IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,039,378

Granted Patent B2

US 11,039,378 · App. 15/781,363 · Granted Jun 15, 2021

Information processing method and information processing system

Inventors: Takashi Onohara (Tokyo, JP); Taichi Yoshio (Kanagawa, JP); Takuma Higo (Tokyo, JP); Hiroshi Tamaki (Kanagawa, JP)

Assignee: SONY CORPORATION

H04W48/16 G01S1/02 G10K15/02 H04L12/2807 H04M1/00 H04M11/00 H04N21/4363 H04R3/12 H04W4/02 H04W4/80 H04W48/04 H04W48/08 H04W64/003 H04W76/10 H04W84/10 H04W84/12

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 11,039,378
App. No.: 15/781,363
Granted: Jun 15, 2021
Kind: B2

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Abstract

An information processing method according to an embodiment of the present technology which is executed by a computer includes detecting, on a basis of a beacon signal transmitted from a first apparatus, the first apparatus, and communicably connecting the detected first apparatus and the computer. A distance from the computer to the first apparatus is calculated on a basis of an intensity of a signal received from the first apparatus communicably connected. In a case where the calculated distance is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value, setting information for communicably connecting the first apparatus and a second apparatus is transmitted to the first apparatus.

Claims (67)

1. An information processing method, comprising:

in a terminal device that comprises circuitry:

receiving a beacon signal from a first apparatus;

detecting the first apparatus based on the beacon signal received from the first apparatus,

wherein the beacon signal includes information regarding a model number of the first apparatus;

displaying, on a display screen of the terminal device, the information regarding the model number of the first apparatus;

connecting the first apparatus and the terminal device based on the displayed information;

periodically transmitting an inquiry signal to the first apparatus at a first interval;

periodically calculating, at a second interval, a distance from the terminal device to the first apparatus based on an intensity of a response signal, wherein

the second interval at which the distance is calculated is based on the first interval, and

the response signal is received from the first apparatus based on the transmitted inquiry signal;

displaying, on the display screen of the terminal device, guide information based on the calculated distance,

wherein the guide information indicates a difference between a threshold value and the calculated distance; and

transmitting, based on the calculated distance that is equal to or less than the threshold value, setting information to the first apparatus through the connection between the first apparatus and the terminal device,

wherein the first apparatus is connected to a second apparatus based on the setting information.

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

displaying, on the display screen of the terminal device, the first apparatus; and

connecting, based on a user selection operation on the display screen, the first apparatus and the terminal device,

wherein the user selection operation includes selection of the displayed first apparatus.

3. The information processing method according to claim 2 , further comprising displaying state information associated with the connection of the first apparatus with the second apparatus.

4. The information processing method according to claim 2 , further comprising displaying the calculated distance on the display screen.

5. The information processing method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

connecting, based on the beacon signal compliant with a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) standard, the first apparatus and the terminal device for enabling a BLE communication; and

transmitting the setting information to the first apparatus through the BLE communication.

6. The information processing method according to claim 1 , wherein

the second apparatus is an access point that constructs a wireless network, and

the setting information includes a service set identifier (SSID) associated with the access point, and a password associated with the access point.

7. The information processing method according to claim 1 , wherein

the second apparatus corresponds to the terminal device, and

the setting information includes a Bluetooth (registered trademark) address and a pairing request.

8. The information processing method according to claim 1 , further comprising transmitting an instruction for content reproduction to a reproduction apparatus, via a wireless network,

wherein the first apparatus is the reproduction apparatus.

9. The information processing method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a plurality of first apparatuses;

connecting each first apparatus of the plurality of first apparatuses with the terminal device based on the detection of the plurality of first apparatuses; and

transmitting the setting information to each first apparatus of the plurality of first apparatuses based on a respective distance between each first apparatus of the plurality of first apparatuses and the terminal device,

wherein the respective distance is equal to or less than the threshold value.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute operations, the operations comprising:

receiving a beacon signal from a first apparatus;

detecting the first apparatus based on the beacon signal received from the first apparatus,

wherein the beacon signal includes information regarding a model number of the first apparatus;

displaying, on a display screen of a terminal device, the information regarding the model number of the first apparatus;