Wireless communication apparatus

• US 7,761,212 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2008
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Original Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Inventors: Takebayashi, Haruyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart; Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, TRISHA U
• Application Number:
  US12/054,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20090240858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 701/51, 710104-106, 710/15, 710/18, 710/19, 482/8, 482/57
• US Class Current: 701/51
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 25/08 with electrical or fluid transmitting systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 9/122 electrically or fluid actuated; Controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/002 for cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A wireless communication apparatus including a master unit and a slave unit. The master unit includes a transmitter configured to transmit a beacon periodically and a receiver. A detector is provided that is configured to output a detected signal, and the slave unit is configured to receive the detected signal from the detector. The slave unit includes a receiver configured to receive the beacon periodically at a receiving timing determined based on the beacon, and a transmitter configured to transmit the detected signal to the master unit receiver at a transmitting timing determined based on the beacon if a value of the detected signal changes by a threshold amount.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a master unit comprising;

a master unit transmitter configured to transmit a beacon periodically; and

a master unit receiver;

a detector configured to output a detected signal; and

a slave unit configured to receive the detected signal from the detector, said slave unit comprising;

a slave unit receiver configured to receive the beacon periodically at a receiving timing determined based on the beacon; and

a slave unit transmitter configured to transmit the detected signal to the master unit receiver at a transmitting timing determined based on the beacon if a value of the detected signal changes by a threshold amount, wherein;

the master unit receiver is configured to receive the detected signal transmitted by the slave unit transmitter;

the master unit transmitter is configured to transmit a confirmation signal in response to receipt of the detected signal by the master unit;

the slave unit receiver is configured to receive the confirmation signal transmitted by the master unit transmitter; and

the slave unit is configured to enter a sleep mode after receipt of the confirmation signal.

2. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to detect a gear shift of a bicycle having a plurality of gears, and wherein the threshold amount is a shift from one gear setting to another gear setting.

3. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to detect a rotation of a wheel of a bicycle representative of a speed of the bicycle, and wherein the threshold amount is a predetermined amount of change in speed.

4. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to detect a rotation of a wheel of a bicycle representative of a distance travelled by the bicycle, and wherein the threshold amount is a predetermined amount of distance travelled.

5. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if the value of the detected signal does not change by the threshold amount, the slave unit is configured to enter the sleep mode for a period of time including the transmitting timing.

6. A wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a master unit comprising;

a master unit transmitter configured to transmit a beacon periodically; and

a master unit receiver;

a detector configured to output a detected signal;

a slave unit configured to receive the detected signal from the detector, the slave unit being configured to wake up periodically, and the slave unit comprising;

a slave unit receiver configured to receive the beacon; and

a slave unit transmitter configured to transmit the detected signal to the master unit receiver at a transmitting timing determined based on the beacon; and

a wakeup control unit configured to prohibit the slave unit from waking up if a value of the detected signal does not change by a threshold amount, wherein;

the master unit receiver is configured to receive the detected signal transmitted by the slave unit transmitter;

the master unit transmitter is configured to transmit a confirmation signal in response to receipt of the detected signal by the master unit;

the slave unit receiver is configured to receive the confirmation signal transmitted by the master unit transmitter; and

the slave unit is configured to enter a sleep mode after receipt of the confirmation signal.

7. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the detector is configured to detect a gear shift of a bicycle having a plurality of gears, and wherein the threshold amount is a shift from one gear setting to another gear setting.

8. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the detector is configured to detect a rotation of a wheel of a bicycle representative of a speed of the bicycle, and wherein the threshold amount is a predetermined amount of change in speed.

9. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the detector is configured to detect a rotation of a wheel of a bicycle representative of a distance travelled by the bicycle, and wherein the threshold amount is a predetermined amount of distance travelled.

10. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the wakeup control unit is configured to prohibit the slave unit from waking up if the value of the detected signal does not change by the threshold amount unless the slave unit is in the sleep mode for a predetermined maximum number of consecutive periods.

11. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, when the predetermined maximum number of consecutive periods is reached, the slave unit is configured to wake up so that the slave unit receiver can receive the beacon.

12. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein, after receipt of the beacon, the slave unit is configured to enter the sleep mode for a period of time including the transmitting timing.

13. A wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a master unit comprising;

means for transmitting a beacon periodically; and

means for receiving a signal;

means for outputting a detected signal; and

a slave unit configured to receive the detected signal from the means for outputting, said slave unit comprising;

means for receiving the beacon at a receiving timing determined based on the beacon; and

means for transmitting the detected signal to the means for receiving of the master unit at a transmitting timing determined based on the beacon if a value of the detected signal changes, wherein;

the means for receiving of the master unit is configured to receive the detected signal transmitted by the means for transmitting of the slave unit;

the means for transmitting of the master unit is configured to transmit a confirmation signal in response to receipt of the detected signal by the master unit;

the means for receiving of the slave unit is configured to receive the confirmation signal transmitted by the means for transmitting of the master unit; and

the slave unit is configured to enter a sleep mode after receipt of the confirmation signal.

14. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising means for controlling a wakeup mode and the sleep mode of the slave unit, wherein the means for controlling is configured to have the slave unit in the sleep mode for the transmitting timing if the value of the detected signal does not change.

15. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the means for controlling is configured to have the slave unit in the sleep mode for the receiving timing if the value of the detected signal does not change.

16. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the means for controlling is configured to have the slave unit in the wakeup mode for the receiving timing if the slave unit is in the sleep mode for a predetermined maximum number of consecutive periods.