Data transfer system, wireless communication device, wireless communication method, and computer program

• US 8,126,035 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Yuhei, Nishiyama, Fumihiro, Maeshima, Yasunori
• Primary Examiner(s): ODOM, CURTIS B
• Application Number:
  US11/544,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20070053412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,967 Days
• Field of Search: 375/219, 455 411- 412
• US Class Current: 375/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7163 using impulse radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

In a data transfer system in which wireless data transmission is carried out between a first device and a second device that each has a UWB wireless device, the data transfer system includes a ranging unit that is provided in the UWB wireless device of at least one of the first and second devices and measures a distance to the other of the first and second devices; a distance determination unit that determines, based on a measurement result by the ranging unit, whether or not the distance between the first and second devices has been within such a predetermined range that a predetermined transmission rate and a predetermined transmission quality are obtained by UWB communication; and a data transfer unit that executes data transmission between the first and second devices in response to a determination by the distance determination unit that the distance between the first and second devices has been within the predetermined range.

Claims

1. A data transfer system in which wireless data transmission is carried out between a first device and a second device that each include an ultra wideband (UWB) wireless device which includes an ultra-short-range wideband antenna, the data transfer system comprising:

a ranging section, provided in the UWB wireless device of at least one of the first and second devices, configured to measure a distance to the other of the first and second devices;

a determination section configured to determine, based on a measurement result by the ranging section, whether or not the first device is in or on the second device; and

a data transfer section configured to establish, using the ultra-short-range wideband antenna, a connection between the first and second devices when the first device is in or on the second device,

wherein the ultra-short-range wideband antenna'"'"'s characteristics regarding both a reflection characteristic and coupling characteristic become favorable for the UWB communication in a near field within one wavelength of a frequency used in the UWB communication.

2. The data transfer system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an authentication section configured to execute authentication processing between the first and second devices that are within such a distance from each other as to be capable of communicating with each other by use of the UWB wireless devices.

3. The data transfer system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a fixing section configured to fix the distance between the first and second devices at a distance within the predetermined range.

4. The data transfer system according to claim 3, wherein

the fixing section allows the first device to be housed in the second device to thereby fix the first and second devices so that the distance between the first and second devices is within the predetermined range.

7. The data transfer system according to claim 1 or 5, wherein

an RTS/CTS method is used in the wireless data transmission, and

the ranging section measures the distance based on a UWB signal that has carried a CTS packet that is sent from the other of the first and second devices as a data transmission destination after an RTS packet is sent from the one of the first and second devices as a data transmission source.

5. A data transfer system in which wireless data transmission is carried out between a first device and a second device that each include an ultra wideband (UWB) wireless device which includes an ultra-short-range wideband antenna, the data transfer system comprising:

a recognition section, included in at least one of the first and second devices, configured to recognize that the first device is in or on the second device; and

a data transfer section configured to start, when a distance between the first and second devices is within a predetermined range, data transmission, using the ultra-short-range wideband antenna, between the first and second devices in response to a recognition that the first device is in or on the second device,

wherein the ultra-short-range wideband antenna'"'"'s characteristics regarding both a reflection characteristic and coupling characteristic become favorable for the UWB communication in a near field within one wavelength of a frequency used in the UWB communication.

6. The data transfer system according to claim 5, wherein

at least one of the first and second devices detects the communication target apparatus by using a polling function to thereby allow the recognition section to recognize the existence of the communication target wireless device.

8. A wireless communication device comprising:

an ultra wideband (UWB) communication unit that transmits and receives a UWB signal using an ultra-short-range wideband antenna;

a ranging section configured to measure a distance to a communication target apparatus based on a transmitted or received UWB signal;

a determination section configured to communicate, based on a measurement result by the ranging section, whether or not the wireless communication device is in or on the communication target apparatus; and

a data transfer section configured to execute data transmission in response to a determination by the distance determination section that the wireless communication device is in or on the communication target apparatus,

wherein the ultra-short-range wideband antenna'"'"'s characteristics regarding both a reflection characteristic and coupling characteristic become favorable for the UWB communication in a near field within one wavelength of a frequency used in the UWB communication.

