Wireless communication device

• US 8,150,449 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Onozawa, Katsuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIVJI, NIZAR N
• Application Number:
  US11/564,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20070149124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,951 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/41.2, 455/404.1, 455/426.1, 455/418, 455/557, 455/456.3, 455/411, 455/403, 455/561
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A wireless communication device for effecting wireless communication using a short-range wireless communication method having a ranging function, which carries out wireless connection establishment/disconnection control using ranging information. For example, the wireless communication device determines the range to another wireless communication device within wireless communication range, and if it finds a wireless communication device present within a predetermined range establishes a wireless connection with that wireless communication device, and disconnects the connection if the wireless communication device with which the device is in wireless connection passes beyond a predetermined range.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

a wireless communication unit that (a) measures a distance to an external wireless communication device, (b) establishes a wireless connection between the wireless communication device and the external wireless communication device if the measured distance to the external wireless communication device is within a first distance from the wireless communication device and exceeds a third distance from the wireless communication device, the third distance being shorter than the first distance, (c) disconnects the wireless connection established between the wireless communication device and the external wireless communication device if the measured distance to the external wireless communication device is within the third distance from the wireless communication device, and (d) disconnects the wireless connection established between the wireless communication device and the external wireless communication device if the measured distance to the external wireless communication device exceeds a second distance from the wireless communication device, the second distance being longer than the first distance; and

a control unit that (a) controls the wireless communication device based on a first event indicating that the wireless communication unit has established the wireless connection between the wireless communication device and the external wireless communication device, and (b) controls the wireless communication device based on a second event indicating that the wireless communication unit has disconnected the wireless connection established between the wireless communication device and the external wireless communication device.

2. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit uses a short-range wireless communication method to communicate with the external wireless communication device.

3. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is a printer.

4. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the external wireless communication device is one of a camera and a device having a camera.

9. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit uses one of UWB (Ultra-Wideband) and wireless USB (Universal Serial Bus) to communicate with the external wireless communication device.

5. A method of controlling a wireless communication device having a wireless communication unit, the method comprising:

causing the wireless communication unit to measure a distance to an external wireless communication device;

causing the wireless communication unit to establish a wireless connection between the wireless communication device and the external wireless communication device if the measured distance to the external wireless communication device is within a first distance from the wireless communication device and exceeds a third distance from the wireless communication device, the third distance being shorter than the first distance;

causing the wireless communication unit to disconnect the wireless connection established between the wireless communication device and the external wireless communication device if the measured distance to the external wireless communication device is within the third distance from the wireless communication device;

causing the wireless communication unit to disconnect the wireless connection established between the wireless communication device and the external wireless communication device if the measured distance to the external wireless communication device exceeds a second distance from the wireless communication device, the second distance being longer than the first distance;

controlling the wireless communication device based on a first event indicating that the wireless communication unit has established the wireless connection between the wireless communication device and the external wireless communication device; and

controlling the wireless communication device based on a second event indicating that the wireless communication unit has disconnected the wireless connection established between the wireless communication device and the external wireless communication device.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the wireless communication unit uses a short-range wireless communication method to communicate with the external wireless communication device.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the wireless communication device is a printer.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the external wireless communication device is one of a camera and a device having a camera.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein the wireless communication unit uses one of UWB (Ultra-Wideband) and wireless USB (Universal Serial Bus) to communicate with the external wireless communication device.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for causing an apparatus to execute the method according to claim 5.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which are executed by an apparatus, for causing the apparatus to perform operations comprising:

causing a wireless communication unit to measure a distance to an external wireless communication device;

causing the wireless communication unit to establish a wireless connection between the wireless communication device and the external wireless communication device if the measured distance to the external wireless communication device is within a first distance from the wireless communication device and exceeds a third distance from the wireless communication device, the third distance being shorter than the first distance;

causing the wireless communication unit to disconnect the wireless connection established between the wireless communication device and the external wireless communication device if the measured distance to the external wireless communication device is within the third distance from the wireless communication device;

causing the wireless communication unit to disconnect the wireless connection established between the wireless communication device and the external wireless communication device if the measured distance to the external wireless communication device exceeds a second distance from the wireless communication device, the second distance being longer than the first distance;

controlling the wireless communication device based on a first event indicating that the wireless communication unit has established the wireless connection between the wireless communication device and the external wireless communication device; and

controlling the wireless communication device based on a second event indicating that the wireless communication unit has disconnected the wireless connection established between the wireless communication device and the external wireless communication device.