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 . A data communication system, comprising:
 a wireless access point; and   a first communication terminal,   the wireless access point configured to:
 read connection point data, stored in a memory of the wireless access point and including a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the wireless access point, from the memory and configured to provide the connection point data for allowing connection with the wireless access point, 
   the first communication terminal configured to:
 obtain the connection point data provided by the wireless access point; and 
 attempt to establish connection with the wireless access point by using the connection point data, including the MAC address of the wireless access point, obtained from the wireless access point. 
   
     
     
         22 . The data communication system according to  claim 21 , wherein the wireless access point is configured to read the connection point data, including the MAC address of the wireless access point, from the memory and transmit the connection point data to the first communication terminal. 
     
     
         23 . The data communication system according to  claim 21 , wherein the wireless access point is configured to read the connection point data from the memory and broadcast, at regular intervals, the connection point data including the MAC address of the wireless access point. 
     
     
         24 . The data communication system according to  claim 21 , wherein the wireless access point is configured to read the connection point data from the memory and transmit a beacon, at regular intervals, containing the connection point data including the MAC address of the wireless access point. 
     
     
         25 . The data communication system according to  claim 21 , wherein the connection point data is unique to the wireless access point. 
     
     
         26 . The data communication system according to  claim 21 , wherein the connection point data further includes a Service Set Identifier (SSID). 
     
     
         27 . The data communication system according to  claim 21 , wherein
 data communicated between the wireless access point and the first communication terminal is encoded by using a key,   the connection point data further includes data indicative of the key, and   the first communication terminal is configured to attempt to connect with the wireless access point by using the MAC address of the wireless access point included in the connection point data and the data indicative of the key.   
     
     
         28 . The data communication system according to  claim 21 , wherein the first communication terminal is configured to obtain the connection point data by attempting to receive the connection point data using a dedicated protocol which is installed on each of the wireless access point and the first communication terminal. 
     
     
         29 . The data communication system according to  claim 21 , wherein the first communication terminal is configured to obtain the connection point data by receiving the connection point data without outputting a radio wave therefrom when the first communication terminal is started. 
     
     
         30 . The data communication system according to  claim 21 , wherein the first communication terminal is configured to:
 prompt a user to select an application program to be launched from among a plurality of application programs, and launch the selected application program, and   when the first communication terminal has obtained the connection point data, notify the user that a connection application program is executable, the connection application program including a program for causing the first communication terminal to execute a procedural step of connecting to the wireless access point.   
     
     
         31 . The data communication system according to  claim 30 , wherein the connection application program is a viewer program for establishing connection to a network via the wireless access point. 
     
     
         32 . The data communication system according to  claim 30 , wherein the first communication terminal is configured to obtain the connection point data by attempting to receive the connection point data after operation of the first communication terminal is started until before the first communication terminal becomes capable of receiving a selection operation performed by the user. 
     
     
         33 . The data communication system according to  claim 32 , wherein the first communication terminal is configured to continuously attempt to receive the connection point data after operation of the first communication terminal is started and even after the first communication terminal becomes capable of receiving the selection operation performed by the user. 
     
     
         34 . The data communication system according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a second communication terminal, wherein the second communication terminal is configured to:
 download a connection application program including a program for causing the second communication terminal to execute a procedural step of connecting to the wireless access point, and for installing the connection application program onto the second communication terminal; 
 obtain the connection point data by attempting to receive the connection point data from the wireless access point; and 
 attempt to connect with the wireless access point by using the received connection point data when the connection application program is executed. 
   
     
     
         35 . The data communication system according to  claim 34 , wherein the connection application program is a viewer program for establishing connection to a network via the wireless access point. 
     
     
         36 . The data communication system according to  claim 34 , wherein the connection application program is downloaded by using a dedicated protocol which is installed on each of the wireless access point and the second communication terminal. 
     
