ELECTRIC-POWER SUPPLYING APPARATUS, METHOD, AND PROGRAM

• US 20130065552A1
• Filed: 09/06/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Soma, Isao, Takemura, Kazuyoshi, Washiro, Takanori
• Granted Patent: US 9,363,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/08 Closed loop power control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An electric-power supplying apparatus may include a power supply configured to supply electric power to an electric device via a power supply line, and at least one processor programmed to perform acts including transmitting a command signal to the electric device via the power supply line, receiving a response signal from the electric device via load modulation on the power supply line, and registering setting information for establishing wireless communication between the electric device and the apparatus based on the received response signal. An electric apparatus may include a power plug configured to receive electric power and a command signal from an external device, and an IC chip configured to use load modulation to transmit a response signal, in response to the command signal, to the external device via the power plug.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a power supply configured to supply electric power to an electric device via a power supply line; and

at least one processor programmed to perform acts comprising;

transmitting a command signal to the electric device via the power supply line;

receiving a response signal from the electric device via load modulation on the power supply line; and

registering setting information for establishing wireless communication between the electric device and the apparatus based on the received response signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to transmit the command signal via load modulation on the power supply line.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the command signal is configured to instruct the electric device to read and/or write the setting information for registering the electric device for wireless communication.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the setting information comprises at least one item selected from the group consisting of:

an SSID, a WEP key, a passcode, a user ID, an IP address, and a default gateway.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the command signal comprises a request for the setting information, and wherein the response signal comprises an indication of the requested setting information.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to determine whether the setting information indicated by the response signal is valid for wireless communication with the apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to, in response to determining that the setting information indicated by the response signal is not valid for wireless communication with the apparatus, transmit a signal to the electric device to store different setting information that is valid for wireless communication with the apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the command signal comprises an indication of the setting information, and wherein the response signal comprises a confirmation that the setting information has been stored in the electric device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to perform acts comprising:

receiving billing information from a user of the electric device; and

requesting authentication of the received billing information;

wherein the at least one processor is programmed to register the electric device for wireless communication only if the billing information is authenticated.

10. Apparatus comprising:

a power plug configured to receive electric power and a command signal from an external device; and

an IC chip configured to use load modulation to transmit a response signal, in response to the command signal, to the external device via the power plug.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the command signal is configured to instruct the IC chip to read and/or write setting information for registering the apparatus for wireless communication.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the setting information comprises at least one item selected from the group consisting of:

an SSID, a WEP key, a passcode, a user ID, an IP address, and a default gateway.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the command signal comprises a request for the setting information, and wherein the response signal comprises an indication of the requested setting information.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the command signal comprises an indication of the setting information, and wherein the response signal comprises a confirmation that the setting information has been stored in the IC chip.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a filter configured to block a frequency of the electric power from the power plug and to pass a frequency of the command signal to the IC chip.

16. A method comprising:

supplying electric power to an electric device via a power supply line;

transmitting a command signal to the electric device via the power supply line;

receiving a response signal from the electric device via load modulation on the power supply line; and

registering setting information for establishing wireless communication with the electric device based on the received response signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the command signal via load modulation on the power supply line.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the command signal is configured to instruct the electric device to read and/or write the setting information for registering the electric device for wireless communication.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the command signal comprises a request for the setting information, and wherein the response signal comprises an indication of the requested setting information.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving billing information from a user of the electric device; and

requesting authentication of the received billing information;

wherein the registering is performed only if the billing information is authenticated.