DESCRIPTION
WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, AND
COMMUNICATION METHOD
5 TECHNICAL FIELD
[OOOl]
The present technique relates to wireless
communication devices. More particularly, the present
technique relates to wireless communication devices that
10 exchange various kinds of information by using wireless
communications, a communication system, and a communication
method.
BACKGROUND ART
15 [0002]
In recent years, wireless communication devices that
performwireless communicationsbyusingwirelessLANs (local
Area Networks) have been widely spread. As typical examples
of the wireless LANs, wireless LANs compliant with IEEE
20 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11
are widely spread.
[0003]
There is alsoa suggestedwireless communicationsystem
that performs wireless communications by using the same
25 frequency among wireless communication devices (see Patent
Document 1, for example).
CITATION LIST
PATENT DOCUMENT
30 [0004]
Patent Document 1: JP 2011-124980 A
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION
[00051
5 With the above conventional technique, a connection to
another group can be made while the connections among the
wireless communication devices forming the same group are
maintained.
[0006]
10 While the wireless communication devices are
wirelessly connected, various kinds of applications might be
executed among those wireless communication devices. For
example, an application might be designated by a user
operation bdth before and after wireless connection
15 establishment. In this case, it would be convenient if an
application desiredbya user canbe readilyusedbothbefore
and after wireless connection establishment, for example.
[0007]
The present technique has been developed in view of
20 those circumstances, and aims to allow users to readily use
desired applications.
SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS
[0008]
25 The present technique has been developed to solve the
above problems, and a first aspect thereof is a wireless
communicationdevice, acommunicationmethodforthewireless
communication device, and a program for causing a computer
to implement the method. The wireless communication device
30 includes: a communication unit that performs a connected
device discovery process before a wireless connection is
established, and performs an establishment process to
establish the wireless connection by transmitting/receiving
data including an information element for designating a
specific application' when the connected device discovered
5 through the connected device discovery process is determined
tobe associatedwiththe specific application; anda control
unit that performs control to designate the specific
application by transinitting/receiving data including
information equivalent to the information element without
10 cutoff of the wireless connection when the specific
application is designated after the wireless connection is
established as the specific application is not designated at
thetimeoftheestablishmentprocess. Accordingly, inacase
where a specific application is not designated at the time
15 of the establishment process butthe specific application is
designated after a wireless connect5on is established, the
specific application can be designated by
transmitting/receiving data including information
equivalent to the information element for designating the
20 specific application, without cutoff of the wireless
connection.
[00091
In this first aspect, when the specific application is
designatedby a user operation after the wireless connection
25 is established as the specific application is not designated
at the time of the establishment process, the control unit
mayperformthe control to designate the specific application
bytransmittingthe dataincludingtheinformationequivalent
to the information element without cutoff of the wireless
30 connection. Accordingly, in a case where a specific
a p p l i c a t i o n i s n o t d e s i g n a t e d a t t h e t i ~ n e o f t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t
process but the specific application is designated by a user
operation after a wireless connection is established, the
specific application can be designated by transmitting data
including information equivalent to the information element
5 for designatingthe specific application, without cutoff of
the wireless connection.
[OOlO]
In this first aspect, when receivingthe data including
the information equivalent to the information element from
10 the wirelessly-connected wireless communication device
after the wireless connection is established as the specific
applicationisnotdesignatedatthetimeoftheestablishent
process, the controlunitmayperformthe control todesignate
the specific' application by transmitting the data including
15 the information equivalent to the information element as a
response to the received data to the wirelessly-connected
wireless communication device without cutoff of the wireless
connection. Accordingly, in a case where a specific
applicationisnotdesignatedatthetimeoftheestablishent
20 process but data including information equivalent to the
information element for designatingthe specificapplication
is received from a wirelessly-connected wireless
communication device after the wireless connection is
established, the specific application can be designated by
25 transmitting the data including the information equivalent
to the information element as a response to the received data
to the wirelessly-connected wireless communication device,
without cutoff of the wireless connection.
[OOll]
30 In this first aspect, the control unit may
transmit/receive avendor specific action frame specifiedin
the IEEE802.11 specification as the data including the
information equivalent to the information element. With
this structure, a vendor specific action frame specified in
the IEEE802.11 specification can be transmitted/received as
5 data including information equivalent to the information
element for designating a specific application.
[00121 ~ In this first aspect, the control unit may transmit a
request frame as thevendor specificaction frame, the request
10 frame using a vendor specific Infohation Element as the
information element including information for identifying
the specific application to be started and information for
specifying the role the wireless communication device
transmittin; the request frame is to play in the specific
15 application. With this structure, a request frame using a
vendor specific Information Element as the information
elementcanbetransmittedas avendor specificaction frame.
[0013]
In this first aspect, the control unit may transmit a
20 response frame as the vendor specific action frame, the
response f rame using a vendor specific Information Element
as the information element including information for
identifying the specific application to be started and
information for specifying the role the wireless
25 communication device transmitting the response frame in
response to a request frame is to play in the specific
application. With this structure, a response frame using a
vendor specific Information Element as the information
elementcanbetransmittedas avendor specificaction frame.
30 [0014]
In this first aspect, the control unit may encapsulate
andtransmitanassociationrequestframebodyintothevendor
specific action frame, the association request frame body
using a vendor specific Information Element as the
information element including information for identifying
5 the specific application to be started and information for
specifying the role the wireless communication device
transmitting a request frame is to play in the specific
application, the association request frame body containing
the information element. With this structure, an
10 association request frame body that uses a vendor specific
Information Element as the information element and contains
the information element can be encapsulated into a vendor
specific action frame and be then transmitted.
[0015]
15 In this first aspect, the control unit may encapsulate
and transmit' an association response frame body into the
vendor specific action frame, the association response frame
body using a vendor specific Information Element as the
information element including information for identifying
20 the specific application to be started and information for
specifying the role the wireless communication device
transmitting a response frame in response to a request frame
is to play in the specific application, the association
response frame body containing the information element.
25 With this structure, an association response frame body that
uses avendor specificInformationElementastheinformation
element and contains the information element can be
encapsulated into a vendor specific action frame and be then
transmitted.
30 [0016]
In this first aspect, the control unit may have an
encrypted frame transmitted/received as the data including
the information equivalent tothe information element. With
this structure, an encrypted frame can be
transmitted/received as data including information
5 equivalent to the information element.
[00171
In this first aspect, the communication unit may
establish a connection in the second layer as the wireless
connection. Accordingly, a connection in the second layer
10 can be established as a wireless connection.
[0018]
In this first aspect, the communication unit may
perform the connected device discovery process by
transmittin;/receiving one of a Probe Request and a Probe
15 Response specified in the IEEE802.11 specification, with
information indicating an associated specific application
being added to the one of the Probe Request and the Probe
Response. With this structure, the connected device
discoveryprocess canbeperformedbytransmitting/receiving
20 one of a Probe Request and a Probe Response specified in the
IEEE802.11 specification, with information indicatiiiq an
associated specific applicationbeing addedto the one ofthe
Probe Request and the Probe Response.
[0019]
2 5 Inthis first aspect, thewireless communicationdevice
may be compliant with the IEEE802.11 specification, which
enables P2P (Peerto Peer) connections. Withthisstructure,
a wireless connection can be established with the use of
wireless communication devices compliantwiththe IEEE802.11
30 specification, which enables P2P connections.
[00201
A second aspect of the present technique is a
communication system, a communication method for the
communication system, and a program for causing a computer
to implement the method. The communication system includes
5 a first wireless communication device and a second wireless
communication device that perform a connected device
discoveryprocess on each other before a wireless connection
is established, and perform an establishment process to
establish the wireless connection by transmitting and
10 receiving, to and from each other, data including an
information element for designating a specific application
when the connected device discovered through the connected
device discoveryprocess is determined to be associatedwith
the specific application, wherein the first wireless
15 communication device and the second wireless communication
devicedesignate the specificapplicationbytransmittingand
receiving, toandfromeachother, dataincludinginformation
equivalent to the information element without cutoff of the
wireless connection when the specific application is
20 designated after the wireless connection is established as
the specific application is not designatedatthe time nEthe
establishment process. Accordingly, in a case where a
specific application is not designated at the time of the
establishment process but the specific application is
25 designated after a wireless connection is established, the
specific application can be designated by exchanging data
including information equivalent to the information element
for designating the specific application, without cutoff of
the wireless connection.
30
EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0021]
The present technique has a great effect to allow users
to readily use desired applications.
5 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0022]
Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example structure of a
communication system 10 in an embodiment of the present
technique.
10 Fig. 2 is ablockdiagramshowingan example functional
structure of a first wireless communication device 100 in an
embodiment of the present technique.
Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically showing an example
structure of a peer list 180 stored in a memory 150 in an
15 embodiment of the present technique.
Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example display screen
(a connection detail select screen 190) displayed on the
display unit 170 of the first wireless communication device
100 in an embodiment of the present technique.
2 0 Fig. 5 is a sequence chart showing an example
communicationprocesstobeperformedbyeachdevice onwhich
the present technique is based.
Fig. 6 is a sequence chart showing an example
communicationprocess tobe performedbyeach device onwhich
25 the present technique is based.
