Mobile device and wireless communication apparatus

• US 7,899,418 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2007
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Tsuneo, Ishiyama, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard; Patrick N
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, JUSTIN YE
• Application Number:
  US11/708,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20070196099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 455/572, 455/127.1, 455/127.5, 455/412.2, 455/343.2, 455/574, 370/311, 396/301
• US Class Current: 455/127.1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/26 Power supplies; Circuitry or arrangement to switch on the power source; Circuitry to check the power source voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00891 Switching on or off, e.g. for saving power when not in use H04N1/00896 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00928 Initialisation or control of normal start-up or shut-down, i.e. non failure or error related
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/327 Initiating, continuing or ending a single-mode communication; Handshaking therefor H04N1/32614 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32795 Arrangements for keeping the communication line open
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0096 Portable devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0098 User intervention not otherwise provided for, e.g. placing documents, responding to an alarm

Abstract

A mobile device is equipped with a transmitting function to transmit data. When a power switch is turned off during data transmission, a transition is made to a transmission-during-power-off mode that continues data transmission. The transition to the transmission-during-power-off mode is performed when an inquiry is made on a screen as to whether transmission will be performed and “continue” is subsequently selected. In this mode, even when the mobile device with the power switch being turned off is carried around, data transmission is continued and data is recorded into a storage section of a home personal computer.

Claims

1. A mobile device having a transmitting section that transmits data, the device comprising:

a power operating section that performs power-on/off operations;

a power supply control section that supplies power to each section of the mobile device, including the transmitting section, which are activated when power is supplied, in response to a power-on operation by the power operating section, and cuts off supply of power to each section in response to a power-off operation by the power operating section,

wherein when data is being transmitted by the transmitting section, the power supply control section causes the transmitting section to continue data transmission by continuously supplying power even when a power-off operation is received from the power operating section, and cuts off the power supply to the transmitting section upon completion of data transmission by the transmitting section; and

a transmission result notification section that detects, in response to a power-on operation of the power operating section, whether data transmission was performed by the transmitting section after the previous power-off operation of the power operating section, detects whether the data transmission is completed or not when the data transmission was performed, and notifies a user of a transmission result.

2. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the power supply control section cuts off power supply to each section including the transmitting section in the event that data transmission is not performed by the transmitting section when a power-off operation by the power operating section is received.

3. The mobile device according to claim 1, further comprising a state transition notification section that notifies a user of a transition to a transmission-during-power-off mode in which the transmitting section performs data transmission after a power-off operation by the power operating section.

4. The mobile device according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission completion notification section that notifies a user of a completion of data transmission in a transmission-during-power-off mode in which the transmitting section performs data transmission after a power-off operation by the power operating section.

5. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a device having a function of a digital camera that generates image data of a subject image in response to image taking operations.

6. The mobile device according to claim 5, wherein the transmitting section transmits all unsent image data in data transmission.

7. A mobile device having a transmitting section that transmits data, the device comprising:

a power operating section that performs power-on/off operations; and

a power supply control section that supplies power to each section of the mobile device, including the transmitting section, which are activated when power is supplied, in response to a power-on operation by the power operating section, and cuts off supply of power to each section in response to a power-off operation by the power operating section,

wherein the transmitting section commences data transmission in response to a power-off operation of the power operating section,

the power supply control section causes the transmitting section to perform data transmission by supplying power thereto when receiving a power-off operation from the power operating section, and cuts off the power supply to the transmitting section upon completion of data transmission by the transmitting section; and

a transmission result notification section that detects, in response to a power-on operation of the power operating section, whether data transmission was performed by the transmitting section after the previous power-off operation of the power operating section, detects whether the data transmission is completed or not when the data transmission was performed, and notifies a user of a transmission result.

8. The mobile device according to claim 7, wherein the power supply control section maintains a cut-off state of power to the transmitting section in the event that no unsent data exists when a power-off operation by the power operating section is received.

9. The mobile device according to claim 7, further comprising a state transition notification section that notifies a user of a transition to a transmission-during-power-off mode in which the transmitting section performs data transmission after a power-off operation by the power operating section.

10. The mobile device according to claim 7, further comprising a transmission completion notification section that notifies a user of a completion of data transmission in a transmission-during-power-off mode in which the transmitting section performs data transmission after a power-off operation by the power operating section.

11. The mobile device according to claim 7, wherein the mobile device is a device having a function of a digital camera that generates image data of a subject image in response to image taking operations.

12. A mobile device having a transmitting section that transmits data, the device comprising:

a power operating section that performs power-on/off operations; and

a power supply control section that supplies power to each section of the mobile device, including the transmitting section, which are activated when power is supplied, in response to a power-on operation by the power operating section, and cuts off supply of power to each section in response to a power-off operation by the power operating section,

wherein when data is being transmitted by the transmitting section, the power supply control section causes the transmitting section to continue data transmission by continuously supplying power even when a power-off operation is received from the power operating section, and cuts off the power supply to the transmitting section upon completion of data transmission by the transmitting section,

wherein the transmitting section transmits data via wireless,

wherein the transmitting section comprises an antenna having a fixed antenna primary radiating element and a movable antenna secondary element that controls at least a directivity of communication by the antenna primary radiating element, and

the mobile device comprises an antenna drive section that moves the antenna secondary element so that the directivity of the communication by the antenna primary radiating element spreads in a direction that approximates omni-directivity, in response to a transition to the transmission-during-power-off mode in which the transmitting section performs data transmission after a power-off operation of the power operating section.

13. The mobile device according to claim 12, further comprising a power saving control section that performs power saving while maintaining receiver sensitivity in the transmission-during-power-off mode in which the transmitting section performs data transmission after a power-off operation of the power operating section.

14. The mobile device according to claim 13, wherein the power-saving control section performs power saving by spreading a transmission and reception interval of probe signals used for searching communication destinations.

15. The mobile device according to claim 13, wherein the power-saving control section performs power saving by limiting frequencies used for communication.

16. The mobile device according to claim 12, further comprising a communication function limiting section that limits a communication function of the transmitting section, wherein the communication function limiting section lifts limitations on the communication function of the transmitting section in response to a transition to the transmission-during-power-off mode in which the transmitting section performs data transmission after a power-off operation of the power operating section.

17. A mobile device having a transmitting section that transmits data, the device comprising:

a power operating section that performs power-on/off operations; and

a power supply control section that supplies power to each section of the mobile device, including the transmitting section, which are activated when power is supplied, in response to a power-on operation by the power operating section, and cuts off supply of power to each section in response to a power-off operation by the power operating section,

wherein when data is being transmitted by the transmitting section, the power supply control section causes the transmitting section to continue data transmission by continuously supplying power even when a power-off operation is received from the power operating section, and cuts off the power supply to the transmitting section upon completion of data transmission by the transmitting section, further comprising a lens unit having an image taking optical system and an image pickup device to generate image data, and a main body unit, to which the lens unit is detachably mounted, that receives image data from the lens unit to perform image processing,

wherein the power operating section interprets a detachment of the lens unit from the main body unit as a power-off operation,

wherein the transmitting section suspends data transmission in response to a mounting of the lens unit when performing data transmission in a state in which the lens unit is detached from the main body unit.