Communication terminal and method of establishing communication

• US 7,535,881 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Maekawa, Itaru, Taniguchi, Kazushige
• Primary Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US11/194,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20060034315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/50 at the moment of starting communication in a multiple access environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A communication terminal is provided with a transmission control unit for controlling a transmission mode in which a broadcast signal is transmitted a plurality of times, and a reception control unit for controlling a reception mode in which the broadcast signal transmitted from another communication terminal is monitored. The transmission control unit and the reception control unit execute the transmission mode and the reception mode cyclically and alternately. To achieve power saving, time reserved for execution of the transmission mode in a cycle is set to be longer than time reserved for execution of the reception mode in the cycle.

Claims

1. A communication terminal which searches for another communication terminal, comprising:

a transmission control unit which controls a transmission mode in which a broadcast signal is transmitted a plurality of times at predetermined intervals;

a transmission unit which transmits the broadcast signal;

a reception control unit which controls a reception mode in which another broadcast signal transmitted from another communication terminal is monitored for a period of time longer than an interval between the times the broadcast signal is transmitted in the transmission mode;

a reception unit which receives the other broadcast signal transmitted from the other communication terminal;

a mode control unit which controls when the transmission control unit starts the transmission mode and when the reception control unit starts the reception mode; and

a power control unit which controls power for transition from a running state to a power-saving state after the transmission unit transmits the broadcast signal, and which controls power for transition from the power-saving state to the running state before a next time the transmission unit transmits the broadcast signal in the transmission mode, wherein

the mode control unit executes a standby mode in which the transmission mode and the reception mode are alternately executed in a single cycle, and a time for execution of the transmission mode in the cycle is set to be longer than a time for execution of the reception mode in the cycle.

2. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the mode control unit terminates the standby mode after the reception unit receives the other broadcast signal transmitted from the other communication terminal, and

after the termination of the standby mode, the communication terminal establishes communication with the other communication terminal.

3. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein

after the reception unit receives the other broadcast signal transmitted from the other communication terminal, the reception control unit analyzes the other broadcast signal, and the transmission unit transmits a request for participation in a network to the other communication terminal.

4. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein

after the reception unit receives the other broadcast signal transmitted from the other communication terminal, the reception control unit acquires information which is used to identify a network, and the mode control unit switches from the standby mode to a normal mode, wherein

the communication terminal accepts a response from the other communication terminal for a predetermined period of time subsequent to the transmission of the broadcast signal.

5. The communication terminal according to claim 4, wherein the communication terminal having made a transition from the standby mode to the normal mode increases an intensity of signal transmission.

6. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the mode control unit sets an upper limit to a time for execution of the standby mode.

7. A method of searching for another communication terminal, comprising:

executing a standby mode in which a transmission mode and a reception mode are alternately executed in a single cycle, wherein a broadcast signal is transmitted a plurality of times at predetermined intervals in the transmission mode, wherein another broadcast signal transmitted from another communication terminal is monitored in the reception mode for a period of time longer than an interval between the times the broadcast signal is transmitted in the transmission mode, and wherein a time for execution of the transmission mode in the single cycle is set to be longer than a time for execution of the reception mode in the single cycle; and

controlling power for transition from a running state to a power-saving state after the broadcast signal is transmitted, and controlling power for transition from the power-saving state to the running state before a next time the broadcast signal is transmitted.

8. A program, embodied in a computer readable medium, including instructions that cause a communication apparatus to execute:

executing a standby mode in which a transmission mode and a reception mode are alternately executed in a single cycle, wherein a broadcast signal is transmitted a plurality of times at predetermined intervals in the transmission mode, wherein another broadcast signal transmitted from another communication terminal is monitored in the reception mode for a period of time longer than an interval between the times the broadcast signal is transmitted in the transmission mode, and wherein a time for execution of the transmission mode in the single cycle is set to be longer than a time for execution of the reception mode in the single cycle; and

controlling power for transition from a running state to a power-saving state after the broadcast signal is transmitted, and controlling power for transition from the power-saving state to the running state before a next time the broadcast signal is transmitted.

9. A game device comprising:

a processor which executes an operation related to game processes; and

an air interface apparatus which executes an operation related to communication, having

a transmission control unit which controls a transmission mode in which a broadcast signal is transmitted a plurality of times at predetermined intervals;

a transmission unit which transmits the broadcast signal;

a reception control unit which controls a reception mode in which another broadcast signal transmitted from another communication terminal is monitored for a period of time longer than an interval between the times the broadcast signal is transmitted in the transmission mode;

a reception unit which receives the other broadcast signal transmitted from the other communication terminal;

a mode control unit which controls when the transmission control unit starts the transmission mode and when the reception control unit starts the reception mode; and

a power control unit which controls power for transition from a running state to a power-saving state after the transmission unit transmits the broadcast signal, and which controls power for transition from the power-saving state to the running state before a next time the transmission unit transmits the broadcast signal in the transmission mode, wherein

the mode control unit executes a standby mode in which the transmission mode and the reception mode are alternately executed in a single cycle, and a time for execution of the transmission mode in the cycle is set to be longer than a time for execution of the reception mode in the cycle.

10. The game device according to claim 9, wherein in the standby mode, the processor is turned off.

11. The game device according to claim 9, wherein

the mode control unit terminates the standby mode after the reception unit receives the broadcast signal transmitted from another communication terminal, and

after the termination of the standby mode, the communication terminal establishes communication with another terminal.