Circuit arrangement, communication device, and communication system

• US 9,107,165 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2012
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 138 East LCD Advancements Limited (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US13/421,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20120244799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 455/39, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/413
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A circuit arrangement performs communication with an external device including a second sensor detecting a given event, includes a sensor input unit that processes input from a first sensor detecting the given event and a communication control unit that controls operation of a wireless communication unit, and determines a communication time based on an output of the first sensor and performs communication with the external device via the wireless communication unit according to the communication time.

Claims

1. A circuit arrangement that performs communication with an external device including a second sensor detecting a given event, comprising:

a sensor input unit that processes input from a first sensor detecting the given event; and

a communication control unit that controls operation of a wireless communication unit, wherein

the communication control unit (i) generates an interrupt signal to bring the wireless communication unit into a communicable status only if it is determined that the output value of the first sensor has exceeded a predetermined threshold value, and (ii) determines a communication time based on an output of the first sensor;

the communication control unit causing the wireless communication unit to communicate a measurement result of the given event detected by the sensor input unit with the external device only during the determined communication time.

2. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein communication with the external device via the wireless communication unit is started based on the output of the first sensor, and communication with the external device via the wireless communication unit is performed based on an output of a timer after a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the communication.

3. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein communication with the external device via the wireless communication unit is performed when it is determined that the output of the first sensor satisfies a predetermined condition a predetermined number of times.

4. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein communication with the external device via the wireless communication unit is performed after a predetermined time has elapsed from a determination that the output of the first sensor satisfies a predetermined condition.

5. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a sensor that detects at least one of movement, light, sound, and pressure.

6. A communication device comprising:

the circuit arrangement according to claim 1;

the first sensor; and

the wireless communication unit.

7. The communication device according to claim 6, wherein the first sensor is an inertia sensor that detects movement, and

the circuit arrangement performs processing of measuring the number of steps based on the output of the first sensor, and performs processing of transmitting a measurement result to the external device via the wireless communication unit at a communication time determined based on the output of the first sensor.

8. A communication system including a first communication device and a second communication device that perform wireless communication with each other,

the first communication device including:

a first wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication between the second communication device and itself,

a first sensor that detects a given event, and

a first circuit arrangement that determines a first communication time based on an output of the first sensor, and communicates a measurement result of the given event detected by the first sensor with the second communication device via the first wireless communication unit only during the first communication time, and

the second communication device including;

a second wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication between the first communication device and itself,

a second sensor that detects the given event, and

a second circuit arrangement that determines a second communication time based on an output of the second sensor, and performs communication with the first communication device via the second wireless communication unit according to the second communication time,

wherein the first communication device generates an interrupt signal to bring the first wireless communication unit into a communicable status only if it is determined that the output value of the first sensor has exceeded a predetermined threshold value.

9. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are inertia sensors that detect movement, and

the first communication device and the second communication device are mounted on a human body or a vehicle body.

10. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are inertia sensors that detect movement,

the first circuit arrangement performs processing of measuring the number of steps based on the output of the first sensor, and performs processing of transmitting a measurement result to the second communication device via the first wireless communication unit at a communication time determined based on the output of the first sensor, and

the second circuit arrangement performs processing of receiving the measurement result via the second wireless communication unit at a communication time determined based on the output of the second sensor.