Wireless synchronous system, radio apparatuses, sensor devices, wireless synchronizing method, and computer-readable recording medium

• US 9,451,218 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2013
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Hanabusa, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUH, JOSEPH JINWOO
• Application Number:
  US13/926,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20140002664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/04 Synchronising for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A wireless synchronous system includes an apparatus and a sensor device. The apparatus has a radio communication unit for performing synchronous communication with an external apparatus. The apparatus generates a radio synchronizing signal having a predetermined cycle synchronized with the synchronous communication and determines a timing of controlling the apparatus based on the radio synchronizing signal. The sensor device has a radio communication unit for performing synchronous communication with the external apparatus. The sensor generates a radio synchronizing signal having a predetermined cycle being synchronized with the synchronous communication, obtains detection-data representing a state of the sensor device, and determines a timing of obtaining the detection-data in accordance with the radio synchronizing signal.

Claims

1. A wireless synchronous system comprising:

a first apparatus;

a second apparatus; and

a sensor device;

wherein the first apparatus comprises;

a first radio communicating circuit which performs synchronous radio communication with the second apparatus via a first antenna, wherein the first radio communicating circuit generates and outputs a first radio synchronizing signal having a predetermined cycle which is synchronized with a timing of the synchronous communication, at least one of a rising edge and a falling edge of the first radio synchronizing signal coinciding with a rising edge or a falling edge of a clock signal of the second apparatus; and

a first processor which receives the first radio synchronizing signal from the first radio communicating circuit and determines a timing of controlling the first apparatus in accordance with the first radio synchronizing signal; and

wherein the sensor device comprises;

a second radio communicating circuit which performs synchronous radio communication with the first apparatus via a second antenna, wherein the second radio communicating circuit generates and outputs a second radio synchronizing signal having a predetermined cycle which is synchronized with a timing of the synchronous communication, at least one of a rising edge and a falling edge of the second radio synchronizing signal coinciding with a rising edge or a falling edge of a clock signal of the first apparatus;

a sensor which obtains detection-data representing a state of the sensor device; and

a second processor which receives the second radio synchronizing signal from the second radio communicating circuit and determines a timing of obtaining the detection-data via the sensor in accordance with the second radio synchronizing signal;

wherein the first apparatus further comprises;

an image pickup unit including an image sensor operable to take an image to obtain image data;

a first memory; and

a first real-time clock which generates a first real time signal;

wherein the first processor determines a timing of taking an image by the image pickup unit in accordance with the first radio synchronizing signal, and performs control to store the image in the first memory;

wherein the first processor synchronizes the first real time signal with the first radio synchronization signal to synchronize the first real time signal with a time signal in the second apparatus; and

wherein the first processor correlates the first real time signal generated by the first real-time clock with the image data, which is obtained by the image pickup unit at the timing determined by the processor, and performs control to record the first real time signal correlated with the image data in the first memory.

2. The wireless synchronous system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device further comprises:

a second real-time clock which generates a second real time signal; and

a second memory;

wherein the second processor synchronizes the second real time signal with the second radio synchronization signal to synchronize the second real time signal with a time signal in the first apparatus; and

wherein the second processor correlates the second real time signal generated by the second real-time clock with the detection-data, which is obtained by the sensor at the timing determined by the second processor, and performs control to record the second real time signal correlated with the detection-data in the second memory.

3. The wireless synchronous system according to claim 2, wherein:

the second processor performs control to send the obtained detection-data correlated with the second real time signal to the first apparatus;

the first processor correlates the detection-data correlated with the second real time signal and received by the first apparatus from the sensor device, with the image data correlated with the first real time signal corresponding to the second real time signal, and performs control to record the detection-data correlated with the image data in the first memory.

4. The wireless synchronous system according to claim 3, wherein the first processor performs control to play back the detection-data received by the first apparatus from the sensor device, in synchronization based on the first real time signal and the second real time signal, when the image data recorded in the first memory is played back in synchronization in accordance with the first radio synchronizing signal.

5. The wireless synchronous system according to claim 1, wherein the first processor performs control to play back the image data recorded in the first memory, in accordance with the first radio synchronizing signal, the image data being correlated with the first real time signal and recorded in the first memory.

6. The wireless synchronous system according to claim 1, wherein the second radio communicating circuit performs synchronous radio communication with another sensor device via the second antenna, and generates and outputs the second radio synchronizing signal to have a predetermined cycle which is synchronized with a timing of the synchronous communication with the other sensor device, at least one of a rising edge and a falling edge of the second radio synchronizing signal coinciding with a rising edge or a falling edge of a clock signal of the other sensor device.

7. A wireless apparatus comprising:

a radio communicating circuit which performs synchronous radio communication with an external wireless apparatus via an antenna, wherein the radio communicating circuit generates and outputs a radio synchronizing signal having a predetermined cycle which is synchronized with a timing of the synchronous communication, at least one of a rising edge and a falling edge of the radio synchronizing signal coinciding with a rising edge or a falling edge of a clock signal of the external wireless apparatus;

a processor which receives the radio synchronizing signal from the radio communicating circuit and determines a timing of controlling the apparatus, in accordance with the radio synchronizing signal;

an image pickup unit including an image sensor operable to take an image to obtain image data;

a memory; and

a real-time clock which generates a real time signal;

wherein the processor determines a timing of taking an image by the image pickup unit in accordance with the radio synchronizing signal, and performs control to store the image in the memory;

wherein the processor synchronizes the real time signal with the radio synchronization signal to synchronize the real time signal with a time signal in the external wireless apparatus; and

wherein the processor correlates the real time signal generated by the real-time clock with the image data, which is obtained by the image pickup unit at the timing determined by the processor, and performs control to record the real time signal correlated with the image data in the first memory.

