Information processing apparatus, image pickup apparatus, information processing system, information processing method, and program

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a communication unit configured to communicate with an image pickup apparatus that performs image pickup processing via at least one communication path selected from a plurality of different communication paths that include a first communication path and a second communication path;

an operation unit; and

a control unit configured to change a type of communication performed by the communication unit while the image pickup apparatus performs the image pickup processing, depending on an operational state of the operation unit.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the control unit is further configured to

in response to an absence of an input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for a predetermined time period, control the communication unit to stop communication via the first communication path, and

in response to the absence of the input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for the predetermined time period, control the communication unit to communicate with the image pickup apparatus via the second communication path, the communication via the second communication path using less power than power used in the communication via the first communication path.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the communication unit is configured to receive an image picked up by the image pickup apparatus via the first communication path, and

the control unit stops receiving the image via the first communication path in response to an absence of an input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for a first predetermined time period.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit is further configured to

in response to the absence of the input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for a second predetermined time period, control the communication unit to stop communication via the first communication path, and

in response to the absence of the input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for the second predetermined time period, control the communication unit to communicate with the image pickup apparatus via the second communication path.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a display unit that displays the image picked up by the image pickup apparatus, wherein

the control unit stops displaying the image on the display unit in response to the absence of the input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for the first predetermined time period.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the control unit is further configured to

in response to the absence of the input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for a second predetermined time period and the control unit stops controlling the display unit to display the image on the display unit, control the communication unit to stop communication via the first communication path, and

in response to the absence of the input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for the second predetermined time period and the control unit stops controlling the display unit to display the image on the display unit, control the communication unit to communicate with the image pickup apparatus via the second communication path.

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

the control unit performs communication paths switching processing to transmit and receive communication information to/from the image pickup apparatus via the second communication path when the communication unit stops communication via the first communication path and communicates with the image pickup apparatus via the second communication path, the communication information having previously been transmitted and received to/from the image pickup apparatus via the first communication path.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to change an apparatus mode to a second communication path single communication type in response to an absence of an input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for a predetermined time,

wherein, in the second communication path single communication type, the image pickup apparatus is prompted to communicate with the second communication path.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the second communication path uses less power than the first communication path.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second communication path uses less power than the first communication path.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first communication path comprises a Wi-Fi communication and the second communication path comprises a Bluetooth communication.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the control unit is configure to change an apparatus mode that is initially associated with a first communication type, wherein both the first communication path and the second communication path are available in communications with the image pickup apparatus, and

the control unit is configured to change the apparatus mode in response to an absence of an input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for a predetermined time, a second communication type being associated with the apparatus mode that is changed,

wherein, in the second communication type, the first communication path is excluded from usage for at least some communications with the image pickup apparatus.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the communication unit is further configured to receive an image picked up by the image pickup apparatus via the first communication path, and wherein the control unit is further configured to

in response to an absence of an input of operation to the operation unit in a state that the control unit stops receiving the image via the first communication path for a predetermined time period, control the communication unit to stop communication via the first communication path while the image pickup apparatus performs the image pickup processing, and

in response to the absence of the input of operation to the operation unit in the state that the control unit stops receiving the image via the first communication path for the predetermined time period, control the communication unit to communicate with the image pickup apparatus via the second communication path.

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

a display unit,

wherein the display unit is configured to display an image picked up by the image pickup apparatus, and

wherein the control unit is further configured to

control the display unit to display the image on the display unit,

in response to an absence of an input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for a predetermined time period and the control unit stops controlling the display unit to display the image on the display unit, control the communication unit to stop communication via the first communication path, and

in response to the absence of the input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for the predetermined time period and the control unit stops controlling the display unit to display the image on the display unit, control the communication unit to communicate with the image pickup apparatus via the second communication path.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operational state of the operation unit includes one selected from a group consisting of:

an operational state of transmitting a request to initiate image transmission by the image pickup apparatus,

an operational state of transmitting a request to initiate record processing by the image pickup apparatus,

an operational state of transmitting a request to stop the record processing by the image pickup apparatus,

an operational state of transmitting a request to initiate pickup of a still image by the image pickup apparatus, and

an operational state of transmitting a request to stop the pickup of the still image by the image pickup apparatus.

