METHOD AND MODULE FOR SWITCHING OPERATING MODE, AND TERMINAL EQUIPMENT

• US 20120252363A1
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: ZHANG, Wei, XU, Jian, LI, Dan
• Application Number:
  US13/428,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20120252363A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Method and module for switching operating mode for near-field communication, and terminal equipment using same. The method includes: acquiring by one device of both devices in near-field communication relevant parameters of the other device including type of the device; determining by the one device whether to switch to a target operating mode according to the relevant parameters of the one device and the other device, or determining whether to exchange operating modes with the other device; wherein the relevant parameters of the one device include type of the device; and switching the operating mode by the one device to the target mode or exchanging the operating mode of the one device with that of the other device, if the determining result of the determining step is positive. According to the embodiments, power consumption may be distributed more reasonably and the power consumption of the initiator device may be reduced.

Claims

1. A method for switching operating mode between near-field communication devices, the method comprising the steps of:

a parameter acquiring step;

acquiring by one device of both devices in the near-field communication relevant parameters of the other device including type of the device;

a determining step;

determining by the one device whether to switch to a target operating mode according to the relevant parameters of the one device and the other device, or determining whether to exchange operating modes with the other device;

wherein the relevant parameters of the one device include type of the device; and

a switching step;

switching the operating mode by the one device to the target mode or exchanging the operating mode of the one device with that of the other device, if the determining result of the determining step is positive.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises:

determining by the one device to switch to the target mode to operate if the one device determines according to the relevant parameters that the type of the one device is a mobile device and the type of the other device is a fixed device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises:

determining by the one device not to switch to the target mode to operate if the one device determines according to the relevant parameters that the type of the one device is a fixed device and the type of the other device is a mobile device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the relevant parameters further comprise the duration time of one device and the duration time of the other device;

and

the determining step comprises;

determining further by the one device whether the duration time of the other device is greater than the duration time of one device if the one device determines according to the relevant parameters that the types of the one device and the other device are both mobile devices; and

determining by the one device to switch to the target mode to operate if the determining result is that the duration time of the other device is greater than the duration time of one device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one device is a current initiator device and the other device is a current target device;

and

the determining step comprises;

determining by the one device to exchange operating modes with the other device if the one device determines according to the relevant parameters that the type of the one device is a mobile device and the type of the other device is a fixed device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one device is a current initiator device and the other device is a current target device;

and

the determining step comprises;

determining by the one device not to exchange operating modes with the other device if the one device determines according to the relevant parameters that the type of the one device is a mobile device and the type of the other device is a passive device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one device is a current initiator device and the other device is a current target device;

and

the determining step comprises;

determining by the one device not to exchange operating modes with the other device if the one device determines according to the relevant parameters that the type of the one device is a fixed device and the type of the other device is a mobile device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one device is a current initiator device and the other device is a current target device;

the relevant parameters further comprise the duration time of one device and the duration time of the other device; and

the determining step comprises;

determining further by one device whether the duration time of the other device is greater than the duration time of the one device if the one device determines according to the relevant parameters that the types of the one device and the other device are both mobile devices; and

determining by one device to exchange operating modes with the other device if the determining result is that the duration time of the other device is greater than the duration time of the one device.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein before determining by one device to exchange operating modes with the other device, the method further comprises:

determining further that the difference between the duration time of the other device and the duration time of the one device is greater than a first predetermined value if the determining result is that the duration time of the other device is greater than the duration time of the one device.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one device is a current target device and the other device is a current initiator device;

and

the determining step comprises;

determining by the one device not to exchange operating modes with the other device if the one device determines according to the relevant parameters that the type of the one device is a mobile device and the type of the other device is a fixed device.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one device is a current target device and the other device is a current initiator device;

and

the determining step comprises;

determining by the one device to exchange operating modes with the other device if the one device determines according to the relevant parameters that the type of the one device is a fixed device and the type of the other device is a mobile device.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one device is a current target device and the other device is a current initiator device;

and

the determining step comprises;

determining by the one device not to exchange operating modes with the other device if the one device determines according to the relevant parameters that the type of the one device is a passive device and the type of the other device is a mobile device.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one device is a current target device and the other device is a current initiator device;

the relevant parameters further comprise the duration time of one device and the duration time of the other device; and

the determining step comprises;

determining further by one device whether the duration time of the one device is greater than the duration time of the other device if the one device determines according to the relevant parameters that the types of the one device and the other device are both mobile devices; and

determining by one device to exchange operating modes with the other device if the determining result is that the duration time of the one device is greater than the duration time of the other device.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein before determining by the one device to exchange operating modes with the other device, the method further comprises:

determining further that the difference between the duration time of the one device and the duration time of the other device is greater than a second predetermined value if the determining result is that the duration time of the one device is greater than the duration time of the other device.

