COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20140378059A1
• Filed: 06/16/2014
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ouchi, Masatomo
• Granted Patent: US 9,408,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A communication apparatus having a first communication function of periodically transmitting a predetermined signal and communicating with another apparatus and a second communication function of communicating with another apparatus by producing an electric field or magnetic field determines whether a partner apparatus exists in a communicable range of the second communication function, and controls the first communication function to stop transmission of the predetermined signal in the case where it is determined that the partner apparatus exists in the communicable range.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus having a first communication unit configured to periodically transmit a predetermined signal and communicate with another apparatus and a second communication unit configured to communicate with another apparatus by producing an electric field or magnetic field, comprising:

a determination unit configured to determine whether a partner apparatus exists in a communicable range of the second communication unit; and

a control unit configured to control the first communication unit to stop transmission of the predetermined signal in a case where it is determined that the partner apparatus exists in the communicable range.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transmission unit configured to, in a case where there is data to be transmitted to the partner apparatus, transmit a signal indicating transmission of the data to the partner apparatus by the second communication unit,

wherein the communication apparatus is configured to transmit the data to the partner apparatus using the first communication unit, in a case where a response to the signal indicating transmission of the data is received from the partner apparatus via the first communication unit.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a setting unit configured to perform setup with the partner apparatus in order to communicate using the first communication unit, in a case where the partner apparatus exists in the communicable range,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the first communication unit to stop transmission of the predetermined signal after the setup is completed.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the determination unit is configured to determine whether the partner apparatus exists in the communicable range of the second communication unit, by periodically transmitting a confirmation signal to the partner apparatus using the second communication unit after the first communication unit has stopped transmission of the predetermined signal, and receiving a response to the confirmation signal from the partner apparatus.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the first communication unit to resume transmission of the predetermined signal, in a case where the partner apparatus no longer exists in the communicable range of the second communication unit.

6. A communication apparatus having a first communication unit configured to communicate wirelessly with another apparatus and a second communication unit configured to perform at least one of power reception from another apparatus or communication with the other apparatus by an electric field or magnetic field produced by the other apparatus, comprising:

a determination unit configured to determine whether the communication apparatus exists in a communicable range of a third communication unit of the partner apparatus, which is corresponding to the second communication unit; and

a control unit configured to control the first communication unit to enter a sleep state, in a case where it is determined that the communication apparatus exists in the communicable range.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the control unit is configured to activate the first communication unit that has entered the sleep state, in a case where a signal indicating transmission of data from the partner apparatus is received by the second communication unit, and

the communication apparatus is configured to receive the data from the partner apparatus using the first communication unit.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the communication apparatus transmits a response to the signal indicating transmission of data from the partner apparatus received by the second communication unit to the partner apparatus using the first communication unit.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the determination unit is further configured to determines whether the partner apparatus is capable of determining whether the communication apparatus exists in the communicable range of the third communication unit of the partner apparatus, and

the control unit is configured to control the first communication unit to enter the sleep state, in a case where the partner apparatus is capable of determining whether the communication apparatus exists in the communicable range of the third communication unit of the partner apparatus, and it is determined that the communication apparatus exists in the communicable range.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the first communication unit that has entered the sleep state so as to activate the first communication unit, in a case where the communication apparatus no longer exists in the communicable range of the third communication unit of the partner apparatus.

11. The communication apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a timer configured to be reset in response to a confirmation signal from the partner apparatus being received by the second communication unit after the first communication unit has entered the sleep state, and to measure elapsed time after being reset,

wherein the determination unit is configured to determine that the communication apparatus no longer exists in the communicable range of the third communication unit of the partner apparatus, in a case where the time measured by the timer exceeds a predetermined value.

12. The communication apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the predetermined value is set to be greater than a time interval at which the partner apparatus periodically transmits the confirmation signal.

13. The communication apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the timer is configured to operate with power obtained by the power reception.

14. The communication apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a setting unit configured to perform setup with the partner apparatus in order to communicate using the first communication unit, in a case where the communication apparatus exists in the communicable range,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the first communication unit so that the first communication unit enters the sleep state after the setup is completed.

15. A method of controlling a communication apparatus having a first communication unit configured to periodically transmit a predetermined signal and communicate with another apparatus and a second communication unit configured to communicate with another apparatus by producing an electric field or magnetic field, comprising:

determining, with a determination unit, whether a partner apparatus exists in a communicable range of the second communication unit; and

controlling, with a control unit, the first communication unit to stop transmission of the predetermined signal in a case where it is determined that the partner apparatus exists in the communicable range.

16. A method of controlling a communication apparatus having a first communication unit configured to communicate wirelessly with another apparatus and a second communication unit configured to perform at least one of power reception from another apparatus or communication with the other apparatus by an electric field or magnetic field produced by the other apparatus, comprising:

determining, with a determination unit, whether the communication apparatus exists in a communicable range of a third communication unit of the partner apparatus, which is corresponding to the second communication unit; and

controlling, with a control unit, the first communication unit to enter a sleep state, in a case where it is determined that the communication apparatus exists in the communicable range.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer provided with a first communication unit configured to periodically transmit a predetermined signal and communicate with another apparatus and a second communication unit configured to communicate with another apparatus by producing an electric field or magnetic field to execute:

determining whether a partner apparatus exists in a communicable range of the second communication unit; and

controlling the first communication unit to stop transmission of the predetermined signal in a case where it is determined that the partner apparatus exists in the communicable range.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer provided with a first communication unit configured to communicate wirelessly with another apparatus and a second communication unit configured to perform at least one of power reception from another apparatus or communication with the other apparatus by an electric field or magnetic field produced by the other apparatus to execute:

determining whether the communication apparatus exists in a communicable range of a third communication unit of the partner apparatus, which is corresponding to the second communication unit; and

controlling the first communication unit to enter a sleep state, in a case where it is determined that the communication apparatus exists in the communicable range.