Communications equipment that carries out communication within network having plural pieces of communications equipment

• US 7,088,691 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2001
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujita, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, Min
• Application Number:
  US09/923,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20020026492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,826 Days
• Field of Search: 370/311, 455/343.2, 455/522
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/323 in the physical layer [OSI layer 1]

Abstract

When data transmission is to be conducted between a master station and a slave station, the master station moves the other slave stations to such a park mode (standby state) that they do not make a communication request. Thus the master station and the slave station can conduct data transmission from and to each other with priority use of a communication network. After completion of the data transmission process, the master station sends each slave station a notification of release of the communication network to return each slave station to the normal operating state.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a negotiation unit configured to, wherein a low power consumption mode transit request is a request for a device to transit from a present mode to a low power consumption mode and prohibit any transmission until the low power consumption mode is released, execute a predetermined negotiation with a first device in order to prevent transiting from a present mode to a low power consumption mode and prevent prohibiting any transmission even though the first device receives the low power consumption mode transit request; and

a first transmitting unit configured to broadcast the low power consumption mode transit request to a plurality of devices including the first device after said negotiation unit executes the predetermined negotiation with the device.

2. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication is executed using a Bluetooth system.

3. A communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the low power consumption mode is used for a low power consumption in a Bluetooth system.

4. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a second transmitting unit configured to transmit a signal to release both the low power consumption mode and a transmission prohibition after said communication apparatus communicates with the first device.

5. A communication apparatus comprising:

a negotiation unit configured to, wherein a low power consumption mode transit request is a request for a device to transit from a present mode to a low power consumption mode and prohibit any transmission until the low power consumption mode is released, execute a predetermined negotiation with a first device in order to prevent transiting from a present mode to a low power consumption mode and prevent prohibiting any transmission even though the first device receives the low power consumption mode transit request;

a transmitting unit to transmit the low power consumption mode transit request to a plurality of devices including the first device after said negotiation unit executes the predetermined negotiation with the device; and

a communicating unit configured to communicate with the first device, after (a) said transmitting unit transmits the low power consumption mode transit request, (b) a mode of another device is transited from a present mode to the low power consumption mode, and (c) any transmission by the another device is prohibited.

6. A communication apparatus for executing a communication with a device, wherein the device executes a predetermined negotiation with said communication apparatus before data transmission, said communication apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a low power consumption mode transit request to transit from a present mode to a low power consumption mode and prohibit any transmission; and

a control unit that is, in the case that said receiving unit receives a low power consumption mode transit request to transit from a present mode to a low power consumption mode, configured to transit said communication apparatus from a present mode to a low consumption power mode and control said communication apparatus to prohibit any transmission according to presence or absence of execution of the predetermined negotiation with the device.

7. A communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, in the case that said receiving unit receives a signal to release a low power consumption mode, said control unit executes a control to release both a low power consumption mode and a transmission prohibition.

8. A communication method comprising:

a negotiation step of, wherein a low power consumption mode transit request is a request for a device to transit from a present mode to a low power consumption mode and prohibit any transmission until the low power consumption mode is released, executing a predetermined negotiation with a first device in order to prevent transiting from a present mode to a low power consumption mode and prevent prohibiting any transmission even though the first device receives the low power consumption mode transit request; and

a first transmission step, of broadcasting the low power consumption mode transit request to a plurality of devices including the first device after said negotiation step executes the predetermined negotiation with the device.

9. A communication method according to claim 8, comprising a second transmission step, of transmitting a signal to release both the low power consumption mode and a transmission prohibition after the communication apparatus communicates with the first device.

10. A communication method comprising:

a negotiation step of, wherein a low power consumption mode transit request is a request for a device to transit from a present mode to a low power consumption mode and prohibit any transmission until the low power consumption mode is released, executing a predetermined negotiation with a first device in order to prevent transiting from a present mode to a low power consumption mode even though the first device receives the low power consumption mode transit request;

a transmission step of transmitting the low power consumption mode transit request to a plurality of devices including the first device after said negotiation step executes the predetermined negotiation with the device; and

a communication step of communicating with the first device, after (a) transmitting the low power consumption mode transmit request in said transmission step, (b) transiting another communication device from a present mode to the low power consumption mode, and (c) any transmission by the another communication device is prohibited.

11. A communication method of executing a communication with a device, comprising:

a negotiation step of the device executing a predetermined negotiation with a communication apparatus before data transmission;

a receiving step of receiving by the communication apparatus of a low power consumption mode transit request to transit from a present mode to a low power consumption mode and prohibit any transmission,

a control step effected by the communication apparatus of, in the case that a low power consumption mode transit request to transit from a present mode to a low power consumption mode is received in said step of receiving the low power consumption mode transit request, transiting the communication apparatus from a present mode to a low power consumption mode and controlling the communication apparatus to prohibit any transmission according to presence or absence of execution of the predetermined negotiation in said negotiation step.