Communication terminal, computer-readable storage medium, and communication method

• US 8,676,395 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2009
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Aoki, Norihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Spittle, Matthew D
• Application Number:
  US12/866,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20110035608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 700295-298, 713300-340
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0715 the arrangement including means to regulate power transfer to the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• 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: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A communication terminal includes a first communication unit having a power supply function by electromagnetic induction, and a second communication unit having a communication capability higher than that of the first communication unit. When communicating with a communication partner terminal, it is determined whether to receive power from the communication partner terminal. Upon determining to receive the power by the power supply function of the first communication unit, communication with the communication partner terminal by the second communication unit is controlled using the power supplied from the communication partner terminal by the power supply function of the first communication unit.

Claims

1. A communication terminal comprising:

a first communication unit having a power supply function by electromagnetic induction;

a second communication unit having a communication capability higher than that of the first communication unit;

a power management unit configured to predict an amount of electric power necessary for the communication with the communication partner terminal by the second communication unit and determine, based on a relationship between remaining power and the predicted amount of electric power, whether to receive power by the power supply function of the first communication unit from a communication partner terminal; and

a communication control unit configured to, if the power management unit has determined to receive the power from the communication partner terminal, control communication with the communication partner terminal by the second communication unit using the power supplied from the communication partner terminal via the first communication unit.

2. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the communication terminal stores the power supplied from the communication partner terminal via the first communication unit.

3. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the communication control unit controls communication for requesting the communication partner terminal to supply power if the power management unit has determined to receive the power by the first communication unit and wherein the communication control unit controls communication for requesting the communication partner terminal to stop power supply if the power management unit has determined that it is unnecessary to receive the power.

4. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, the computer program causing a computer incorporated in a communication terminal including a first communication unit having a power supply function by electromagnetic induction, and a second communication unit having a communication capability higher than that of the first communication unit to function as:

a power management unit configured to predict an amount of electric power necessary for the communication with the communication partner terminal by the second communication unit and determine, based on a relationship between remaining power and the predicted amount of electric power, whether to receive power by the power supply function of the first communication unit from a communication partner terminal; and

a communication control unit configured to, if the power management unit has determined to receive the power from the communication partner terminal, control communication with the communication partner terminal by the second communication unit using the power supplied from the communication partner terminal via the first communication unit.

5. A communication method in a communication terminal including a first communication unit having a power supply function by electromagnetic induction, and a second communication unit having a communication capability higher than that of the first communication unit, comprising:

a prediction step of predicting an amount of electric power necessary for the communication with the communication partner terminal by the second communication unit;

a determination step of determining, based on a relationship between remaining power and the predicted amount of electric power, whether to receive power by the power supply function of the first communication unit from a communication partner terminal; and

a communication control step of, upon determining to receive the power from the communication partner terminal, controlling communication with the communication partner terminal by the second communication unit using the power supplied from the communication partner terminal via the first communication unit.

6. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, the computer program causing a computer incorporated in a communication terminal including a first communication unit having a power supply function by electromagnetic induction and including a second communication unit having a communication capability higher than that of the first communication unit to function as:

a determination unit configured to determine whether to receive power by the power supply function of the first communication unit from a communication partner terminal;

a communication control unit configured to, if the determination unit has determined to receive the power from the communication partner terminal, control communication with the communication partner terminal by the second communication unit using the power supplied from the communication partner terminal via the first communication unit and control communication for settling a charge corresponding to an amount of electric power from the communication partner terminal,

wherein the first communication unit receives the power from the communication partner terminal after settlement by settling, and

wherein the determination unit predicts an amount of electric power necessary for the communication with the communication partner terminal by the second communication unit and,

determines, based on a relationship between remaining power and the amount of predicted electric power, whether to receive the power by the power supply function of the first communication unit from a communication partner terminal.

7. A communication method in a communication terminal including a first communication unit having a power supply function by electromagnetic induction and including a second communication unit having a communication capability higher than that of the first communication unit, the method comprising:

a determination step of determining whether to receive power by the power supply function of the first communication unit from a communication partner terminal;

a communication control step of, upon determining to receive the power from the communication partner terminal, controlling communication with the communication partner terminal by the second communication unit using the power supplied from the communication partner terminal via the first communication unit; and

controlling communication for settling a charge corresponding to an amount of electric power supplied from the communication partner terminal,

wherein the first communication unit receives the power from the communication partner terminal after settlement in the settlement step, and

wherein the determination step predicts an amount of electric power necessary for the communication with the communication partner terminal by the second communication unit and,

determines, based on a relationship between remaining power and the amount of predicted electric power, whether to receive the power by the power supply function of the first communication unit from a communication partner terminal.

8. A communication terminal comprising:

a first communication unit having a power supply function by electromagnetic induction;

a second communication unit having a communication capability higher than that of the first communication unit;

a determination unit configured to determine whether to receive power by the power supply function of the first communication unit from a communication partner terminal;

a communication control unit configured to, if the determination unit has determined to receive the power from the communication partner terminal, control communication with the communication partner terminal by the second communication unit using the power supplied from the communication partner terminal via the first communication unit and control communication for settling a charge corresponding to an amount of electric power supplied from the communication partner terminal,

wherein the first communication unit receives the power from the communication partner terminal after settlement by the communication for settling, and

wherein the determination unit predicts an amount of electric power necessary for the communication with the communication partner terminal by the second communication unit and,

determines, based on a relationship between remaining power and the amount of predicted electric power, whether to receive the power by the power supply function of the first communication unit from a communication partner terminal.

9. The terminal according to claim 8, wherein the communication terminal stores the power supplied from the communication partner terminal by the power supply function of the first communication unit.

10. The terminal according to claim 8, further comprising:

a communication control unit controls communication for requesting the communication partner terminal to supply power if the determination unit has determined to receive the power by the first communication unit and

control communication for requesting the communication partner terminal to stop power supply if the determination unit has determined that it is unnecessary to receive the power.