Electronic device, method for controlling same and computer-readable storage medium storing control program

• US 10,362,620 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2016
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kassim, Khaled M
• Application Number:
  US15/248,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20170064767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

An electronic device includes a wireless communication circuit section which intermittently executes connection with another electronic device by wireless communication, a sensor section which outputs sensor data related to the movement of the electronic device, and a control section. When the electronic device is making a periodic movement, the control section acquires the cycle of the periodic movement of the electronic device based on the sensor data, and causes the wireless communication circuit section to set connection timing for connecting the electronic device with the another electronic device by the wireless communication to periodic timing based on the cycle.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a wireless communication circuit configured to be controlled to intermittently execute connection with another electronic device by wireless communication;

one or more sensors configured to detect movement of the electronic device and to output sensor data related to the movement of the electronic device; and

a controller configured to;

determine a cycle of a periodic positional movement of the electronic device based on the sensor data;

determine a period within the cycle of the periodic positional movement of the electronic device where a communication status between the wireless communication circuit and the another electronic device is sufficient for the wireless communication circuit to execute the connection with the another electronic device;

set a connection timing at which the wireless communication circuit is controlled to execute the connection with the another electronic device so that the connection is performed at the period determined;

set a connection-disable timing outside the period determined;

control the wireless communication circuit to execute the connection with the another electronic device at the connection timing set; and

at the connection-disable timing set, control the wireless communication circuit to not execute the connection with the another electronic device.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the electronic device and the another electronic device are configured to be worn or carried on different parts of a user, and

wherein the controller is configured to determine the cycle of the periodic positional movement of the electronic device in accordance with a motion of the user, based on the sensor data.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the controller is configured to set a connection timing cycle for which execution of the connection at the connection timing is repeated, and

wherein a length of the connection timing cycle is different from a length of the cycle of the periodic positional movement of the electronic device.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3,

wherein the controller is configured to change the length of the connection timing cycle when the length of the cycle of the periodic positional movement is changed.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the controller is configured to set a connection timing cycle for which execution of the connection at the connection timing is repeated, and

wherein a length of the connection timing cycle is equal to a length of the cycle of the periodic positional movement of the electronic device.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the controller is configured to:

determine a radio field intensity in the wireless communication between the wireless communication circuit and the another electronic device;

determine one or more relative positions of the electronic device and the another electronic device where the radio field intensity is at or above a predetermined threshold to be one or more relative positions of the electronic device and the another electronic device where the communication status is sufficient; and

set the connection timing at which the wireless communication circuit is controlled to execute the connection with the another electronic device so that the connection is performed at the one or more relative positions where the communication status is sufficient.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and an atmospheric sensor.

8. A method for controlling an electronic device comprising a wireless communication circuit configured to be controlled to intermittently execute connection with another electronic device by wireless communication, and one or more sensors configured to detect movement of the electronic device and to output sensor data related to the movement of the electronic device,

wherein the method comprises performing, by a controller:

determining a cycle of a periodic positional movement of the electronic device based on the sensor data;

determining a period within the cycle of the periodic positional movement of the electronic device where a communication status between the wireless communication circuit and the another electronic device is sufficient for the wireless communication circuit to execute the connection with the another electronic device;

setting a connection timing at which the wireless communication circuit is controlled to execute the connection with the another electronic device so that the connection is performed at the period determined;

setting a connection-disable timing outside the period determined;

controlling the wireless communication circuit to execute the connection with the another electronic device at the connection timing set; and

at the connection-disable timing set, controlling the wireless communication circuit to not execute the connection with the another electronic device.

9. The method according to claim 8,

wherein the electronic device and the another electronic device are configured to be worn or carried on different parts of a user, and

wherein the method comprises performing, by the controller, determining the cycle of the periodic positional movement of the electronic device in accordance with a motion of the user, based on the sensor data.

10. The method according to claim 8, comprising:

performing, by the controller, setting a connection timing cycle for which execution of the connection at the connection timing is repeated,

wherein a length of the connection timing cycle is different from a length of the cycle of the periodic positional movement of the electronic device.

11. The method according to claim 10, comprising:

performing, by the controller, changing the length of the connection timing cycle when the length of the cycle of the periodic positional movement changed.

12. The method according to claim 8, comprising:

setting, by the controller, a connection timing cycle for which execution of the connection at the connection timing is repeated, and

wherein a length of the connection timing cycle is equal to a length of the cycle of the periodic positional movement of the electronic device.

13. The method according to claim 8, comprising:

determining, by the controller, a radio field intensity in the wireless communication between the wireless communication circuit and the another electronic device;

determining, by the controller, one or more relative positions of the electronic device and the another electronic device where the radio field intensity is at or above a predetermined threshold to be one or more relative positions of the electronic device and the another electronic device where the communication status is sufficient; and

setting, by the controller, the connection timing at which the wireless communication circuit is controlled to execute the connection with the another electronic device so that the connection is performed at the one or more relative positions where the communication status is sufficient.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a control program for an electronic device comprising a wireless communication circuit configured to be controlled to intermittently execute connection with another electronic device by wireless communication, and one or more sensors configured to detect movement of the electronic device and to output sensor data related to movement of the electronic device,

wherein the control program is executable by a computer to:

determine a cycle of a periodic positional movement of the electronic device based on the sensor data;

determine a period within the cycle of the periodic positional movement of the electronic device where a communication status between the wireless communication circuit and the another electronic device is sufficient for the wireless communication circuit to execute the connection with the another electronic device;

set a connection timing at which the wireless communication circuit is controlled to execute the connection with the another electronic device so that the connection is performed at the period determined;

set a connection-disable timing outside the period determined;

control the wireless communication circuit to execute the connection with the another electronic device at the connection timing set; and

at the connection-disable timing set, control the wireless communication circuit to not execute the connection with the another electronic device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14,

wherein the control program is executable by the computer to set a connection timing cycle for which execution of the connection at the connection timing is repeated, and

wherein a length of the connection timing cycle is different from a length of the cycle of the periodic positional movement of the electronic device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15,

wherein the control program is executable by the computer to change the length of the connection timing cycle when the length of the cycle of the periodic positional movement is changed.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14,

wherein the control program is executable by the computer to set a connection timing cycle for which execution of the connection at the connection timing is repeated, and

wherein a length of the connection timing cycle is equal to a length of the cycle of the periodic positional movement of the electronic device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 17,

wherein the control program is executable by the computer to:

determine a radio field intensity in the wireless communication between the wireless communication circuit and the another electronic device;

determine one or more relative positions of the electronic device and the another electronic device where the radio field intensity is at or above a predetermined threshold to be one or more relative positions of the electronic device and the another electronic device where the communication status is sufficient; and

set the connection timing at which the wireless communication circuit is controlled to execute the connection with the another electronic device so that the connection is performed at the one or more relative positions where the communication status is sufficient.