Electronic device

• US 9,717,056 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2015
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsukamoto, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Charles C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Butt, Wali
• Application Number:
  US14/733,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20150358912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 307104, 370311, 713300, 713310
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An electronic device includes a first communication unit that performs wireless communication; a connection unit that connects a communication device including a second communication unit which performs wireless communication; and a control unit that (a) determines whether the communication device is capable of receiving predetermined power if the communication device and the connection unit are connected, and (b) performs a process of restricting wireless communication of the second communication unit if the communication device is not capable of receiving the predetermined power.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a power receiving circuit;

a first communication circuit;

a connection circuit;

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising;

receiving power wirelessly from a power supply apparatus via the power receiving circuit;

performing wireless communication using the first communication circuit;

connecting a detachable communication device via the connection circuit, the detachable communication device including a second communication circuit which performs wireless communication and an antenna being connected with the second communication circuit;

determining whether the detachable communication device is capable of using wireless power supply in a case where the detachable communication device and the connection circuit are connected; and

performing a process of restricting power supply from the antenna to the second communication circuit in a case where the detachable communication device is not capable of using wireless power supply.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein in a case where the detachable communication device is not capable of using wireless power supply, the one or more processors transmit, via the first communication circuit, data for causing the power supply apparatus to perform wireless power supply, after the process of restricting power supply from the antenna to the second communication circuit is performed.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors determine whether power received by the power receiving circuit is not less than a predetermined value, after the process of restricting power supply from the antenna to the second communication circuit is performed, and wherein the predetermined power is larger than communication power used for wireless communication.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the one or more processors cancel restriction of power supply from the antenna to the second communication circuit in a case where power received by the power receiving circuit is less than the predetermined value.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors determine whether a remaining capacity of a battery is not less than a predetermined value, after the process of restricting power supply from the antenna to the second communication circuit is performed, and

wherein the one or more processors cancel restriction of power supply from the antenna to the second communication circuit in a case where a remaining capacity of the battery is not less than the predetermined value.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors determine whether the first communication circuit receives predetermined data from the power supply apparatus, after the process of restricting power supply from the antenna to the second communication circuit is performed, and

wherein the one or more processors cancel restriction of power supply from the antenna to the second communication circuit in a case where the first communication circuit receives the predetermined data from the power supply apparatus.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined data includes data notifying the power supply apparatus of stopping supplying the predetermined power.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a communication protocol of the first communication circuit corresponds to a protocol of the second communication circuit.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a communication protocol of the first communication circuit conforms to NFC (near field communication) standard.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the detachable communication device performs a predetermined authentication using the second communication circuit.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the detachable communication device performs an electronic payment using the second communication circuit.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the detachable communication device acts as at least one of a memory card and a SIM (subscriber identity module) card.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the detachable communication device includes:

a switch connected to the antenna in series, and

wherein the process of restricting power supply from the antenna to the second communication circuit includes a process of controlling the switch to disconnect between the communication antenna and the second communication circuit.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the detachable communication device includes:

a switch connected to the communication antenna in parallel, and

wherein the process of restricting power supply from the antenna to the second communication circuit includes a process of turning on the switch.

15. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors obtain data associated with the detachable communication device from the detachable communication device in a case where the detachable communication device and the connection circuit are connected, and

wherein the one or more processors determines whether the detachable communication device is capable of using wireless power supply using the data associated with the detachable communication device.

16. A method of controlling an electronic device comprising:

determining whether a detachable communication device is capable of using wireless power supply in a case where the detachable communication device and the electronic device are connected, wherein the electronic device includes a first communication circuit that performs wireless communication, and the detachable communication device includes a second communication circuit that performs wireless communication and an antenna being connected with the second communication circuit; and

performing a process of restricting power supply from the antenna to the second communication circuit in a case where the detachable communication device is not capable of using wireless power supply.

17. A non-transitory storage medium that stores a program for causing a computer to perform a method of controlling an electronic device, the method comprising:

determining whether a detachable communication device is capable of using wireless power supply in a case where the detachable communication device and the electronic device are connected, wherein the electronic device includes a first communication circuit that performs wireless communication, and the detachable communication device includes a second communication circuit that performs wireless communication and an antenna being connected with the second communication circuit; and

performing a process of restricting power supply from the antenna to the second communication circuit in a case where the detachable communication device is not capable of using wireless power supply.