Communication system, communication apparatus, and communication method

• US 7,039,445 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2000
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 2BCom LLC (Markman Advisors LLC)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshizawa, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): CRAVER, CHARLES R
• Application Number:
  US09/713,250
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 413, 455/25, 455/193.1, 455/269, 455/271, 455273-2772, 455/281, 455/575.7, 455/575.1, 455/550.1, 455/66.1, 455/344, 455/461, 455/63.4, 343754-766
• US Class Current: 455/575.7
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72505 Radio link set-up procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/50 at the moment of starting communication in a multiple access environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A communication apparatus transmits, to another apparatus or apparatuses, a message for searching for an apparatus as a connection target by radio communication, and receives a response message from another apparatus which has received the message, thereby searching for an apparatus as a connection target. The control information setting section of the device body of a communication apparatus inputs a search range in which a station finding message reaches in accordance with designation by a user and sets it as set information. The station finding procedure section of the radio communication apparatus transmits the station finding message in accordance with a transmission power corresponding to the control information set by the control information setting section.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising a first device and a second device for communicating with the first device through a wireless link,

the first device including:

a section which sets a range for a message transmitted from the first device, wherein the message is for searching for the second device to be communicated with the first device, and

a section which causes the first device to transmit a message in accordance with the range set by said setting section, wherein the range set by said setting section is a directivity of the message transmitted from the first device,

the second device including;

a section which sets the message, and

a section which responds to the message from the first device so as to set the wireless link.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the range which is set by said setting section is a distance from the first device.

3. A communication method for setting a wireless link between a first device and a second device, comprising:

setting a range for a message transmitted from the first device, wherein the message is for searching for the second device to be communicated with the first device;

causing the first device to transmit a message in accordance with the set range, wherein the range set by said setting step is a directivity of the message transmitted from the first device;

receiving the message from the first device and outputting a response with respect to the received message from the second device; and

setting the wireless link between the first device and second device based on the response.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the range which is set by said setting step is a distance from the first device.

5. A communication apparatus comprising:

a section which sets a range for a message, wherein the message is for searching for another device to be communicated with the apparatus through a wireless link; and

a section which transmits the message in accordance with the set range by said setting section;

wherein said setting section inputs a direction from the apparatus as a range, and said message transmission section includes a section for changing a direction in which the message is transmitted, and controls said changing section in accordance with the direction set by said setting section so as to transmit the message.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said setting section inputs a distance from the self-apparatus as a range for the message, and

said message transmission section transmits a message with a transmission power value corresponding to the distance input by said setting section.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said setting section comprises a section for inputting a time during which transmission of the message continues, and

said message transmission section transmits the message only for the time input by said setting section.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a section for sequentially displaying information acquired by the response message from the another apparatus every time the response message is received; and

a section for terminating transmission of the message when an instruction to interrupt the transmission of the message is input in accordance with the information displayed by said display section.

9. A communication system having a first device and a second device for communicating with the first device through a wireless link, comprising:

a first device which transmits a message for searching for the second device by radio communication, wherein the first device comprises;

a main body which sets a range for the message transmitted from the first device and which outputs first control information in accordance with the set range;

a controller, connected to the main body via a data interface section, which receives the first control information from the main body and which outputs second control information based on the received first control information;

a transmission amplifier, connected to the controller, which amplifies the message based on the second control information and which transmits the amplified message to an antenna so as to transmit the message in accordance with the range set by the main body; and

an antenna control section, connected to the controller and the antenna, which controls an antenna directivity of the antenna based on the second control information output from the controller so as to transmit the message in accordance with the range set by the main body.

10. A communication system according to claim 9,

wherein the range set by the main body indicates a distance from the first device.

11. A communication system according to claim 9,

wherein the range set by the main body indicates a directivity of the message transmitted from the first device.

12. A communication system according to claim 9,

wherein the controller has a table which stores the first control information output from the main body and the controller outputs the first control information to one of the transmission amplifier and antenna control section.

13. A communication method for setting a wireless link between a first device and a second device, comprising the steps of:

setting a range for a message transmitted from the first device in a main body of the first device and outputting first control information in accordance with the set range from the main body, wherein the message is for searching for the second device;

receiving the first control information from the main body in a controller connected to the main body via a data interface, and outputting second control information based on the received first control information from the controller; and

controlling one of a transmission amplifier, connected to the controller, which amplifies the message based on the second control information and which transmits the amplified message to an antenna and an antenna control section, connected to the controller and the antenna, which controls an antenna directivity of the antenna based on the second control information output from the controller.

14. A communication apparatus comprising:

a main body which sets a range for a message transmitted from the communication apparatus and which outputs control information in accordance with the set range, wherein the message is for searching for a device as a connection target by radio communication;

a controller, connected to the main body via a data interface section, which receives the first control information from the main body and which outputs second control information based on the received first control information;

a transmission amplifier, connected to the controller, which amplifies the message based on the second control information and which transmits the amplified message to an antenna so as to transmit the message in accordance with the range set by the main body; and

an antenna control section, connected to the controller and the antenna, which controls an antenna directivity of the antenna based on the second control information output from the controller so as to transmit the message in accordance with the range set by the main body.

15. A communication apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the range set by the main body indicates a distance from the communication apparatus.

16. A communication apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the range set by the main body indicates a directivity of the message transmitted from the communication apparatus.

17. A communication apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the controller has a table which stores the first control information output from the main body and the controller outputs the first control information to one of the transmission amplifier and antenna control is section.

18. A communication system having a first device and a second device for communicating with the first device through a wireless link, comprising:

the first device including;

a first outputting section for outputting a message to a first range in which the second device and an external device are positioned,

a second outputting section for outputting the message to a second range in which the second device is positioned, the external device positioning out of the second range, wherein the second range represents a directivity of the message transmitted from the first device, and

a section which selects one of the first outputting section and the second outputting section,

the second device including;

a section which receives the message, and a section which responds to the message from the first device so as to set the wireless link.

19. A communication system according to claim 18, wherein the second range represents a distance from the first device.

20. A communication device for communicating with an external device through a wireless link, comprising:

a first outputting section which outputs a message to a first range in relation to a position of the external device, the message being used to set the wireless link, wherein the first range represents a directivity of the message transmitted from the communication device;

a second outputting section which outputs the message to a second range different from the first range; and

a section which selects one of the first outputting section and the second outputting section.

21. A communication device according to claim 20, wherein the first range represents a distance from the communication device.

22. A method for setting a wireless link between a first device and a second device, comprising the steps of:

determining one of a first range and a second range in relation to the position of the second device;

outputting a message from the first device to one of the first range and second range determined, wherein the first range represents a distance from the first device and the second range represents a directivity of the message transmitted from the first device;

receiving a response to the message, from the device; and

setting the wireless link on the basis of the response.

23. A communication system comprising a first device and a second device for communicating with the first device through a wireless link,

the first device including:

a section which sets a user-designated search range for a message transmitted from the first device, wherein the message is for searching for the second device to be communicated by the first device, and

a section which causes the first device to transmit a message in accordance with the range set by said setting section,

the second device including;

a section which sets the message, and

a section which responds to the message from the first device so as to set the wireless link.