COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20100311327A1
• Filed: 03/24/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hamada, Masashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,971,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

The object of the invention is to achieve stable operation of a communication device which includes an information transmission means and a power transmission means while maintaining communication quality. A mobile device of the invention has an information transmission means for executing non-contact transmission, a power transmission means, a first control means for controlling the information transmission means to repeat an active period and a sleep period, and a second control means for controlling the power transmission means to transmit a power during the sleep period.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

information transmission means for executing non-contact data transmission with another communication device;

power transmission means for executing non-contact power transmission with the other communication device;

first control means for controlling to repeat a transmission period by the information transmission means and a non-transmission period; and

second control means for controlling a power transmission by the power transmission means in synchronization with the repetition of the transmission period and the non-transmission period.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a repetition cycle of the transmission period and the non-transmission period is determined based on an information amount transmitted by said information transmission means.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the transmission period is calculated based on the information amount transmitted by said information transmission means, and the non-transmission period is calculated based on the calculated transmission period.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the other communication device notifies the device of the non-transmission period.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device calculates the non-transmission period in accordance with whether said information transmission means is activated by said communication device.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device calculates the non-transmission period in accordance with a memory capacity of the communication device and a memory capacity of the other communication device.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device calculates the non-transmission period in accordance with a power supply of the communication device and a power supply of the other communication device.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device calculates the non-transmission period in accordance with a battery capacity of the communication device and a battery capacity of the other communication device.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said second control means controls the power transmission by said power transmission means in accordance with a state of a battery charged by the power transmission of said power transmission means.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein said second control means controls the power transmission by said power transmission means in accordance with a remaining level of the battery, an electromotive force of the battery, or a temperature of the battery.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein a coil serves as both a coil configuring said information transmission means and a coil configuring said power transmission means.

12. The device according to claim 11, further comprising switching means for switching the coil to function as said information transmission means or said power transmission means.

13. A control method for a communication device which includes information transmission means for executing non-contact data transmission with another communication device and power transmission means for executing non-contact power transmission with the other communication device, comprising:

a first control step of controlling to repeat a transmission period by the information transmission means and a non-transmission period; and

a second control step of controlling the power transmission means to transmit a power in synchronization with the repetition of the transmission period and the non-transmission period.

14. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a program which causes a computer to execute the control method according to claim 13.