Fig. 7 is a diagram schematically showing an example
structure ofthe format of a frame to betransmitted/received
inacommunicationprocessbyeachdeviceonwhichthepresent
technique is based.
30 Fig. 8 is a sequence chart showing an example
communicationprocesstobeperformedbyeachdevice onwhich
the present technique is based.
Fig. 9 is a sequence chart showing an example
communicationprocesstobeperformedbyeachdevice onwhich
the present technique is based.
5 Fig. 10 is a diagram schematically showing an example
structure ofthe formatofa frametobetransmitted/received
in a communication process between respective devices in an
embodiment of the present technique.
Fig. 11 is ? diagram schematically showing an example
10 structure ofthe formatofa frametobetransmitted/received
in a communication process between respective devices in an
embodiment of the present technique.
Fig. 12 is a diagram schematically showing an example
structure ofthe format of a frametobetransmitted/received
15 in a communication process between respective devices in an
embodiment of the present technique.
Fig. 13 is a sequence chart showing an example
communication process to be performed by each device in an
embodiment of the present technique.
20 Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing the procedures in an
example communication process to be performed by the first
wireless communication device 100 in an embodiment of the
present technique.
Fig. 15 is a flowchart showing the procedures in the
25 example communication process to be performed by the first
wireless communication device 100 in an embodiment of the
present technique.
Fig. 16 is a flowchart showing the procedures in the
example communication process to be performed by the first
30 wireless communication device 100 in an embodiment of the
present technique.
MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0023]
The following is a description of modes for carrylng
5 out the present technique (hereinafter referred to as the
embodiments). Explanation will be made in the following
order.
1. Embodiments (Communication control: examples where
a specific application to be used after a connection in the
10 second layer is designated, without cutoff ofthe connection
in the second layer)
[0024]
<1. Embodiments>
[Example structure of a communlcation system]
15 Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example structure of a
communication system 10 in an embodiment of the present
technique.
[0025]
The communication system 10 includes a first wireless
20 communication device 100, a second wireless communication
device 200, a third wireless communication device 300, and
a fourth wireless communication device 400.
[0026]
Thefirstwirelesscommunicationdevice100,the second
25 wireless communication device 200, the third wireless
communication device 300, and the fourth wireless
communication device 400 each have a wireless communication
function, are connected to one another, and are capable of
transmitting/receivj.ngvarious kinds of informationbyusing
30 wireless communications. The respective wireless
communication devices are wireless communication device
compliant with IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers) 802.11, which enables P2P (Peer to Peer)
connections. That is, the respectivewireless communication
devices form a communication group, and can communicate
5 directly with one another without the intervention of an
access point (not shown). In this case, which wireless
communication device is to operate as the group owner and
which wireless communication devices are to operate as
clients may or may not be determined when the respective
10 wireless communication devices aremanufactured. In a case
where any determination is not made at the time of
manufacturing, the wireless communication devices can
determine, through negotiation, which one of the wireless
communication devices is to operate as the group owner, and
15 which ones of the wireless communication devices are to
operate as ciients. For example, in a case where the first
wireless communication device 100 and the second wireless
communication device 200 form a communication group, the
first wireless communication device 100 can transmit data
20 (video content, for example) directly to the second wireless
communication device 200. In this case, the wirele.7~
communication devices are connected to each other, andvideo
content storedinthe first wireless communication device 100
can be displayedonthe secondwireless communication device
25 200. Known examples of communications standards for
allowing wireless communication (devices to communicate
directly with one another include Wi-Fi Direct.
[0027]
The first wireless communication device 100 is a
30 portable telephone device (such as a wireless communication
device having a verbal communicat:ion function and a data
communication function), for example. The second wireless
communication device 200 is a video viewing device (such as
atelevision receiver with abuilt-inhard disk) that records
or displays video content, for example. The third wireless
5 communication device 300 is an information processing device
(such as a notebook PC (Personal Computer)) that performs
various kinds of information processing, for example. The
fourth wireless communication device 400 is a portable
information processing device (such as a smartphone having
10 a verbal communication function and a data communication
function), for example.
[0028]
The first wireless communicationdevice 100, the second
wireless communication device 200, the third wireless
15 communication device 300, and the fourth wireless
communication device 400 can be connected ta an access point
(not shown) by using wireless communications, to
transmit/receive various kinds of information. Here, the
access point is an access point compliant with a wireless LAN
20 standard such as IEEE802.lla/b/g/n. That is, with a router
and an access point (or a product having a router including
an access point, for example), a wireless LAN standardized
by IEEEBO2.lla/b/g/n is realized.
[0029]
25 Examples of data to be communicated among the wireless
communication devices include music data of music and radio
programs, image data of movies, television programs, video
programs, photographs, documents, pictures, drawings, and
the like, game data, or data of software and the like.
30 [0030]
The wireless communication devices shown in Fig. 1 are
merely examples, and some other wireless communication
devices may be used. For example, an imaging device (such
asadigitalstillcameraoradigitalvideo camera (arecorder
with a camera, for example)) having awireless communication
5 function, andan audio output device (suchas aportablemusic
player) havingawireless communication function canbe used.
Also, a display device (such as a digital photo frame) having
a wireless communication function, and an electronic book
reader having a wireless communication function can be used,
10 for example. Other information processing devices each
having a wireless communication function can also be used,
for example. Examples of information processing devices
having a wireless communication function include home video
processing devices (such as DVD recorders and video cassette
15 recorders), PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), home video
gamemachines, electrichouseholdappliances, portablevideo,
processing devices, portable game machines, and the like.
Information processing devices (such as personal computers
havingnowireless communication functions) that can perform
20 wireless communications when equipped with a wireless
communication device havinq a wireless communication
function can also be used.
[0031]
[Example structure ofawireless communicationdevice]
25 Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example functional
structure of the first wireless communication device 100 in
an embodiment of the present technique. The functional
structures (functional structures related to wireless
communications) of the second wireless communication device
30 200, the third wireless communication device 300, and the
fourth wireless communication device 400 are substantially
the same as the functional s t r u c t u r e of the f i r s t wireless
communication device 1 0 0 , andtherefore, explanation ofthem
is omitted herein. Also, when the components of the
respective wireless communication devices other than the
5 f i r s t wireless communication device 100 are e x p l a i n e d i n t h e
descriptionbelow, the same reference numerals as those used
f o r t h e f i r s t wireless communicationdevice 100 w i l l b e used.
[0032]
The f i r s t wireless communication device 100 includes
10 an antenna 101, a data processing unit 110, a transmission
processingunit120, a w i r e l e s s i n t e r f a c e u n i t 1 3 0 , a control
unit 140, a memory 150, an operation accepting unit 160, and
a display unit 170.
[0033]
15 Under the control of the control unit 1 4 0 , t h e d a t a
processing unit 110 processes various kinds of data. When
a t r a n s m i t t i n g operation is performed, f o r example, the data
processing unit 110 creates various kinds of data frames and
d a t a p a c k e t s i n accordancewith a request fromahigher l a y e r ,
20 and supplies the data frames and packets t o the transmission
processingunit120. Whenareceivingoperationisperformed,
for example, the data processing unit 110 processes and
analyzes various kinds of data frames and data packets
supplied from the transmission processing unit 120.
25 [0034]
Under the control of the control unit 140, the
transmission processing unlt 120 performs various
transmission processes. When a transmitting operation is
performed, for example, thetransmlsslon processing unlt120
30 performs a process to add various data headers and error
detection codes such as FCSs (Frame Check Sequences) t o
packets generated by the data processing unit 110. The
t r a n s m i s s i o n p r o c e s s i n g u n i t 1 2 0 t h e n suppliestheprocessed
data t o the wireless i n t e r f a c e unit 130. When a receiving
operation is performed, for example, the transmission
5 processing unit120 analyzesthe headers a t t a c h e d t o various
kinds of data frames suppliedfromthewirelessinterfaceunit
130. After confirming t h a t there are no errors i n t h e d a t a
frames based on the error detection codes, the transmission
processingunit17_0 s u p p l i e s t h e various kinds of data frames
10 to t h e d a t a processing unit 110.
100351
The wireless i n t e r f a c e unit 130 is an interface t h a t
is connected t o the o t h e r wireless communication devices t o
transmit/redeive various kinds of information. When a
15 transmitting operation is performed, for example, the
wireless interface unit130 generates amodulation signal of
the frequency band of c a r r i e r waves from data received from
the transmission processing unit 120, and transmits the
generatedmodulationsignalas a radio signalfromthe antenna
20 101. When a receiving operation is performed, for example,
the wireless i~nterfaceu nit 130 down-converts a radio r:ignal
received by the antenna 101 i n t o a b i t stream, t o decode
various kinds of data frames.
LO0361
25 As described above, t h e d a t a processing unit 110, the
transmissionprocessingunit120, and t h e w i r e l e s s interface
unit 130 function as a communication unit 102. The
communication unit102 performs a connected device discovery
process before a wireless connection (a connection i n the
30 second layer) is established. This connected device
discovery process is device discovery, for example. This
device discovery is performed by adding device information
and information indicating an associated specific
application to a Probe Request or a Probe Response specified
in the IEEE802.11 specification.
