobile phone, and selectively displays the candidate on said mobile phone.

12. A server included in an information processing system defined in claim 1, comprising:

a controller that controls an input device via established communication with the input device in response to a request from a requester.

13. The server according to claim 12, further comprising a processor that, in response to the request from the requester, acquires data provided by the input device via the communication established between the input device and said server, and processes the data.

14. The server according to claim 12, further comprising

a processing candidate table that stores a correspondence relationship between a type of the input device and a candidate of processing which can be performed for the data acquired from the input device, and

a unit that reads out, from said processing candidate table, the candidate of the processing corresponding to the input device connected to the mobile phone, and selectively displays the candidate on the mobile phone.

15. The server according to claim 12, wherein

when an amount of data acquired from the input device reaches a predetermined amount, said signal transfer controller transfers the data to said server, and

the transferred data is accepted to start control of the input device.

16. A control method of a server included in an information processing system defined in claim 1, comprising:

controlling an input device via established communication with the input device in response to a request from a requester.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a control program of a server included in an information processing system defined in claim 1, for causing a computer to execute a method, comprising:

controlling an input device via established communication with the input device in response to a request from a requester.

6. An information processing method comprising:

determining, when an input device is connected via a communication interface, whether a local device can control the input device;

requesting, when it is determined in the determining that the local device cannot control the input device, a server connected via a wireless communication network to control the input device;

controlling the input device via established communication with the input device in response to the request in the requesting; and

controlling signal transfer between the input device and the server via the communication interface and the wireless communication network so that the server can control the input device by establishing communication between the input device and the server.

7. A mobile phone comprising:

a determiner that, when an input device is connected via a communication interface, recognizes the input device and determines whether a local device can control the input device;

a requester that, when said determiner determines that the local device cannot control the input device, requests a server connected via a wireless communication network to control the input device; and

a signal transfer controller that controls signal transfer between the input device and the server via the communication interface and the wireless communication network so that the server can control the input device by establishing communication between the input device and the server.

8. The mobile phone according to claim 7, wherein

said determiner further determines whether the local device can process data provided by the input device,

when said determiner determines that the local device cannot process the data provided by the input device, said requester requests the server to process the data provided by the input device, and

said signal transfer controller further controls data transfer from the input device to the server via the communication interface and the wireless communication network so that the server can process the data provided by the input device.

9. The mobile phone according to claim 7, further comprising

a receiver that receives the data from the server via the wireless communication network,

wherein the server includes

a converter that acquires the data provided by the input device, and converts the data into data processable by said mobile phone, and

a transmitter that transmits the data processable by said mobile phone, which has been converted by said converter, to said mobile phone via the wireless communication network.

10. A control method of a mobile phone, comprising:

determining, when an input device is connected via a communication interface, whether a local device can control the input device by recognizing the input device;

requesting, when it is determined in the determining that the local device cannot control the input device, a server connected via a wireless communication network to control the input device; and

controlling signal transfer between the input device and the server via the communication interface and the wireless communication network so that the server can control the input device by establishing communication between the input device and the server.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a control program of a mobile phone for causing a computer to execute a method, comprising:

determining, when an input device is connected via a communication interface, whether a local device can control the input device by recognizing the input device;

requesting, when it is determined in the determining that the local device cannot control the input device, a server connected via a wireless communication network to control the input device; and

controlling signal transfer between the input device and the server via the communication interface and the wireless communication network so that the server can control the input device by establishing communication between the input device and the server.