COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, METHOD AND PROGRAM FOR CONTROLLING SAME

• US 20120082078A1
• Filed: 08/26/2011
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Goto, Fumihide
• Application Number:
  US13/218,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20120082078A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

If periodic processing in a higher-layer protocol control unit occurs in a case where a wireless LAN control unit is in a power saving mode, there is a high probability that the higher-layer protocol control unit will time out and that communication will be severed. Accordingly, the present invention arranges it so that respective timer values are changed dynamically in such a manner that periodic processing in the higher-layer protocol control unit and a sleep state in the power saving mode will not conflict with each other.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a power saving unit configured to cause a wireless communication section to transition to a power saving state and an awake state periodically;

a communication unit configured to execute wireless communication by a prescribed protocol periodically; and

a changing unit configured to change, in accordance with execution timing at which wireless communication by the prescribed protocol is executed periodically and transition timing at which the wireless communication section is caused to transition from the power saving state to the awake state, either the execution timing or the transition timing before wireless communication by the prescribed protocol is executed periodically.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the prescribed protocol is a key exchange protocol or a discovery protocol that includes addressing.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said changing unit extends the execution timing in a case where the execution timing overlaps the time period of the power saving state of the wireless communication section.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a prescribed period of time before the execution timing, said changing unit compares a time period that extends up to the execution timing with a time period that extends from a transition to the power saving state to a transition to the awake state, and in accordance with the result of the comparison, changes the execution timing before the transition to the power saving state is made.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said changing unit changes the execution timing before the transition to the power saving state is made in a case where the time period that extends up to the execution timing is shorter than the time period that extends from the transition to the power saving state to the transition to the awake state.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a prescribed period of time before the execution timing, said changing unit compares a time period that extends up to the execution timing with a time period that extends from a transition to the power saving state to a transition to the awake state, and in accordance with the result of the comparison, changes a time period that extends from the transition to the power saving state to the transition to the awake state.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said changing unit shortens the time period that extends from the transition to the power saving state to the transition to the awake state in a case where the time period that extends up to the execution timing is shorter than the time period that extends from the transition to the power saving state to the transition to the awake state.

8. A method of controlling a communication apparatus, comprising:

a power saving step of causing a wireless communication section to transition to a power saving state and an awake state periodically;

an execution step of executing wireless communication by a prescribed protocol periodically; and

a changing step of changing, in accordance with execution timing at which wireless communication by the prescribed protocol is executed periodically and transition timing at which the wireless communication section is caused to transition from the power saving state to the awake state, either the execution timing or the transition timing before wireless communication by the prescribed protocol is executed periodically.

9. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the steps of the control method set forth in claim 8.