Communication device, communication method, program and communication system

• US 8,401,596 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2009
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takayama, Yoshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US12/625,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20100130127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 455/574, 455/522, 455/127.5, 455/231, 455/41.2, 455/41.1, 370/296, 370/350
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A communication device is provided and includes: an electromagnetic-wave generating means for outputting an electromagnetic wave; and a transmitting/receiving means for transmitting data by modulating the electromagnetic wave in accordance with data as well as receiving data transmitted from the other device by demodulating the electromagnetic wave outputted by the electromagnetic-wave generating means or the electromagnetic wave outputted by the other device as the other party of communication, wherein the transmitting/receiving means transmits attribute information indicating communication ability of the device itself as well as receives attribute information indicating communication ability of the other device as the data, and the electromagnetic-wave generating means turns off the output of the electromagnetic wave for a given period of time after the transmission of the data based on the attribute information.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

an electromagnetic-wave generating means for outputting an electromagnetic wave; and

a transmitting/receiving means for transmitting data by modulating the electromagnetic wave in accordance with data as well as receiving data transmitted from the other device by demodulating the electromagnetic wave outputted by the electromagnetic-wave generating means or the electromagnetic wave outputted by the other device as the other party of communication,

wherein the transmitting/receiving means transmits attribute information indicating communication ability of the device itself as well as receives attribute information indicating communication ability of the other device as the data,

the electromagnetic-wave generating means turns off the output of the electromagnetic wave for a given period of time after the transmission of the data based on the attribute information,

the attribute information transmitted and received by the transmitting/receiving means includes information concerning the given period of time for which output of the electromagnetic wave is turned off, and

the electromagnetic-wave generating means turns off output of the electromagnetic wave for the given time determined by the attribute information.

2. The communication device according to claim 1,

wherein, in an active mode in which data is transmitted by modulating the electromagnetic wave in accordance with data as well as data transmitted from the other device is received by demodulating the electromagnetic wave outputted by the other device, the electromagnetic-wave generating means turns off output of the electromagnetic wave for a given period of time shorter than an initial delay time which is the minimum time for which a device which intends to start transmission/reception of data have to check that the electromagnetic wave is not output.

3. The communication device according to claim 1,

wherein, when the given period of time is longer than the initial delay time which is the minimum time for which a device which intends to start transmission/reception of data have to check that the electromagnetic wave is not output, the communication device does not respond to output of the electromagnetic wave from another device which intends to start transmission/reception of data until the communication mode in which output of the electromagnetic wave is turned off during the given period of time is released.

4. A communication method for a communication device including an electromagnetic-wave generating means for outputting an electromagnetic wave and a transmitting/receiving means for transmitting data by modulating the electromagnetic wave in accordance with data as well as receiving data transmitted from another device by demodulating the electromagnetic wave outputted by the electromagnetic-wave generating means or the electromagnetic wave outputted by the other device as the other party of communication, the method comprising:

transmitting attribute information indicating communication ability of the device as well as receiving attribute information indicating communication ability of the other device as the data by the transmitting/receiving means; and

turning off output of the electromagnetic wave for a given period of time after transmission of the data based on the attribute information by the electromagnetic-wave generating means,

wherein the attribute information includes information concerning the given period of time for which output of the electromagnetic wave is turned off, and the output of the electromagnetic wave is turned off for the given time determined by the attribute information.

5. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program including instructions that when executed by a processor perform steps for

transmitting attribute information indicating communication ability of a device as well as receiving attribute information indicating communication ability of another device as data by the transmitting/receiving means for transmitting data by modulating the electromagnetic wave in accordance with data as well as receiving data transmitted from the other device by demodulating the electromagnetic wave outputted by the electromagnetic-wave generating means or the electromagnetic wave outputted by the other device as the other party of communication, and

turning off output of the electromagnetic wave for a given period of time after transmission of the data based on the attribute information by the electromagnetic-wave generating means,

wherein the attribute information includes information concerning the given period of time for which output of the electromagnetic wave is turned off, and the output of the electromagnetic wave is turned off for the given time determined by the attribute information.

