Apparatus supporting active and passive telecommunication, and control method thereof

• US 7,525,413 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2004
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Jung, Kwang-Ryul, Kim, Sung-Hee
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III; Edwin C
• Application Number:
  US11/024,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20050141470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/10.34, 340/10.33, 340/572.1, 370/338
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus using a battery and a passive device, and a communication method thereof. In the wireless communication system, a coordinator has an active communication device for supporting active communication, and a passive device for supporting passive communication to wirelessly transmit power to a communication device. The communication device includes a memory and a passive communication device using the power received from the coordinator in a wireless manner in the active communication device operated with the battery, and stays in a passive communication idle state during a period allowing passive communication. The operation of the passive communication device is transmitted to the active communication device via an interrupt device so as to cause an active/passive communication state transition depending on the communication state.

Claims

1. A control method for an operation of a communication device, which includes a passive device for performing a passive communication function, an active device for performing an active communication function, and an interrupt device, the method comprising:

(a) the active device activating the interrupt device to monitor an operation of the passive device, when power is on and wherein the interrupt device monitors the operation of the passive device for a predetermined time by using a passive device timer;

(b) upon receiving passive broadcasting information, the passive communication device recording the broadcasting information on a common memory, and reporting reception of the passive broadcasting information to the interrupt device;

(c) the interrupt device reporting the reception of the passive broadcasting information to the active device; and

(d) the active device transitioning a state of the active device to a passive idle state;

wherein the step (d) further includes;

the interrupt device waiting for an active signal from the passive device for the predetermined time by using the passive device timer; and

if not receiving the active signal from the passive device within the predetermined time, the interrupt device activates the active device, wherein the active device, after activation, is to receive and analyze active broadcasting information, and to record related information on the common memory.

2. The control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the active device, after activated by the interrupt device, transitions the state to an active idle state.

3. The control method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

(e) upon receiving passive broadcasting information including paging information, the passive device comparing a reception number with a device ID thereof;

(f) the passive device transmitting a paging-related signal to the interrupt device, when the reception number matches the device ID;

(g) upon receiving the paging-related signal, the interrupt device waking up the active device for activation and transiting the state to an active device idle state; and

(h) the active device analyzing the paging information to perform a connection setting procedure.

4. The control method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

maintaining the passive device idle state, when the reception number does not match the device ID.

5. The control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication device further includes a passive common memory,

the control method further comprising:

recording the received passive broadcasting information on the passive common memory.

6. A communication device, comprising:

an active communication device for performing communication by using a power source thereof;

an active communication device antenna being used for signal transmission/reception of the active communication device;

a passive communication device for performing communication by using an electric field or a magnetic field provided by a coordinator;

a passive communication device antenna being used for signal transmission/reception of the passive communication device;

a passive common memory;

an interrupt device for monitoring an operation of the passive communication device and transmitting the monitoring result to the active communication device; and

a first passive central processor unit (CPU) receiving power from the electric field or the magnetic field for controlling the operations of the passive communication device and a second CPU receiving power from the power source and controlling the active communication device,

wherein the interrupt device waits for an active signal from the passive communication device for a predetermined time by using a passive device timer; and

if not receiving the active signal from the passive communication device within the predetermined time, the interrupt device activates the active communication device, wherein the active communication device, after activation, is to receive and analyze active broadcasting information, and to record related information on the passive common memory.