5 [0037]
The communication unit 102 also performs an
establishment process for establishing awireless connection
(an establishment process for establishing a connection in
the second layer). In a case where the connected device
10 discovered through the connecteddevice discoveryprocess is
determined to be associated with a specific application, the
communication unit 102 performs the establishment process by
transmitting/receiving data including the information
element (shdwn in Fig. 7) for designating the specific
15 application.
LOO381
The control unit 140 controls respective receiving
operationsandtransmittingoperationsofthedataprocessing
unit 110, the transmission processing unit 120, and the
20 wireless interface unit 130. For example, the control unit
140 performs operations, such as determination on the
frequency to be used, creation of control messages, and
interpretations of transmission commands and control
messages. Examplesofcontrolmessagesincludenotification
25 information such as beacons, received responses to beacons,
Probe requests, and Probe responses. The control to be
performed by the control unit 140 will be described later in
detail, with reference to Figs. 13 through 16.
[a0391
30 The memory 150 functions as a work area for the data
processingperformedbythe controlunit140, andas a storage
medium storing various kinds of data. Also, various kinds
of information (suchas the informationelements showninFigs.
10 through 12) to be included in the data to be transmitted
to the wireless communication device serving as the peer are
5 recorded in the memory 150. The peer list 180 shown in Fig.
3 is also recorded in the memory 150. The memory 150 may be
a storagemediumsuchas anonvolatilememory, amagneticdisk,
an optical disk, or an MO (Magneto Optical) disk. The
nonvolatile memory may be an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable
10 Programmable Read-Only Memory) or an EPROM (Erasable
Programmable ROM), for example. The magnetic disk may be a
hard disk or a circular magnetic disk, for example. The
optical disk may be a CD (Compact Disc), a DVD-R (Digital
Versatile ~iscRe cordable), or a BD (Blu-Ray Disc (a
15 registered trade name)), for example.
[0040]
The operation accepting unit 160 accepts an operation
input from a user, andoutputs operation information
corresponding to the received operation input to the control
20 unit 140. The operation accepting unit 160 may be a mouse,
a keyboard, a touch panel, buttons, a microphone, switches,
or a lever, for example. The operation accepting unit 160
also accepts an operation fortransmitting/receivingvarious
kinds of data to/from another wireless communication device.
25 [0041]
The display unit 170 is a display unit that displays
various kinds of information (such as text information and
time information) under the control of the control unit 140.
I The display unit 170 displays various kinds of Information
30 (such as the dlsplay screen shown in Fig. 4) for
t r a n s m ~ t t i n g / r e c e ~ v i n g v a r - ~koiunsd s of datato/fromanother
wireless communication device, for example. The display
unit170maybe a displaypanel such as anorganicEL (Electro
Luminescence) panel oran LCD (LiquidCrystal Display) panel.
The operation accepting unit 160 and the display unit 170 can
5 be integrally formed with a touch panel through which a user
can input an operation by touching the display surface with
a finger or bringing a finger close to the display surface.
LOO421
[Example structure of the peer list]
10 Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically showing an example
structure of the peer list 180 stored in the memory 150 in
an embodiment of the present technique;
[0043]
The peer list 180 is formed with terminal
15 identification information 181, MAC (Media Access Control)
i addresses 182, terminal types 183, and specific application
association 184. These pieces of information are acquired
from the respective wireless communication devices through
execution of Device Discovery or the like, and are
20 sequentially recorded by the control unit 140.
[0044]
The terminal identification information 181 is the
identification information (such as device specific IDS) for
identifying the respective wireless communication devices.
25 In Fig. 3, the terminal identification information is shown
as "AAPA", "BBBB", and "CCCC", and the names of the
corresponding wireless communication devices are shown in
parentheses, for ease of explanation.
[00451
3 0 The MAC addresses 182 are physical addresses uniquely
assigned to the respective wireless communication devices.
[0046]
The terminal types 183 are the information indicating
the types of the respective wireless communication devices.
[0047]
5 The specific application association 184 is
information indicating whether the respective wireless
communication devices are associated with a specific
application. In Fig. 3, the wireless communication devices
associated with a specific application are accompanied by
10 "associated", and the names of the associated specific
applications are shown in parentheses, for ease of
explanation. The wireless communication devices not
associated with any specific application are accompaniedby
"N/A1' .
15 [0048]
[Exampl'e display screen to be used in the case of a
wireless connection with another wire]-ess communication
device]
Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example display screen
20 (a connection detail select screen 190) displayed on the
display unit 170 of the first wireless communication device
100 in an embodiment of the present technique.
100491
The connection detail select screen 190 shows
25 application-to-use select buttons 191through 195, a cancel
button 196, and an OK button 197.
[0050]
The application-to-use select buttons 191through 195
are buttons for selecting a wireless communication device to
30 be the peer, and the application to be used in connecting to
this wireless co~munication device. The application-to-use
select buttons 191 through 195 are displayed based on the
details (such as the terminal identification information181
andthe specificapplicationassociation184) inthepeer list
180 shown in Fig. 3, for example.
5 [0051]
When the OK button 197 is pressed after one of the
a p p l i c a t i o n - t o - u s e s e l e c t b u t t o n s 1 9 1 t h r o u g h 1 9 5 i s p r e s s e d ,
the control unit 140 performs control to execute the
application corresponding to the pressed button.
10 [0052]
To cancel an operation corresponding to one of the
application-to-use select buttons 191through 195 after the
one application-to-use select button is pressed, the cancel
button 196 is pressed.
15 [0053]
[Example of a basic operation of a wireless
communication device onwhichthe present technique isbased]
An example of a basic operation on which the present
technique is based is now described.
20 [0054]
First, an example of wireless packet
transmission/reception (Figs. 5 and 6) to be performed to
establisha P2P (Peerto Peer) connectionandstartaspecific
application is described.
25 [00551
Next, an example of wireless packet
transmission/reception (Fig. 8) to be performed, prior to a
connection in the second layer, to designate a specific
applicationtobeused, establisha P2P connection, and start
30 a specific application is described.
[0056]
Next, an example of wireless packet
transmission/reception (Fig. 9) to be performed to start a
specific application after a connection in the second layer
in a case where the example illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 is
5 combinedwiththe example illustratedin Fig. 8 is described.
LO0571
[Example communication when a specific application is
started]
Figs. 5 and 6 are a sequence chart showing an example
10 communicationprocesstobeperformedbyeachdevice on which
the present technique is based. Specifically, an example of
procedures for establishing a direct connection that leads
toa connection compliantwiththe Wi-Fi Direct standard (also
called Wi-Fi PZP), which has been set by the Wi-Fi Alliance,
15 is described.
[00581
According to Wi-Fi Direct, wireless communication
devicesdetecttheexistence of one another (Device Discovery
and Service Discovery). Devices to be connected are then
20 selected, and a direct connection is establishedbetweenthe
selecteddevicesbyperforming device authenticationthrough
WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup). According to Wi-Fi Direct,
wireless communication devices form a communication group,
with one of the wireless communication devices being
25 determined to serve as the group owner, some of the wireless
communication devices being determined to serve as clients.
[0059]
In the example communication process illustrated in
Figs. 5 and6, however, partofpackettransmission/reception
30 isnotshown. For example, at the timeofthe first connection,
exchanges of the packets for using WPS are necessary, and
transmission/reception of Authentication Request/Response
also involves exchanges of packets. However, Figs. 5 and 6
donotshowsuchexchangesofpackets, andonlyshowthesecond
and later connections.
5 [00601
Although Figs. 5 and 6 show an example communication
process to be performed between the first wireless
communication device 100 and the second wireless
communicationdevice 200, the same communicationprocess can
10 be performed between other wireless communication devices.
[0061]
First, Device Discoveryis conductedbetweenthe first
wireless communication device 100 and the second wireless
communication device 200 (501). For example, the first
15 wireless communication device 100 transmits a Probe request
(a response request signal), and receives a Probe response
(a response signal) to the Probe request from the second
wireless communication device 200. With that, the first
wireless communication device 100 and the second wireless
20 communication device 200 can discover the existence of each
other. Through the Device Discovery, the device name and the
type (TV, PC, smartphone, or the like) of each other can be
obtained.
[0062]
25 Service Discovery is then conducted between the first
wireless communication device 100 and the second wireless
communication device 200 (502). For example, the first
wireless communication device 100 transmits Service
Discovery Query so as to inquire about the servicewithwhich
30 the secondwireless communication device 200, which has been
discovered through the Device Discovery, is associated. The
f i r s t w i r e l e s s communicationdevice100thenreceives Service
Discovery Response from the second wireless communication
device 200, and obtains the service with which the second
wireless communication device 200 is associated. That is,
5 the service and the l i k e the other device can execute can be
obtained through the Service Discovery. The service the
other device can execute may be a service or a protocol (such
as DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) or DMR(Digita1
Media Renderer)), for example.
10 f00631
A user then performs an operation t o s e l e c t the peer
( a p e e r s e l e c t operation) (503). This peer s e l e c t operation
is performed i n only one of the f i r s t wireless communication
device 100 aAd the second wireless communication device 200
15 insomecases. Forexample, a p e e r s e l e c t s c r e e n i s displayed
on t h e display unit 170 of the f i r s t wireless communication
device 100, and the secondwireless communication device 200
is selected as the peer on the peer s e l e c t screen through a
user operation.
