Communication device and communication method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9622020-B2
Application number	US-201314428735-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2013
Priority date	Sep 24, 2012
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A communication system includes a game machine and a headset. The headset detects a state change in the present device, the state change in the present device being caused by a predetermined action of a user, and transmits a signal indicating the state change in the present device to the game machine. The game machine receives, from at least one of one or more external devices, a signal indicating a state change in the external device. The game machine identifies a partner device in predetermined communication processing from among the one or more external devices on the basis of the received signal indicating the state change.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A communication device comprising:
a receiving section receiving, from a given external device among one or more external devices, a signal indicating a state change in the given external device, the state change being caused by a predetermined action of a user, the predetermined action being that the communications device and the given external device bumping into one another, and the signal indicating a state change including sensor information as to an acceleration profile resulting in the given external device from the bumping with the communication device; and
an identifying section identifying the given external device as a partner device in predetermined communication processing from among the one or more external devices on a basis of the signal indicating the state change, wherein the identifying section identifies the given external device as a partner device:
(i) when the signal indicating a state change includes the sensor information as to an acceleration profile resulting in the given external device from the bumping with the communication device, and
(ii) based on a comparison of the sensor information from the signal indicating a state change and further sensor information as to a corresponding acceleration profile resulting within the communication device from the bumping with the external device.

2. The communication device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a searching section sending a search signal as a radio signal for searching for the given external device,
wherein the receiving section receives a response signal as a radio signal in response to the search signal from each of the one or more external devices, and receives, from the given external device, a response signal indicating the state change, and
the identifying section identifies the given external device as a partner device in predetermined wireless communication processing from among the one or more external devices on a basis of the response signal indicating the state change.

3. The communication device according to claim 1 , further comprising a connection processing section transmitting, to the partner device, a connection request for establishing a connection to the partner device when the partner device is identified.

4. The communication device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a check information retaining section retaining information indicating a state change in the partner device, the state change being caused by the predetermined action of the user, as check information in advance,
wherein when the state change indicated by the signal indicating a state change received from the given external device and the state change indicated by the check information match each other, the identifying section identifies a transmission source of the signal as the partner device.

5. The communication device according to claim 4 , wherein:
the predetermined action of the user is an action for making a state change common to both of the present device and the partner device detected, and
the communication device further comprises:
a detecting section detecting an actual state change occurring in the communication device, the state change being caused by the predetermined action of the user, and recording information indicating details or timing of the state change as the check information,
the partner device detects an actual state change caused by the predetermined action of the user, and transmits a signal indicating details or timing of the state change, and
when details or timing of the state change indicated by a signal received from one of the one or more external devices and the details or timing of the state change indicated by the check information match each other, the identifying section identifies a transmission source of the signal as the partner device.

6. The communication device according to claim 4 , wherein:
the predetermined action of the user is an action for making the partner device detect a predetermined state change,
the check information retaining section retains information indicating details or timing of the state change assumed to be detected in the partner device as the check information in advance,
the partner device detects an actual state change caused by the predetermined action of the user, and transmits a signal indicating details or timing of the state change, and
when details or timing of the state change indicated by a signal received from one of the one or more external devices and the details or timing of the state change indicated by the check information match each other, the identifying section identifies a transmission source of the signal as the partner device.

7. The communication device according to claim 4 , wherein:
the predetermined action of the user is an action for changing strength of a signal from the partner device,
the check information retaining section retains information indicating a change in the strength of the signal from the partner device, the change in the strength of the signal from the partner device being assumed to be detected in the present device, as the check information in advance, and
when a change in strength of the signal of one of the one or more external devices matches the change in the signal strength indicated by the check information, the identifying section identifies a transmission source of the signal as the partner device.

8. The communication device according to claim 1 , further comprising a display control section displaying, on a display device, information prompting for an action of the user for causing a state change in the partner device when the partner device is to be identified.

9. A communication device comprising:
a detecting section detecting a state change in the communication device, the state change being caused by a predetermined action of a user; and
a transmitting section transmitting a signal indicating the state change to a different communication device to be set as a partner in predetermined communication processing, to make the different communication device identify a partner device in the predetermined communication processing from among one or more external devices on a basis of the signal indicating the state change caused by the predetermined action of the user,
wherein the different communication device includes:
a receiving section receiving, from a given external device among the one or more external devices, a signal indicating a state change in the given external device, the state change being caused by the predetermined action of a user, the predetermined action being that the different communications device and the given external device bumping into one another, and the signal indicating a state change including sensor information as to an acceleration profile resulting in the given external device from the bumping with the communication device; and
an identifying section identifying the given external device as a partner device in predetermined communication processing from among the one or more external devices on a basis of the signal indicating the state change, wherein the identifying section identifies the given external device as a partner device:
(i) when the signal indicating a state change includes the sensor information as to an acceleration profile resulting in the given external device from the bumping with the communication device, and
(ii) based on a comparison of the sensor information from the signal indicating a state change and further sensor information as to a corresponding acceleration profile resulting within the communication device from the bumping with the external device.

10. A communication method performed by a commu

Assignees

• Sony Computer Entertainment Inc
• Sony Corp
• Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc

Inventors

• Yato Chitoku

Classifications

• H04W8/005 Primary

  Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals · CPC title

• H04W84/18

  Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks · CPC title

• H04W76/14

  Direct-mode setup · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H04W4/21 Primary

  for social networking applications · CPC title