9. The wireless communication device according to claim 8, further comprising:

an authentication section configured to execute authentication processing with the communication target apparatus that is within such a distance from the wireless communication device that the wireless communication device is allowed to communicate with the communication target apparatus by the UWB communication unit.

10. The wireless communication device according to claim 8, further comprising:

a fixing section configured to fix the communication target apparatus so that the distance to the communication target apparatus is within the predetermined range.

11. The wireless communication device according to claim 10, wherein

the fixing section allows the wireless communication device to be housed in the communication target apparatus device to be housed in the communication target apparatus.

12. A wireless communication device comprising:

an ultra wideband (UWB) communication unit that transmits and receives a UWB signal using an ultra-short-range wideband antenna;

a recognition section configured to recognize that the wireless communication device is in or on a communication target apparatus; and

a data transfer data transmission by use of the UWB communication unit in response to a recognition of the communication target apparatus by the recognition section,

wherein the ultra-short-range wideband antenna'"'"'s characteristics regarding both a reflection characteristic and coupling characteristic become favorable for the UWB communication in a near field within one wavelength of a frequency used in the UWB communication.

13. The wireless communication device according to claim 12, wherein

the recognition section detects the communication target apparatus by using a polling function to thereby recognize existence of a communication target wireless device.

14. The wireless communication device according to claim 8 or 12, wherein

an RTS/CTS method is used in the data transmission, and

the ranging section measures the distance based on a UWB signal that has carried a CTS packet that is sent from the communication target apparatus after transmission of an RTS packet.

15. A wireless communication method for carrying out wireless data transmission between apparatuses by use of ultra wideband (UWB) communication, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring a distance to a communication target apparatus based on a transmitted or received UWB signal;

determining, based on a measurement result in the measuring, whether or not the wireless communication device is in or on the communication target apparatus; and

executing short-range data transmission, using an ultra-short-range wideband antenna, with a throughput equal to or higher than a predetermined throughput by UWB communication in response to determining that the wireless communication device is in or on the communication target apparatus,

wherein the ultra-short-range wideband antenna'"'"'s characteristics regarding both a reflection characteristic and coupling characteristic become favorable for the UWB communication in a near field within one wavelength of a frequency used in the UWB communication.

16. The wireless communication method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of:

executing authentication processing with the communication target apparatus that is within such a distance that communication to the communication target apparatus by UWB communication is possible.

19. The wireless communication method according to claim 15 or 17, wherein

an RTS/CTS method is used in the wireless data transmission, and

in the measuring, the distance is measured based on a UWB signal that has carried a CTS packet that is sent from the communication target apparatus after transmission of an RTS packet.

17. A wireless communication method for carrying out wireless data transmission between apparatuses by use of ultra wideband (UWB) communication, the method comprising the steps of:

recognizing that the wireless device is in or on a communication target apparatus, the communication target apparatus fixing a distance between the wireless device and the communication target apparatus such that communication to the communication target apparatus is possible; and

starting data transmission, when the communication target is within the distance, by use of the UWB communication and an ultra-short-range wideband antenna in response to a recognition of the communication target apparatus in the recognizing step, and

wherein the ultra-short-range wideband antenna'"'"'s characteristics regarding both a reflection characteristic and coupling characteristic become favorable for the UWB communication in a near field within one wavelength of a frequency used in the UWB communication.

