Information processing apparatus, information processing system, and storage medium having stored thereon information processing program

Abstract

When an information processing apparatus is started, reception of data indicative of presence of a connection point apparatus is attempted. A plurality of objects respectively corresponding to a plurality of application programs is displayed on a display device, and upon reception of an operation performed by a user, an application program corresponding to one of the objects selected by the operation performed by the user is launched. When the data is received, a display form of an object, which relates to a connection application program including a program for executing a procedural step of connecting to the connection point apparatus, is changed.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An information processing apparatus which is capable of storing a plurality of application programs, comprising:
 launcher means for allowing a user to select an application program to be launched from among the plurality of application programs when the information processing apparatus is started, and for launching the selected application program; and   connection point data receiving means for attempting to receive data indicative of presence of a connection point apparatus when the information processing apparatus is started, wherein   the launcher means   displays, on a display device, a plurality of objects respectively corresponding to the plurality of application programs, receives an operation performed by the user, and launches the application program which is selected by the operation and which corresponds to an object among the plurality of objects, and   includes object display form changing means for changing a display form of the object relating to a connection application program, which is the application program including a program for causing the information processing apparatus to execute a procedural step of connecting to the connection point apparatus, when the connection point data receiving means receives the data.   
     
     
         22 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the connection point data receiving means attempts to receive the data indicative of the presence of the connection point apparatus during a time period from when the information processing apparatus has started to when the launcher means has started. 
     
     
         23 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the connection point data receiving means attempts to receive the data indicative of the presence of the connection point apparatus during a time period from when the information processing apparatus has started until before the launcher means becomes capable of receiving the operation performed by the user. 
     
     
         24 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the connection point data receiving means continuously attempts to receive the data indicative of the presence of the connection point apparatus even after the information processing apparatus has started and after the launcher means has become capable of receiving the operation performed by the user. 
     
     
         25 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the connection application program is a viewer program for establishing connection to a network via the connection point apparatus, and   the object display form changing means changes the display form of the object relating to the viewer program when the connection point data receiving means receives the data indicative of the presence of the connection point apparatus.   
     
     
         26 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein when the information processing apparatus is started, the connection point data receiving means does not transmit a radio wave therefrom, and receives the data indicative of the presence of the connection point apparatus. 
     
     
         27 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the data indicative of the presence of the connection point apparatus at least includes data indicative of an identifier for identifying the connection point apparatus, and   when the connection application program is launched, the launcher means is connected to the connection point apparatus by using the data indicative of the identifier, the data being included in the data received by the connection point data receiving means.   
     
     
         28 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein
 the connection point apparatus is a wireless connection point, and   the identifier is an SSID (Service Set Identifier).   
     
     
         29 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein
 data communicated between the connection point apparatus and the information processing apparatus is encoded with a key,   the data indicative of the presence of the connection point apparatus further includes data indicative of the key for establishing connection to the connection point apparatus, and   when the connection application program is launched, the launcher means is connected to the connection point apparatus, by using the data indicative of the identifier and data indicative of the key which are included in the data received by the connection point data receiving means.   
     
     
         30 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the connection point data receiving means uses a dedicated protocol which is at least mounted to the information processing apparatus and to another apparatus from which the data indicative of the presence of the connection point apparatus is transmitted, and attempts to receive the data. 
     
     
         31 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the data indicative of the presence of the connection point apparatus further includes data for specifying a predetermined content, and   when the connection application program is launched, the launcher means obtains the content, which is specified by the data for specifying the predetermined content, via a network.   
     
     
         32 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the launcher means obtains an icon relating to the content from a server on the network, displays the icon on the display device so as to prompt the user to select the icon, and obtains, via the network, the content relating to the icon selected by the user. 
     
     
         33 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the connection application program is stored in the information processing apparatus in advance. 
     
     
         34 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the connection application program is downloaded via a network and installed in the information processing apparatus. 
     
     
         35 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein in the case where the connection point data receiving means receives the data, changes the display form of the object relating to the connection application program, and then stops receiving the data, the object display form changing means restores the display form of the object relating to the connection application program to a state before the change. 
     
     
         36 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 connection point data storage means for keeping storing the data received by the connection point data receiving means until the information processing apparatus is shut down; and   reconnection means for attempting to reconnect to the connection point apparatus in accordance with the connection point data stored in the connection point data storage means when connection to the connection point apparatus is established and then interrupted.   
     
     
         37 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the object display form changing means changes the display form of an icon object relating to the connection application program by changing a color of at least a part of a frame of the icon object, when the connection point data receiving means receives the data. 
     
     
         38 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the object display form changing means changes the display form of an icon object relating to the connection application program by animating the icon object, when the connection point data receiving means receives the data. 
     
     
         39 . An information processing system, comprising:
 an information processing apparatus which is capable of storing a plurality of application programs;   a connection point apparatus; and   a connection point data transmitting apparatus for transmitting data indicative of presence of the connection point apparatus, wherein   the information processing apparatus includes:
 launcher means for allowing a user to select an application program to be launched from among the plurality of application programs when the information processing apparatus is started, and for launching the selected application program; and 
 connection point data receiving means for attempting to receive the data indicative of the presence of the connection point apparatus from the connection point data transmitting apparatus when the information processing apparatus is started, 
   the launcher means
 displays, on a display device, a plurality of objects respectively corresponding to the plurality of application programs, receives an operation performed by the user, and launches the application program which is selected by the operation and which corresponds to an object among the plurality of objects, and 
 includes object display form changing means for changing a display form of the object relating to a connection application program, which is the application program including a program for causing the information processing apparatus to execute a procedural step of connecting to the connection point apparatus, when the connection point data receiving means receives the data. 
   
     
     
         40 . A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon an information processing program executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus which is capable of storing a plurality of application programs, the information processing program causes the computer to function as:
 launcher means for allowing a user to select an application program to be launched from among the plurality of application programs when the information processing apparatus is started, and for launching the selected application program; and
 connection point data receiving means for attempting to receive data indicative of presence of a connection point apparatus when the information processing apparatus is started, wherein 
   the launcher means
 displays, on a display device, a plurality of objects respectively corresponding to the plurality of application programs, receives an operation performed by the user, and launches the application program which is selected by the operation and which corresponds to an object among the plurality of objects, and 
 includes object display form changing means for changing a display form of the object relating to a connection application program, which is the application program including a program for causing the information processing apparatus to execute a procedural step of connecting to the connection point apparatus, when the connection point data receiving means receives the data.