20 [0064]
Afterthepeerselectoperationisperformedbythe user
(503), GroupOwnerNegotiationis conductedbetweenthe first
wireless communication device 100 and the second wireless
communication device 200 (504). In the example i l l u s t r a t e d
25 i n Figs. 5 and 6, as a r e s u l t of the Group Owner Negotiation,
the f i r s t wireless communication device 100 becomes a group
owner 505, and the second wireless communication device 200
becomes a c l i e n t 506.
LO0651
30 Respective procedures (507 through 510) are then
carried out between the f i r s t wireless communication device
100 and the second wireless communication device 200, to
establish a direct connection. Specifically, Association
(L2 (the second layer link establishment) (501) and Secure
link establishment (508) are sequentially conducted. Also,
5 I P A d d r e s s A s s i g n r n e n t ( 5 0 9 ) andL4setupinL3bySSDP (Simple
Service Discovery Protocol) or the like (510) are
sequentially conducted.
[0066]
The user then performs a specific application
10 designating or starting operation (an application
designating/starting operation) (511). This application
designating/starting operation is performed in only one of
the first wireless communication device 100 and the second
wireless communicationdevice200insome cases. Forexample,
15 an application designating/starting operation screen (the
connection detail select screen 190 shown in Fig. 4, for
example) is displayed on the display unit 170 of the first
wireless communicationdevice 100, andaspecificapplication
1s selected on this application designating/starting
20 operation screen through a user operation.
[0061]
After the user performs the application
designating/starting operation (Sll), the specific
application corresponding to this application
25 designating/starting operationis executedbetweenthe first
wireless communication device 100 and the second wireless
communication device 200 (512).
[0068]
In an example case, a connection between an AP (Access
30 Point) and a STA (Station) is established within an older
specificationthanthe Wi-Fi Direct standard (aspecification
standardized by IEEE802.11). In this case, there is no way
torecognize towhichdevice a connectionis tobeestablished
prior to a connection in the second layer (prior to
association as specified in IEEE802.11).
5 [0069]
According to Wi-Fi Direct, on the other hand,
information aboutapeer canbe obtainedwhen candidate peers
are searched in Device Discovery and Service Discovery
(option), as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The information about
10 a peer is the type of the fundamental device, the associated
specificapplication, or the like. The user can selectapeer
based on the obtained information about a peer.
[0070]
This mechanism can be extended to realize a wireless
15 communication system that designates a specific application
prior to a connection in the second layer, selects a peer,
and automatically starts the specific application after the
selection. Anexampleofasequencetoestablishaconnection
in such a case is shown in Fig. 8. An example structure of
20 the format of a frame to be transmitted/received in this
communication process is shown in Fig. 7.
[0071]
[Example structure of a frame format]
Fig. 7 is a diagram schematically showing an example
25 structure ofthe format of a frametobetransmitted/received
ina communicationprocessbyeachdeviceonwhichthepresent
technique is based. That is, Fig. 7 shows an example
structure of a MAC frame for establishing a connection in the
second layer. Specifically, the frame format is an example
30 ofthe frame formatofAssociationRequest/Response (527) for
realizing the sequence shown in Fig. 8.
[0072]
It should be noted that the MAC header is formed with
Frame Control (601) through Sequence Control (606). When
Association Request is transmitted, B3B2 = "Ob00" and
5 B7B6B5B4 = "Ob0000" are set in Frame Control (601). When
Association Response is encapsulated, B3B2 = "Ob00" and
B7B6B5B4 = "Ob0001" are set in Frame Control (601). Here,
"Ob00" means "00" in binary, "Ob0000" means "0000" in binary,
and "Ob0001" means "0001" in binary.
10 [0073]
The MAC frame shown in Fig. 7 basically has the
Association Request/Response frame format specified in
sections 7.2.3.4 and 7.2.3.5 in the IEEE802.11-2007
specification. However, the MAC frame includes not only an
15 Information Element (hereinafter referred to simply as IE)
defined in the IEEE802.11 specification but also a
uniquely-extended IE.
(00741
To indicate Vendor Specific IE (610), "127" is set as
20 adecimalnumberinIEType(InformationElementID(611)). In
this case, according to section 7.3.2.26 in the
IEEE802.11-2007 specification, a Length field (612) and an
OUI field (613) come after Information Element ID (till),
followed by vendor specific content (614).
25 (00751
In the vendor specific content (614), a field
indicating the type of the vendor specific IE (IE type (615))
is first set. Subelements (616) can come after IEType (615).
[0076]
3 0 Subelements (616) may include the name of the specific
application to be used (617) and the role ofthe device during
execution of the specific application (618). Subelements
(616) may also include information about the specific
application or information such as the port number to be used
for controlling the specific application (information forL4
5 setup) (619), and information about the capabilities in the
specific application (Capability information). Here, the
Capability information is the information for detecting
compatibility with audio transmission/reproduction,
compatibilitywith video transmission/reproduction, and the
10 like when the designated specific application is DLNA, for
example.
LO0771
[Example communication when a specific application is
started]
15 Fig. 8 is a sequence chart showing an example
cammunicationprocesstobe performedbyeachdevice onwhich
the present technique is based. Fig. 8 illustrates an example
communicationprocesstobeperformedtodesignate a specific
applicationprior to a connection in the secondlayer, select
20 a peer, and automatically start the specific application
after the selection. The sequence chart shown in Fiq. 8 is
a modification formed by partially modifying the sequence
chart shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and therefore, explanation of
the same aspects as those in Figs. 5 and 6 will not be made
25 below.
[0078]
First, Device Discoveryis conductedbetweenthe first
wireless communication device 100 and the second wireless
communication device 200 (521).
30 [0079]
Here, the Probe request (the response reguest
signal)/Probe response (the response signal) used in the
stage of device discovery can include the vendor specific IE
(610) shown in Fig. 7. Accordingly, the association with a
specific application and the capability information
indicating the role the device can play during execution of
the specific application can be acquired in the stage of
Device Discovery. Here, the role the device can play during
execution of the specific application is the role of a
server/client, a master/slave, a source/sink, or the like.
[0080]
Service Discovery is then conducted between the first
wireless communication device 100 and the second wireless
communication device 200 (522).
[00811
Here, detailed capability information about the
specific application (such as information about the details
of the associatedimedia format in the case of DLNA) can be
includedinthestageof ServiceDiscovery. Accordingly, the
detailed capability information in the specific application
can be acquired.
[0082]
The respective procedures (523 and 524) shown in Fig.
8 are equivalent to the respective procedures 503 and 504
shown in Fig. 5.
roo831
Respective procedures (527 through 529) are then
carried out between the first wireless communication device
100 and the second wireless communication device 200, to
establish a direct connection.
roo841
Here, the frame (MAC frame) shown in Fig. 7 is
transmitted/received as Association Request/Response in the
stage of Association (527). Accordingly, the specific
application tobe usedafter a connection in the secondlayer
canbe designatedinthe stage (527) of an exchange of packets
5 (Association Request/Response) for establishing the
connection in the second'layer. Also, the information
necessary in using the specific application can be included
in the stage (527) .
[0085]
10 As described above, in the example illustrated in Fig.
8, a different information exchange from that in the example
illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 is performed in the stages of
device discovery (521) and Service Discovery (522). With
this differince, the user can implicitly designate the
15 specific application to be used after a connection in the
second layer'by selecting a device prior to the connection
in the second layer.
[0086]
Also, with the difference in the stage (527) of the
20 exchange of a packet for establishing the connection in the
second layer Erom the example illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6,
the application to be used can be automatically determined,
and the number of steps to be taken by the user can be reduced
by one.
25 LOO871
Further, comparedwiththe e x a m p l e i l 1 u s t r a t e d i n F i g s .
5 and 6, the stage (510) of L4 setup in L3 by SSDP or the like
can be skipped. Accordingly, the user can feel that the time
until the application start is shortened.
30 [0088]
Anexample casewhere a specificapplicationis started
by using the mechanism i l l u s t r a t e d i n Fig. 8 a f t e r a
connectioninthe secondlayerisnowdescribed. I n t h i s case,
t h e m e c h a n i s m i l l u s t r a t e d i n F i g . 8 i m p l i c i t l y d e s i g n a t e s t h e
s p e c i f i c application t o b e u s e d i n t h e v e n d o r s p e c i f i c I E (610
5 shown i n Fig. 7) included i n Association Request/Response.
The information necessary f o r executing the s p e c i f i c
application is also includedinthevendor s p e c i f i c IE (610).
As a r e s u l t , a problem a r i s e s i n the case where the s p e c i f i c
application is s t a r t e d b y u s i n g t h e m e c h a n i s m i l l u s t r a t e d i n
10 Fig. 8 a f t e r a connection i n the second layer. This example
is i l l u s t r a t e d i n Fig. 9.
[0089]
[Example communication when a s p e c i f l c application is
s t a r t e d ]
15 Fig. 9 is a sequence chart showing an example
communicationprocesstobeperformedbyeachdevice onwhich
thepresenttechniqueisbased. Fig. 9 i l l u s t r a t e s anexample
communication process t o be performed i n a case where a
s p e c i f i c application is s t a r t e d by using the mechanism
20 i l l u s t r a t e d i n Fig. 8 a f t e r a connection i n the second layer.
