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

• US 9,251,389 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Aoki, Norihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Jain, Ankur
• Application Number:
  US12/866,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20100330906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,499 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/552.1, 340/10.1, 340/10.33, 340/10.34, 710/63
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/00 Accessing, addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures digital input from, or digital output to record carriers, e.g. to disk storage units, G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/38 Information transfer, e.g. on bus G06F13/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10198 setting parameters for the interrogator, e.g. programming parameters and operating modes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/59 Responders; Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A communication terminal includes a first communication unit which has a power supply function by electromagnetic induction and writes or reads information in an active or passive mode, and a second communication unit having a communication capability higher than that of the first communication unit. A mode in which the first communication unit is functioning, the active mode or the passive mode, is determined. Communication via the second communication unit is controlled based on the determination result.

Claims

1. A communication terminal, comprising:

a first communication unit that communicates wirelessly in a passive mode in which the first communication unit communicates by receiving power from an external apparatus, or an active mode in which the first communication unit communicates by providing power;

a second communication unit that communicates wirelessly as a control apparatus or as a controlled apparatus;

determining the mode of the first communication unit connecting to an other communication apparatus; and

activating the second communication unit as either the control apparatus or the controlled apparatus in a case where the first communication unit operated in the passive mode connected with the other communication apparatus, and activates the second communication unit as either the control apparatus or the controlled apparatus in a case where the first communication unit operated in the active mode connected with the other communication apparatus so that the second communication unit is activated differently from an activated one in the case where the first communication unit operated in the passive mode connected with the other communication apparatus, wherein the second communication unit starts a communication with the other communication apparatus operated as the controlled apparatus in a case where the the second communication unit is activated as the control apparatus, and starts a communication with the other communication apparatus operated as the control apparatus in a case where the the second communication unit is activated as the controlled apparatus.

2. The communication terminal according to claim 1, determines whether the first communication unit is functioning as a reader/writer unit that reads or writes information or as a storage unit that stores information that is written or read.

3. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein activating, in the case where the first communication unit operates in the active mode, the second communication unit as the controlled apparatus, and activating, in the case where the first communication unit operates in the passive mode, the second communication unit as the control apparatus.

4. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the first communication unit performs communication using Radio Frequency Identification.

5. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the second communication unit performs communication using Universal Serial Bus On The Go.

6. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the first communication unit outputs a signal related to a determination result to the other communication apparatus.

7. The communication terminal, according to claim 1, wherein the control apparatus comprises a host function.

8. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein activating, in the case where the first communication unit operates in the active mode, the second communication unit as the control apparatus, and activating, in the case where the first communication unit operates in the passive mode, the second communication unit as the controlled apparatus.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed, causes a computer to perform a method, the computer being incorporated in a communication terminal including a first communication unit that communicates wirelessly in a passive mode in which the first communication unit communicates by receiving power from an external apparatus, or an active mode in which the first communication unit communicates by providing power, and a second communication unit that communicates wirelessly as a control apparatus or as a controlled apparatus, comprising:

determining a mode of the first communication unit connecting to an other communication apparatus; and

activating the second communication unit as either the control apparatus or the controlled apparatus in the case where the first communication unit operated in the passive mode connected with the other communication apparatus, and activating the second communication unit as either the control apparatus or the controlled apparatus in a case where the first communication unit operated in the active mode connected with the other communication apparatus so that the second communication unit is activated differently from an activated one in the case where the first communication unit operated in the passive mode connected with the other communication apparatus, wherein the second communication unit starts a communication with the other communication apparatus operated as the controlled apparatus in a case where the second communication unit is activated as the control apparatus, and starts a communication with the other communication apparatus operated as the control apparatus in a case where the second communication unit is activated as the controlled apparatus.

