COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20090098827A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Koyama, Tadashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,335,470 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A communication apparatus and a method used by the communication apparatus to perform magnetic-field communication with an external apparatus is provided. The communication apparatus determines the communication distance between the communication apparatus and the external apparatus based on the voltage level of a radio signal, a distance measuring device, or other means. The communication distance is compared to a predetermined distance and the communication apparatus dynamically adjusts its resonance frequency for improved magnetic-field communication with the external apparatus.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a first communication unit to communicate with an external apparatus in a first frequency band;

a second communication unit to communicate with an external apparatus in a second frequency band; and

an information processing unit to process information transmitted/received by the second communication unit,

wherein the first communication unit comprises;

a magnetic-field antenna;

a signal processing unit to process a magnetic-filed signal via the magnetic-field antenna; and

a reactance variable unit.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second frequency band is higher than the first frequency band.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a third communication unit to communicate with the external apparatus in a third frequency band.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a communication distance measuring unit to measure a distance between the external apparatus and the magnetic-field antenna.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an electric signal measuring unit to measure an electric signal generated in the magnetic-field antenna,

wherein a reactance value of the reactance variable unit is changed in accordance with a magnitude of the measured electric signal.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reactance variable unit includes a capacitor, a switch connected to the capacitor in series, and a voltage detecting circuit connected to the switch in parallel.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reactance variable unit includes a capacitor, a switch connected to the capacitor in series, and a magnetic sensor.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reactance variable unit includes a capacitor, a switch connected to the capacitor in series, and a magnetic sensor that is not electrically connected to the switch.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reactance variable unit includes a capacitor, a switch connected to the capacitor in series, and a magnetic sensor that is electrically connected to the switch.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the magnetic sensor is a geomagnetic sensor.

11. A communication apparatus comprising:

a communication unit to perform magnetic-field communication with an external apparatus in a predetermined resonance frequency;

a communication status monitoring unit to monitor a communication status of the communication unit with the external apparatus; and

a frequency changing unit to change the predetermined resonance frequency in accordance with the communication status monitored by the communication status monitoring unit.

12. The communication apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the communication status monitoring unit measures a distance between the external apparatus and the communication unit, and

wherein the frequency changing unit changes the predetermined resonance frequency in accordance with the distance between the external apparatus and the communication unit measured by the communication status monitoring unit.

13. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein, if a distance between the external apparatus and the communication unit measured by the communication status monitoring unit is equal to or shorter than a predetermined distance, the frequency changing unit changes the predetermined resonance frequency by lowering the predetermined resonance frequency.

14. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the communication status monitoring unit measures a level of a communication voltage generated by magnetic-field communication between the communication unit and the external apparatus.

15. The communication apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the frequency changing unit changes the predetermined resonance frequency in accordance with the level of the communication voltage measured by the communication status monitoring unit.

16. The communication apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, if the communication voltage is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage, the frequency changing unit changes the predetermined resonance frequency by lowering the predetermined resonance frequency.

17. The communication apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the communication status monitoring unit measures a communication voltage generated by magnetic-field communication between the communication unit and the external apparatus, and

wherein the frequency changing unit changes the predetermined resonance frequency in accordance with the communication voltage measured by the communication status monitoring unit.

18. The communication apparatus according to claim 17, wherein, if the communication voltage measured by the communication status monitoring unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage, the frequency changing unit changes the predetermined resonance frequency by lowering the predetermined resonance frequency.

19. A computer implemented method for controlling a communication apparatus, comprising;

receiving a magnetic-field communication from an external apparatus;

determining a communication distance between the communication apparatus and the external apparatus; and

modifying a resonance frequency of the communication apparatus in accordance with the communication distance between the communication apparatus and the external apparatus.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein determining a communication distance comprises comparing a communication voltage value generated by the magnetic-field communication with the external apparatus to a predetermined value.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein determining a communication distance comprises interrogating the external apparatus with an infrared signal.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein determining a communication distance comprises use of a distance measuring device.

23. The method according to claim 19, further comprising performing the determining and modifying steps during ongoing communication with the external apparatus to dynamically optimize magnetic-field communication.