15. The method according to claim 4, wherein the duration time of the current initiator device is the value obtained by dividing the current energy supplied to the current initiator device by the real-time power consumption of the current initiator device;

and

the duration time of the current target device is the value obtained by dividing the current energy supplied to the current target device by the real-time power consumption of the current target device.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the parameter acquiring step comprises:

acquiring by the one device according to a predetermined time interval the relevant parameters of the other device from the other device.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the parameter acquiring step comprises:

receiving by the one device a switch inquiry message containing the relevant parameters of the other device transmitted by the other device, to acquire the relevant parameters of the other device;

wherein the relevant parameters comprise the type of the device, or the relevant parameters comprise the type and duration time of the device.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the one device is a current initiator device, the one device exchanges operating modes with the other device, comprising:

transmitting by the one device to the other device a switch request message instructing the one device to switch to the target mode to operate, such that the other device generates an RF field and switches to the initiative mode to operate;

detecting the RF field generated by the other device; and

terminating by the one device the generation of the RF field and switching to the target mode to operate if the RF field generated by the other device is detected.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the one device is a current target device, the one device exchanges operating modes with the other device, comprising:

generating an RF field by the one device and switching to the initiative mode to operate; and

informing to the other device, such that the other device terminates the generation of the RF field and switches to the target mode to operate when the other device detected the RF field generated by the one device.

20. A operating mode switch module, wherein the operating mode switch module comprises:

a parameter acquiring unit to acquire the relevant parameters containing the type of the device of the other device in near-field communication with the device where the operating mode switch module is present;

a determining unit to determine whether to switch to a target operating mode according to the relevant parameters of the device where the operating mode switch module is present and the other device, or determining whether to exchange operating modes with the other device;

wherein the relevant parameters of the one device include type of the device; and

a switching unit to switch the operating mode of the device where the operating mode switch module is present to the target mode or exchange the operating mode with the other device, if the determining result of the determining unit is positive.

21. The operating mode switch module according to claim 20, wherein the determining unit is used to determine to switch the device where the operating mode switch module is present to the target mode to operate if the type of the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a mobile device and the type of the other device is a fixed device.

22. The operating mode switch module according to claim 20, wherein the determining unit is used to determine not to switch the device where the operating mode switch module is present to the target mode to operate if the one device determines according to the relevant parameters that the type of the one device is a fixed device and the type of the other device is a mobile device.

23. The operating mode switch module according to claim 20, wherein the relevant parameters further comprise the duration time of one device and the duration time of the other device;

the determining unit is used to determine to switch the device where the operating mode switch module is present to the target mode to operate when the type of the device where the operating mode switch module is present and the other device are both mobile devices and the duration time of the other device is greater than the duration time of the device where the operating mode switch module is present.

24. The operating mode switch module according to claim 20, wherein the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a current initiator device and the other device is a current target device;

and

the determining unit is used to determine that the device where the operating mode switch module is present to exchange operating modes with the other device when the type of the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a mobile device and the type of the other device is a fixed device.

25. The operating mode switch module according to claim 20, wherein the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a current initiator device and the other device is a current target device;

and

the determining unit is used to determine that the device where the operating mode switch module is present not to exchange operating modes with the other device when it is determined that the type of the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a mobile device and the type of the other device is a passive device.

26. The operating mode switch module according to claim 20, wherein the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a current initiator device and the other device is a current target device;

and

the determining unit is used to determine that the device where the operating mode switch module is present not to exchange operating modes with the other device when it is determined that the type of the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a fixed device and the type of the other device is a mobile device.

