Data communication apparatus, communication method, and program

• US 8,594,580 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2006
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Nishikawa, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIAO, HSINCHUN
• Application Number:
  US12/445,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20100085161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,542 Days
• Field of Search: 455/62, 455/63.3, 455/127, 340/10.3
• US Class Current: 455/63.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference

Abstract

In a data reading apparatus performing contactless data communications with IC tags, a multi channel setting section sets a plurality of frequencies to be used for data communication with an IC tag in advance; a multi channel interference detecting section detects radio interference from other data reader in each of the set plurality of frequencies, prior to occurrence of a data communication request with an IC tag; a carrier sense lapse time holding section holds a period of no interference based on an interference detection result from the multi channel interference detecting section; a time comparing section determines whether the carrier sense lapse time held by the carrier sense lapse time holding section is on or above a predetermined carrier sense time upon occurrence of the data communication request with the IC tag, and permits the data communication with the IC tag when the carrier sense lapse time is on or above the carrier sense time; a transmitting section transmits data to the IC tag; and hence wait time for interference detection may be reduced.

Claims

1. A data communication apparatus performing a wireless data communication with a communication destination device, comprising:

an interference monitoring section that, upon expiration of a carrier sense interval and prior to receipt of a request to start wireless data communication with a communication destination device, sequentially monitors radio interference in each of a plurality of usage scheduled frequencies to be used for the wireless data communication with the communication destination device;

a time comparing section that, upon receipt of the request to start the wireless data communication with the communication destination device, compares a duration of no interference, during which the interference monitoring section detects no radio interference in a monitored one of the usage scheduled frequencies, with a threshold corresponding to the duration of no interference, and permits the wireless data communication in the monitored one of the usage scheduled frequencies when the duration of no interference exceeds the threshold, the time comparing section not permitting data wireless data communication in the monitored one of the usage scheduled frequencies and resetting the carrier sense interval when radio interference is detected in the monitored one of the usage scheduled frequencies; and

a communicating section that performs the wireless data communication with the communication destination device in one of the usage scheduled frequencies based on a permission issued by the time comparing section.

2. The data communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time comparing section permits the wireless data communication in one of the usage scheduled frequencies corresponding to a duration of no interference that is less than the threshold at a time of receipt of the request to start the wireless data communication with the communication destination device, when the duration of no interference exceeds the threshold, as a result of no radio interference detected in the one of the usage scheduled frequencies by the interference monitoring section even after receipt of the request to start the wireless data communication with the communication destination device.

3. The data communication apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a usage scheduled frequency setting section that sets a plurality of frequencies as the plurality of usage scheduled frequencies, and also sets an order of monitoring radio interference by the interference monitoring section in the plurality of usage scheduled frequencies;

wherein the interference monitoring section monitors radio interference in one of the plurality of usage scheduled frequencies according to the order of monitoring set by the usage scheduled frequency setting section, and monitors radio interference in a next usage scheduled frequency in the order of monitoring when radio interference is detected in the one of the plurality of usage scheduled frequencies being monitored.

4. The data communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data communication apparatus is a data reading apparatus that is configured to communicate with a contactless IC tag as the communication destination device.

5. A communication method, where a data communication apparatus performs a wireless data communication with a communication destination device, comprising:

upon expiration of a carrier sense interval and prior to receipt of a request to start wireless data communication with a communication destination device, sequentially monitoring, by the data communication apparatus, radio interference in a plurality of usage scheduled frequencies to be used for the wireless data communication with the communication destination device;

comparing, by the data communication apparatus and upon receipt of the request to start the wireless data communication with the communication destination device, a duration of no interference, during which no radio interference is detected in a monitored one of the usage scheduled frequencies, with a threshold corresponding to the duration of no interference; and

performing, by the data communication apparatus, the wireless data communication with the communication destination device in one of the usage scheduled frequencies in which no radio interference is detected for a duration of no interference that exceeds the threshold.

6. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including computer executable instructions stored therein, the computer executable instructions causing a computer performing a wireless data communication with a communication destination device to execute:

an interference monitoring process, for, upon expiration of a carrier sense interval and prior to receipt of a request to start wireless data communication with a communication destination device, sequentially monitoring radio interference in a plurality of usage scheduled frequencies to be used for the wireless data communication with the communication destination device;

a time comparing process, for, upon receipt of the request to start the wireless data communication with the communication destination device, comparing a duration of no interference, during which no radio interference is detected in a monitored one of the usage scheduled frequencies in the interference monitoring process, with a threshold corresponding to the duration of no interference, and for permitting the wireless data communication in the monitored one of the usage scheduled frequencies, when the duration of no interference exceeds the threshold; and

a communicating process, for performing the wireless data communication with the communication destination device in one of the usage scheduled frequencies based on a permission issued in the time comparing process.