WIRELESS COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING WIRELESS COMMUNICATION APPARATUS

• US 20160373167A1
• Filed: 09/01/2016
• Published: 12/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: NISHIOKA, Shinichiro
• Granted Patent: US 10,075,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0695 using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/244 using a network of reference devices, e.g. beaconing

Abstract

A wireless communication apparatus includes: a wireless communication unit configured to perform directional wireless communication with an external apparatus; a wireless power supply unit configured to perform wireless power supply to the external apparatus; a sector management unit configured to store a plurality of IDs each indicating a communication parameter which is set for the wireless communication unit in order to determine an antenna pattern for the wireless communication unit, and a power supply parameter which is set for the wireless power supply unit in order to determine an antenna pattern for the wireless power supply unit; and a control unit configured to control the directional wireless communication and the wireless power supply based on an ID included in the plurality of IDs.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus, comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to perform directional wireless communication with an external apparatus;

a wireless power supply unit configured to perform wireless power supply to the external apparatus;

a sector management unit configured to store a plurality of IDs each indicating a communication parameter which is set for the wireless communication unit in order to determine an antenna pattern for the wireless communication unit, and a power supply parameter which is set for the wireless power supply unit in order to determine an antenna pattern for the wireless power supply unit; and

a control unit configured to control the directional wireless communication and the wireless power supply based on an ID included in the plurality of IDs.

2. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to select, in an order, each of the plurality of IDs stored in the sector management unit, and perform, on each of the plurality of IDs selected:

(i) a communication trial by setting a communication parameter indicated by the ID selected for the wireless communication unit, and causing the wireless communication unit to transmit an electric wave including the ID selected, and (ii) a power supply trial by causing the wireless power supply unit, for which the power supply parameter indicated by the ID selected has been set, to transmit an electric wave.

3. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the communication trial conforms to a beam forming protocol according to a sector sweep method.

4. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein, after the communication trial, when the wireless communication unit receives specification of the ID from the external apparatus, the control unit is configured to (i) set the communication parameter indicated by the ID specified to the wireless communication unit with reference to the sector management unit and cause the wireless communication unit to execute the directional wireless communication, and (ii) set the power supply parameter indicated by the ID specified to the wireless power supply unit with reference to the sector management unit and cause the wireless power supply unit to execute the wireless power supply.

5. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein, in the communication trial, the electric wave transmitted by the wireless communication unit constitutes a signal of a frame, and the ID is included in a sector ID area in the frame.

6. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein, in the communication trial, the electric wave transmitted by the wireless communication unit constitutes a signal of a frame, and the ID is included in a sector ID area and an antenna ID area in the frame.

7. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein, in the communication trial, the electric wave transmitted by the wireless communication unit constitutes a signal of a frame, and the ID is included in a sector ID area and a beacon vendor specific area in the frame.

8. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1,

the wireless communication apparatus operating as a master unit in the directional wireless communication,

wherein the control is performed in a period in which a beacon frame is transmitted.

9. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1,

the wireless communication apparatus operating as a slave unit in the directional wireless communication,

wherein the control is performed in a response period to a beacon frame.

10. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the sector management unit is configured to store a first set of IDs included in the plurality of IDs, and a second set of IDs included in the plurality of IDs different from the first set of IDs, and

the control unit is configured to select the ID from either the first set of IDs or the second set of IDs by switching between the first set of IDs and the second set of IDs, depending on a communication quality of the directional wireless communication.

11. A wireless communication apparatus, comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to perform directional wireless communication with a wireless communication unit of an external apparatus;

a wireless power reception unit which receives wireless power supply from a wireless power supply unit of the external apparatus; and

a control unit configured to select, as a target ID, one of the plurality of IDs based on at least one of a communication quality of the directional wireless communication in a communication trial and an amount of power in the wireless power supply, after the external apparatus performs the communication trial in which the plurality of IDs are used and transmission of an electric wave for the wireless power supply is involved, and perform a communication trial in which the target ID is included as a response,

wherein, in the external apparatus, the ID is associated with a communication parameter for determining an antenna pattern for the wireless communication unit of the external apparatus and a power supply parameter for determining an antenna pattern for the wireless power supply unit of the external apparatus.

12. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the control unit is configured to select, as the target ID, the ID received when the amount of power in the wireless power supply is largest during the communication trial performed by the external apparatus.

13. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the control unit is configured to select, as the target ID, the ID received when the communication quality of the directional wireless communication is best among one or more IDs including the ID received when the amount of power in the wireless power supply is at a predetermined value or above during the communication trial performed by the external apparatus.

14. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the control unit is configured to select, as the target ID, the ID received when the communication quality of the directional wireless communication is best during the communication trial performed by the external apparatus.

15. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the control unit is configured to select, as the target ID, the ID received when the amount of power in the wireless power supply is largest among one or more IDs including the ID received when the communication quality of the directional wireless power supply is indicated as a predetermined value or above during the communication trial performed by the external apparatus.

16. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the communication trial performed by the control unit conforms to a beam forming protocol according to a sector sweep method.

17. A method for controlling a wireless communication apparatus,

the wireless communication apparatus including:

a wireless communication unit which performs directional wireless communication with an external apparatus;

a wireless power supply unit which performs wireless power supply to the external apparatus; and

a sector management unit which stores a plurality of IDs each indicating a communication parameter which is set for the wireless communication unit in order to determine an antenna pattern for the wireless communication unit, and a power supply parameter for the wireless power supply unit, the power supply parameter being set for the wireless power supply unit,

the method comprising selecting, in an order, each of the plurality of IDs stored in the sector management unit, and performing, on each of the plurality of IDs selected;

(i) a communication trial by setting a communication parameter indicated by the ID selected for the wireless communication unit, and causing the wireless communication unit to transmit an electric wave including the ID selected, and (ii) a power supply trial by causing the wireless power supply unit, for which the power supply parameter indicated by the ID selected has been set, to transmit an electric wave.

18. A method for controlling a wireless communication apparatus,

the wireless communication apparatus including:

a wireless communication unit which performs directional wireless communication with a wireless communication unit in an external apparatus; and

a wireless power supply unit for receiving power wirelessly from the wireless power supply unit in the external apparatus,

the method comprising selecting, as a target ID, one of the plurality of IDs based on at least one of a communication quality of the directional wireless communication in a communication trial and an amount of power in the wireless power supply, after the external apparatus performs the communication trial in which the plurality of IDs are used and transmission of an electric wave for the wireless power supply is involved, and performing a communication trial in which the target ID is included as a response,

wherein, in the external apparatus, the ID is associated with a communication parameter for determining an antenna pattern for the wireless communication unit of the external apparatus and a power supply parameter for determining an antenna pattern for the wireless power supply unit of the external apparatus.