     
         37 . The data communication system according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the connection point data further includes data for specifying a predetermined content, and   the first communication terminal is configured to communicate with the wireless access point, and obtain, via a network, the content which is specified by the data for specifying the predetermined content.   
     
     
         38 . The data communication system according to  claim 37 , wherein
 the first communication terminal further includes icon display control for obtaining an icon relating to the content from a server on the network, and for displaying the icon on a display device so as to prompt the user to select the icon, and   the first communication terminal configured to obtain, via the network, the content relating to the icon selected by an operation performed by the user.   
     
     
         39 . The data communication system according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the first communication terminal further configured to:
 store the obtained connection point data until the first communication terminal is shut down, and 
 attempt to reconnect to the wireless access point in accordance with the stored connection point data when connection to the wireless access point is established and then interrupted. 
   
     
     
         40 . The data communication system according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the first communication terminal further configured to detect a received strength level when the connection point data is obtained from the wireless access point, and   when the first communication terminal has obtained a plurality of pieces of the connection point data, the first communication terminal successively selects a piece of the connection point data, from among the plurality of pieces of the connection point data, in order of descending received strength level, and attempts to connect with the wireless access point.   
     
     
         41 . The data communication system according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the first communication terminal further configured to store the obtained connection point data until operation of the first communication terminal is shut down, and   the first communication terminal attempts to connect with the wireless access point by using the stored connection point data.   
     
     
         42 . A wireless access point comprising processing circuitry, the wireless access point configured to:
 read connection point data, stored in a memory of the wireless access point and including a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the wireless access point, from the memory;   provide the connection point data, including the MAC address of the wireless access point, for allowing connection with the wireless access point;   receive a connection request from a first communication terminal, the connection request including at least the connection point data provided by the wireless access point; and   attempt to establish connection with the first communication terminal by using the connection point data, including the MAC address of the wireless access point, provided by the wireless access point.   
     
     
         43 . A communication terminal comprising processing circuitry, the communication terminal configured to:
 obtain connection point data, including a MAC address of a wireless access point, provided by the wireless access point; and   attempt to establish connection with the wireless access point by using the connection point data, including the MAC address of the wireless access point, obtained from the wireless access point.   
     
     
         44 . A data communication system, comprising:
 a wireless access point; and   a first communication terminal,   the wireless access point configured to:
 read connection point data, stored in a memory of the wireless access point and including a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and secondary identification information of the wireless access point, from the memory and configured to provide the connection point data for allowing connection with the wireless access point, 
   the first communication terminal configured to:
 obtain the connection point data provided by the wireless access point; and 
 attempt to establish connection with the wireless access point by using the connection point data, including the Service Set Identifier (SSID) and the secondary identification information of the wireless access point, obtained from the wireless access point. 
   
     
     
         45 . The data communication system according to  claim 44 , wherein the secondary identification information includes a location ID. 
     
     
         46 . The data communication system according to  claim 44 , wherein the secondary identification information includes a MAC address of the wireless access point. 
     
     
         47 . A wireless access point comprising processing circuitry, the wireless access point configured to:
 read connection point data, stored in a memory of the wireless access point and including a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and secondary identification information of the wireless access point, from the memory;   provide the connection point data, including a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and secondary identification information of the wireless access point, for allowing connection with the wireless access point;   receive a connection request from a first communication terminal, the connection request including at least the connection point data provided by the wireless access point; and   attempt to establish connection with a first communication terminal by using the connection point data, including the Service Set Identifier (SSID) and the secondary identification information of the wireless access point, provided by the wireless access point   
     
     
         48 . A communication terminal comprising processing circuitry, the communication terminal configured to:
 obtain connection point data, including a Service Set Identifier (SSID) and secondary identification information of a wireless access point, provided by the wireless access point; and
 attempt to establish connection with the wireless access point by using the connection point data, including the Service Set Identifier (SSID) and the secondary identification information of the wireless access point, obtained from the wireless access point.