[0090]
The sequence chart shown i n Fig. 9 is an example formed
by combining the sequence chart shown i n Figs. 5 and 6 with
the sequence chartshowninFig. 8, andtherefore, explanation
25 of the same aspects as those i n Figs. 5, 6, and 8 w i l l not
be made below. Specifically, i n the communication process
indicated by a rectangle 541, the respective procedures (501
through 512) shown i n Figs. 5 and 6 a r e c a r r i e d out. In the
process indicate by a rectangle 543, the respective
30 procedures (521 through 531) shown i n Fig. 8 a r e c a r r i e d out.
[0091]
Anexample case where a specificapplication is started
after a connection in the second layer is established, and
another application is executed (541), as shown in Figs. 5
and 6, is now described. In this case, a process to
5 temporarily cut off the L2 (second layer) link is performed
by an exchange of Disassociation Request/Response (542), and
a re-connection is established (543) byusingthe procedures
shown in Fig. 8.
[0092]
10 As described above, when a specific application is
started, Device Discovery, a second-layer connectionprocess,
asecurelinkestablishmentprocess, an IPaddress assignment
process, and the like are again performed. Therefore,
collisions duetouseofa resourceinawireless zone increase,
15 and the waiting time of the user increases with the time
required for'those processes.
[0093]
So as to avoid cutting off of the link in the second
layer, aprotocolinL3/L4 suchas SDPmaybe usedin switching
20 to a specific application as in a case where another
applicationis started, as showninFigs. 5 and 6, for example.
[0094]
In this case, however, the protocol not required in
executing the specific application has to be supported, as
25 shownin Fig. 8. Further, an application connection request
is issued from a different layer in this case. Therefore,
implementation of the application trigger portion might
become complicated. For example, when a specific
application is executed by the mechanism illustrated in Fig.
30 8, a trigger for the specific application is issued from the
second layer. When a specific application is started by
reusingthe existingL2 (secondlayer) link, on the otherhand,
a protocol in L3/L4 such as SDP is used. When a protocol in
L3/L4 suchas SDPisused, atriggerfora specificapplication
is issued from L3/L4, and an connection management entity
5 should be prepared for more than one layer. As a result,
implementation might become complicated.
[0095]
Inview ofthis, an embodiment ofthe present technique
suggests an example where a specific application can be
10 readily used even after a connection in the second layer.
[0096]
[Example structure of a frame format]
Fig. 10 is a diagram schematically showing an example
structure of'the format of a frame to be transmitted/received
15 in a communication process between respective devices in an
embodiment of the present technique. That is, Fig. 10 shows
an example structure of an action frame that triggers a start
of a specific application ( a specific application start)
after a connection in the second layer. Specifically, Fig.
20 10 shows an example structure of a vendor specific action
frame at the MAC layer level.
[0097]
Here, avendor specificaction frame is an action frame
containing the vendor specific IE.
25 [00981
When apacketexchangeis performedto starta specific
application, necessary information canbe exchangedbyusing
the action frame defined in the IEEE802.11--2007
specification.
30 [00991
It should be noted that the MAC header is formed with
Framecontrol (631) throughSequenceContro1 (636). InFrame
Control (631) in the MAC header, B3B2 = "Ob00" and B7B6B5B4
= "Ob1101" are set. With this setting, this frame can be
presentedasanactionframeclassifiedasamanagementErame.
5 [OlOO]
Also, "127" is set as a decimal number in the Category
field (639) in the frame body (637), to indicate that this
action frame is a vendor specific frame. In this case,
according to section 7.4.5 in the IEEE802.11-2007
10 specification, an OUI field (640) and a Vendor Specific
Content field (641) come after the Category field (639).
[OlOl]
Various kinds of information is set in the vendor
specific content field (641), so that the operation sequence
15 shown in Fig. 13 can be realized. Here, the various kinds
of information include the name of the specific application
to be used, the role of the device at a time of execution of
the specific application, and the like. The various kinds
of information also include information about the specific
20 application or information such as a port number to be used
for controlling the specific application (information for L4
setup), and the Capability information in the specific
application, for example.
[01021
25 While theremaybevariousmethods forimplementingthe
Vendor Specific Content field (641), the following two
example structures (shown in Figs. 11 and 12) are used in
embodiments of the present technique.
[0103]
30 [Example structure of a frame format]
Fig. 11 is a diagram schematically showing an example
s t r u c t u r e o f t h e f o r m a t o f a frametobetransmitted/received
i n a communication process between respective devices i n an
embodiment of the present technique. S p e c i f i c a l l y , Fig. 11
shows an example case where a vendor s p e c i f i c Information
5 Element is used as the Vendor Specific Content of the vendor
s p e c i f i c action frame shown i n Fig. 1 0 . In short, Fig. 11
shows a configuration method using an information element
( I E ) .
[01041
10 Here, thevendor Specificcontentispreferablydivided
intomore than one portion, so as t o indicate for what purpose
the vendor s p e c i f i c action frame is t o b e used. For example,
the Vendor Specific Content is preferably divided into the
portion of $endor s p e c i f i c content type (652) and an
15 information element storage portion (653) t h a t follows.
That is, the vendor s p e c i f i c content type (652) can indicate
for what purpose the vendor s p e c i f i c action frame is t o be
I used.
[0105]
20 In the embodiment of the present technique, the type
of each frame is supposedly written i n the vendor s p e c i f i c
content type (652). The type may be the type of a request
frame for indicating the peer a s t a r t a s p e c i f i c application
o r t h e type of a response frame f o r responding t o the
25 indication, while there is a P2P L2 (second l a y e r ) l i n k , for
example.
[01061
In the information element storage portion (653), a
Length f i e l d (655) andanOUI f i l e d (656) follow, as specified
30 i n section 7.3.2.26 i n the IEEE802.11-2007 s p e c i f i c a t i o n .
Vendor specificcontent (657) comes aftertheOUI f i e l d (656).
[01071
The vendor specific content (657) is divided into an
information element type (658) and subelements (659) that
constitute the informationelement. The subelementsportion
5 (659) is further divided into subelements (660 through 663).
[0108]
The type portion (658) c o n t a i n s i n f o r m a t i o n i ~ l d i c a t i n g
that the information element is for starting a specific
application, and the subelements portion (659) contains
10 various kinds of information. The various kinds of
information inthe subelementsportion (659) include thename
of the specific application to be used (660) and the role of
thedeviceduringexecutionofthe specificapplication (661).
The various kinds of information also include information
15 about the speciflc application or information such as a port
number to be used for controlling the specific application
(information for L4 setup) (662), and the Capability
information (663) in the specific application. The
Capability information is the information indicating
20 compatibility with audio transmission/reproduction,
compatibility withvideo transmission/reproduction, and the
like when the designated speclfic application is DLNA, for
example.
[01091
25 Other than the above, the specific application to be
started may be designated in accordance with the type of
information element in some classification process, for
example. In this case, the subelement that designates the
type of the specific application and triggers a start is
30 unnecessary.
[OllO]
For example, the transmitting side (such as the first
wireless communication device 100) transmits an action frame
that includes suchaninformationelement andrequests astart
of a specific application to the receiving side (such as the
second wireless communication device 200). Upon receipt of
the action frame, the receiving side returns an action frame
asaresponseincludingthecorrespondinginformationelement
(a response to the action frame requesting a start of a
specific application). Bytransmitting/receiving an action
frame in this manner, the intentions ofthe transmitting side
and the receiving side can be matched, and a specific
application can be automatically started at both sides.
Accordingly, execution of a specific application can be
started based on the control information in the L2 (second
layer) link.
[Olll]
Here, a role can be designated in a subelement in the
information element in the response action frame before the
response is returned. In a case where the role of the peer
1s designated as "server" in the request, the role of a client
is preferably designated accordingly in a subelement in the
information element in the response action frame to be
returned.
[0112]
By another implementation method, a predetermined
portion may be encapsulated as the vendor specific content
(641) shown in Fig. 10. The predetermined portion to be
encapsulated and transmitted is the frame body portion of an
association request frame or an association response frame
containing a specific information element. An example
structure of the frame format according to this
implementation method is shown in Fig. 12.
[0113]
[Example structure of a frame format]
Fig. 12 is a diagram schematically showing an example
5 structure ofthe formatofa frametobetransmitted/received
in a communication process between respective devices in an
embodiment of the present technique. Specifically, Fig. 12
shows an example case where association is usedasthe Vendor
Specific Content of the vendor specific action frame shown
10 inFig.lO.
[0114]
Here, thevendor SpecificContentispreferablydivided
intomore than one portion, so as to indicate for what purpose
the vendor specific action frame is to be used, as in the
15 example illustrated in Fig. 11. For example, the Vendor
Specifio Content is preferably divided into the portion of
vendor specific content type (672) andan information element
storage portion (673) encapsulating the frame that follows.
That is, the vendor specific content type (672) can indicate
20 for what purpose the vendor specific action frame is to be
used.
[0115]
In the embodiment of the present technique, the type
of each frame is supposedly written in the vendor specific
25 content type (672). The type may be the type of an action
frame formed by encapsulating an association request frame
forindicatingtothe peer a start of a specific application,
while there is a P2P L2 (second layer) link, for example.
Alternatively, the type may be the type of an action frame
30 formed by encapsulating an association response frame for
responding to the association request frame.