27. The operating mode switch module according to claim 20, wherein the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a current initiator device and the other device is a current target device;

the relevant parameters further comprise the duration time of the device where the operating mode switch module is present and the duration time of the other device; and

the determining unit comprises;

a first determining unit to determine whether the duration time of the other device is greater than the duration time of the device where the operating mode switch module is present when the types of the device where the operating mode switch module is present and the other device are both mobile devices; and

a second determining unit to determine that the device where the operating mode switch module is present to exchange operating modes with the other device when the determining result of the first determining unit is that the duration time of the other device is greater than the duration time of the device where the operating mode switch module is present.

28. The operating mode switch module according to claim 20, wherein the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a current initiator device and the other device is a current target device;

the relevant parameters further comprise the duration time of the device where the operating mode switch module is present and the duration time of the other device; and

the determining unit further comprises;

a third determining unit to determine whether the duration time of the other device is greater than the duration time of the operating mode switch module is present when the types of the operating mode switch module is present and the other device are both mobile devices;

a fourth determining unit to further determine whether the difference between the duration time of the other device and the duration time of the device where the operating mode switch module is present is greater than a first predetermined value when the determining result of the third determining unit is that the duration time of the other device is greater than the duration time of the device where the operating mode switch module is present; and

a fifth determining unit to determine that the device where the operating mode switch module is present to exchange operating modes with the other device when the determining result of the fourth determining unit is that the difference is greater than the first predetermined value.

29. The operating mode switch module according to claim 20, wherein the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a current target device and the other device is a current initiator device;

and

the determining unit is used to determine that the device where the operating mode switch module is present not to exchange operating modes with the other device if the type of the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a mobile device and the type of the other device is a fixed device.

30. The operating mode switch module according to claim 20, wherein the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a current target device and the other device is a current initiator device;

and

the determining unit is used to determine that the device where the operating mode switch module is present to exchange operating modes with the other device if it is determined that the type of the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a fixed device and the type of the other device is a mobile device.

31. The operating mode switch module according to claim 20, wherein the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a current target device and the other device is a current initiator device;

and

the determining unit is used to determine that the device where the operating mode switch module is present not to exchange operating modes with the other device if it is determined that the type of the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a passive device and the type of the other device is a mobile device.

32. The operating mode switch module according to claim 20, wherein the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a current target device and the other device is a current initiator device;

the relevant parameters further comprise the duration time of the device where the operating mode switch module is present and the duration time of the other device; and

the determining unit comprises;

a sixth determining unit to determine whether the duration time of the device where the operating mode switch module is present is greater than the duration time of the other device when the types of the device where the operating mode switch module is present and the other device are both mobile devices; and

a seventh determining unit to determine that the device where the operating mode switch module is present to exchange operating modes with the other device when the determining result of the sixth determining unit is that the duration time of the device where the operating mode switch module is present is greater than the duration time of the other device.

33. The operating mode switch module according to claim 32, wherein the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a current target device and the other device is a current initiator device;

the relevant parameters further comprise the duration time of the device where the operating mode switch module is present and the duration time of the other device; and

the determining unit comprises;

an eighth determining unit to determine whether the duration time of the device where the operating mode switch module is present is greater than the duration time of the other device when the types of the device where the operating mode switch module is present and the other device are both mobile devices;

a ninth determining unit to further determine whether the difference between the duration time of the device where the operating mode switch module is present and the duration time of the other device is greater than a second predetermined value when the determining result of the eighth determining unit is that the duration time of the device where the operating mode switch module is present is greater than the duration time of the other device; and

a tenth determining unit to determine that the device where the operating mode switch module is present to exchange operating modes with the other device when the determining result of the ninth determining unit is positive.

34. The operating mode switch module according to claim 20, wherein when the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a current initiator device, the switching unit comprises:

a request message transmitting unit to transmit to the other device a switch request message instructing the device where the operating mode switch module is present to switch to the target mode to operate, such that the other device generates an RF field and switches to the initiative mode to operate;

a detecting unit to detect the RF field generated by the other device; and

a first switching unit to terminate the generation of the RF field and switch to the target mode to operate when the detecting unit detects the RF field generated by the other device.

35. The operating mode switch module according to claim 20, wherein when the device where the operating mode switch module is present is a current target device, the switching unit comprises:

an RF field generating unit to generate an RF field and switch to the initiative mode to operate;

a message informing unit to inform the other device, such that the other device terminates the generation of the RF field and switches to the target mode to operate when detecting the RF field generated by the one device.

36. Terminal equipment, comprising the operating mode switch module according to claim 20.