Control apparatus for controlling wireless communication system, communication apparatus and control method therefor

• US 20050018706A1
• Filed: 07/13/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Myojo, Toshihiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,257,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0685 Clock or time synchronisation in a node; Intranode synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/02 Hybrid access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A control apparatus for controlling a wireless communication system, which provide enhanced communication efficiency when a single apparatus performs a plurality of wireless communications. A timing signal generation logic circuit generates transmission and reception timing control signals for controlling timing of transmission and reception by respective ones of a Bluetooth module and a wireless LAN module based on respective states thereof. MAC sections of the respective modules control transmission and reception by the respective ones of the Bluetooth module and the wireless LAN module, based on the respective corresponding transmission and reception timing control signals generated by the timing signal generation logic circuit.

Claims

1. A control apparatus that controls a wireless communication system having a plurality of wireless communication modules that employ different wireless communication methods, comprising:

a transmission and reception timing control signal-generating device that generates transmission and reception timing control signals for controlling timing of transmission and reception by respective ones of the wireless communication modules that employ the different wireless communication methods, based on respective states of communications of the respective ones of the wireless communication modules; and

a transmission and reception control device that controls the transmission and reception by the respective ones of the wireless communication modules according to respective corresponding ones of the different wireless communication methods, based on respective corresponding ones of the transmission and reception timing control signals generated by said transmission and reception timing control signal-generating device.

2. A control apparatus that controls a wireless communication system having at least one first wireless communication module capable of performing communication according to a first communication process, and communication according to a second communication process, and at least one second wireless communication module, comprising:

a determining device that determines a first time period over which the first wireless communication module is allowed to perform communication according to the first communication process and a second time period over which the first wireless communication module is allowed to perform communication according to the second communication process; and

an assignment device that assigns the second time period to the second wireless communication module, as a communication time period in which the second wireless communication module is allowed to perform communication.

3. A control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first wireless communication module and the second wireless communication module perform communication according to respective wireless communication methods different from each other.

4. A control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first communication process is a polling communication process, and the second communication process is a non-polling communication process.

5. A control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first wireless communication module alternately performs communication according to the first communication process and communication by the second communication process.

6. A control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said assignment device inhibits the second wireless communication module over the first time period from performing communication.

7. A control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said assignment device outputs a communication permission signal to each of the first and second wireless communication modules to thereby permit each of the first and second wireless communication modules to perform communication.

8. A control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first time period changes in termination timing thereof according to timing in which communication by the first wireless communication module with all parties terminates in the first time period.

9. A control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first and second wireless communication modules perform communication using frequency bands overlapping each other.

10. A communication apparatus including a control section that controls at least one first wireless communication section and at least one second wireless communication section, comprising:

a determining device that determines a time period during which the first wireless communication section performs predetermined communication; and

a permission device that permits the second wireless communication section to perform communication, based on a result of the determination by said determining device.

11. A communication apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said determining device determines a time period over which the first communication section is to perform communication with contention, with another communication apparatus.

12. A communication apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said permission device inhibits the at least one second wireless communication section from performing communication during a time period over which the first wireless communication section performs contention-free communication with another communication apparatus, and permits the second wireless communication section to perform communication during a time period over which the first wireless communication section is to perform communication with contention, with another communication apparatus.

13. A method of controlling at least one first wireless communication section and at least one second wireless communication section provided in a communication apparatus, comprising the steps of:

inhibiting the second wireless communication section from performing communication during a time period over which the first wireless communication section performs communication according to a polling communication process; and

permitting the second wireless communication section to perform communication during a time period over which the first wireless communication section is to perform communication according to a non-polling communication process.