18. The wireless communication method according to claim 17, wherein

in the recognizing step, the communication target apparatus is detected by using a polling function to thereby recognize existence of a communication target wireless device.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program for carrying out wireless data transmission between apparatuses by use of ultra wideband (UWB) communication is executed on a computer system, the computer program causing the computer system to execute the steps of:

measuring a distance to a communication target apparatus based on a transmitted or received UWB signal;

determining, based on a measurement result in the measuring, whether or not a device is located in or on the communication target apparatus; and

executing short-range data transmission, using an ultra-short-range wideband antenna, with a throughput equal to or higher than a predetermined throughput by UWB communication in response to a determination in the determining the device is located in or on the communication target apparatus,

wherein the ultra-short-range wideband antenna'"'"'s characteristics regarding both a reflection characteristic and coupling characteristic become favorable for the UWB communication in a near field within one wavelength of a frequency used in the UWB communication.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program for carrying out wireless data transmission between apparatuses by use of ultra wideband (UWB) communication is executed on a computer system, the computer program causing the computer system to execute the steps of:

recognizing that the wireless device is in or on a communication target apparatus, the communication target apparatus fixing a distance between the wireless device and the communication target apparatus such that communication to the communication target apparatus is possible; and

starting data transmission, when the communication target is within the distance, by use of the UWB communication and an ultra-short-range wideband antenna in response to a recognition of the communication target apparatus in the recognizing step, and

wherein the ultra-short-range wideband antenna'"'"'s characteristics regarding both a reflection characteristic and coupling characteristic become favorable for the UWB communication in a near field within one wavelength of a frequency used in the UWB communication.

22. A data transfer system in which wireless data transmission is carried out between a first device and a second device that each includes a ultra wideband (UWB) wireless device, the data transfer system comprising:

a ranging unit that is provided in the UWB wireless device of at least one of the first and second devices and measures a distance to the other of the first and second devices;

a determination unit that determines, based on a measurement result by the ranging unit, whether or not the first device is in or on the second device; and

a data transfer unit that establishes, using the ultra-short-range wideband antenna, a connection between the first and second devices when the first device is in or on the second device,

wherein the ultra-short-range wideband antenna'"'"'s characteristics regarding both a reflection characteristic and coupling characteristic become favorable for the UWB communication in a near field within one wavelength of a frequency used in the UWB communication.

23. A data transfer system in which wireless data transmission is carried out between a first device and a second device that each include a ultra wideband (UWB) wireless device, the data transfer system comprising:

a recognition unit that is included in at least one of the first and second devices and recognizes that the first device is in or on the second device; and

a data transfer unit that starts, when a distance between the first and second devices is within a predetermined range, data transmission, using an ultra-short-range wideband antenna, between the first and second devices in response to a recognition of the first device is in or on the second device through the recognition unit and,

wherein the ultra-short-range wideband antenna'"'"'s characteristics regarding both a reflection characteristic and coupling characteristic become favorable for the UWB communication in a near field within one wavelength of a frequency used in the UWB communication.

24. A wireless communication device comprising:

an ultra wideband (UWB) communication unit that transmits and receives a UWB signal;

a ranging unit that measures a distance to a communication target apparatus based on a transmitted or received UWB signal;

a determination unit that determines, based on a measurement result by the ranging unit, whether or not the wireless communication device is in or on the communication target apparatus; and

a data transfer unit that executes data transmission, using an ultra-short-range wideband antenna, in response to a determination that the wireless communication device is in or on the communication target device,

wherein the ultra-short-range wideband antenna'"'"'s characteristics regarding both a reflection characteristic and coupling characteristic become favorable for the UWB communication in a near field within one wavelength of a frequency used in the UWB communication.

25. A wireless communication device comprising:

an ultra wideband (UWB) communication unit that transmits and receives a UWB signal;

a recognition unit that recognizes that the wireless communication device is in or on a communication target apparatus; and

a data transfer unit that starts, when the wireless communication device is in or on the target apparatus, data transmission by use of the UWB communication unit in response to a recognition of the communication target apparatus by the recognition unit,

wherein an ultra-short-range wideband antenna'"'"'s characteristics regarding both a reflection characteristic and coupling characteristic become favorable for the UWB communication in a near field within one wavelength of a frequency used in the UWB communication.