Storage device and method, information processing apparatus and method, and provision medium therefor

• US 6,559,755 B1
• Filed: 09/15/1999
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakajima, Yasuhisa, Hamamoto, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/396,261
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.6, 340/10.51, 340/825.71, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 340/10.6
• 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

Abstract

A storage device and method stores tuning-frequency data, and extracts a tuning frequency from a received signal. Based on the stored tuning-frequency data, the tuning frequency extracted by the first extracting unit is adjusted. The storage device is accessed by an information processing apparatus, and data from the storage device are processed by an information processing method.

Claims

1. A storage device for storing and processing information and for performing information transmission and reception with an external unit, said storage device comprising:

storage means for storing tuning-frequency data;

extracting means for extracting a tuning frequency from a received signal; and

adjusting means for adjusting, based on the tuning-frequency data stored in said storage means, the tuning frequency extracted by said extracting means.

2. A storage device according to claim 1, further comprising adding means for adding dummy data when an address designated by said external unit is not stored in said storage means.

3. A storage method for storing and processing information and for performing information transmission and reception with an external unit, said storage method comprising the steps of:

storing tuning-frequency data;

extracting a tuning frequency from a received signal; and

adjusting, based on the tuning-frequency data stored in the storing step, the tuning frequency extracted in the extracting step.

4. A provision medium for providing a program to a storage device for storing and processing information and for performing information transmission and reception with an external unit, said program causing said storage device to execute a process including the steps of:

storing tuning-frequency data;

extracting a tuning frequency from a received signal; and

adjusting, based on the tuning-frequency data stored in the storing step, the tuning frequency extracted in the extracting step.

5. An information processing apparatus for accessing a non-contact storage device, comprising:

communication control means for controlling transmission and reception of signals, and generating tuning frequency data;

extracting means for extracting a tuning frequency from a received signal;

adjusting means for adjusting the tuning frequency extracted by said extracting means, based on said tuning frequency data supplied from said communication control means; and

storage means for storing data read from said non-contact storage device.

6. An information processing apparatus for accessing a non-contact storage device, comprising:

extracting means for extracting a tuning frequency from a received signal;

adjusting means for adjusting the tuning frequency extracted by said extracting means;

storage means for storing data read from said non-contact storage device; and

display control means for displaying the data.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

reception-determination means for determining whether the data read from said non-contact storage device have been received; and

power-supply activating means for switching on, based on determination of said reception-determination means, the power supply of said display control means.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

communication-distance determination means for determining a distance over which said information processing apparatus can communicate with said non-contact storage device; and

power-supply activating means for switching on, based on determination of said communication-distance determination means, the power supply of said display control means.

9. An information processing apparatus for accessing a non-contact storage device, comprising:

extracting means for extracting a tuning frequency from a received signal;

adjusting means for adjusting the tuning frequency extracted by said extracting means;

storage means for storing data read from said non-contact storage device; and

error-determination means for counting the number of errors occurring in communication with said non-contact storage device and determining whether the number of errors is greater than a predetermined value.

10. An information processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising writing means for writing, in a storage device, the data stored in said storage means when said error-determination means has determined that the number of errors is greater than the predetermined value.

11. An information processing apparatus for accessing a non-contact storage device, comprising:

extracting means for extracting a tuning frequency from a received signal;

adjusting means for adjusting the tuning frequency extracted by said extracting means;

storage means for storing data read from said non-contact storage device;

second storage means for storing data of a plurality of storage devices beforehand; and

comparing means for comparing the data stored in said second storage means and data on said non-contact storage device.

12. An information processing apparatus for accessing a non-contact storage device, comprising:

extracting means for extracting a tuning frequency from a received signal;

adjusting means for adjusting the tuning frequency extracted by said extracting means; and

storage means for storing data read from said non-contact storage device,

wherein said adjusting means adjusts the tuning frequency by changing the capacitance of a capacitor.

13. An information processing apparatus for accessing a non-contact storage device, comprising:

extracting means for extracting a tuning frequency from a received signal;

adjusting means for adjusting the tuning frequency extracted by said extracting means; and

storage means for storing data read from said non-contact storage device;

wherein said adjusting means adjusts the tuning frequency by detecting the dielectric constant of a capacitor which varies depending on humidity.

14. An information processing method for accessing a non-contact storage device, comprising the steps of:

generating tuning frequency data;

controlling transmission and reception of signals;

extracting a tuning frequency from a received signal;

adjusting the tuning frequency extracted in the extracting step, based on said tuning frequency data; and

storing data read from said non-contact storage device.

15. A provision medium for providing a program to an information processing apparatus for accessing a non-contact storage device, said program causing said information processing apparatus to execute a process including the steps of:

generating tuning frequency data;

controlling transmission and reception of signals;

extracting a tuning frequency from a received signal;

adjusting the tuning frequency extracted in the extracting step, based on said tuning frequency data; and

storing data read from said non-contact storage device.