WIRELESS COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, WIRELESS COMMUNICATION METHOD, AND PROGRAM

• US 20090251309A1
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: YAMASUGE, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,207,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0037 for power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/02 using transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A wireless communication apparatus according to the present invention includes a wireless communication transmitting circuit and a wireless communication receiving circuit that perform communication with another apparatus connected through a wireless communication network; a power situation acquiring unit that acquires a power situation of the wireless communication apparatus; and a wireless power transmitting circuit that wirelessly supplies power to another apparatus in accordance with a power supply request from another apparatus connected through the wireless communication network, when the power situation of the wireless communication apparatus satisfies a predetermined condition.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a wireless communication unit that performs communication with another apparatus connected through a wireless communication network;

a power situation acquiring unit that acquires a power situation of the wireless communication apparatus; and

a power supply unit that wirelessly supplies power to another apparatus in accordance with a power supply request from another apparatus connected through the wireless communication network, when the power situation of the wireless communication apparatus satisfies a predetermined condition.

2. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

a remaining power amount acquiring unit that acquires the remaining power amount of the wireless communication apparatus,

wherein, when the remaining power amount is not more than a predetermined value, the power supply request is transmitted to another apparatus that is connected through the wireless communication network.

3. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined condition is a condition indicating that the wireless communication apparatus is connected to a power supply or a condition indicating that the remaining power amount of the wireless communication apparatus is not less than the predetermined value.

4. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the wireless communication unit receives the power supply request transmitted from another apparatus through an access point of the wireless communication network.

5. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the wireless communication unit transmits the power situation of the wireless communication apparatus to the access point, and

the access point determines whether the power situation of the wireless communication apparatus satisfies the predetermined condition.

6. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the wireless communication unit receives the power supply request from another apparatus connected through the wireless communication network, and transmits the power situation of the wireless communication apparatus to another apparatus, and

another apparatus that transmits the power supply request determines whether the power situation of the wireless communication apparatus satisfies the predetermined condition.

7. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

a location acquiring unit that acquires a location of another apparatus supplying the power by the power supply unit,

wherein the power supply unit supplies the power based on the location of another apparatus.

8. A wireless communication system comprising:

a wireless communication apparatus, which includes a power supply request acquiring unit that acquires a power supply request from an arbitrary terminal apparatus connected through a wireless communication network, a power situation acquiring unit that acquires a power situation of another terminal apparatus, and a power supply request transmitting unit that transmits the power supply request to a terminal apparatus where power supply is enabled based on the power situation; and

the terminal apparatuses, which include a power situation transmitting unit that transmits the power situation to the wireless communication apparatus, a power supply request receiving unit that receives the power supply request, and a power supply unit that wirelessly supplies power to the arbitrary terminal apparatus that transmits the power supply request to the wireless communication apparatus in accordance with the power supply request.

9. A wireless communication method comprising the steps of:

performing communication with another apparatus connected through a wireless communication network;

acquiring a power situation of a self apparatus; and

wirelessly supplying power to another apparatus in accordance with a power supply request from another apparatus connected through the wireless communication network, when the power situation of the self apparatus satisfies a predetermined condition.

10. A program that allows a computer to function as:

a unit performing communication with another apparatus connected through a wireless communication network;

a unit acquiring a power situation of a self apparatus; and

a unit wirelessly supplying power to another apparatus in accordance with a power supply request from another apparatus connected through the wireless communication network, when the power situation of the self apparatus satisfies a predetermined condition.