Method of improving stability and communication efficiency of IrDA communication between host device and peripheral device

• US 20020032812A1
• Filed: 09/10/2001
• Published: 03/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ito, Hiroyasu
• Granted Patent: US 7,043,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system

Abstract

An IrDA control method enabling communication by an optimum procedure without command collision even in an environment where plural host devices and plural peripheral devices exist. The plural host devices respectively have a unique back-off value, and the plural peripheral devices respectively have a unique back-off value. The respective devices perform an Enumeration procedure and a Bind procedure in accordance with the back-off value. Especially when another device is currently performing a series of Enumeration processing, transmission of response command is inhibited. Accordingly, command collision can be avoided, and as a result, communication efficiency and communication stability can be improved.

Claims

1. An infrared bidirectional communication system including one or more host devices and one or more peripheral devices,

wherein said host device comprising:

host back-off value setting means for setting a back-off value of said host device;

determination means for determining timing of transmission of a response command to a command, where a destination host device is not designated, received from said peripheral device, based on the back-off value set by said host back-off value setting means; and

inhibition means for inhibiting transmission of said response command if another device is currently performing a series of Enumeration processing, and wherein said peripheral device comprising;

peripheral device back-off value setting means for setting a back-off value of said peripheral device;

determination means for determining timing of transmission of a response command to a command, where a destination peripheral device is not designated, received from said host device, based on the back-off value set by said peripheral device back-off value setting means; and

inhibition means for inhibiting transmission of said response command if another device is currently performing the series of Enumeration processing.

2. The infrared bidirectional communication system according to claim 1, further comprising control means for controlling infrared bidirectional communication performed between plural host devices and plural peripheral devices.

3. The infrared bidirectional communication system according to claim 2, wherein said control means controls said plural host devices to respectively perform the series of Enumeration processing with an Enumeration-unprocessed peripheral device after completion of the series of Enumeration processing with one peripheral device.

4. The infrared bidirectional communication system according to claim 1, wherein said inhibition means on the peripheral device side inhibits transmission of said response command if another device is currently performing a series of Bind processing.

5. An IrDA control method for controlling infrared bidirectional communication performed between a host device and a peripheral device,

wherein on the host device side, said method comprising:

a host back-off value setting step of setting a back-off value of said host device;

a determination step of determining timing of transmission of a response command to a command, where a destination host device is not designated, received from said peripheral device, based on the back-off value set at said host back-off value setting step; and

a inhibition step of inhibiting transmission of said response command if another device is currently performing a series of Enumeration processing, and wherein on the peripheral device side, said method comprising;

a peripheral device back-off value setting step of setting a back-off value of said peripheral device;

a determination step of determining timing of transmission of a response command to a command, where a destination peripheral device is not designated, received from said host device, based on the back-off value set at said peripheral device back-off value setting step; and

an inhibition step of inhibiting transmission of said response command if another device is currently performing the series of Enumeration processing.

6. The IrDA control method according to claim 5, wherein the infrared bidirectional communication performed between plural host devices and plural peripheral devices is controlled.

7. The IrDA control method according to claim 6, wherein at said control step, said plural host devices are controlled to respectively perform the series of Enumeration processing with an Enumeration-unprocessed peripheral device after completion of the series of Enumeration processing with one peripheral device.

8. The IrDA control method according to claim 5, wherein at said inhibition step, on the peripheral device side, transmission of said response command is inhibited if another device is currently performing a series of Bind processing.

9. A host device for performing wireless communication with one or more peripheral devices comprising:

reception means for receiving a command transmitted from said peripheral device;

setting means for setting reference information different from that of another host device positioned around said host device;

determination means for, if a command where a destination host device is not designated is received by said reception means, determining timing of transmission of a response command, based on the reference information set by said setting means;

transmission means for transmitting said response command at the timing determined by said determination means; and

control means for inhibiting the transmission of said response command if another devices is currently performing a series of communication processing.

