Communication apparatus and method of controlling same

• US 8,335,548 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2007
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuwana, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, MONG-THUY THI
• Application Number:
  US11/757,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20070293223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,024 Days
• Field of Search: 455/126, 455/436, 455/426.1, 455/444, 455/343.5, 455/574, 455/127.5, 455/127.1, 455/343.1, 370/252, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

When a communication apparatus is operating as a control station on a network, control is exercised so as to handover the control station when it is recognized that the status of the power supply of another communication apparatus participating in this network is indicative of commercial power. Recognition is performed by receiving information, which requests handover of the control station, from the other communication apparatus whose power-supply status is indicative of commercial power.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus, comprising:

a determination device configured to determine whether a remaining capacity of a battery is less than a predetermined capacity;

a requesting device configured to, in a case where the communication apparatus is operating as a control station of a network, request each other communication apparatus participating in the network to transmit a power supply status in a case where the determination device determines that the remaining capacity of the battery is less than the predetermined capacity;

a recognition device configured to recognize, from a power supply status, a type of power supply for each other communication apparatus participating in the network from received power supply statuses; and

a handover device configured to execute processing for handing over operation of the control station to another communication apparatus participating in the network in a case where the recognition device recognizes the type of power supply of the another communication apparatus as a commercial power supply,

wherein the recognition device recognizes the type of power supply of the another communication apparatus as a battery power supply before the determination device determines that the remaining capacity of the battery of the communication apparatus is less than the predetermined capacity and subsequently recognizes the type of power supply of the another communication apparatus as a commercial power supply after the determination device determines that the remaining capacity of the battery of the communication apparatus is less than the predetermined capacity.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the handover device requests the another communication apparatus to execute processing for handing over operation of the control station to the another communication apparatus.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the request from the handover device further includes a request to the another communication apparatus to issue a handover request to the handover device, wherein the handover request issued by the another communication apparatus is to execute processing for handing over operation of the control station to the another communication apparatus.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus shifts to a power-saving state after the handover device hands over operation of the control station to the another communication apparatus.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a MAC device; and

a power-saving mode transition device configured to cause the MAC device to shift to a power-saving mode as part of the power-saving state.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the communication apparatus is operating as a control station of a network, the requesting device further is configured to notify each other communication apparatus participating in the network, in conjunction with a request to transmit a power supply status, that the remaining capacity of the battery of the communication apparatus is less than the predetermined capacity.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the recognition device recognizes the type of power supply of the another communication apparatus as a battery power supply before the requesting device notifies the another communication apparatus that the remaining capacity of the battery of the communication apparatus is less than the predetermined capacity and subsequently recognizes the type of power supply of the another communication apparatus as a commercial power supply after the requesting device notifies the another communication apparatus that the remaining capacity of the battery of the communication apparatus is less than the predetermined capacity.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the request to each other communication apparatus to transmit a power supply status is configured to cause a commercial power supply to be introduced into each other communication apparatus.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination device further is configured to determine a period of time over which data communication of the communication apparatuses participating in the network has been in progress and wherein the determination device further is configured to decide whether to determine the remaining capacity of the battery as a function of a determined period of time.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the handover device further is configured to not execute processing for handing over operation of the control station to another communication apparatus participating in the network in a case where the recognition device does not recognize a commercial power supply as a type of power supply of any other communication apparatus participating in the network.

11. A method for a communication apparatus, the method comprising:

determining whether a remaining capacity of a battery is less than a predetermined capacity;

requesting, in a case where the communication apparatus is operating as a control station of a network, each other communication apparatus participating in the network to transmit a power supply status in a case where it is determined that the remaining capacity of the battery is less than the predetermined capacity;

recognizing, from a power supply status, a type of power supply for each other communication apparatus participating in the network from received power supply statuses; and

executing processing for handing over operation of the control station to another communication apparatus participating in the network in a case where the type of power supply of the another communication apparatus is recognized as a commercial power supply,

wherein recognizing includes recognizing the type of power supply of the another communication apparatus as a battery power supply before determining that the remaining capacity of the battery of the communication apparatus is less than the predetermined capacity and subsequently recognizing the type of power supply of the another communication apparatus as a commercial power supply after determining that the remaining capacity of the battery of the communication apparatus is less than the predetermined capacity.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein executing processing includes requesting the another communication apparatus to execute processing for handing over operation of the control station to the another communication apparatus.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein requesting the another communication apparatus to execute processing for handing over operation of the control station includes requesting the another communication apparatus to issue a handover request to the communication apparatus, wherein the issued handover request is to execute processing for handing over operation of the control station to the another communication apparatus.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the communication apparatus shifts to a power-saving state after operation of the control station is handed over to the another communication apparatus.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

causing the communication apparatus to shift to a power-saving mode as part of the power-saving state.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein, in a case where the communication apparatus is operating as a control station of a network, requesting includes notifying each other communication apparatus participating in the network, in conjunction with requesting to transmit a power supply status, that the remaining capacity of the battery of the communication apparatus is less than the predetermined capacity.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein recognizing includes (i) recognizing the type of power supply of the another communication apparatus as a battery power supply before notifying the another communication apparatus that the remaining capacity of the battery of the communication apparatus is less than the predetermined capacity and (ii) subsequently recognizing the type of power supply of the another communication apparatus as a commercial power supply after notifying the another communication apparatus that the remaining capacity of the battery of the communication apparatus is less than the predetermined capacity.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein requesting each other communication apparatus to transmit a power supply status causes a commercial power supply to be introduced into each other communication apparatus.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein determining further includes determining a period of time over which data communication of the communication apparatuses participating in the network has been in progress and deciding whether to determine the remaining capacity of the battery as a function of a determined period of time.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein executing processing further includes not executing processing for handing over operation of the control station to another communication apparatus participating in the network in a case where a commercial power supply is not recognized as a type of power supply of any other communication apparatus participating in the network.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a communication apparatus to perform a method comprising:

determining whether a remaining capacity of a battery is less than a predetermined capacity;

requesting, in a case where the communication apparatus is operating as a control station of a network, each other communication apparatus participating in the network to transmit a power supply status in a case where it is determined that the remaining capacity of the battery is less than the predetermined capacity;

recognizing, from a power supply status, a type of power supply for each other communication apparatus participating in the network from received power supply statuses; and

executing processing for handing over operation of the control station to another communication apparatus participating in the network in a case where the type of power supply of the another communication apparatus is recognized as a commercial power supply,

wherein recognizing includes recognizing the type of power supply of the another communication apparatus as a battery power supply before determining that the remaining capacity of the battery of the communication apparatus is less than the predetermined capacity and subsequently recognizing the type of power supply of the another communication apparatus as a commercial power supply after determining that the remaining capacity of the battery of the communication apparatus is less than the predetermined capacity.