Terminal device, terminal device control method, and wireless communication system using said terminal device

• US 10,560,973 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2017
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Noda, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ambaye, Mewale A
• Application Number:
  US16/075,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20190037615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0819 Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A terminal device is activated by causing an electric storage part to store power from a power generator, causing a voltage converter to convert a first voltage from the electric storage part into a second voltage, and supplying the second voltage to a control circuit. The terminal device includes a timer. The terminal device determines, according to registration data, which one of a normal mode signal and a pairing mode signal is transmitted by radio. The registration data is determined based on a time measured by the timer.

Claims

1. A terminal device comprising:

an activator;

a power generator configured to generate electric charge in response to operation of the activator;

an electric storage part configured to store the electric charge;

a voltage converter configured to convert a first voltage obtained from the electric storage part into a second voltage;

a control circuit including a first input unit, a second input unit, an output unit, a nonvolatile memory, and a signal processing circuit, the control unit being configured to

start operating from a first time with the second voltage as a power source which is applied to the first input unit, and

stop operating at a second time at which the second voltage falls below a lower limit voltage value;

a wireless circuit configured to transmit an output signal from the output unit by radio; and

a voltage detector configured to output, to the second input unit, an output value in accordance with the first voltage,

wherein the control circuit further includes an oscillator configured to generate a clock and a timer configured to measure a clock speed during operation of the control circuit,

wherein, when an m-th activation starts, the nonvolatile memory stores first to (m−

1)-th pieces of registration data which are obtained while the activator is activated first to (m−

1)-th times, respectively, and

wherein, when the output value exceeds a predetermined first threshold at a third time after the first time during the m-th activation, the control circuit stores, in the nonvolatile memory by the second time, the m-th registration data determined during the m-th activation based on a measurement time measured by the timer, and outputs either a first signal or a second signal as the output signal from the output unit according to the first to (m−

1)-th pieces of registration data or according to the first to (m−

1)-th pieces of registration data and the m-th registration data.

2. The terminal device of claim 1, wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to:

cause the tinier to start to measure time from the third time; and

when the measured time exceeds a reference time between the third time and the second time, store the m-th registration data in the nonvolatile memory.

3. The terminal device of claim 1,

wherein first data indicating that the measurement time does not exceed a reference time is previously stored in a storage position in which the m-th registration data is stored, in the nonvolatile memory, and

wherein, when the measured time exceeds the reference time, the signal processing circuit stores again second data indicating that the measured time exceeds the reference time, as the m-th registration data, in a storage position in which the m-th registration data is stored.

4. The terminal device of claim 1,

wherein the nonvolatile memory further includes a retention position in a storage area, the retention position periodically retaining therein the m-th measurement time at the time of the m-th activation therein, and

wherein, during the m-th activation, the signal processing circuit is configured to:

periodically retain the measured time at the time of the m-th activation in a retention position;

determine the m-th registration data based on a comparison between a predetermined value corresponding to a predetermined reference time and a value corresponding to the measured time at the time of (m−

1)-th activation which is retained in the retention position at the time of (m−

1)-th activation; and

store the determined m-th registration data in a storage position in which the m-th registration data is to be stored.

5. The terminal device of claim 1, wherein, when the output value which exceeds the first threshold falls below the first threshold and resumes exceeding the first threshold at a fourth time, between the third time and the second time, the control circuit replaces the fourth time with the third time at the time of (m+1)-th activation.

6. The terminal device of claim 1, wherein, when the timer operates after the output signal is output, the control circuit is configured to:

cause an operation clock frequency to be lower than a value of the operation clock frequency before the timer starts to operate;

or

decrease the lower limit value after the timer starts to operate.

7. The terminal device of claim 1,

wherein the nonvolatile memory includes a storage area storing therein the first to (m−

1)-th pieces of registration data or storing therein the first to (m−

1)-th pieces of registration data and the m-th registration data,

wherein the storage area is one of a plurality of storage areas, and

wherein the signal processing circuit uses the plurality of storage areas alternately.

8. The terminal device of claim 7,

wherein selection data is further registered in the nonvolatile memory, and

wherein the signal processing circuit determines, based on the selection data, which one of the plurality of storage areas is used.

9. The terminal device of claim 1, wherein the power generator includes a power generation mechanism which is of an electromagnetic induction type or is of a piezoelectric generation type, which generates power according to operation of the activator.

10. The terminal device of claim 1,

wherein the nonvolatile memory includes n number of storage units constituted by first to n-th storage units, where n is a positive integer and m≥

3,

wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to;

cause the tinier to start to measure time after the activation starts;

store registration data which is in a p-th storage unit among the n storage units, in a (p−

1)-th storage unit among the n storage units, where p is a positive integer and n≥

p≥

2;

store first registration data in the n-th storage unit;

when the time measured by the timer exceeds a predetermined value, register second registration data in the n-th storage unit; and

output either the first signal or the second signal, as the output signal, from the output unit, according to pieces of registration data which are stored in two or more storage units among a (n−

1) number of storage units from the first storage unit to an (n−

1)-th storage unit, the two or more storage units being previously determined as reference targets.

