Communication device and a method for controlling the communication device

• US 7,184,707 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2002
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term
• 

• Current Assignee: 2BCom LLC (Markman Advisors LLC)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Tada, Masahiro, Yata, Koichi, Sako, Ikuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang; Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hashem; Lisa
• Application Number:
  US10/084,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20020147003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,825 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/450, 358/1.5
• US Class Current: 455/41.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A communication device and a method for controlling a communication device that can load or unload service information at appropriate timings by flexibly designating discriminating conditions of connection or disconnection of a link. A service manager reads out necessary service information, such as service program or driver software, from the information memory area based on discriminating conditions designated in communication controlling information of the communication status. The service manager loads service information to a temporary information memory area in a host device. The service manager also unloads unnecessary service information from the temporary information memory area in the host device. A connection manager then performs communication protocol for communicating between the service information loaded in the temporary information memory area of the host and the service information memory of the device side.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

a radio communication module configured to exchange data with a target communication terminal over a network;

a service information memory configured to store service information so that predetermined functions can be performed with the target communication terminal;

a communication control information designating module configured to designate, by a user of the communication device, communication conditions for a newly established radio communication connection with the target communication terminal or for discriminating a disconnection of an existing radio communication connection with the target communication terminal;

a memory configured to store the communication conditions designated by the communication control information designating module; and

a communication control module configured to determine whether the radio communication connection with the target communication terminal is in a connection status or a disconnection status based on the communication controlling information stored in the memory, and performing communication through the radio communication module by using service information read from the service information memory in accordance with the determination result.

3. The communication device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein:

the communication controlling information includes connection discriminating conditions based on the number of times a detecting command for detecting the target communication terminal issues during a predetermined period and disconnection discriminating conditions based on the number of times a confirming command for confirming the connection to the target communication terminal issues during the predetermined period.

4. The communication device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein:

the communication controlling information includes connection and disconnection discriminating conditions that define a variation status of the radio communication connection for indicating a communication connection or a disconnection to the target communication terminal, the variation status is designated based on a power level of radio waves measured within a predetermined period.

2. A communication device, comprising:

a radio communication module configured to exchange data with a target communication terminal through radio;

a service memory configured to store service information so that predetermined functions can be performed with the target communication terminal;

a temporary memory configured to temporarily store service information used in an established target communication terminal for communication;

a designating module configured to designate, through a registration interface, communication controlling information defining conditions for discriminating between a newly established radio communication connection with the target communication terminal or a disconnection of an existing radio communication connection with the target communication terminal;

a communication controlling information memory configured to store the communication controlling information designated by the designating module;

a memory configured to store the communication controlling information designated by the designating module;

a discriminating module configured to determine whether a status of the radio communication connection with a target communication terminal is a connection status or a disconnection status based on the communication controlling information in the communication controlling information memory, to transfer the service information from the service memory to the temporary memory when the status of the radio communication connection with the target communication terminal is the connection status, and to transfer the service information from the temporary memory to the service memory when the status of the radio communication connection with the target communication terminal is the disconnection status; and

a radio communication control module configured to perform the predetermined functions with the target communication terminal when the service information is stored in the temporary memory.

5. A method for controlling a communication device that exchanges data with a target communication terminal over a network, the communication device having a memory for storing various types of data, the method comprising:

designating, by a user of the communication device, communication control information that defines discriminating conditions for discriminating between establishing a new radio communication connection between the communication device and a target communication terminal and disconnecting a radio communication connection established between the communication device and the target communication terminal;

storing, in the memory, the designated communication control information;

judging whether the radio communication connection between the communication device and the target communication terminal is in a connection state or a disconnection state based on the designated communication control information; and

performing radio communication with the target communication terminal by using service information that executes predetermined functions between the communication device and the target communication terminal, the service information being stored in memory based on a discrimination result.