Information device system

Abstract

An information device system includes a terminal device and a personal computer. The terminal device has a USB interface and a wireless transceiver circuit. The personal computer has a USB controller which can communicate with the USB interface of the terminal device when they are connected with each other, and also a transceiver circuit adapted to wirelessly communicate with the wireless transceiver circuit of the terminal device. A record medium, which can be read by the personal computer, contains a program for judging what communication state the system is in, a cable communication state, a wireless communication state, or a non-communication state, and restricting processing the personal computer can perform in accordance with the result of the judgment. The degree of restriction is lowest when the system is in the cable communication state, intermediate when the system is in the wireless communication state, and highest when the system is in the non-communication state.

1 . A communications system, comprising: 
 a first communications system having a first wired communication unit and a first wireless communication unit; and    a second communications system having a second wired communication unit which, when connected to said first wired communication unit, is adapted to communicate with said first wired communication unit, and a second wireless communication unit which, when in an effective communicative range with said first wireless communication unit, is adapted to communicate with said first wireless communication unit, and further comprising: 
 a judgment unit judging which of plural states said communications system is in, a wired communication state in which said first and second wired communication units can communicate with each other, a wireless communication state in which said first and second wireless communication units can communicate with each other, or a non-communication state, different from said wired and wireless communication states, and  
 a restriction unit increasing a degree of restriction to be placed on processing performed by said second information device, from a lowest degree of restriction imposed when said judgment unit judges that said communications system is in said wired communication state, through an intermediate degree of restriction imposed when said judgment unit judges that said communications system is in said wireless communication state, to a highest degree of restriction imposed when said judgment unit judges that said communications system is in said non-communication state.  
   
   
   
       2 . A processing restricting method in a communications system including a first communications system having a first wired communication unit and a first wireless communication unit and a second communications system having a second wired communication unit and a second wireless communication unit, said method comprising: 
 judging which of plural states said communications system is in, a wired communication state in which said first and second wired communication units are connected with each other for wired communications therebetween, a wireless communication state in which said first and second wireless communication unit are in an effective communicative range and are connected with each other for wireless communications therebetween, or a non-communication state, different from said wired and wireless communication states; and    increasingly restricting processing by said second communications system, from a lowest degree of restriction imposed when said communications system is judged to be in said wired communication state, through an intermediate degree of restriction imposed when said communications system is judged to be in said wireless communication state, to a highest degree of restriction imposed when said communications system is judged to be in said non-communication state.    
   
   
       3 . A record medium employable in a communication system comprising first and second information devices having respective, first and, second cable communication units and respect to, first and second wireless communication units, the second communications unit reading the record medium and being controlled thereby: 
 judging whether said communications system is in a wired communication state, in which said first and second wired communication units are connected with each other for wired communications therebetween, a wireless communication state, in which said first and second wireless communication units are in an effective communicative range and are connected with each other for wireless communications therebetween, or a non-communication state, different from said wired and wireless communication states; and    increasingly restricting processing by said second information device, from a lowest degree of restriction imposed when said communications system is judged to be in said wired communication state, through an intermediate degree of restriction imposed when said communications system is judged to be in said wireless communication state, to a highest degree of restriction imposed when said communications system is judged to be in said non-communication state.    
   
   
       4 . A communications system of plural information device, comprising: 
 a first communications system having a first wired communication unit and a first wireless communication unit; and    a second communications system having a second wired communication unit which, when connected to said first wired communication unit, is adapted to communicate with said first wired communication unit, a second wireless communication unit which, when in an effective communicative range with said first wireless communication unit, is adapted to communicate with said first wireless communication unit, and a unit communicating with a network and further comprising: 
 a judgment unit judging whether said communications system is in a wired communication state, in which said first and second wired communication units can communicate with each other, a wireless communication state, in which said first and second wireless communication units can communicate with each other, or a non-communication state, different from said wired and wireless communication states, and  
 an altering unit providing awareness information to others of the plural information devices through said communications system, and altering said awareness information in accordance with judgments made by said judgment unit.  
   
   
   
       5 . A communications system, comprising: 
 a first communications system having a first wired communication unit and a first wireless communication unit; and    a second communications system having a second wired communication unit which, when connected to said first wired communication unit, is adapted to communicate with said first wired communication unit, and a second wireless communication unit which is adapted to communicate with said first wireless communication unit when said first wireless communication unit is in an effective communicative range, the transmission band for communications between said first and second wired communication units being broader than the transmission band for communications between said first and second wireless communication unit, and said second communications system further comprising: 
 a judgment unit judging whether said communications system is in a wired communication state, in which said first and second wired communication unit can communicate with each other, or a wireless communication state, in which said first and  
 second wireless communication unit can communicate with each other; and a control unit causing said second wired communication unit to transmit information of a first amount of data to said first wired communication unit when said judgment unit judges that said communications system is in said wired communication state, and causing said second wireless communication unit to transmit information of a second, reduced amount of data.