10. A communication method performed by a communication terminal including a first communication unit that communicates wirelessly in a passive mode in which the first communication unit communicates by receiving power from an external apparatus, or an active mode in which the first communication unit communicates by providing power, and a second communication unit that communicates wirelessly as a control apparatus or as a controlled apparatus, comprising the steps of:

determining a mode of the first communication unit connecting to an other communication apparatus; and

activating the second communication unit as either the control apparatus or the controlled apparatus in the case where the first communication unit operated in the passive mode connected with the other communication apparatus, and activating the second communication unit as either the control apparatus or the controlled apparatus in a case where the first communication unit operated in the active mode connected with the other communication apparatus so that the second communication unit is activated differently from an activated one in the case where the first communication unit operated in the passive mode connected with the other communication apparatus, wherein the second communication unit starts a communication with the other communication apparatus operated as the controlled apparatus in a case where the second communication unit is activated as the control apparatus, and starts a communication with the other communication apparatus operated as the control apparatus in a case where the second communication unit is activated as the controlled apparatus.

11. A communication terminal, comprising:

a first communication unit that communicates wirelessly in a first mode in which the first communication unit writes information or reads out information, or a second mode in which another apparatus writes information in the first communication unit or reads out information from the first communication unit;

a second communication unit that communicates wirelessly as a control apparatus or as a controlled apparatus; and

activating the second communication unit as either the control apparatus or the controlled apparatus in a case where the first communication unit operated in the first mode connected with a communication partner apparatus, and activates the second communication unit as either the control apparatus or the controlled apparatus in a case where the first communication unit operated in the second mode connected with the communication partner apparatus so that the second communication unit is activated differently from an activated one in the case where the first communication unit operated in the first mode connected with the communication partner apparatus, wherein the second communication unit starts a communication with the communication partner apparatus in accordance with an activation.

12. The communication terminal according to claim 11, wherein the second communication unit is activated as the control apparatus in a case where the first communication unit operated in the first mode connected with a communication partner apparatus.

13. The communication terminal according to claim 11, wherein the second communication unit is activated as the controlled apparatus in a case where the first communication unit operated in the first mode connected with a communication partner apparatus.

14. The communication terminal according to claim 11, wherein the second communication unit operating as the control apparatus, which controls a partner apparatus via wireless communication, and as a controlled apparatus controlled by the partner apparatus via wireless communication.

15. The communication terminal according to claim 11, wherein the first communication unit and the second communication unit communicate wirelessly.

16. The communication terminal according to claim 11, the first communication unit comprises a contactless communication unit.

17. A control method of a communication apparatus, comprising the steps of:

communicating by a first communication unit that communicates wirelessly in a first mode in which the first communication unit writes information or reads out information, or a second mode in which another apparatus writes information in the first communication unit or reads out information from the first communication unit; and

activating a second communication unit as either a control apparatus or a controlled apparatus in a case where the first communication unit operated in the first mode connected with a communication partner apparatus, and activating the second communication unit as either the control apparatus or the controlled apparatus in a case where the first communication unit operated in the second mode connected with the communication partner apparatus so that the second communication unit is activated differently from an activated one in the case where the first communication unit operated in the first mode connected with the communication partner apparatus, wherein the second communication unit starts a wireless communication with the communication partner apparatus in accordance with an activation.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed, causes a computer to perform a method, the computer being incorporated in a communication apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

communicating by a first communication unit that communicates wirelessly in a first mode in which the first communication unit writes information or reads out information, or a second mode in which another apparatus writes information in the first communication unit or reads out information from the first communication unit; and

activating a second communication unit as either a control apparatus or a controlled apparatus in a case where the first communication unit operated in the first mode connected with a communication partner apparatus, and activating the second communication unit as either the control apparatus or the controlled apparatus in a case where the first communication unit operated in the second mode connected with the communication partner apparatus so that the second communication unit is activated differently from an activated one in the case where the first communication unit operated in the first mode connected with the communication partner apparatus, wherein the second communication unit starts a wireless communication with the communication partner apparatus in accordance with an activation.