Slave device requesting its master device not to cancel its power saving mode

• US 9,727,107 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2011
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Magnus Communications, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation, NEC Magnus Communications, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Hongo, Hiroo, Yasukawa, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Poudel, Santosh R
• Application Number:
  US13/813,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20130132744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,196 Days
• Field of Search: 713323, 713320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/126 and has means for transferring I/O instructions and statuses between control unit and main processor
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/826 where the data is sent periodically
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/883 where the sensing device enters an active or inactive mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A controlled apparatus periodically transmits state information indicating the state of the apparatus, and when the state has been changed, transmits state information indicating the state after the change. Upon receiving state information from the controlled apparatus, a control apparatus, when not requesting a change of state in the controlled apparatus, returns the state information to the controlled apparatus, and when requesting a change of the state in the controlled apparatus, changes state parameters in the state information that correspond to the state to be changed to required values and transmits the state information after the change to the controlled apparatus as a control command. The controlled apparatus, upon receiving the control command from the control apparatus, changes to a state in accordance with the state parameters that follow the change and transmits the state information indicating the state after the change to the control apparatus.

Claims

1. A state control system comprising:

a controlled apparatus that transmits first state information comprising identification information for identifying the controlled apparatus, state parameters that correspond to states of the controlled apparatus, and a value which indicates that the controlled apparatus has refused to be controlled to cancel a sleep state; and

a control apparatus that receives the first state information from the controlled apparatus, and the control apparatus transmits second state information, which includes at least parameters for changing a state of the controlled apparatus, to the controlled apparatus,

wherein when the second state information received from the control apparatus includes a value indicating that a request is not to be made to the controlled apparatus to forcibly change its state, the controlled apparatus refuses a transition to the state which indicates the parameter that is included in the second state information, and

wherein when the second state information received from the control apparatus includes a value indicating that a request is to be made to the controlled apparatus to forcibly change its state, the controlled apparatus transitions to the state according to the parameter that is included in the second state information.

2. The state control system according to claim 1, wherein the parameters of the second state information transmitted from the control apparatus comprise the state to which the controlled apparatus is to be changed.

3. The state control system according to claim 1, wherein the second state information transmitted from the control apparatus comprises a value of a timer indicating a setting time for changing the state of the controlled apparatus or a priority of operation of the controlled apparatus.

4. The state control system according to claim 1, wherein the identification information for identifying the controlled apparatus is a media access control (MAC) address.

5. The state control system according to claim 1, wherein the control apparatus comprises a power control device that supplies electrical power to the controlled apparatus.

6. A state control method comprising steps of:

a controlled apparatus transmitting first state information comprising identification information for identifying the controlled apparatus, state parameters that correspond to states of the controlled apparatus, and a value which indicates that the controlled apparatus has refused to be controlled to cancel a sleep state;

a control apparatus receiving the first state information from the controlled apparatus, and the control apparatus transmitting second state information, comprising at least parameters for changing a state of the controlled apparatus, to the controlled apparatus;

wherein when the second state information received from the control apparatus includes a value indicating that a request is not to be made to the controlled apparatus to forcibly change its state, the controlled apparatus refuses a transition to the state which indicates the parameter that is included in the second state information, and

wherein when the second state information received from the control apparatus includes a value indicating that a request is to be made to the controlled apparatus to forcibly change its state, the controlled apparatus transitions to the state according to the parameter that is included in the second state information.

7. The state control method according to claim 6, wherein the parameters of the second state information transmitted from the control apparatus comprises the state to which the controlled apparatus is to be changed.

8. The state control method according to claim 6, wherein the second state information transmitted from the control apparatus comprises a value of timer indicating a setting time for changing the state of the controlled apparatus or a priority of operation of the controlled apparatus.