Information processing apparatus, wireless communication apparatus, communication system, and information processing method

Abstract

An information processing apparatus and method provide logic for processing information. In one implementation, an information processing apparatus may include a receiving unit configured to receive, from a first communications device, a first request to join a group of second communications devices. In such implementations, the first request includes first information identifying the group, and the group is associated with at least one connection right. The information processing apparatus may further includes control unit configured to associate the first communications device with the group, based at least the received information.

The invention claimed is:  
     
       1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:
 circuitry configured to:
 receive, from a first communications device, a first request to join a group of second communications devices, the first request comprising first group information identifying the group, and the group being associated with at least one connection right, and 
 receive, from a corresponding one of the second communications devices, a second request to add the first communications device to the group; and 
 
 a control unit configured to:
 establish a first time period for associating the first communications device with the group, 
 determine whether the second request is received within the first time period, and 
 associate the first communications device with the group, based on the determination and the received first and second request. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the group is associated with a plurality of connection rights. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first group information comprises at least one of an identifier of the group and a password associated with the identifier. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:
 determine whether the first request comprises first user information associated with a first user of the first communications device; and 
 establish the first time period for associating the first communications device with the group, when the first request includes the first user information. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the second request comprises second user information associated with a second user of the corresponding second communications device; and 
 the control unit is further configured to determine whether the first user information matches the second user information, when the second request is received within the first time period. 
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the second user information comprises a numerical passcode specified by the second user. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the second request comprises second group information identifying the group; and 
 the control unit is further configured to determine whether at least a portion of the first group information matches a corresponding portion of the second group information, when the first user information matches the second user information. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the control unit is further configured to associate the first communications device with the group, when the first group information matches the second group information. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the control unit is further configured to generate information indicative of a failure to associate the first communications device with the group, when the second request is not received within the first time period. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:
 establish a second time period for associating the first communications device with the group, when the first request does not include the first user information, the first time period exceeding the second time period; and 
 determine whether the second request is received within the second time period. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the second request comprises second group information identifying the group; and 
 the control unit is further configured to determine whether at least a portion of the first group information matches a corresponding portion of the second group information, when the second request is received within the second time period. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the control unit is further configured to associate the first communications device with the group, when the first group information portion matches the second group information portion. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the control unit is further configured to generate information indicative of a failure to associate the first communications device with the group, when the first group information does not correspond to the second group information. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:
 generate a confirmation indicative of the association between the first communications device and the group; and 
 generate an instruction to transmit the confirmation to the first communications device and at least one of the second communications devices. 
 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a communications unit configured to transmit the confirmation to the first communications device and at least one of the second communications devices, in response to the generated instruction. 
     
     
       16. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving, from a first communications device, a first request to join a group of second communications devices, the first request comprising first group information identifying the group, and the group being associated with at least one connection right; 
 receiving, from a corresponding one of the second communications devices, a second request to add the first communications device to the group; 
 establishing a first time period for associating the first communications device with the group; 
 determining whether the second request is received within the first time period; and 
 associating, using at least one processor, the first communications device with the group, based on the determination and the received first and second request. 
 
     
     
       17. A first communications device, comprising
 one or more processors configured to:
 generate a first instruction to transmit a request to join a group of second communications devices to an information processing apparatus, the request comprising information identifying the group, and the group being associated with at least one connection right; 
 associate, with the group based on a second request received by the information processing apparatus from a corresponding one of the second communications devices, wherein
 the second request is to add the first communications device to the group, and wherein 
 the second request is received within a first time period established by the information processing apparatus for associating the first communications device with the group; and generate a second instruction to display information associated with an outcome of the first request. 
 
 
 
     
     
       18. A communications system, comprising:
 a terminal device configured to generate an instruction to transmit a first request to join a group of communications devices to an information processing apparatus; and 
 the information processing apparatus in communication with the terminal device, the information processing apparatus comprising: 
 circuitry configured to:
 receive the first request from the terminal device, the request comprising information identifying the group, and the group being associated with at least one connection right, 
 receive, from a corresponding one of the communications devices, a second request to add the terminal device to the group; and 
 
 a control unit configured to:
 establish a first time period for associating the terminal device with the group, 
 determine whether the second request is received within the first time period, and 
 associate the terminal device with the group, based on the determination and the received first and second request. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The communications system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the information processing apparatus further comprises a communications unit configured to transmit, to the terminal device, an indication of an outcome of the received first request; and 
 the terminal device further comprises a display control unit configured to generate a second instruction to display, in response to the indication, information associated with the outcome of the first request.