10. The host device according to claim 9, wherein bidirectional wireless communication is performed with plural peripheral devices.

11. The host device according to claim 9, wherein said control means controls said host device to perform a series of registration processing with an registration-unprocessed peripheral device after completion of the series of registration processing with one peripheral device.

13. The peripheral device according to claim 12, wherein said communication processing is Enumeration processing.

14. The peripheral device according to claim 12, wherein said control means inhibits the transmission of said response command if another devices is currently performing a series of Bind processing.

16. The computer-readable medium according to claim 15, further including program code for controlling infrared bidirectional communication performed between plural host devices and plural peripheral devices.

17. The computer-readable medium according to claim 15, further including program code for controlling said plural host devices to respectively perform the series of Enumeration processing with an Enumeration-unprocessed peripheral device after completion of the series of Enumeration processing with one peripheral device.

18. The computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein said peripheral device inhibition routine inhibits transmission of said response command if another device is currently performing a series of Bind processing.

12. A peripheral device for performing wireless communication with one or more host devices comprising:

reception means for receiving a command transmitted from said host device;

setting means for setting reference information different from that of another peripheral device positioned around said peripheral device;

determination means for, if a command where a destination peripheral device is not designated is received by said reception means, determining timing of transmission of a response command, based on the reference information set by said setting means;

transmission means for transmitting said response command at the timing determined by said determination means; and

control means for inhibiting the transmission of said response command if another device is currently performing a series of communication processing.

15. A computer-readable medium applicable to an IrDA control apparatus for controlling infrared bidirectional communication performed between a host device and a peripheral device,

wherein program code for said host device, stored in said medium, including:

a host back-off value setting routine for setting a back-off value of said host device;

a determination routine for determining timing of transmission of a response command to a command, where a destination host device is not designated, received from said peripheral device, based on the back-off value set at said host back-off value setting routine; and

an inhibition routine for inhibiting transmission of said response command if another device is currently performing a series of Enumeration processing,

and wherein program code for said peripheral device, stored in said medium, including;

a peripheral device back-off value setting routine for setting a back-off value of said peripheral device;

a determination routine for determining timing of transmission of a response command to a command, where a destination peripheral device is not designated, received from said host device, based on the back-off value set at said peripheral device back-off value setting routine; and

an inhibition routine for inhibiting transmission of said response command if another device is currently performing the series of Enumeration processing.

19. A host device for controlling communication with a peripheral device in conformance with the IrDA control standard, comprising:

host back-off value setting means for setting a back-off value of said host device;

determination means for determining timing of transmission of a response command to a command, where a destination host device is not designated, received from said peripheral device, based on the back-off value set by said host back-off value setting means; and

inhibition means for inhibiting transmission of said response command if another device is currently performing a series of Enumeration processing.

20. A peripheral device for performing communication with a host device in conformance with the IrDA control standard, comprising:

peripheral device back-off value setting means for setting a back-off value of said peripheral device;

determination means for determining timing of transmission of a response command to a command, where a destination peripheral device is not designated, received from said host device, based on the back-off value set by said peripheral device back-off value setting means; and

inhibition means for inhibiting transmission of said response command if another device is currently performing the series of Enumeration processing.

21. A computer-readable medium applied to a host device for controlling communication with a peripheral device in conformance with the IrDA control standard, including:

program code for setting a back-off value of said host device;

program code for determining timing of transmission of a response command to a command, where a destination host device is not designated, received from said peripheral device, based on the back-off value set at said host back-off value setting; and

program code for inhibiting transmission of said response command if another device is currently performing a series of Enumeration processing.

22. A computer-readable medium applied to a peripheral device for performing communication with a host device in conformance with the IrDA control standard, including:

program code for setting a back-off value of said peripheral device;

program code for determining timing of transmission of a response command to a command, where a destination peripheral device is not designated, received from said host device, based on the back-off value set at said peripheral device back-off value setting; and

program code for inhibiting transmission of said response command if another device is currently performing the series of Enumeration processing.