11. The terminal device of claim 1,

wherein the nonvolatile memory includes an n number of storage units from a first storage unit to an n-th storage unit, where n≥

3,

wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to;

cause the timer to measure time after the activation starts;

store registration data which is in a p-th storage unit among the n storage units, in a (p−

1)-th storage unit, where p is a positive integer and n≥

p≥

2;

update registration data in the n-th storage unit one or more times according to the time measured by the timer; and

output either the first signal or the second signal, as the output signal, from the output unit, according to pieces of registration data which are stored in two or more storage units among (n−

1) storage units from the first storage unit to an (n−

1)-th storage unit which are previously determined as reference targets.

12. The terminal device of claim 1, wherein the timer is a counter configured to count the clock, and the measured time is a value counted by the counter.

25. A wireless communication system comprising:

the terminal device of claim 1; and

a master wireless device configured to receive a signal transmitted from the terminal device by radio,

wherein the first signal from the terminal device is a pairing mode signal through which the terminal device and the master wireless device are paired with each other.

13. A method of controlling a terminal device, comprising:

providing a terminal device including a control circuit which includes a first input unit, a second input unit, an output unit, a nonvolatile memory, a signal processing circuit, and a timer;

applying a second voltage as a power source voltage to the first input unit from a first time by performing an m-th operation of the terminal device;

causing the control circuit to start to operate by applying the power source voltage;

causing the control circuit to stop operating at a second time by causing the second voltage to fall below a lower limit voltage value;

inputting an output value of a voltage detector from the second input unit;

determining the m-th registration data according to a time measured by the timer after a third time at which the output value exceeds a first threshold which is predetermined; and

outputting either a first signal or a second signal as an output signal from the output unit according to first to (m−

1)-th pieces of registration data or according to first to (m−

1)-th pieces of registration data and m-th registration data which are stored in the nonvolatile memory.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

causing a power generator to generate power;

storing the power in an electric storage part;

causing a voltage converter to convert a first voltage obtained from the electric storage part into the second voltage;

generating the output value according to the first voltage; and

transmitting the output signal output from the output unit by radio.

15. The method of claim 13,

wherein, when determining the m-th registration data, the m-th registration data is stored in the nonvolatile memory, and

wherein, before determining the m-th registration data, or before storing the determined m-th registration data in the nonvolatile memory, the output signal is output.

16. The method of claim 13,

wherein the first to (m−

1)-th pieces of registration data are stored in the nonvolatile memory, and

wherein, when either the first signal or the second signal is generated, the first to (m−

1)-th pieces of registration data are read from the nonvolatile memory.

17. The method of claim 13,

wherein, when determining the m-th registration data, the m-th registration data is stored in the nonvolatile memory, and

wherein, before generating either the first signal or the second signal, the first to (m−

1)-th pieces of registration data and the m-th registration data are read from the nonvolatile memory.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein during the m-th activation, at the time of inputting the output value, when the output value which exceeds the first threshold falls below the first threshold and exceeds the first threshold at a fourth time again between the third time and the second time, the fourth time is replaced with the third time at the time of (m+1)-th activation.

19. The method of claim 13,

wherein first data indicating that the measurement time does not exceed the reference time is previously stored in a storage position in the nonvolatile memory, the storage position storing the m-th registration data therein,

the method further comprises

when the measured time exceeds the reference time, storing again second data as the m-th registration data in the storage position, the second data indicating that the measurement time exceeds the reference time.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising

during m-th activation, periodically retaining, in a retention position set in a storage area of the nonvolatile memory, a value in accordance with a time measured at the time of the m-th activation,

wherein, before the value at the time of the m-th activation is periodically retained in the retention position, the m-th registration data is determined based on a comparison of an (m−

1)-th value retained in the retention position and a predetermined value in accordance with a predetermined reference time.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein after the m-th registration data is determined, the output signal is generated according to the first to (m−

1)-th registration data and the m-th registration data.

22. The method of claim 13,

wherein the nonvolatile memory includes n storage units from a first storage unit to an n-th storage unit, where n is a positive integer and n≥

m, and

wherein the method further comprises;

causing the timer to start to measure time after activation starts;

storing, in a (p−

1)-th storage unit, registration data which is in a p-th storage unit among the n storage units;

storing first data in an n-th storage unit;

when a time measured by the timer exceeds a predetermined value, registering second data in the n-th storage unit, where p is a positive integer and n≥

p≥

2; and

outputting either the first signal or the second signal as the output signal from the output unit according to pieces of registration data which are stored in two or more storage units among (n−

1) storage units from the first storage unit to an (n−

1)-th storage unit, the two or more storage units being previously determined as reference targets.

23. The method of claim 13,

wherein the nonvolatile memory includes n storage units from a first storage unit to an n-th storage unit, where n≥

3,

the method further comprising;

causing the timer to start measuring time after activation starts;

storing, in a (p−

1)-th storage unit, registration data which is in a p-th storage unit among the n storage units, where p is a positive integer and n≥

p≥

2;

updating registration data in the n-th storage unit one or more times according to the time measured by the timer; and

outputting either the first signal or the second signal as the output signal from the output unit according to pieces of registration data which are stored in two or more storage units among (n−

1) storage units from the first storage unit to an (n−

1)-th storage unit, the two or more storage units being determined previously as reference targets.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the timer is a counter configured to count the clock, and the measured time is a value counted by the counter.