Wireless Communication Apparatus, Wireless Communication System, Wireless Communication Method, and Program

• US 20090254766A1
• Filed: 04/01/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: YAMASUGE, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,185,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/30 Network data restoration; Network data reliability; Network data fault tolerance

Abstract

A wireless communication apparatus according to the present invention includes a user terminal information acquiring unit that acquires user terminal information related to user terminals, which are connected through a wireless communication network to enable communication, from the user terminals; a wireless power transmitting circuit that wirelessly supplies power to the user terminals; a control unit that determines whether or not to supply the power to the user terminals based on the user terminal information; a user terminal location acquiring unit that acquires location information of the user terminals where the power is supplied; and a transmission power direction instructing unit that controls directivity of power supply based on the location information of the user terminals.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a user terminal information acquiring unit that acquires user terminal information related to user terminals, which are connected through a wireless communication network to enable communication, from the user terminals;

a power supply unit that wirelessly supplies power to the user terminals;

a determining unit that determines whether or not to supply the power to the user terminals based on the user terminal information;

a location acquiring unit that acquires location information of the user terminals where the power is supplied; and

a directivity control unit that controls directivity of power supply by the power supply unit based on the location information.

2. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the user terminal information includes at least one of contract information related to the power supply, apparatus information of the user terminals related to the power supply, and remaining power amount information of the user terminals.

3. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the user terminal information is contract information that is related the power supply, and

the directivity control unit does not orient the directivity of the power supply to the user terminals that do not make a contract for the power supply.

4. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the user terminal information is apparatus information of the user terminals related to the power supply, and

when it is determined based on the apparatus information that the user terminals do not have a function of receiving supplied power, the directivity control unit does not orient the directivity of the power supply to the user terminals.

5. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the user terminal information is remaining power amount information of the user terminals, and

the directivity control unit does not orient the directivity of the power supply to the user terminals where the remaining power amounts are equal to or larger than a predetermined value.

6. A wireless communication system comprising:

a wireless communication apparatus that includes

a user terminal information acquiring unit that acquires user terminal information related to user terminals on a wireless communication network, from the user terminals,

a power supply unit that wirelessly supplies power to the user terminals,

a determining unit that determines whether or not to supply the power to the user terminals based on the user terminal information,

a location acquiring unit that acquires location information of the user terminals where the power is supplied, and

a directivity control unit that controls directivity of power supply by the power supply unit based on the location information; and

the user terminals that are connected to the wireless communication apparatus through the wireless communication network so as to enable communication.

7. A wireless communication method comprising the steps of:

acquiring user terminal information related to user terminals, which are connected through a wireless communication network to enable communication, from the user terminals;

wirelessly supplying power to the user terminals;

determining whether or not to supply the power to the user terminals based on the user terminal information;

acquiring location information of the user terminals where the power is supplied; and

controlling directivity of power supply based on the location information.

8. A program that allows a computer to function as:

a unit acquiring user terminal information related to user terminals, which are connected through a wireless communication network to enable communication, from the user terminals;

a unit wirelessly supplying power to the user terminals;

a unit determining whether or not to supply the power to the user terminals based on the user terminal information;

a unit acquiring location information of the user terminals where the power is supplied; and

a unit controlling directivity of power supply based on the location information.