8. A sensor device comprising:

a radio communicating circuit which performs synchronous radio communication with an external wireless apparatus via an antenna, wherein the radio communicating circuit generates and outputs a radio synchronizing signal having a predetermined cycle which is synchronized with a timing of the synchronous communication, at least one of a rising edge and a falling edge of the radio synchronizing signal coinciding with a rising edge or a falling edge of a clock signal of the external wireless apparatus;

a sensor which obtains detection-data representing a state of the sensor device;

a processor which receives the radio synchronizing signal from the radio communicating circuit and determines a timing of obtaining the detection-data via the sensor in accordance with the radio synchronizing signal;

a real-time clock which generates a real time signal; and

a memory;

wherein the processor synchronizes the real time signal with the radio synchronization signal to synchronize the real time signal with a time signal in the external wireless apparatus; and

wherein the processor correlates the real time signal generated by the real-time clock with the detection-data, which is obtained by the sensor at the timing determined by the processor, and performs control to record the real time signal correlated with the detection-data in the memory.

9. A method of implementing wireless synchronization in a system including a first apparatus, a second apparatus, and a sensor device, the method comprising:

by the first apparatus;

performing, by a first radio communicating circuit, synchronous radio communication with the second apparatus;

generating a first radio synchronizing signal having a predetermined cycle which is synchronized with a timing of the synchronous communication, at least one of a rising edge and a falling edge of the first radio synchronizing signal coinciding with a rising edge or a falling edge of a clock signal of the second apparatus; and

determining a timing of controlling the first apparatus, in accordance with the radio synchronizing signal; and

by the sensor device;

performing, by a second radio communicating circuit, synchronous radio communication with the first apparatus;

generating a second radio synchronizing signal having a predetermined cycle which is synchronized with a timing of the synchronous communication, at least one of a rising edge and a falling edge of the second radio synchronizing signal coinciding with a rising edge or a falling edge of a clock signal of the first apparatus;

obtaining detection-data representing a state of the sensor device; and

determining a timing, at which the sensor unit obtains the detection-data, in accordance with the second radio synchronizing signal;

wherein the first apparatus comprises (i) an image pickup unit including an image sensor operable to take an image to obtain image data, (ii) a first memory, and (iii) a first real-time clock which generates a first real time signal;

wherein determining the timing of controlling the first apparatus comprises determining a timing of taking an image by the image pickup unit in accordance with the first radio synchronizing signal; and

wherein the method further comprises, by the first apparatus;

storing the image in the first memory;

synchronizing the first real time signal with the first radio synchronization signal to synchronize the first real time signal with a time signal in the second apparatus; and

correlating the first real time signal generated by the first real-time clock with the image data, which is obtained by the image pickup unit at the determined timing, and recording the first real time signal correlated with the image data in the first memory.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program which is executable by a computer to control an apparatus, the apparatus including an image pickup unit including an image sensor operable to take an image to obtain image data, a memory, and a real-time clock which generates a real time signal, and the program being executable to control the apparatus to perform functions comprising:

performing, by a radio communicating circuit, synchronous radio communication with an external wireless apparatus;

generating a radio synchronizing signal having a predetermined cycle which is synchronized with a timing of the synchronous communication, at least one of a rising edge and a falling edge of the radio synchronizing signal coinciding with a rising edge or a falling edge of a clock signal of the external wireless apparatus;

determining a timing of taking an image by the image pickup unit in accordance with the radio synchronizing signal, and storing the image in the memory;

synchronizing the real time signal with the radio synchronization signal to synchronize the real time signal with a time signal in the external wireless apparatus; and

correlating the real time signal generated by the real-time clock with the image data, which is obtained by the image pickup unit at the determined timing, and recording the real time signal correlated with the image data in the memory.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program which is executable by a computer to control a sensor device that includes a real-time clock which generates a real time signal, and a memory, the program being executable to control the sensor device to perform functions comprising:

performing, by a radio communicating circuit, synchronous radio communication with an external wireless apparatus;

generating a radio synchronizing signal having a predetermined cycle which is synchronized with a timing of the synchronous communication, at least one of a rising edge and a falling edge of the radio synchronizing signal coinciding with a rising edge or a falling edge of a clock signal of the external wireless apparatus;

obtaining detection-data representing a state of the sensor device;

determining a timing to obtain the detection-data in accordance with the radio synchronizing signal;

synchronizing the real time signal with the radio synchronization signal to synchronize the real time signal with a time signal in the external wireless apparatus; and

correlating the real time signal generated by the real-time clock with the detection-data, which is obtained by the sensor at the determined timing, and recording the real time signal correlated with the detection-data in the memory.