[01161
The information element storage portion (673) t h a t
encapsulates a frame stores the body portion (675) of an
association request frame or an association response frame
5 for responding t o t h e association request frame.
[0117]
The format of the body portion (675) of an association
request frame or an association response frame t o be
encapsulated has the same s t r u c t u r e as the frame body shown
10 i n Fig. 7. The format ofthebodyportion (675) is equivalent
t o t h a t shown i n Fig. 11, and the information element for
s t a r t i n g a s p e c i f i c application i n the body portion (675) is
a l s o e q u i v a l e n t t o t h a t s h o w n i n F i g . 11. Therefore, detailed
explanationof them is not repeated herein.
15 [0118]
As described above, an association request frame t o
which the information element for s t a r t i n g a s p e c i f i c
application is added is encapsulated into an action frame,
and are then transmitted to the peer. With t h a t , a request
20 t o s t a r t a s p e c i f i c a p p l i c a t i o n canbetransmittedtothepeer,
while an existing L2 (secondlayer) l i n k i s m a i n t a i n e d . Upon
receipt of the request, the peer can encapsulate an
association response frame t o which the information element
for s t a r t i n g t h e s p e c i f i c application is addedinto an action
25 frame, and return a response. With t h a t , the inten-tions of
t h e transmitting side and the receiving side can be matched,
and a s p e c i f i c application can be automatically s t a r t e d a t
both sides. Accordingly, execution of a s p e c i f i c
application can be s t a r t e d based on the control information
30 i n an existing L2 (second layer) l i n k .
[0119]
[Example communication when a specific application is
started]
Fig. 13 is a sequence chart showing an example
communication process to be performed by each device in an
5 embodiment ofthe present technique. Fig. 13 illustrates an
example comrnunicationprocess tobe performedina casewhere
a specific application is started after a connection in the
second layer.
[0120]
10 The sequence chart shown in Fig. 13 is a modification
formedbypartiallymodifyingthe sequence chartshowninFigs.
5 and 6, and therefore, explanation of the same aspects as
those in Figs. 5 and 6 will not be made below. Specifically,
in the communication process indicated by a rectangle 551,
15 the respective procedures (501 through 512) shown in Figs.
5 and 6 are carried out.
[0121]
For example, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, another
application is executed after a L2 (second layer) link is
20 established (551). After a L2 (second layer) link is
established as above, a specific application is start-ed by
apacketexchange fora specificapplication start (552). In
this packet exchange for a specific application start, each
frame (action frame) shown in Figs. 10 through 12) is
25 transmitted/received. After the packet exchange for a
specific application start, the actual data of a specific
application can be transmitted (553).
[0122]
Compared with the example illustrated in Fig. 9, the
30 respective procedures suchasthetemporaryL2 (second layer)
linlc cutoff (542) can be skipped. The procedures that can
be skipped are the second Device discovery and the second
Service Discovery (optional), for example. Also, the
procedures that can be skipped are the second Group Owner
Negotiation, the second Association, the second secure link
5 establishment, and the second IP address assignment, for
example. As the procedures such as the temporal L2 (second
layer) link cutoff (542) can be skipped, the next specific
application can be started in a short period of time.
[0123]
10 Here, there might be a case where a necessary
information exchange is not performed in the first device
discovery (equivalent to 501 shown in Fig. 5) included in the
packet exchange (501through 512) portion shown in Fig. 13.
In this case, it might not be possible to determine whether
15 the peer is compatible with exchanges of vendor specific
action frames. In this case, information indicating th3t
received frames are not to be recognized can be transmitted
tonotify that the peer is not compatiblewithvendor specific
actionframes, forexample. As specifiedinsection7.3.1.11
20 of the IEEE802.11-2007 specification, for example, "128"
through "255" are designated in the category field i n an
action frame, and a received information element is added to
the response to be returned. In this manner, a notification
thatthereceivingsideisnotcompatiblewithvendorspecific
25 action frames can be transmitted.
[0124]
Also, there might be a case where the receiving side
can interpret the contents ofavendor specific action frame,
butisnotdesignedtostartadesignatedspecificapplication
30 In this case, a notification that the receiving side is not
compatible can be transmitted by returning a response using
an error code defined as a vendor specific information
element.
[01251
Example cases where action frames are used within the
5 scope of the IEEE802.11-2007 specification have been
describedas embodiments ofthepresent technique. Here, GAS
(generic advertisement service) PublicAction frames defined
inthe IEEE802.11uspecificationmightbeused. Inthis case,
however, frames arenotencrypted. Therefore, incaseswhere
10 information is exchanged between wireless communication
deviceswhlle aL2 (secondlayer) linkis alreadyestabllshed
and a secure link is also established, it is preferable to
use actlon frames.
[0126]
15 Also, inthe stage ofapacketexchange forestablishlng
a second-layer connection, transmission/reception of a
packet that contains an information element including
information other than necessary information might be
performed, as well as designationofthe specificapplication
20 to be used after the second-layer connection, and adding of
the information necessary in using the specific applic?rt.ion.
For example, a packet that contains an information element
including information indicating whether to start the
specificapplicationmightbetransmitted/received. Inthis
25 case, a second-layer connectionmight be establishedwiththe
use of a packet containing an information element including
information indicating that the specific application is not
to be started. In this case, the specific application can
be started after the connection establishment, while the
30 second-layerconnectionismaintainedwiththeuseofapacket
that contains an information element including information
indicating that the specific application is to be started in
the same information element. Accordingly, an embodiment of
the present technique can be applied to such a case.
[0127]
[Example operation of awireless communicationdevice]
Figs. 14 through 16 show a flowchart of the procedures
in an example communication process to be performed by the
first wireless communication device 100 in an embodiment of
the present techpique.
10 [0128]
First, the correspondence relationship between the
procedures shown in Figs. 14 through 16 and the respective
procedures shown in Figs. 5, 6, 8, and 9 is described.
[0129]
15 Steps S901through 5905 correspondto 521and 522 shnwn
in Fig. 8. Steps S906 through S909 correspond to 523 shnwn
in Fig. 8. Step S910 corresponds to 524 shown in Fig. 8.
Steps S911 through S915 correspond to 527 and 531 shown in
Fig. 8.
20 [01301
Step S919 corresponds to 504 shown in Fig. 5. Steps
S920throughS926 correspond to 507through512 showninFigs.
5 and 6.
to1311
2 5 Steps 5927 through 5933 and step 5914 correspond to 552
shown in Fig. 13. Step S915 corresponds to 553 shown in Fig.
13.
101321
First, the control unit 140 conducts Device Discovery
30 (step S901). The control unit 140 then determines whether
an IE indicating specific application association
(equivalent to 610 shownin Fig. 7) is includedin information
fromthe peer device discovered through the Device Discovery
(step 5902). The information fromthepeerdeviceis a Device
Discovery request or a Device Discovery response. In a case
5 where an IE indicating specific application association is
included (step,S902), the control unit 140 records the
discovered device as a peer associated with a specific
application on a list (such as the peer list 180 shown in Fig.
3) (step S903). In a case where any IE indicating specific
10 application association is not inciuded (step S902), the
control unit 140 records the discovered device as a peer
unassociated with a specific application on the list (such
as the peer list 180 shown in Fig. 3) (step 5904). In a case
where an IE 'indicating specific application association is
15 included, for example, "associated" is recorded in the
specific application association 184 in the peer list 180
shown in Fig. 3. In a case where any IE indicating specific
application association is not included, "N/A" is recorded
in the specific application association 184.
20 [0133]
The control unit 140 then determines whether all the
peer devices discovered through the Device Discovery have
been recorded on the list (step 5905). In a case where not
all the peer devices havebeen recorded, the control unit140
25 returns to step 5902. In a case where all the peer devices
have been recorded on the list (step S905), the control unit
140 determines whether a peer designating operation has been
performed by the user (step S906).
[0134]
30 In a case where any peer designating operation has not
been performed by the user (step S906), the control unit 140
determines whether a connection request has been received
fromapeerdevice (stepS907). Inacasewhereanyconnection
requesthasnotbeenreceivedfromanypeerdevice (stepS907),
the control u n i t 140 stands by ( s t e p S908), and r e t u r n s t o
i
! 5 s t e p S901. In a case where a connection request has been
received from a peer device ( s t e p S907), the control u n i t 140
moves on t o step S909.
[0135]
In a case where a peer designating operation has been
10 performed by the user ( s t e p S906) or where a connection
request has been received from a peer device (step S907), the
control unit 140 det.ermines whether a s p e c i f i c application
hasbeendesignatedthereby ( s t e p S 9 0 9 ) . For example, onthe
connection dLtail s e l e c t screen 190 shown i n Fig. 4, the user
15 performs a peer designating operation or a s p e c i f i c
application designating operation. Also, a check is made t o
determine whether a s p e c i f i c application ~ has beendesignated I based on the information c o n t a i n e d i n t h e connection request
received from a peer device.
20 [0136]
In a case where a s p e c i f i c application has be~*n
designated ( s t e p S 9 0 9 ) , t h e c o n t r o l u n i t 1 4 0 addsthe s p e c i f i c
application association I E , and conducts Group Owner
Negotiation ( s t e p S910). Through the Group Owner
25 Negotiation, the f i r s t wireless communication device 100
becomes a GO (Group Owner) or a c l i e n t .
