Communication method, communication system, and communication apparatus

• US 7,899,000 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2007
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd. (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd. (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Inventors: Sukegawa, Katsuhiko, Kimura, Youichi
• Primary Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US11/703,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20070188339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

There is disclosed a communication method of a communication system having a base station for performing a call and a terminal for returning a response to the call from the base station, the communication method including the steps of: transmitting the call by the base station, the call including response probability; and responding to the base station by the terminal based on the response probability when the call from the base station is received.

Claims

1. A communication method of a communication system having a base station for performing a call and a terminal for returning a response to the call from the base station, the communication method comprising the steps of:

transmitting the call by the base station, the call including response probability;

setting a contended access period including a plurality of communication slots by the terminal after the call is transmitted;

generating a random number by the terminal;

deciding whether to respond to the base station by the terminal based on a comparison between the random number and the response probability when the call from the base station is received;

randomly selecting one of the plural communication slots by the terminal; and

responding to the base station at a timing corresponding to one of the randomly selected communication slots by the terminal when the call from the base station is received;

shifting the terminal to a sleep status in a case where the response probability is less than the generated random number;

wherein only minimum necessary circuits in the terminal are in operation, and operation of unnecessary circuits in the terminal are stopped when the terminal is in the sleep status.

2. A communication system comprising:

a base station for performing a call; and

a terminal for returning a response to the call from the base station,

wherein the base station transmits the call including response probability, and

the terminal is configured to set a contended access period including a plurality of communication slots after the call is transmitted, generates a random number, decides whether to respond to the base station based on a comparison between the random number and the response probability when the call from the base station is received, randomly selects one of the plural communication slots by the terminal, makes a response to the base station at a timing corresponding to one of the randomly selected communication slots based when the terminal receives the call from the base station,

wherein the terminal shifts to a sleep status in a case where the response probability is less than the generated random number, and

wherein only minimum necessary circuits in the terminal are in operation, and operation of unnecessary circuits in the terminal are stopped when the terminal is in the sleep status.

3. A communication apparatus for returning a response to a call from a base station, the communication apparatus comprising:

a response decision unit deciding whether to make a response to the base station based on response probability included in the call, wherein the response decision unit is configured to set a contended access period including a plurality of communication slots after the call is transmitted, generates a random number, decides whether to respond to the base station based on a comparison between the random number and the response probability when the call from the base station is received, and randomly selects one of the plural communication slots; and

a response unit returning a response to the base station at a timing corresponding to one of the randomly selected communication slots based on a decision by the response decision unit,

wherein the communication apparatus shifts to a sleep status in a case where the response probability is less than the generated random number,

wherein only minimum necessary circuits in the communication apparatus are in operation, and operation of unnecessary circuits in the communication apparatus are stopped when the communication unit is in the sleep status.