The present invention is directed to managing a process in a factory while employing a communication method suitable to various kinds of data that should be transmitted. A wireless communication apparatus configured to manage a process in a factory includes an interface connected to a device and usable to receive data from the device, a first wireless communication portion, a second wireless communication portion, and a controller configured to, to wirelessly transmit the data received via the interface, select one of the first wireless communication portion and the second wireless communication portion according to this data. The first wireless communication portion is configured to carry out communication at a higher speed and with a larger capacity than the second wireless communication portion. The second wireless communication portion is configured to carry out more reliable communication than the first wireless communication portion.

The present invention is directed to managing a process in a factory while employing a communication method suitable to various kinds of data that should be transmitted. A wireless communication apparatus configured to manage a process in a factory includes an interface connected to a device and usable to receive data from the device, a first wireless communication portion, a second wireless communication portion, and a controller configured to, to wirelessly transmit the data received via the interface, select one of the first wireless communication portion and the second wireless communication portion according to this data. The first wireless communication portion is configured to carry out communication at a higher speed and with a larger capacity than the second wireless communication portion. The second wireless communication portion is configured to carry out more reliable communication than the first wireless communication portion.

A control method that is achieved by a refrigerator application installed in portable terminal, the control method including the steps of instructing an operating system (OS) of portable terminal to connect to a refrigerator in operation in a software access point mode, and sending a service set identifier (SSID) of an access point and a password for connecting to the access point to the refrigerator. An SSID of the refrigerator that operates in the software access point mode, and a password for connecting to the refrigerator that operates in the software access point mode are incorporated in the refrigerator application in advance.

A control method that is achieved by a refrigerator application installed in portable terminal, the control method including the steps of instructing an operating system (OS) of portable terminal to connect to a refrigerator in operation in a software access point mode, and sending a service set identifier (SSID) of an access point and a password for connecting to the access point to the refrigerator. An SSID of the refrigerator that operates in the software access point mode, and a password for connecting to the refrigerator that operates in the software access point mode are incorporated in the refrigerator application in advance.

A method for providing incentives based on geolocation of mobile devices. The method includes storing, by a server, data including merchant information of merchants and points of interest, and associated incentive information. The method includes determining, based on communication with user's device of a user, a first location of the mobile device. The method includes determining, based on the first location, a first subset of merchants and associated first subset of incentives. The method includes communicating merchant data, including information on the first subsets of merchants and incentives, to the mobile device. The method includes communicating to the mobile device, in response to a determination that the mobile device is inside a geofence associated with at least one of the first subset of merchants, additional information on the at least one of the first subset of merchants, the additional information comprising one or more related incentives.

A communication device includes: a first communication unit, a second communication unit, a scheduled position acquisition unit, a specifying unit, and a switching unit that is configured to switch, at a switchable position, a communication protocol of the second communication unit from the second communication protocol, which is currently being used, to the third communication protocol. The first communication unit is further configured to perform communication using the first communication protocol while the switching unit is switching the communication protocol of the second communication unit.

A SIM router device is configured to access a SIM that stores a first authentication application and a second authentication application. The SIM router device includes a first input interface, a second input interface, a mapping information storage unit, and a controller. The mapping information storage unit is configured to acquire an authentication application list that lists the first authentication application and the second authentication application from the SIM, and store a mapping information in which the first input interface is associated with the first authentication application and the second input interface is associated with the second authentication application. The controller is configured to route, based on the mapping information, a first instruction received by the first input interface to the first authentication application of the SIM, and a second instruction received by the second input interface to the second authentication application of the SIM.

A communication system (1) comprises a central (100) and a peripheral (200). The central (100) receives location information and time information from NTP servers (10) and a location server (30). The central (100) creates first offset information of the time measured by its own device and the time information received from the NTP servers (10). The central (100) acquires from map information a time difference corresponding to a location presented by the location information received from the location server (30). The central (100) creates first updated time information based on the time measured by its own device, first offset information, and time difference corresponding to the location presented by the location information received from location server (30) and transmits the first updated time information to the peripheral (200). The peripheral (200) changes the time displayed by its own device based on the received first updated time information.

A communication system (1) comprises a central (100) and a peripheral (200). The central (100) receives location information and time information from NTP servers (10) and a location server (30). The central (100) creates first offset information of the time measured by its own device and the time information received from the NTP servers (10). The central (100) acquires from map information a time difference corresponding to a location presented by the location information received from the location server (30). The central (100) creates first updated time information based on the time measured by its own device, first offset information, and time difference corresponding to the location presented by the location information received from location server (30) and transmits the first updated time information to the peripheral (200). The peripheral (200) changes the time displayed by its own device based on the received first updated time information.

An electronic device that coordinates collection of communication data in a wireless network is described. During operation, the electronic device may provide, from an interface circuit, a troubleshooting request, where the troubleshooting request instructs at least a second electronic device (such as an access point) in the one or more second electronic devices to capture the communication data associated with subsequent communication by the electronic device. For example, the troubleshooting request may be included in a vendor specific public action frame that is broadcast or unicast. Then, the electronic device may provide, from the interface circuit, one or more packets or frames. Moreover, the electronic device may collect the communication data associated with the subsequent communication.