METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING VISIBILITY FRAME ACCORDING TO SETTING OF SLEEP MODE IN VISIBLE LIGHT COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20110243570A1
• Filed: 03/30/2011
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chaplin, Clint F., KIM, Do-Young, Won, Eun-Tae
• Granted Patent: US 9,985,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/140
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/114 Indoor or close-range type systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0267 by controlling user interface components
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An apparatus and method for determining whether to output a visibility frame by a Visibility Light Communication (VLC) device according to a setting of a sleep mode is provided. The method includes receiving a sleep mode request message; and transmitting a response message indicating a sleep mode period in response to the received sleep mode request message, wherein the response message includes information indicating at least one first window period in which data transmission and reception are stopped, information indicating at least one second window period in which data transmission and reception can be performed in a normal state, and setting information for determining whether to transmit a visibility frame during at least a period of the sleep mode period.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting a visibility frame according to setting of a sleep mode in a Visible Light Communication (VLC) device, the method comprising:

receiving a sleep mode request message; and

transmitting a response message indicating a sleep mode period in response to the received sleep mode request message,

wherein the response message includes information indicating at least one first window period in which data transmission and reception are stopped, information indicating at least one second window period in which data transmission and reception can be performed in a normal state, and setting information for determining whether to transmit a visibility frame during at least a period of the sleep mode period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting information is set to a value indicating restriction of transmission of the visibility frame during the entire sleep mode period.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after transmitting the response message, setting a sleep mode in which transmission of the visibility frame is approved if the setting information is set to a value indicating approval of transmission of the visibility frame; and

outputting the visibility frame if a misalignment state is sensed during the sleep mode period.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining that the misalignment state has occurred if a response to data transmitted from the VLC device to another VLC device has not been received within a response waiting time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first window period and the second window period are fixed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first window period and the second window period are random and are repeated aperiodically.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the received sleep mode request message includes the first window period, the second window period, and the setting information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the setting information included in the received sleep mode request message and the setting information included in the response message are set to different values.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the first window period and the second window period are fixed, setting a periodic sleep mode; and

if no data is transmitted or received during a predetermined period after setting the periodic sleep mode, setting an aperiodic sleep mode in which the first window period and the second window period are random.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising, if the aperiodic sleep mode is set, transmitting a message including information indicating a next first window period and information indicating a next second window period during the second window period.

11. An apparatus for transmitting a visibility frame according to setting of a sleep mode in a Visible Light Communication (VLC) device, the apparatus comprising:

a light emitting device for transmitting data and a message;

a photosensitive device for receiving data and a message; and

a controller for receiving a sleep mode request message through the photosensitive device and transmitting a response message indicating a sleep mode period in response to the received sleep mode request message,

wherein the response message includes information indicating at least one first window period in which data transmission and reception are stopped, information indicating at least one second window period in which data transmission and reception can be performed in a normal state, and setting information for determining whether to transmit a visibility frame during at least a period of the sleep mode period.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the setting information is set to a value indicating restriction of transmission of the visibility frame during the entire sleep mode period.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller, after transmitting the response message, sets a sleep mode in which transmission of the visibility frame is approved if the setting information is set to a value indicating approval of transmission of the visibility frame, and outputs the visibility frame if a misalignment state is sensed during the sleep mode period.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller determines that the misalignment state has occurred if a response to data transmitted from the VLC device to another VLC device has not been received within a response waiting time.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first window period and the second window period are fixed.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first window period and the second window period are random and are repeated aperiodically.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the received sleep mode request message includes the first window period, the second window period, and the setting information.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the setting information included in the received sleep mode request message and the setting information included in the response message are set to different values.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller sets a periodic sleep mode if the first window period and the second window period are fixed, and sets an aperiodic sleep mode in which the first window period and the second window period are random if no data is transmitted or received during a predetermined period after setting the periodic sleep mode.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller transmits a message including information indicating a next first window period and information indicating a next second window period during the second window period if the aperiodic sleep mode is set.