Wireless communication and imaging apparatus
First Claim
1. A wireless communication apparatus comprising:
- a wireless communication means comprising a first communication means for communicating with a plurality of base stations and a second communication means for communicating via a wireless local area network (LAN) with wireless LAN communication equipment, for carrying out data communication with wireless communication equipment;
a judgment means comprising a database of information on a plurality of base stations whose coverage areas include a location of the wireless LAN communication equipment to be communicable with the second communication means, and, when the base station information is received from the first communication means, the judgment means refers to the database and judges whether or not the second communication means is within the coverage area of the wireless LAN communication equipment; and
an operation control means for automatically activating the wireless communication means only in the case where a result of the judgment by the judgment means is affirmative.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
When image data obtained by an imaging apparatus such as a digital camera are sent via a wireless communication system, power consumption by a wireless communication apparatus installed in the imaging apparatus is reduced as much as possible. First communication means receives base station information from a base station in a mobile phone communication network, and judgment means judges whether or not a coverage area of the wireless communication equipment exists in a coverage area of the base station, based on the base station information. If a result of the judgment is affirmative, second communication means that carries out data communication is activated, and the image data obtained by photography are sent to the wireless communication equipment.
22 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A wireless communication apparatus comprising:
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a wireless communication means comprising a first communication means for communicating with a plurality of base stations and a second communication means for communicating via a wireless local area network (LAN) with wireless LAN communication equipment, for carrying out data communication with wireless communication equipment; a judgment means comprising a database of information on a plurality of base stations whose coverage areas include a location of the wireless LAN communication equipment to be communicable with the second communication means, and, when the base station information is received from the first communication means, the judgment means refers to the database and judges whether or not the second communication means is within the coverage area of the wireless LAN communication equipment; and an operation control means for automatically activating the wireless communication means only in the case where a result of the judgment by the judgment means is affirmative. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An imaging apparatus comprising;
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image capturing means for obtaining image data; wireless communication means comprising a first communication means for communicating with a plurality of base stations and a second communication means for communicating via a wireless local area network (LAN) with wireless LAN communication equipment, for carrying out data communication with the wireless LAN communication equipment via the wireless LAN; authentication information storage means for storing authentication information that is necessary for the data communication with the wireless LAN communication equipment via the wireless LAN; image storage means for storing the image data obtained by the imaging means; instruction means for receiving a transfer instruction regarding the image data stored in the image storage means; control means for automatically controlling the wireless communication means so as to send the authentication information stored in the authentication information storage means to the wireless LAN communication equipment by carrying out the data communication with the wireless LAN communication equipment in the case where the transfer instruction is received by the instruction means in a state where the image data are stored in the image storage means, and so as to send the image data stored in the image storage means to the wireless LAN communication equipment after the wireless LAN communication equipment authenticates the imaging apparatus according to the authentication information; search means for carrying out a search for pieces of the wireless LAN communication equipment that are communicable with the wireless communication means, in response to an external instruction input; display means for displaying a list of the pieces of the wireless LAN communication equipment as a result of the search carried out by the search means; and selection means for receiving selection of a desired one of the pieces of the wireless LAN communication equipment from the result of the search, wherein the control means controls the wireless communication means so as to send the authentication information stored in the authentication information storage means to the selected piece of the wireless LAN communication equipment by carrying out the data communication with the selected piece of the wireless LAN communication equipment in the case where the desired piece of the wireless LAN communication equipment has been selected from the search result and the transfer instruction is received by the instruction means in a state where the image data are stored in the image storage means, and so as to send the image data stored in the image storage means to the selected piece of the wireless LAN communication equipment after the selected piece of the wireless LAN communication equipment authenticates the imaging apparatus according to the authentication information. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for data communication between a wireless “
- LAN”
communication apparatus and a wireless LAN communication equipment, comprising;selecting image data sets to be transferred from the wireless communication apparatus to the wireless communication equipment; searching for at least one wireless LAN communication equipment within a wireless communication network for establishing communication with the wireless LAN communication equipment through the wireless communication network; receiving wireless LAN communication equipment information regarding communicable wireless LAN communication equipment located in the wireless communication network; judging whether or not the wireless communication apparatus is within a coverage area of the wireless LAN communication equipment; and automatically establishing a connection between the wireless communication apparatus and the wireless LAN communication equipment when the wireless communication apparatus is judged to be within the coverage of the wireless LAN communication equipment. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- LAN”
Specification