Control apparatus, control method and storage medium

• US 9,278,447 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2013
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tachiwa, Wataru
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY, JASON R
• Application Number:
  US13/852,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20130297069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 700/247, 700/249, 901/2, 901/6, 318/568.2, 318/568.24
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/006 by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/16 Programme controls programme controls in general G05B19/00, e.g. numerical pogramme controls G05B19/18; recording or playback systems G05B19/42
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/052 Linking several PLC's
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23113 Reread, retransmit several times data for valid data, redundant command
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25131 Collect several parameters and transmit in block to control microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25154 Detect error, repeat transmission on error, retransmit
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31251 Redundant access, wireless and hardware access to fielddevices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04

Abstract

A control apparatus detects a control signal that controls a movable portion of a device, and selects, from a plurality of transmitter stations, a transmitter station that transmits data a plurality of times to a movable station moving in accordance with movement of the movable portion, based on the detected control signal.

Claims

1. A control apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to control a plurality of fixed stations, which transmit same data to a single movable station via wireless communication; and

a selection unit configured to select, from the plurality of fixed stations, a fixed station that repeatedly transmits said same data a plurality of times to the single movable station in accordance with movement of the movable station,

wherein the controller controls the plurality of fixed stations in accordance with the selection by the selection unit, and

wherein the selection unit selects the fixed station that repeatedly transmits the same data a plurality of times, based on communication qualities in communications between the single movable station and each of the plurality of fixed stations in accordance with movement of the movable station.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the selection unit is configured not to select, in the case where a communication quality between at least one of the plurality of fixed stations and the movable station does not satisfy a predetermined communication quality condition, the at least one of the plurality of fixed stations.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the controller is configured to allocate, to each of the plurality of fixed stations, a time period for transmitting data.

8. The control apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the controller is configured to allocate successive time periods to a fixed station selected by the selection unit.

9. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication is wireless communication in which a millimeter wave band is used.

4. A control method of a control apparatus that comprises a controller configured to control a plurality of fixed stations, which transmit same data to a single movable station via wireless communication, the method comprising:

selecting, from the plurality of fixed stations, a fixed station that repeatedly transmits said same data a plurality of times to the single movable station in accordance with movement of the movable station; and

controlling, by the controller, the plurality of fixed stations in accordance with the selection in the selecting,

wherein in the selecting, the fixed station that repeatedly transmits the same data a plurality of times is selected, based on communication qualities in communications between the single movable station and each of the plurality of fixed stations in accordance with movement of the moveable station.

5. The control method according to claim 4,

wherein in the case where a communication quality between at least one of the plurality of fixed stations and the movable station does not satisfy a predetermined communication quality condition, the at least one of the plurality of fixed stations is not selecting in the selecting.

6. The control method according to claim 4,

wherein a time period for transmitting data is allocated to each of the plurality of fixed stations.

10. The control method according to claim 6, wherein successive time periods are allocated to a fixed station selected in the selecting.

11. The control method according to claim 4, the wireless communication is wireless communication in which a millimeter wave band is used.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to function as;

a controller configured to control a plurality of fixed stations, which transmit same data to a single movable station via wireless communication; and

a selection unit configured to select, from the plurality of fixed stations, a fixed station that repeatedly transmits said same data a plurality of times to the single movable station in accordance with movement of the movable station,

wherein the controller controls the plurality of fixed stations in accordance with the selection by the selection unit, and

wherein the selection unit selects the fixed station that repeatedly transmits the same data a plurality of times, based on communication qualities in communications between the single movable station and each of the plurality of fixed stations in accordance with movement of the movable station.