# US 11,122,410 B2 · Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and information processing system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,122,410 B2 - Document ID: US11122410B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/339,167 - Filed: 2017-10-18 - Published: 2019-09-12 - Granted: 2021-09-14 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-25 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Naoki Yuasa; Takashi Onohara; Koji Fujita; Ryo Sokabe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11122410B2 ## CPC - H04W 8/005: {Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals} - H04L 5/005: {of common pilots, i.e. pilots destined for multiple users or terminals} - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - H04W 8/26: Network addressing or numbering for mobility support - H04W 48/08: Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery (signalling during connection H04W76/00) - H04W 48/16: Discovering, processing access restriction or access information - H04W 76/10: Connection setup - H04W 12/08: Access security - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract An information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present technology includes a reception unit, a detection unit, and a transmission unit. The reception unit receives a beacon signal transmitted from each of a plurality of first apparatuses. The detection unit detects an unconnected apparatus from the plurality of first apparatuses on the basis of the received beacon signal, the unconnected apparatus being not communicably connected to a second apparatus. The transmission unit transmits setting information for communicably connecting to the second apparatus to the detected unconnected apparatus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing apparatus, comprising: a reception unit configured to receive a plurality of beacon signals transmitted from each of a plurality of first apparatuses; a detection unit configured to detect at least one unconnected apparatus from the plurality of first apparatuses based on the received plurality of beacon signals, wherein the at least one unconnected apparatus is not communicably connected to a second apparatus; a first communication unit configured to communicably connect to the second apparatus; a request unit configured to request restriction of transmission of a beacon signal of the plurality of beacon signals to a connected apparatus of the plurality of first apparatuses, wherein the connected apparatus is communicably connected to the second apparatus; and a transmission unit configured to transmit setting information, for communicably connecting to the second apparatus, to the detected at least one unconnected apparatus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second communication unit configured to communicably connect to each of the plurality of first apparatuses based on the received plurality of beacon signals, wherein the transmission unit is configured to transmit the setting information via the second communication unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the detection unit is further configured to: acquire information that a first apparatus of the plurality of first apparatuses is the unconnected apparatus via the second communication unit; and detect the unconnected apparatus based on the acquired information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the beacon signal is a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon signal conforming to a BLE standard, and the detection unit is further configured to acquire information that the first apparatus is the unconnected apparatus via BLE communication based on the BLE beacon signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of beacon signals is a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon signal conforming to a BLE standard, and the transmission unit is further configured to transmit the setting information to the unconnected apparatus via BLE communication based on the BLE beacon signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second apparatus is an access point that establishes a wireless network, the unconnected apparatus is an apparatus that is not connected to the wireless network, and the setting information includes a Service Set Identifier (SSID) that identifies the access point and a password. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second apparatus is an access point that establishes a wireless network, the connected apparatus is an apparatus that is connected to the wireless network, and the request unit is further configured to transmit a request to the connected apparatus via the wireless network, wherein the request indicates the restriction of the transmission of the beacon signal. ### Claim 8 An information processing method to be executed by a computer system, the information processing method comprising: receiving a plurality of beacon signals transmitted from each of a plurality of first apparatuses; detecting at least one unconnected apparatus from the plurality of first apparatuses based on the received plurality of beacon signals, wherein the at least one unconnected apparatus is not communicably connected to a second apparatus; communicably connecting to the second apparatus; requesting restriction of transmission of a beacon signal of the plurality of beacon signals to a connected apparatus of the plurality of first apparatuses, wherein the connected apparatus is communicably connected to the second apparatus; and transmitting setting information, for communicably connecting to the second apparatus, to the detected at least one unconnected apparatus. ### Claim 9 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute operations, the operations comprising receiving a plurality of beacon signals transmitted from each of a plurality of first apparatuses; detecting at least one unconnected apparatus from the plurality of first apparatuses based on the received plurality of beacon signals, wherein the at least one unconnected apparatus is not communicably connected to a second apparatus; communicably connecting to the second apparatus; requesting restriction of transmission of a beacon signal of the plurality of beacon signals to a connected apparatus of the plurality of first apparatuses, wherein the connected apparatus is communicably connected to the second apparatus; and transmitting setting information, for communicably connecting to the second apparatus, to the detected at least one unconnected apparatus. ### Claim 10 An information processing system, comprising: a communication apparatus; a plurality of apparatuses configured to: detect whether each of the plurality of apparatuses is communicably connected to the communication apparatus, and transmit at least one beacon signal based on the detection that at least one apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses is not communicably connected to the communication apparatus; and a control apparatus configured to: request restriction of transmission of a beacon signal of the at least one beacon signal to a connected apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses, wherein the connected apparatus is communicably connected to the communication apparatus, and transmit setting information, for communicably connecting the communication apparatus, to an unconnected apparatus in the plurality of apparatuses based on a specific beacon signal transmitted from the unconnected apparatus, wherein the unconnected apparatus is not communicably connected to the communication apparatus.