101371
The control unit140 t h e n a d d s t h e s p e c i f i c application
association I E , conducts Association, and establishes a
30 connection i n t h e secondlayer ( s t e p 5911). The control unit
140 then conducts Secure l i n k establishment ( s t e p 5912) and
IP Address Assignment (step 5913).
[0138]
The control unit 140 then causes the specific
application to automatically start in accordance with the
5 information in the specificapplication association IE (step
5914), and executes the specific application (step 5915).
The control unit 140 then determines whether a second-layer
cutoff request has been received from the user or the peer
(stepS916). Ina casewhere any second-layer cutoff request
10 has notbeenreceived, themonitoringis continued. Ina case
where a second-layer cutoff request has been received (step
5916), on the other hand, the control unit 140 performs a
specific application end process (step S917), and performs
a second-layer cutoff process (step S918), to end the
15 communication process.
i [0139]
In a case where any specific application has not been
designated (step S909), the control unit 140 conducts Group
Owner Negotiation without addition of the specific
20 application association IE (step S919). Through the Group
Owner Negotiation, the first wireless communication device
100 becomes a GO (Group Owner) or a client.
[0140]
The control unit 140 then conducts Association and
25 establishes a connection in the secondlayerwithout addition
of the specific application association IE (step S920). The
control unit 140 then conducts Secure link establishment
(step 5921) and IP Address Assignment (step 5922).
[0141]
30 The control unit 140 then checks associated
applicationshy SSDP, andconducts L4 setup (step 5923). The
c o n t r o l u n i t 1 4 0 t h e n d e t e r m i n e s w h e t h e r a n a p p l i c a t i o n s t a r t
i n s t r u c t i o n h a s been received fromthe user o r t h e peer (step
S924). I n a casewhere any a p p l i c a t i o n s t a r t i n s t r u c t i o n h a s
not been received, the monitoring is continued. In a case
5 where an application s t a r t i n s t r u c t i o n has been received
( s t e p S924), on the other hand, the control unit 140 s t a r t s
an application i n accordance with the application s t a r t
instruction ( s t e p S925), and executes the application ( s t e p
S926).
10 [0142]
The c o n t r o l u n i t 1 4 0 t h e n d e t e r m i n e s whether a s p e c i f i c
application s t a r t i n s t r u c t i o n h a s been receivedfromtheuser
(step 5927). In a case where a s p e c i f i c application s t a r t
instruction has been received, the control unit 1 4 0 suspends
15 the application being currently executed ( s t e p 5928). The
control u n i t ( l 4 0 then transmits the Vendor Specific Action
frame of an application s t a r t t r i g g e r request including the
s p e c i f i c application association I E t o the peer (step 5929).
The control unit140 then receives the Vendor SpecificAction
20 frame of an application s t a r t t r i g g e r response includingthe
s p e c i f i c application association I E from the peer (step
5930).
[0143]
Here, the Vendor Specific Action frame is the Action
25 frame shown i n Figs. 10 through 12, and contains the vendor
s p e c i f i c I E (the s p e c i f i c application association I E ) .
[ 0 1 4 4 ]
The control unit 140 then causes the s p e c i f i c
application t o automatically s t a r t i n accordance with the
30 information i n the s p e c i f i c application association IE (step
5914), and executes the s p e c i f i c application (step 5915).
[0145]
In a case where any specific application start
instruction has not been received (step S927), the control
unit140 determines whether the Vendor Specific Action frame
5 of an application start trigger request containing the
specific application assocj.ation IE has been received (step
5931). In a case where the Action frame has been received
(step 5931), the control unit 140 transmits the Vendor
Specific Action frame of an application start trigger
10 response including the specific application association IE
to the peer (step 5932). The control unit 140 then suspends
the application being executed (step 5933), and moves on to
step S914.
[0146]
15 In a case where the Action frame has not been received
(step S931), the control unit 140 determines whether a
second-layer cutoff request has been received from the user
or the peer (step 5934). In a case where any second-layer
cutoff request has notbeen received (step 5934), the control
20 unit 140 returns to step 5927, and continues the monitoring.
In a case where a second-layer cutoff request has been
received (step S934), on the other hand, the control unit 140
performs anapplicationendprocess (step S935), andperforms
a second-layer cutoff process (step S936), to end the
25 communication process.
[0147]
StepS901is anexample ofthe firstproceduredisclosed
in a claim. Steps S910 through 5915 are an example of the
second procedure disclosedin the claim. Steps 5927 through
30 5933 are an example of the third procedure disclosed in the
claim
[0148]
As described above, the control unit 140 performs
control to designate a specific application in a case where
any specific application is not designated at the time of an
5 establishment process to establish a wireless connection (a
connection in the second layer), and a specific application
is designated after establishment of a wireless connection.
In this case, the control unit 140 performs control to
designate a specific application by transmitting/receiving
10 data including information (shown in Figs. 10 throuyh 12)
equivalent to the information element (shown in Fig. 7) for
designating the specific application without cutoff of the
wireless connection. The control unit 140 also
transmits/reiceives an encrypted frame as data including the
15 informatiori equivalent to the information element.
[0149]
For example, in a case where a specific application is
designated by a user operation after a wireless connection
is established, the controlunit140transmits data including
20 the information equivalent to the information element for
designating a start of the specific application without
cutoffofthewire1essconnection. Bythis transmission, the
specificapplicationis designated. Onthe otherhand, there
is a case where data including the information equivalent to
25 the information element for designating a specific
application is received froma wirelessly-connected wireless
communication device (such as the second wireless
communication device 200) after a wireless connection is
established. In this case, the control unit 140 transmits
30 dataincludingthe informationequivalent tothe information
element for designating a start of the specific application,
as a response to the data, to the wireless communication
device (suchas the secondwireless communicationdevice200)
without cutoff of the wireless connection. By this
transmission, the specific application is designated.
5 [0150]
Specifically, the control unit140 transmits/receives
a vendor specific action frame specified in the IEEE802.11
specification as the data including the information
equivalent to the information element, for example. In this
10 case, the controlunit140transmits avendorspecific action
frame that is a request frame using a vendor specific
Information Element as the information element. Also, the
controlunit140transmits avendor specificaction frame that
is a response frame using a vendor specific Information
15 Element as the information element.
[0151]
The control unit140 also encapsulates the association
request frame body containing the information element into
a vendor specific action frame to be transmitted. This
20 association request frame body has a vendor specific
Information Element used as the information element., and
contains the information element.
LO1521
The control unit140 also encapsulates the association
25 response frame body containing the information element into
a vendor specific action frame to be transmitted. This
association response frame body has a vendor specific
Information Element used as the information element, and
contains the information element.
30 101531
In a case where a specific application that has not been
5 1
SP346694WOOO
designated at the time of an establishment process to
establishawireless connection is newlydesignatedafterthe
wireless connection is established, the control unit 140 may
perform control to designate the new specific application.
[O1541
As described above, in an embodiment of the present
technique, a specific application can be designated at the
time of device discovery or service discovery conducted
before a connecticnis establishedin the secondlayer. Even
in a case where any specific applic'ation is not designated
at the time of device discovery or service discovery, a frame
including a predetermined information element can be
transmitted after a connection is established in the second
layer. The predetermined information element may be an
information element to be transmitted/received at the time
of device discovery or service discovery. With this, a
specific application to be used after a connection in the
second layer can be newly designated and started, without
cutoff ofthe connectionin the secondlayer. That is, auser
can readily use a desired application.
[O1551
For example, it is possible to switch to a specific
application while maintaining a Wi-Fi Direct connection.
Specifically, even in a case where switching to a specific
application is performed after a connection in the second
layer, cutoff of the connection in the second layer and
reconnection in the second layer can be skipped. With this,
the trouble the use needs to take and the waiting time of the
user can be reduced. Also, the number of packets required
in operation can be reduced, and congestion in wireless
communication channels can be relieved.
LO1561
Also, i n an embodiment of the present technique,
infomationnecessary f o r s t a r t i n g a s p e c i f i c application is
exchangedbyusingactionframesthatareusedonaone-to-one
5 basis. As the action frames can be encrypted, resistance t o
attacks from others can be increased, which is preferable i n
terms of security.
[0157]
The above describedembodiments aremerelyexamples for
10 embodying thc present technique, and the items i n the
embodiments correspond t o the items of the subject matter i n
the claims. Likewise, the items o f t h e subjectmatter i n the
claims correspond t o the items with the same names i n the
embodiments of the present technique. However, the present
15 technique i s n o t l i m i t e d t o t h e embodiments, andmore s p e c i f i c
embodiments can be formed by making various changes t o the
embodiments without departing from the scope thereof.
[0158]
The processing procedures described above i n the
20 embodiments may be regarded as a method including t h e s e r i e s
of procedures, or may be regarded as a program for cdl~sing
acomputerto carryout the s e r i e s ofprocedures or arecording
medium s t o r i n g t h e program. The recording medium may be a
CD (Compact Disc), anMD (Minl Disc), a DVD ( D i g i t a l V e r s a t i l e
25 Disk), a memory card, or a Blu-ray Disc (a registered trade
name), for example.
[0159]
The present technique may also be embodied i n the
structures described below.
