Information processing apparatus

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a short-distance wireless communication unit which communicates with external equipment;

an input unit which includes a button, which generates a press event in response to a depression of the button, and generates a release event in response to a release of the button after the depression;

a timer which measures an elapsed time;

a control unit which starts the timer and transmits a press command to the external equipment via the short-distance wireless communication unit in response to a reception of a notification of the press event from the input unit, and which transmits a release command to the external equipment via the short-distance wireless communication unit in response to reception of a notification of the release event from the input unit,

wherein the input unit is configured to periodically output a notification of the press event to the control unit at predetermined intervals during continued depression of the button where the button is continuously pressed without being released,

wherein the control unit is configured to cause the timer to restart measurement of an elapsed time each time the control unit receives the notification of the press event which is periodically output by the input unit, and configured to cause timer to stop measurement of the elapsed time and transmit the release command to the external equipment when the control unit receives a notification of the release event from the input unit during the measurement of the elapsed time restarted by the timer, and

wherein the control unit is further configured to transmit the release command to the external equipment via the short-distance wireless communication unit when the control unit does not detect reception of the notification of the release event from the input unit but detects that, after the press command is transmitted to the external equipment, the elapsed time measured by the timer reaches a specific time without detecting the reception of the notification of the release event.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a buffer memory which stores at least one of the press event and the release event; and

wherein, the control unit discards the press event in the buffer memory when the release event is received from the input unit, after the control unit transmits the release command to the external equipment in response to the detection that the elapsed time reaches a specific time and no event is received from the input unit.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit further discards the release event received from the input unit after the control unit transmits the release command to the external equipment in response to the detection that the elapsed time reaches a specific time and no event is received from the input unit.

4. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a short-distance wireless communication unit which communicates with external equipment;

an input means, which includes a button and which generates a press event in response to a depression of the button and which generates a release event in response to a release of the button from the depression;

a timer which measures an elapsed time; and

a control means for starting the timer, transmitting a press command to the external equipment via the short-distance wireless communication unit in response to receiving a notification of the press event from the input means, and transmitting a release command to the external equipment via the short-distance wireless communication unit in response to reception of a notification of the release event from the input means,

wherein the input means is configured to periodically output a notification of the press event to the control means at predetermined intervals during continued depression of the button where the button is continuously pressed without being released,

wherein the control means is configured to cause the timer to restart measurement of an elapsed time each time the control unit receives the notification of the press event which is periodically output by the input means, and configured to cause timer to stop measurement of the elapsed time and transmit the release command to the external equipment when the control means receives a notification of the release event from the input means during the measurement of the elapsed time restarted by the timer, and,

wherein the control means is further configured to transmit the release command to the external equipment via the short-distance wireless communication unit when the control means does not detect reception of the notification of the release event from the input unit means but detects that, after the press command is transmitted to the external equipment, the elapsed time measured by the timer reaches a specific time without detecting the reception of the notification of the release event.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:

a buffer memory which stores at least one of the press event and the release event;

wherein, the control means discards the press event in the buffer memory when the release event is received from the input means, after the control means transmits the release command to the external equipment in response to the detection that the elapsed time reaches a specific time and no event is received from the input means.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the control means further discards the release event received from the input means after the control means transmits the release command to the external equipment in response to the detection that the elapsed time reaches a specific time and no event is received from the input unit.