6. A communication system comprising:

a first communication device; and

a second communication device which is the other party of communication,

wherein the first communication device includes

an electromagnetic-wave generating means for outputting an electromagnetic wave, and

a first transmitting/receiving means for transmitting data by modulating the electromagnetic wave in accordance with data as well as receiving data transmitted from the second communication device by demodulating the electromagnetic wave outputted by the electromagnetic-wave generating means or the electromagnetic wave outputted by the second communication device,

the first transmitting/receiving means transmits attribute information indicating communication ability of the first communication device as well as receives attribute information indicating communication ability of the second communication device as data,

the electromagnetic-wave generating means turns off output of the electromagnetic wave for a given period of time after transmission of the data based on the attribute information,

wherein the attribute information transmitted and received by the first transmitting receiving means includes information concerning the given period of time for which output of the electromagnetic wave is turned off, and

the electromagnetic-wave generating means turns off output of the electromagnetic wave for the given time determined by the attribute information;

the second communication device includes

a second transmitting/receiving means for receiving data transmitted from the first communication device by demodulating the electromagnetic wave outputted by the first communication device as well as transmitting data by modulating the electromagnetic wave outputted by the first communication device or the electromagnetic wave outputted by the device for itself in accordance with the data, and

the second transmitting/receiving means receives attribute information indicating communication ability of the first communication device as well as transmits attribute information indicating communication ability of the second communication device as data.

7. A communication device comprising:

an electromagnetic-wave generating unit configured to output an electromagnetic wave; and

a transmitting/receiving unit configured to transmit data by modulating the electromagnetic wave in accordance with data as well as receive data transmitted from another device by demodulating the electromagnetic wave outputted by the electromagnetic-wave generating unit or the electromagnetic wave outputted by the other device as the other party of communication,

wherein the transmitting/receiving unit transmits attribute information indicating communication ability of the communication device as well as receives attribute information indicating communication ability of the other device as the data,

the electromagnetic-wave generating unit turns off the output of the electromagnetic wave for a given period of time after the transmission of the data based on the attribute information,

the attribute information transmitted and received by the transmitting/receiving unit includes information concerning the given period of time for which output of the electromagnetic wave is turned off, and

the electromagnetic-wave generating unit turns off output of the electromagnetic wave for the given time determined by the attribute information.

8. A communication system comprising:

a first communication device; and

a second communication device which is the other party of communication,

wherein the first communication device includes

an electromagnetic-wave generating unit configured to output an electromagnetic wave, and

a first transmitting/receiving unit configured to transmit data by modulating the electromagnetic wave in accordance with data as well as receive data transmitted from the second communication device by demodulating the electromagnetic wave outputted by the electromagnetic-wave generating unit or the electromagnetic wave outputted by the second communication device,

the first transmitting/receiving unit transmits attribute information indicating communication ability of the first communication device as well as receives attribute information indicating communication ability of the second communication device as data,

the electromagnetic-wave generating unit turns off output of the electromagnetic wave for a given period of time after transmission of the data based on the attribute information,

wherein the attribute information transmitted and received by the first transmitting/receiving unit includes information concerning the given period of time for which output of the electromagnetic wave is turned off, and

the electromagnetic-wave generating unit turns off output of the electromagnetic wave for the given time determined by the attribute information;

the second communication device includes

a second transmitting/receiving unit configured to receive data transmitted from the first communication device by demodulating the electromagnetic wave outputted by the first communication device as well as transmit data by modulating the electromagnetic wave outputted by the first communication device or the electromagnetic wave outputted by the device for itself in accordance with the data, and

the second transmitting/receiving unit receives attribute information indicating communication ability of the first communication device as well as transmits attribute information indicating communication ability of the second communication device as data.