Communication method, communication device, and computer program

• US 8,837,448 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sakoda, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): BLANTON, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US14/049,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20140079034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/244 using a network of reference devices, e.g. beaconing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/53 based on regulatory allocation policies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

An electronic device forming part of a communication system includes first processing circuitry configured to receive a beacon from a counterpart device. The communication system also includes second processing circuitry that causes the counterpart device to set a transmitting and receiving operation as active state for a first operating period.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

processing circuitry configured to;

set a transmitting and receiving operation as active state for a first operating period, wherein the first operating period is a designated time period starting at a beacon transmitting timing;

determine whether to set the transmitting and receiving operation as a state in which transmission or reception is limited after the first operating period elapses; and

set a transmitting and receiving operation as active state for a second operating period such that there is an inactive state set between the first operating period and the second operating period, the second operating period being scheduled in advance,

wherein a start time, duration, and interval of the second operating period is based on information included in a beacon signal transmitted from the electronic device to a counterpart device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, the processing circuitry further configured to control transmitting to and receiving from a counterpart device according to ad-hoc communication.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, the processing circuitry configured to keep the transmitting and receiving operation as active state according to reception of a signal from a counterpart device even after the first operating period elapses.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first operating period is shorter than a beacon interval.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna unit configured to transmit or receive signals.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

an interface unit configured to exchange information sets with an external device.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a transceiver configured to communicate with a counterpart communication apparatus.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device determines a duration of the first operating period.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device determines that the transmitting and receiving operation is to be set in the state in which transmission or reception is limited in response to a determination that all counterpart apparatuses of the electronic device are in a state in which transmission or reception is limited after the first operating period elapses.

10. A communication method comprising:

setting, in an electronic device, a transmitting and receiving operation as active state for a first operating period, wherein the first operating period is a designated time period starting at a beacon transmitting timing;

determining whether to set the transmitting and receiving operation as a state in which transmission or reception is limited after the first operating period elapses; and

setting a transmitting and receiving operation as active state for a second operating period such that there is an inactive state set between the first operating period and the second operating period, the second operating period being scheduled in advance,

wherein a start time, duration, and interval of the second operating period is based on information included in a beacon signal transmitted from the electronic device to a counterpart device.

11. The communication method of claim 10, further comprising controlling transmitting to and receiving from a counterpart device according to ad-hoc communication.

12. The communication method of claim 10, further comprising keeping the transmitting and receiving operation as active state according to reception of a signal from a counterpart device even after the first operating period elapses.

13. The communication method of claim 10, wherein the first operating period is shorter than a beacon interval.

14. The communication method of claim 10, further comprising using an antenna unit to transmit or receive signals.

15. The communication method of claim 10, further comprising using an interface unit to exchange information sets with an external device.

16. The communication method of claim 10, further comprising determining a duration of the first operating period.

17. The communication method of claim 10, wherein the determining determines that the transmitting and receiving operation is to be set in the state in which transmission or reception is limited in response to a determination that all counterpart apparatuses of the electronic device are in a state in which transmission or reception is limited after the first operating period elapses.

18. A communication apparatus comprising:

a transceiver configured to communicate with a counterpart communication apparatus; and

processing circuitry configured to

set a transmitting and receiving operation as active state for a first operating period, wherein the first operating period is a designated time period starting at a beacon transmitting timing; and

determine whether to set the transmitting and receiving operation as a state in which transmission or reception is limited after the first operating period elapses; and

set a transmitting and receiving operation as active state for a second operating period such that there is an inactive state set between the first operating period and the second operating period, the second operating period being scheduled in advance,

wherein a start time, duration, and interval of the second operating period is based on information included in a beacon signal transmitted from the electronic device to a counterpart device.

19. The communication apparatus of claim 18, the processing circuitry further configured to control transmitting to and receiving from a counterpart device according to ad-hoc communication.

20. The communication apparatus of claim 18, the processing circuitry configured to keep the transmitting and receiving operation as active state according to reception of a signal from a counterpart device even after the first operating period elapses.

21. The communication apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first operating period is shorter than a beacon interval.

22. The communication apparatus of claim 18, the processing circuitry further configured to set the transmitting and receiving operation as active state for a third operating period, the third operating period is from a beacon transmitting timing to a next beacon transmitting timing.

23. The communication apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

an interface unit configured to exchange information sets with an external device.