Communication system and method, information processing apparatus and method, information processing terminal and method

• US 9,516,687 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sasai, Takashi, Kakuda, Hiroshi, Higo, Masamitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hom, Shick
• Application Number:
  US14/594,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20150126125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 is received in a reader/writer of a personal computer, the personal computer notifies the PDA of device information stored therein. The PDA establishes synchronization for Bluetooth communication with the personal computer 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. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire device information associated with a communications apparatus, the device information comprising identification information and service attribute information, the service attribute information identifying attributes of at least one first service;

a selection unit configured to select a second service for performance by the information processing apparatus based on the service attribute information; and

a communication establishing unit configured to establish a direct wireless communication session with the communications apparatus using the identification information, the information processing apparatus being configured to perform the selected second service in conjunction with the communications apparatus across the wireless communication session,

wherein the acquisition unit, the selection unit, and the communication establishing unit are each implemented via at least one processor.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an activation unit configured to:

determine whether the communication establishing unit established the wireless communication session with the communications apparatus; and

when the wireless communication session is determined to be established, activate a function of the wireless communication session in accordance with the selected second service,

wherein the activation unit is implemented via at least one processor.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the activation unit is further configured to activate the function of the wireless communication session in accordance with at least one service attribute of the selected second service.

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the service attribute information identifies attributes of a plurality of first services performable by the communications apparatus; and

the selection unit is further configured to establish one of the first services as the second service based on a corresponding portion of the identified attributes.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the selection unit is further configured to:

identify a candidate service for performance by the information processing apparatus;

determine whether an attribute of the candidate service matches an attribute of a corresponding one of the first services; and

when the candidate service attribute is determined to match the attribute of the corresponding first service, establish the corresponding first service as the second service.

6. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit is further configured to acquire the device information from the communications apparatus using radio-wave communication.

7. The Information processing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the acquisition unit comprises an antenna configured to perform the radio-wave communication.

8. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a detection unit configured to detect the communications apparatus based on at least a first signal transmitted by the communications apparatus at a first power mode, wherein:

the acquisition unit is further configured to acquire, in response to the detection, confirmation information from the communications apparatus, the confirmation information comprising an image of the communications apparatus; and

the communications establishing unit is further configured to;

obtain information verifying the image from a user of the communications apparatus; and

establish, based on the obtained user verification, the wireless communication session with the communications apparatus, the wireless communication session being established based on at least a second signal transmitted by the communications apparatus at a second power mode,

wherein the detection unit is implemented via at least one processor.

9. The information processing apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

the information processing apparatus further comprises a receiving unit configured to receive the first signal from the communications apparatus at the first power mode; and

the detection unit is further configured to detect a proximity of the communications apparatus in response to the reception of the first signal,

wherein the receiving unit is implemented via at least one processor.

10. The information processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the receiving unit is further configured to receive the second signal from the communications apparatus;

the communications establishing unit is further configured to establish the wireless communication session in response to the reception of the second signal; and

a power level associated with the second power mode exceeds a power level associated with the first power mode.

11. The information processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the communications establishing unit is further configured to:

generate an instruction to display the image of the communications apparatus to the user; and

receive, from the user, the information verifying the image of the communications apparatus.

12. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device information comprises device type information.

13. The information processing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the device type information identifying a type of at least one of the information processing apparatus or the communications apparatus.

14. The Information processing apparatus of claim 12, where in the device information identifies a number of additional device with which the communications apparatus is configured to communicate simultaneously across the wireless communication session.

15. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication session comprises a Bluetooth communication session.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the service attribute information identifies attributes of a plurality of first services performable by the communications apparatus; and

the method further comprises establishing one of the first services as the second service based on a corresponding portion of the identified attributes.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising:

identifying a candidate service for performance by the information processing apparatus;

determining whether an attribute of the candidate service matches an attribute of a corresponding one of the first services; and

when the candidate service attribute is determined to match the attribute of the corresponding first service, establishing the corresponding first service as the second service.

16. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

obtaining, by at least one processor, device information associated with a communications apparatus, the device information comprising identification information and service attribute information, the service attribute information identifying attributes of at least one first service;

identifying, using the at least one processor, a second service for performance by an information processing apparatus based on the service attribute information; and

establishing, using the at least one processor, a direct wireless communication session between the information processing apparatus and the communications apparatus using the identification information; and

using the at least one processor, performing the selected second service in conjunction with the communications apparatus across the wireless communication session.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising activating a function of the wireless communication session in accordance with the selected second service in response to the established wireless communication session.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising activating the function of the wireless communication session in accordance with at least one service attribute of the selected second service.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the obtaining comprises acquiring the device information from the communications apparatus using radio-wave communication.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising;

receiving a first signal transmitted by the communications apparatus at a first power mode;

detecting the communications apparatus based on the received first signal;

acquiring, in response to the detection, confirmation information from the communications apparatus, the confirmation information comprising an image of the communications apparatus;

obtaining information verifying the image from a user of the communications apparatus; and

establishing the wireless communication session with the communications apparatus based on the obtained user verification.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein the detecting comprises detecting a proximity of the communications apparatus in response to the reception of the first signal.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a second signal transmitted by the communications apparatus at a second power mode, a power level associated with the second power mode exceeding a power level associated with the first power mode; and

establishing the wireless communication session in response to the reception of the second signal.

25. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method comprising the steps of:

obtaining device information associated with a communications apparatus, the device information comprising identification information and service attribute information, the service attribute information identifying attributes of at least one first service;

identifying a second service for performance by an information processing apparatus based on the service attribute information;

establishing a direct wireless communication session between the information processing apparatus and the communications apparatus using the identification information; and

performing the selected second service in conjunction with the communications apparatus across the communication session.

26. An information processing apparatus comprising an acquisition circuitry and a communication establishing circuitry,

the acquisition circuitry being configured to:

acquire device information associated with a communications apparatus, the device information comprising identification information and service attribute information, the service attribute information identifying attributes of at least one first service; and

select a second service for performance by the information

processing apparatus based on the service attribute information; and

the communication establishing circuitry configured to;

establish a direct wireless communication session with the communications apparatus using the identification information, the information processing apparatus being configured to perform the selected second service in conjunction with the communications apparatus across the wireless communication session.