Portable information terminal, a control method for a portable information terminal, a program of a method of controlling a personal information terminal and a recording medium having recorded therein a program of a method of controlling a personal information terminal

• US 7,221,957 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2003
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wakamatsu, Masataka, Takamura, Kazuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan; Huy
• Application Number:
  US10/437,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20040045027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/422.1, 455/512, 455/513, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/41.2, 455/432.1, 455/435.1
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

The present invention is applied to a portable personal computer or the like having a plurality of wireless communication means, for example, so as to provide a user with appropriate wireless communication means in a situation where a plurality of wireless communication means are available. According to the present invention, the wireless communication means is selectively used in accordance with an application program with reference to a communication management table in which at least wireless communication means allowed to be used is described with regard to respective application programs.

Claims

1. A portable information terminal comprising:

a plurality of wireless communication mechanisms and a controller for controlling said plurality of wireless communication mechanisms,

said controller transmits and receives data using at least one of the wireless communication mechanisms in response to a request from an application judgment agent which accesses a communication management table identifying a subset of the wireless communication mechanisms allowed to be used by each of a plurality of application programs to generate said request, wherein

said communication management table has priority established therein in a case where a plurality of the wireless communication mechanisms are allowed to be used for a single application program, and said controller transmits and receives data using a corresponding wireless communication mechanisms in accordance with said priority.

2. A portable information terminal comprising:

a plurality of wireless communication mechanisms and a controller for controlling said plurality of wireless communication mechanisms,

said controller transmits and receives data using at least one of the wireless communication mechanisms in response to a request from an application judgment agent which accesses a communication management table identifying a subset of the wireless communication mechanisms allowed to be used by each of a plurality of application programs to generate said request;

a detector for detecting whether or not data transmission/reception using said wireless communication mechanisms allowed to be used is possible, wherein

said controller updates said communication management table in accordance with a detection result by said detector.

3. A portable information terminal as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

said controller switches between said plurality wireless communication mechanisms used for data transmission/reception depending on an update of said communication management table.

4. A portable information terminal comprising:

a plurality of wireless communication mechanisms and a controller for controlling said plurality of wireless communication mechanisms,

said controller transmits and receives data using at least one of the wireless communication mechanisms in response to a request from an application judgment agent which accesses a communication management table identifying a subset of the wireless communication mechanisms allowed to be used by each of a plurality of application programs to generate said request, wherein

said communication management table has recorded therein information indicating respective relationships between said wireless communication mechanisms and application programs which are a same kind, but function differently from each other or information restricting a function of a single application program with regard to said wireless communication mechanisms, and said controller switches the application program in accordance with the information indicating the relationship or switches the function of the application program in accordance with the information restricting the function in response to switching the wireless communication mechanisms.

5. A method of controlling a portable information terminal having a plurality of wireless communication mechanisms, comprising the step of:

transmitting and receiving data using corresponding wireless communication mechanisms in response to a request from an application judgment agent, which accesses a communication management table identifying wireless communication mechanisms allowed to be used by each of a plurality of application programs to generate said request, wherein

said communication management table has priority established therein in a case where a plurality of wireless communication mechanisms are allowed to be used for a single application program, and said step of transmitting and receiving data is carried out using corresponding wireless communication mechanisms in accordance with said priority.

6. The method of controlling a portable information terminal having a plurality of wireless communication mechanisms, comprising the steps of:

transmitting and receiving data using corresponding wireless communication mechanisms in response to a request from an application judgment agent, which accesses a communication management table identifying wireless communication mechanisms allowed to be used by each of a plurality of application programs to generate said request; and

updating said communication management table depending on a detection result by a detector for detecting whether or not data transmission/reception through said wireless communication mechanisms that are allowed to be used is possible.

7. The method of controlling a portable information terminal as claimed in claim 6 further comprising the step of:

switching said wireless communication mechanisms used for data transmission/reception depending on an update of said communication management table.

8. A method of controlling a portable information terminal having a plurality of wireless communication mechanisms, comprising the steps of:

transmitting and receiving data using corresponding wireless communication mechanisms in response to a request from an application judgment agent, which accesses a communication management table identifying wireless communication mechanisms allowed to be used by each of a plurality of application programs to generate said request, wherein

said communication management table has recorded therein information indicating respective relationships between said wireless communication mechanisms and application programs which are a same kind but function differently from each other or information restricting a function of a single application program with regard to said wireless communication mechanisms; and

switching the application program in accordance with the information indicating the relationship or switches the function of the application program in accordance with the information restricting the function in response to switching the wireless communication mechanisms.

9. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program having instructions that implement a method of controlling a portable information terminal having a plurality of wireless communication mechanisms, wherein:

data is transmitted and received using a corresponding wireless communication mechanism in response to a request from an application judgment agent, which accesses a communication management table identifying wireless communication mechanisms allowed to be used by each of a plurality of application programs to generate said request, and

said communication management table has priority established therein in a case where a plurality of plurality of wireless communication mechanisms are allowed to be used for a single application program, and data is transmitted and received using corresponding wireless communication mechanisms in accordance with said priority.

10. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program having instructions that implement a method of controlling a portable information terminal having a plurality of wireless communication mechanisms, wherein:

data is transmitted and received using a corresponding wireless communication mechanism in response to a request from an application judgment agent, which accesses a communication management table identifying wireless communication mechanisms allowed to be used by each of a plurality of application programs to generate said request, and

said communication management table is updated depending on a detection result by a detector for detecting whether or not data transmission/reception through said wireless communication mechanisms allowed to be used is possible.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein:

said wireless communication mechanisms used for data transmission/reception are switched depending on an update of said communication management table.

12. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program having instructions that implement a method of controlling a portable information terminal having a plurality of wireless communication mechanisms, wherein:

data is transmitted and received using a corresponding wireless communication mechanism in response to a request from an application judgment agent, which accesses a communication management table identifying wireless communication mechanisms allowed to be used by each of a plurality of application programs to generate said request, and

said communication management table has recorded therein information indicating respective relationship, between said wireless communication mechanisms and application programs which are a same kind, but function differently from each other or information restricting a function of a single application program with regard to said wireless communication mechanisms, and said application program is switched in accordance with the information indicating the relationship or the function of the application program in switched in accordance with the information restricting the function in response to switching the wireless communication mechanisms.