(1) A wireless communication device including:
a communication unit t h a t performs a connected device
discoveryprocessbeforeawireless connectionisestablished,
and performs an establishment process to establish the
wireless connection by transmitting/receiving data
including an information element for designating a specific
5 applicationwhen the connected device discovered through the
connected device discovery process is determined to be
associated with the specific application; and
a control unit that performs control to designate the
specific application by transmitting/receiving data
10 including information equivalent to the information element
without cutoff ofthe wireless connection when the specific
application is designated after the wireless connection is
establishedas the specific application is not designated at
the time ofthe establishment process.
15 (2) The wireless communication device of (I), wherein,
when the specific application is designated by a user
operationafter thewireless connectionis establishedasthe
specific application is not designated at the time of the
establishment process, the control unit perform sthe control
20 to designate the specific application by transmitting the
data includingthe information equivalent tothe information
element without cutoff of the wireless connection.
(3) The wireless communication device of (1) or (2),
wherein, when receiving the data including the information
25 equivalent to the information element from the
wirelessly-connected wireless communication device after
the wireless connection is established as the specific
applicationisnotdesignatedatthetimeoftheestablishment
process, the control unit performs the control to designate
30 the specific application by transmitting the data including
the information equivalent to the information element as a
response to the received data to the wirelessly-connected
wireless communicationdevice without cutoff ofthe wireless
connection.
(4) The wireless communication device of any of (1)
5 through ( 3 ) , wherein the control unit transmits/receives a
vendor specific action frame specified in the IEEE802.11
specification as the data including the information
equivalent to the information element.
(5) The wireless communication device of (4), wherein
10 the control unit transmits a request frame as the vendor
specific action frame, the request frame using a vendor
specific Information Element as the information element
including information for identifying the specific
application to be started and information for specifying the
15 role the wireless communication device transmitting the
request frame is to play in the specific application.
(6) The wireless communication device of (4) or (5),
wherein the control unit transmits a response frame as the
vendor specific action frame, the response frame using a
20 vendor specific Information Element as the information
element including information for identifying the sprcific
application to be started and information for specifying the
role the wireless communication device transmitting the
response frame in response to a request frame is to play in
25 the specific application.
(7) The wireless communication device of ( 4 ) , wherein
the control unit encapsulates and transmits an association
request framebody into thevendor specific action frame, the
association request frame body using a vendor specific
30 Information Element as the information element including
information for identifying the specific application to be
started and information for specifyingthe role the wireless
communication device transmitting a request frame is to play
in the specific application, the association request frame
body containing the information element.
5 (8) The wireless communication device of (4) or ( 7 ) ,
wherein the control unit encapsulates and transmits an
association response frame body into the vendor specific
action frame, the association response frame body using a
vendor specj-fic Information Element as the information
10 element including information for identifying the specific
application tobe started and information for specifyingthe
role the wireless communication device transmitting a
response frame in response to a request frame is to play in
the specificapplication, the associationresponse framebody
15 containing the information element.
(9) The wireless communication device of any of (1)
through (8), wherein the control unit has an encrypted frame
transmitted/received as the data including the information
equivalent to the information element.
2 0 (10) The wireless communication device of any of (1)
through ( 9 ) , wherein the communication unit establishes a
connection in a second layer as the wireless connection.
(11) The wireless communication device of any of (1)
through (lo), wherein the communication unit performs the
25 connected device discovery process by
transmitting/receiving one of a Probe Request and a Probe
Response specified in the IEEE802.11 specification, with
information indicating an associated specific application
being added to the one of the Probe Request and the Probe
30 Response.
(12) The wireless communication device of any of (1)
through (ll), which is compliant with the IEEE802.11
specification for enabling P2P (Peer to Peer) connections.
(13) A communication systemincluding a first wireless
communication device and a second wireless communication
5 device that perform a connected device discovery process on
each other before a wireless connection is established, and
perform an establishment process to establish the wireless
connection by transmitting and receiving, to and from each
other, data j-ncluding an information element for designating
10 a specific application when the connected device discovered
through the connecteddevice discoveryprocess is determined
to be associated with the specific application,
wherein, when the specific application is designated
after the wireless connection is established as the specific
15 applicationisnotdesignatedatthetimeoftheestablishment
process, the first wireless communication device and the
second wireless communication device transmit and receive,
to andfromeachother, dataincludinginformationequivalent
to the information element without cutoff of the wireless
20 connection.
(14) A communication method including:
a first procedure to perform a connected device
discovery process before a wireless connection is
established;
25 a secondprocedure to performan establishment process
to establish the wireless connection by
transmltting/receiving data including an information
element for designating a speciflc application when the
connected devlce discovered through the connected device
30 discovery process is determined to be associated with the
specific application; and
a third procedure to perform control to designate the
specific application by transmitting/receiving data
including information equivalent to the information element
without cutoff of the wireless connection when the specific
5 application is designated after the wireless connection is
established as the specific application is not designated at
the time of the establishment process.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
10 [0160]
10 Communication system
100 First wireless communication device
101 Antenna
110 Data pkocessing unit
15 120 Transmission processing unit
130 Wireless interface unit
140 Control unit
150 Memory
160 Operation accepting unit
20 170 Display Unit
200 Second wireless communication device
300 Third wireless communication device
400 Fourth wireless communication device
CLAIMS
1. A wireless communication device comprising:
a communicationunit configuredto performa connected
5 device discovery process before a wireless connection is
established, and perform an establishment process to
establish the wireless connection bytransmitting/receiving
data including an information element for designating a
specific application when a connected device discovered
10 through the connected device discoveryprocess is determined
to be associated with the specific application; and
a control unit configured to perform control to
designate the specific application by
transmittini/receiving data including information
15 equivalent to the information element without cutoff of the
wireless connection when the specific application is
designated after the wireless connection is established as
the specific application is notdesignatedatthetime ofthe
establishment process.
20
2. The wireless communication device according to claim
1, wherein, when the specific application is designated by
auseroperationafterthewireless connectionis established
as the specific application is not designated at the time of
25 the establishment process, the control unit performs the
control to designate the specific applicationbytransmitting
the data including the information equivalent to the
information element without cutoff of the wireless
connection.
3 0
3. The wireless communication device according to claim
1, wherein, whenreceivingthe dataincludingtheinformation
equivalent to the information element from a wireless
communication device with which the wireless connection is
established after the wireless connection is established as
5 the specific application is not designated at the time ofthe
establishment process, the control unit performs the control
to designate the specific application by transmitting the
data includingthe information equivalent to the information
element as a response to the received data to the wireless
10 communication device with which the wireless connection is
established without cutoff of the wireless connection.
4. The wireless communication device according to claim
1, wherein the control unit transmits/receives a vendor
15 specific action frame specified in the IEEE802.11
specification as the data including the information
equivalent to the information element.
5. The wireless communication device according to claim
20 4, wherein the control unit transmits a request frame as the
vendor specificaction frame, the requestframeusingavendor
specific Information Element as the information element
including information for identifying the specific
application to be started and inEormation for specifying a
25 role the wireless communication device transmitting the
request frame is to play in the specific application.
6. The wireless communication device according to claim
4, wherein the control unit transmits a response frame as the
30 vendor specific action frame, the response frame using a
vendor specific Information Element as the information
element including information for identifying the specific
application to be started and information for specifying a
role the wireless communication device transmitting the
response frame in response to a request frame is to play in
5 the specific application.
7. The wireless communication device according to claim
4, wherein the control unit encapsulates and transmits an
association request frame body into the vendor specific
10 action frame, the association request frame body using a
vendor specific Information Element as the information
element including information for identifying the specific
application to be started and information for specifying a
role thewireless communicationdev~cetransmittingarequest
15 frame is toplay in the specificapplication, the association
request frame body containing the information element.
8. The wireless communication device according to claim
4, wherein the control unit encapsulates and transmits an
20 association response frame body into the vendor specific
action frame, the association response frame body 11sing a
vendor specific Information Element as the information
element including information for identifying the specific
application to be started and information for specifying a
25 role the wireless communication device transmitting a
response frame in response to a request frame is to play in
the specificapplication, theassociationresponse framebody
containing the information element.
30 9. The wireless communication device according to claim
1, wherein the control unit has an encrypted frame
transmitted/received as the data including the information
equivalent to the information element.
10. The wireless communication device according to claim
5 1, wherein the communication unit establishes a connection
in a second layer as the wireless connection.
11. The wireless communication device according to claim
1, wherein the ccmmunication unit performs the connected
10 device discovery process by transmikting/receiving one of a
ProbeRequestanda ProbeResponse specifiedinthe IEEE802.11
specification, with information indicating an associated
specific application being added to the one of the Probe
Request and the Probe Response.
15
12. The wireless communication device according to claim
1, which is compliant with the IEEE802.11 specification for
enabling P2P (Peer to Peer) connections.
20 13. A communication system comprising a first wireless
communication device and a second wireless communication
device configured to perform a connected device discovery
process on each other before a wireless connection is
established, and perform an establishment process to
25 establish the wireless connection by transmitting and
receiving, to and from each other, data including an
information element for designating a specific application
when the connected device discovered through the connected
device discoveryprocess is determined to be associatedwith
30 the specific application,
wherein, when the specific application is designated