Information processing system and information processing method

Abstract

A handheld terminal 200 performs wireless communication with a game apparatus 103 and determines whether the wireless communication with the game apparatus 103 is possible. The game apparatus 103 performs wireless communication with the handheld terminal 200 and determines whether the wireless communication with the handheld terminal 200 is possible. The game apparatus 103 performs a return home determination process, based on the determination about whether the wireless communication is possible, when the wireless communication with the handheld terminal 200 has become, after having become disabled, enabled again.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An information processing system including a handheld information processing apparatus and a stationary information processing apparatus,
 the handheld information processing apparatus comprising:
 a first communication section for performing wireless communication with the stationary information processing apparatus; and 
 a first determination section for determining whether the wireless communication with the stationary information processing apparatus is possible, 
   the stationary information processing apparatus comprising:
 a second communication section for performing wireless communication with the handheld information processing apparatus; 
 a second determination section for determining whether the wireless communication with the handheld information processing apparatus is possible; and 
 an information processing section for performing predetermined information processing, based on the determination by the second determination section, when the wireless communication with the handheld information processing apparatus has become, after having become disabled, enabled again. 
   
     
     
         2 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the information processing section at least performs a process, as the predetermined information processing, for announcing to a user that after having gone out of a wireless communication range with the second communication section, the handheld information processing apparatus has become located within the wireless communication range again.   
     
     
         3 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the handheld information processing apparatus further comprises:
 a number of steps measuring section; and 
 a number-of-steps data storage section for storing number-of-steps data obtained by the number of steps measuring section, 
   based on the determination by the first determination section, when the wireless communication with the stationary information processing apparatus has become, after having become disabled, enabled again, the first communication section transmits the number-of-steps data to the stationary information processing apparatus, and   the information processing section performs the predetermined information processing when the number of steps indicated by the number-of-steps data satisfies a predetermined criterion.   
     
     
         4 . The information processing system according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the information processing section performs the predetermined information processing when the number of steps indicated by the number-of-steps data is greater than a predetermined number.   
     
     
         5 . The information processing system according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the number of steps measuring section resets the number-of-steps data stored in the number-of-steps data storage section, after the transmission of the number-of-steps data by the first communication section has been completed.   
     
     
         6 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the information processing section measures an elapsed time since the wireless communication with the handheld information processing apparatus has become disabled, and performs the predetermined information processing when an elapsed time at a time when the wireless communication with the handheld information processing apparatus has become enabled again satisfies a predetermined criterion.   
     
     
         7 . The information processing system according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the information processing section performs the predetermined information processing when the elapsed time is greater than a value of the predetermined criterion.   
     
     
         8 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first communication section further performs communication with another apparatus while the communication with the stationary information processing apparatus is not being performed, and   the handheld information processing apparatus further comprises an other apparatus data storage section for storing other apparatus data obtained through the communication with the other apparatus, and   the first communication section further transmits the other apparatus data to the stationary information processing apparatus.   
     
     
         9 . The information processing system according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the other apparatus is a wireless access point set at a predetermined location,   the other apparatus data is location information regarding the location at which the access point is set, and   the information processing section performs the predetermined information processing when the location information satisfies a predetermined criterion.   
     
     
         10 . The information processing system according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the other apparatus is another handheld information processing apparatus,   the other apparatus data is information processing data obtained from the other handheld information processing apparatus, and   the information processing section performs the predetermined information processing based on the information processing data.   
     
     
         11 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the stationary information processing apparatus and the handheld information processing apparatus are a stationary game apparatus and a handheld game apparatus, respectively, which each perform game processing.   
     
     
         12 . The information processing system according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the stationary game apparatus further comprises:
 a network connection section for connecting to an external network; 
 a game data obtaining section for obtaining game data via the external network; and 
 a game data storage section for storing the game data obtained by the game data obtaining section, and 
   the information processing section transmits the game data via the second communication section to the handheld game apparatus.   
     
     
         13 . The information processing system according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the handheld information processing apparatus further comprises an acceleration sensor, and   the number of steps measuring section detects the number of steps based on an acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor.   
     
     
         14 . An information processing method comprising:
 a first communication step of a handheld information processing apparatus performing wireless communication with a stationary information processing apparatus by use of a first communication section of the handheld information processing apparatus;   a first determination step of the handheld information processing apparatus determining whether the wireless communication with the stationary information processing apparatus is possible;   a second communication step of the stationary information processing apparatus performing wireless communication with the handheld information processing apparatus by use of a second communication section of the stationary information processing apparatus;   a second determination step of the stationary information processing apparatus determining whether the wireless communication with the handheld information processing apparatus is possible; and   an information processing step of the stationary information processing apparatus performing predetermined information processing, based on the determination in the second determination step, when the wireless communication with the handheld information processing apparatus has become, after having become disabled, enabled again.   
     
     
         15 . The information processing method according to  claim 14 , wherein
 the information processing section at least performs a process, as the predetermined information processing, for announcing to a user that after having gone out of a wireless communication range with the second communication section, the handheld information processing apparatus has become located within the wireless communication range again.   
     
     
         16 . The information processing method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a number-of-steps data storing step of the handheld information processing apparatus storing number-of-steps data obtained by a number of steps measuring section of the handheld information processing apparatus; and   a step of the handheld information processing apparatus transmitting the number-of-steps data to the stationary information processing apparatus by use of the first communication section, based on the determination by the first determination section, when the wireless communication with the stationary information processing apparatus has become, after having become disabled, enabled again, wherein   in the information processing step, the stationary information processing apparatus performs the information processing when the number of steps indicated by the number-of-steps data satisfies a predetermined criterion.   
     
     
         17 . The information processing method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 in the information processing step, the stationary information processing apparatus performs the predetermined information processing when the number of steps indicated by the number-of-steps data is greater than a predetermined number.   
     
     
         18 . The information processing method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a step of the handheld information processing apparatus resetting the number-of-steps data stored in the number-of-steps data storing step, after the transmission of the number-of-steps data by the first communication section has been completed.   
     
     
         19 . The information processing method according to  claim 14 , wherein
 in the information processing step, the stationary information processing apparatus measures an elapsed time since the wireless communication with the handheld information processing apparatus has become disabled, and performs the predetermined information processing when an elapsed time at a time when the wireless communication with the handheld information processing apparatus has become enabled again satisfies a predetermined criterion.   
     
     
         20 . The information processing method according to  claim 19 , wherein
 in the information processing step, the stationary information processing apparatus performs the predetermined information processing when the elapsed time is greater than a value of the predetermined criterion.