COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME

• US 20070293223A1
• Filed: 06/04/2007
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuwana, Ichiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,335,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

When a communication apparatus is operating as a control station on a network, control is exercised so as to handover the control station when it is recognized that the status of the power supply of another communication apparatus participating in this network is indicative of commercial power. Recognition is performed by receiving information, which requests handover of the control station, from the other communication apparatus whose power-supply status is indicative of commercial power.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a recognition device configured to, in a case where the communication apparatus is operating as a control station of a network, recognize the type of power supply of another communication apparatus participating in the network; and

a handover device configured to execute processing for handing over the control station based upon recognition by said recognition device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said handover device requests another communication apparatus, for which the type of power supply is a commercial power supply, for handover of the control station.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in a case where the type of power supply has changed from battery to commercial power supply at said other communication apparatus, said recognition device recognizes the type of power supply of the other communication apparatus based upon a transmitted notification signal.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said handover device executes processing for handing over the control station to the other communication apparatus based upon recognition by said recognition device that the power supply type of the other communication apparatus is a commercial power supply and receipt of a control-station handover request from the other communication apparatus.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a requesting device configured to request said other communication apparatus for notification of the status of the power supply;

wherein said recognition device recognizes the type of power supply of the other communication apparatus based upon a response to the request from said requesting device.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said requesting device requests the other communication apparatus for notification of the status of the power supply in accordance with residual capacity of a battery supplying power as the power supply.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said requesting device requests the other communication apparatus for notification of the status of the power supply in accordance with detection of end of communication with the other communication apparatus.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said requesting device requests the other communication apparatus for notification of the status of the power supply in accordance with detection of a change of the power supply.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said communication apparatus shifts to a power-saving state after the control station has been handed over to the other communication apparatus by said handover device.

10. A method of controlling a communication apparatus, comprising:

a recognition step of, in a case where the communication apparatus is operating as a control station of a network, recognizing the type of power supply of another communication apparatus participating in the network; and

a handover step of executing processing for handing over the control station to the other communication apparatus based upon recognition in the recognition step.