16. An image pickup apparatus, comprising:

an image pickup unit configured to pick up an image;

a communication unit configured to communicate with an information processing apparatus via at least one communication path selected from a plurality of different communication paths that include a first communication path and a second communication path; and

a control unit configured to

perform image pickup processing, and

change a type of communication performed by the communication unit while performing the image pickup processing, depending on an operational state of an operation unit of the information processing apparatus to control the image pickup apparatus.

17. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the control unit is configured to

in response to an absence of an input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for a predetermined time period, control the communication unit to stop communication via the first communication path, and

in response to the absence of the input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for the predetermined time period, control the communication unit to communicate with the information processing apparatus via the second communication path, the communication via the second communication path using less power than power used in the communication via the first communication path.

18. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein

the control unit performs communication paths switching processing to transmit and receive communication information to/from the information processing apparatus via the second communication path when the communication unit stops communication via the first communication path and starts communication with the information processing apparatus via the second communication path, the communication information having previously been transmitted and received to/from the information processing apparatus via the first communication path.

19. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein

the communication unit is configured to transmit, via the first communication path, the image picked up by the image pickup unit, and

the control unit stops the image transmission processing via the first communication path in response to an absence of an input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for a first predetermined time period.

20. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the control unit is further configured to

in response to an absence of the input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for a second predetermined time period, control the communication unit to stop communication via the first communication path, and

in response to the absence of the input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for the second predetermined time period, control the communication unit to communicate with the information processing apparatus via the second communication path.

21. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the communication unit is configured to

transmit, via the first communication path, the image picked up by the image pickup unit, and wherein the control unit is further configured to

in response to an absence of an input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for a predetermined time period, control the communication unit to stop communication via the first communication path, and

in response to the absence of the input of operation to control the image pickup apparatus to the operation unit for the predetermined time period and the control unit stops the image transmission processing via the first communication path, control the communication unit to communicate with the information processing apparatus via the second communication path.

22. An information processing system, comprising:

an image pickup apparatus; and

an information processing apparatus that controls the image pickup apparatus, the information processing apparatus including

a communication unit configured to communicate with the image pickup apparatus via at least one communication path selected from a plurality of different communication paths that include a first communication path and a second communication path,

an operation unit, and

a control unit configured to change a type of communication performed by the communication unit, depending on an operational state of the operation unit to control the image pickup apparatus;

the image pickup apparatus including

an image pickup unit that picks up an image,

a communication unit configured to communicate with the information processing apparatus, and

a control unit configured to

perform image pickup processing on the image, and

change a type of communication performed by the communication unit while performing the image pickup processing, depending on the operational state of the operation unit of the information processing apparatus.

23. An information processing method, which is executed by an information processing apparatus that includes a communication unit, an operation unit, and a control unit, the method comprising:

communicating, via the communication unit, with an image pickup apparatus that performs image pickup processing via a communication path selected from a plurality of different communication paths that include a first communication path and a second communication path; and

changing a type of communication performed by the communication unit while the image pickup apparatus performs the image pickup processing, depending on an operational state of the operation unit.

24. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program code for communications by an information processing apparatus that includes a communication unit, an operation unit, and a control unit, the program code being executable by a processor to perform operations comprising:

communicating, via the communication unit, with an image pickup apparatus that performs image pickup processing via a communication path selected from a plurality of different communication paths that include a first communication path and a second communication path; and

changing a type of communication performed by the communication unit while the image pickup apparatus performs the image pickup processing, depending on an operational state of the operation unit.

25. An information processing method executable by an image pickup apparatus that includes an image pickup unit, a communication unit and a control unit, the method comprising:

picking up, by the image pickup unit, an image;

communicating, by the communication unit, with an information processing apparatus via a communication path selected from a plurality of different communication paths that include a first communication path and a second communication path;

performing, by the control unit, image pickup processing on the image; and

changing, by the control unit, a type of communication performed by the communication unit while performing the image pickup processing, depending on an operational state of an operation unit of the information processing apparatus to control the image pickup apparatus.

26. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program code for communications by an image pickup apparatus that includes an image pickup unit, a communication unit and a control unit, the program code being executable by a processor to perform operations comprising:

controlling the image pickup unit to pick up an image;

controlling the communication unit to communicate with an information processing apparatus via a communication path selected from a plurality of different communication paths that include a first communication path and a second communication path;

performing image pickup processing on the image; and

changing a type of communication performed by the communication unit while performing the image pickup processing, depending on an operational state of an operation unit of the information processing apparatus to control the image pickup apparatus.