COMMUNICATION APPARATUS CAPABLE OF CONNECTING INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS

• US 20030036397A1
• Filed: 06/04/1999
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: TAKAHASHI, TAKUMI
• Granted Patent: US 6,804,535 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/502
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0638 Clock or time synchronisation among nodes; Internode synchronisation synchronization for ring networks H04L12/422; data switching networks with synchronous transmission H04L12/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/044 using a single bit, e.g. start stop bit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02

Abstract

Even when data are transmitted between communication apparatuses, the data time intervals can be synchronized between the transmitting and receiving sides.

Information that pertains to the interval of data transmitted from an information apparatus is appended to data, and that data is transmitted. A communication apparatus on the side of a communication partner that receives the data transmits data to an information apparatus on the basis of the received information that pertains to the interval of data. Variations of data intervals can be suppressed, and the data intervals can be synchronized between the transmitting and receiving sides.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus to allow the information processing apparatus to communicate with another information processing apparatus, comprising:

reception means for receiving at least first and second data from the information processing apparatus;

identification means for identifying an interval between the first and second data transmitted from the information processing apparatus; and

communication means for communicating the data with the other information processing apparatus together with information that pertains to the interval identified by said identification means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interval identified by said identification means is a time interval between the first and second data transmitted from the information processing apparatus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said identification means identifies the interval on the basis of an interval between the first and second data received by said reception means.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said communication means communicates the information using a communication frame upon communicating the first data.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus and said communication apparatus are connected via a wired connection, and

said communication apparatus communicates data received via the wired connection with the other information processing apparatus by radio.

6. A communication apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus to allow the information processing apparatus to communicate with another information processing apparatus, comprising:

reception means for receiving data transmitted from the other information processing apparatus;

identification means for identifying information, which is appended to the data received by said reception means and pertains to an interval of data transmitted by the other information processing apparatus; and

transmission means for transmitting the data transmitted from the other information processing apparatus to the information processing apparatus at an interval based on the information identified by said identification means.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the information, which is appended to first information and pertains to the time, pertains to a time interval between the first data and second data received after the first data.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the information processing apparatus and said communication apparatus are connected via a wired connection, and said communication apparatus communicates data received by radio with the other information processing apparatus via the wired connection.

9. A radio communication apparatus capable of connecting an information processing apparatus via an external interface, comprising:

time measurement means for measuring a time interval of data;

frame generation means for encapsulating information that pertains to the time interval measured by said time measurement means in a radio frame; and

communication means for making a radio communication with a communication partner using the radio frame generated by said frame generation means.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said time measurement means measures an interval between detection timings of a stop bit and start bit of start-stop transmission.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said time measurement means measures an interval between detection timings of an end sync signal and start sync signal of frame synchronization.

12. A radio communication apparatus capable of connecting an information processing apparatus via an external interface, comprising:

reception means for receiving a radio frame inserted with information which pertains to a time interval of data;

interpretation means for interpreting the information inserted in the radio frame received by said reception means; and

transmission means for transmitting data to the information processing apparatus via the external interface on the basis of an interpretation result of said interpretation means.

13. A method of controlling a communication apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus to allow the information processing apparatus to communicate with another information processing apparatus, comprising:

a reception step of receiving at least first and second data from the information processing apparatus;

an identification step of identifying an interval between the first and second data transmitted from the information processing apparatus; and

a communication step of communicating the data with the other information processing apparatus together with information that pertains to the interval identified in said identification step.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the interval identified in said identification step is a time interval between the first and second data transmitted from the information processing apparatus.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein said identification step identifies the interval on the basis of an interval between the first and second data received in said reception step.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein said communication step performs communication of the information using a communication frame upon communicating the first data.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the information processing apparatus and the communication apparatus are connected via a wired connection, and the communication apparatus communicates data received via the wired connection with the other information processing apparatus by radio.

18. A method of controlling a communication apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus to allow the information processing apparatus to communicate with another information processing apparatus, comprising:

a reception step of receiving data transmitted from the other information processing apparatus;

an identification step of identifying information, which is appended to the data received in said reception step and pertains to an interval of data transmitted by the other information processing apparatus; and

a transmission step of transmitting the data transmitted from the other information processing apparatus to the information processing apparatus at an interval based on the information identified in said identification step.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the information, which is appended to first information and pertains to the time, pertains to a time interval between the first data and second data received after the first data.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the information processing apparatus and the communication apparatus are connected via a wired connection, and the communication apparatus communicates data received by radio with the other information processing apparatus via the wired connection.

21. A method of controlling a radio communication apparatus capable of connecting an information processing apparatus via an external interface, comprising:

a time measurement step of measuring a time interval of data;

a frame generation step of encapsulating information that pertains to the time interval measured in said time measurement step in a radio frame; and

a communication step of making a radio communication with a communication partner using the radio frame generated in the frame generation step.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said time measurement step performs time measurement of an interval between detection timings of a stop bit and start bit of start-stop transmission.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein said time measurement step performs time measurement of an interval between detection timings of an end sync signal and start sync signal of frame synchronization.

24. A method of controlling a radio communication apparatus capable of connecting an information processing apparatus via an external interface, comprising:

a reception step of receiving a radio frame inserted with information which pertains to a time interval of data;

an interpretation step of interpreting the information inserted in the radio frame received in said reception step; and

a transmission step of transmitting data to the information processing apparatus via the external interface on the basis of an interpretation result in said interpretation step.