Communication device wirelessly communicating with external device, control method for communication device, and storage medium

• US 9,930,193 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2016
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujita, Shunji
• Primary Examiner(s): Henn, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US15/163,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20160352930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00206 Transmitting or receiving computer data via an image communication device, e.g. a facsimile transceiver H04N1/00236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00251 with an apparatus for taking photographic images, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A communication device includes an image capturing unit, a detection unit that continuously determines presence of an external device based on a image acquired by the image capturing unit, a first wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication, and a control unit that performs control so that processing for establishing wireless communication with the external device is started if the external device is detected by the detection unit, where the wireless communication with the external device is disconnected if the external device is not detected the wireless communication with the external device remains connected if the external device is detected again.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

an image capturing unit configured to capture an object to acquire an image of the object;

a detection unit configured to continuously determine a presence of an external device based on the image acquired by the image capturing unit;

a first wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication according to a first communication standard; and

a control unit configured to perform control so that processing for establishing wireless communication with the external device via the first wireless communication unit is started if the external device is detected by the detection unit,

wherein, if the external device is not detected by the detection unit for a certain time period after the wireless communication with the external device is established by the first wireless communication unit, the control unit performs control so that the wireless communication with the external device by the first wireless communication unit is disconnected, and

wherein, if the external device is again detected by the detection unit before the certain time period elapses, the control unit performs control so that the wireless communication with the external device by the first wireless communication unit remains connected.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a second wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication according to a second communication standard different from the first communication standard, the second wireless communication unit being different from the first wireless communication unit,

wherein, if the presence of the external device is detected by the detection unit, the control unit performs control so that information about an operating mode of the external device is acquired via the second wireless communication unit before performing control so that the wireless communication with the external device is established via the first wireless communication unit, and

wherein, according to the operating mode of the external device, the control unit selects whether to perform control so that the wireless communication with the external device is established via the first wireless communication unit.

3. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein the second wireless communication unit consumes less power than the first wireless communication unit.

4. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein, if an operating mode of the external device is an image capturing mode or a playback mode, the control unit performs control so that the wireless communication with the external device is established via the first wireless communication unit.

5. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein, if the presence of the external device is detected by the detection unit, the control unit performs control so that information about an operating mode of the external device is acquired via the first wireless communication unit before performing control so that the wireless communication with the external device is established via the first wireless communication unit, and

wherein, according to the operating mode of the external device, the control unit selects whether to perform control so that the wireless communication with the external device is established via the first wireless communication unit.

6. The communication device according to claim 5, wherein, if an operating mode of the external device is an image capturing mode, the control unit performs control so that the wireless communication with the external device by the first wireless communication unit is not disconnected even in a case where the external device is not detected by the detection unit for the certain time period after the wireless communication with the external device is established by the first wireless communication unit.

7. The communication device according to claim 5, wherein, if an operating mode of the external device is an image capturing mode, the control unit performs control so that the wireless communication with the external device by the first wireless communication unit is not disconnected even in a case where the external device is not detected by the detection unit for the certain time period after the wireless communication with the external device is established by the first wireless communication unit, and

wherein, if a predetermined time period longer than the certain time period elapses with the external device remaining undetected by the detection unit, the control unit performs control so that the wireless communication with the external device by the first wireless communication unit is disconnected.

8. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein, if the presence of the external device is not detected by the detection unit after the wireless communication with the external device is established by the first wireless communication unit, the control unit performs control so that information about an operating mode of the external device is acquired via the first wireless communication unit,

wherein, if the operating mode of the external device that has been acquired when the presence of the external device is not detected by the detection unit is an image capturing mode, the control unit performs control so that the wireless communication with the external device by the first wireless communication unit remains connected, and

wherein, if the operating mode of the external device that has been acquired when the presence of the external device is not detected by the detection unit is not an image capturing mode, the control unit performs control so that the wireless communication with the external device by the first wireless communication unit is disconnected.

9. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device has a first mode in which the first wireless communication unit is operated with a predetermined power consumption, and a second mode in which the first wireless communication unit is either not operated or operated with a power consumption less than a predetermined power consumption,

wherein, if the presence of the external device is detected by the detection unit in a state that the first wireless communication unit is in the second mode, the control unit performs control so that the first wireless communication unit is shifted to the first mode.

10. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects the presence of the external device based on a determination of whether the image acquired by the image capturing unit includes a predetermined marker.

11. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects the presence of the external device based on the image acquired by the image capturing unit and information about a predetermined device shape, wherein the information is stored in advance.

12. A control method for a communication device, the control method comprising:

acquiring an image of an object by capturing the object;

continuously determining a presence of an external device based on the acquired image;

executing wireless communication according to a first communication standard; and

performing control so that processing for establishing wireless communication with the external device is started if the external device is detected,

wherein, if the external device is not detected for a certain time period after the wireless communication with the external device is established according to the first communication standard, performing control so that the wireless communication with the external device according to the first communication standard is disconnected, and

wherein, if the external device is detected again before the certain time period elapses, performing control so that the wireless communication with the external device according to the first communication standard remains connected.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions for causing a computer to execute a method, the method comprising:

acquiring an image of an object by capturing the object;

continuously determining a presence of an external device based on the image acquired by the acquiring;

executing wireless communicating according to a first communication standard;

performing control so that processing for establishing wireless communication with the external device is started if the external device is detected,

wherein, if the external device is not detected for a certain time period after the wireless communication with the external device is established according to the first communication standard, performing control so that the wireless communication with the external device according to the first communication standard is disconnected, and

wherein, if the external device is detected again before the certain time period elapses, performing control so that the wireless communication with the external device according to the first communication standard remains connected.

14. A communication device comprising:

one or more lens;

a first wireless communication unit;

a memory for storing data and a computer program; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory for executing the computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for;

capturing an object via the lens to acquire an image of the object;

continuously determining a presence of an external device based on the image acquired by the image capturing unit;

performing wireless communication via the first wireless communication unit according to a first communication standard; and

performing control so that processing for establishing wireless communication with the external device via the first wireless communication unit is started if the external device is detected,

wherein, if the external device is not detected for a certain time period after the wireless communication with the external device is established, the control unit performs control so that the wireless communication with the external device is disconnected, and

wherein, if the external device is again detected before the certain time period elapses, the control unit performs control so that the wireless communication with the external device remains connected.

15. The communication device according to claim 14, further comprising a second wireless communication unit;

wherein the computer program further comprising instructions for;

performing wireless communication according to a second communication standard different from the first communication standard, the second wireless communication unit being different from the first wireless communication unit,

wherein, if the presence of the external device is detected, performing control so that information about an operating mode of the external device is acquired via the second wireless communication unit before performing control so that the wireless communication with the external device is established via the first wireless communication unit, and

wherein, according to the operating mode of the external device, selecting whether to perform control so that the wireless communication with the external device is established via the first wireless communication unit.

16. The communication device according to claim 15, wherein the second wireless communication unit consumes less power than the first wireless communication unit.

17. The communication device according to claim 15, wherein the computer program further comprising instructions for:

if an operating mode of the external device is an image capturing mode or a playback mode, performing control so that the wireless communication with the external device is established via the first wireless communication unit.

18. The communication device according to claim 14, wherein, the computer program further comprising instructions for:

if the presence of the external device is detected, performing control so that information about an operating mode of the external device is acquired via the first wireless communication unit before performing control so that the wireless communication with the external device is established via the first wireless communication unit, and

wherein, according to the operating mode of the external device, selecting whether to perform control so that the wireless communication with the external device is established via the first wireless communication unit.

19. The communication device according to claim 18, wherein the computer program further comprising instructions for:

if an operating mode of the external device is an image capturing mode, performing control so that the wireless communication with the external device by the first wireless communication unit is not disconnected even in a case where the external device is not detected for the certain time period after the wireless communication with the external device is established by the first wireless communication unit.

20. The communication device according to claim 18, wherein the computer program further comprising instructions for:

if an operating mode of the external device is an image capturing mode, performing control so that the wireless communication with the external device by the first wireless communication unit is not disconnected even in a case where the external device is not detected for the certain time period after the wireless communication with the external device is established by the first wireless communication unit, and

wherein, if a predetermined time period longer than the certain time period elapses with the external device remaining undetected, performing control so that the wireless communication with the external device by the first wireless communication unit is disconnected.