WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20130324052A1
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: TOSHIMITSU, Kiyoshi, MIYASAKA, Toshiki, KUMAKI, Yoshinari, HORIGUCHI, Tomoya, KAJIHARA, Hirotsugu, SETO, Ichiro, IRUBE, Akira, ONODERA, Mitsuru
• Granted Patent: US 9,020,421 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/68
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a wireless communication device includes a first wireless communication section, a wireless power receiving section and a wireless control section. The first wireless communication section is configured to transmit and receive a first wireless signal. The wireless power receiving section is configured to receive power by a second wireless signal. The wireless control section is configured to control the first wireless communication section according to a wireless power reception state of the wireless power receiving section. The wireless control section activates the first wireless communication section after wireless power reception by the wireless power receiving section is started.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

a first wireless communication section configured to transmit and receive a first wireless signal;

a wireless power receiving section configured to receive power by a second wireless signal; and

a wireless control section configured to control the first wireless communication section according to a wireless power reception state of the wireless power receiving section,

wherein the wireless control section activates the first wireless communication section after wireless power reception by the wireless power receiving section is started.

2. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication section starts standby reception after being activated.

3. The wireless communication device according to claim 1,

wherein the wireless power receiving section comprises a first phase where at least negotiation for stable wireless power reception is performed according to the start of the wireless power reception, and a second phase where the stable wireless power reception is started, and

wherein the wireless control section activates the first wireless communication section after the wireless power receiving section has shifted from the first phase to the second phase.

4. The wireless communication device according to claim 2, wherein the first wireless communication section continues the standby reception for a predetermined period of time, and stops the standby reception when the first wireless signal is not received within the predetermined period of time.

7. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein a distance allowing power supply by the second wireless signal is less than a distance allowing communication by the first wireless signal.

8. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second wireless communication section capable of switching between a normal communication mode and a low power consumption mode in which power consumption is lower than in the normal communication mode, and configured to transmit and receive a third wireless signal in the normal communication mode and the low power consumption mode, a communication range of the second wireless communication section being greater than the communication range of the first wireless communication section,

wherein the wireless control section activates the second wireless communication section, in addition to the first wireless communication section, after the wireless power reception by the wireless power receiving section is started, and in a case where communication by the activated first wireless communication section and communication in the normal communication mode by the activated second wireless communication section are established, the wireless control section causes the second wireless communication section to shift to the low power consumption mode while maintaining the communication.

9. The wireless communication device according to claim 8, wherein, in the low power consumption mode, the second wireless communication section intermittently performs transmission and reception at a cycle longer than in the normal communication mode.

10. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second wireless communication section capable of switching between a normal communication mode and a low power consumption mode in which power consumption is lower than in the normal communication mode, and configured to transmit and receive a third wireless signal in the normal communication mode and the low power consumption mode, a communication range of the second wireless communication section being greater than the communication range of the first wireless communication section,

wherein, in a case where communication is performed by the second wireless communication section before start of the wireless power reception by the wireless power receiving section, the wireless control section performs a reconnection process for the second wireless communication section after the wireless power reception by the wireless receiving section is started.

11. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second wireless communication section capable of switching between a normal communication mode and a low power consumption mode in which power consumption is lower than in the normal communication mode, and configured to transmit and receive a third wireless signal in the normal communication mode and the low power consumption mode, a communication range of the second wireless communication section being greater than the communication range of the first wireless communication section,

wherein the first wireless communication section establishes communication after being activated, and

wherein, in a case where communication is performed by the second wireless communication section before start of the wireless power reception by the wireless power receiving section, the wireless control section checks, after the wireless power reception by the wireless power receiving section is started, whether or not a base station to which the second wireless communication section is connected is a base station that is associated with a base station to which the first wireless communication section is connected, and in a case where the base station to which the second wireless communication section is connected is not a base station that is associated with the base station to which the first wireless communication section is connected, the wireless control section performs a reconnection process for the second wireless communication section.

12. The wireless communication device according to claim 8, wherein, in a case where communication by the first wireless communication section is disconnected while the second wireless communication section is in the low power consumption mode, the wireless control section causes the second wireless communication section to shift to the normal communication mode, and causes the first wireless communication section to start standby reception.

13. The wireless communication device according to claim 12, wherein the wireless control section turns off power of the first wireless communication section in a case where communication by the first wireless communication section and communication by the second wireless communication section are disconnected.

14. The wireless communication device according to claim 12,

wherein, in a case where handover is performed in the normal communication mode, the second wireless communication section notifies the wireless control section of the handover, and

wherein the wireless control section turns off power of the first wireless communication section in a case where communication by the first wireless communication section is disconnected and the wireless control section is notified of the handover.

15. The wireless communication device according to claim 8,

wherein the first wireless communication section transmits a connection request signal for establishing communication at a first transmission interval or a second transmission interval, the second transmission interval being longer than the first transmission interval,

wherein, in a case where the first wireless communication section is activated after the wireless power reception by the wireless power receiving section is started, the wireless control section causes the first wireless communication section to transmit the connection request signal at the first transmission interval, and

wherein, in a case where communication by the first wireless communication section is disconnected while the second wireless communication section is in the low power consumption mode, the wireless control section causes the second wireless communication section to shift to the normal communication mode and causes the first wireless communication section to transmit the connection request signal at the second transmission interval.

16. The wireless communication device according to claim 15, wherein the wireless control section turns off power of the first wireless communication section in a case where communication by the first wireless communication section and communication by the second wireless communication section are disconnected.

17. The wireless communication device according to claim 15,

wherein, when handover is performed in the normal communication mode, the second wireless communication section notifies the wireless control section of the handover, and

wherein the wireless control section turns off power of the first wireless communication section in a case where communication by the first wireless communication section is disconnected and the wireless control section is notified of the handover.

18. The wireless communication device according to claim 13, wherein the wireless control section causes, after turning off power of the first wireless communication section, the second wireless communication section to scan, for a predetermined period of time, for a base station with which communication was last established, and in a case where the second wireless communication section failed to find the base station with which communication was last established within the predetermined period of time, the wireless control section turns off power of the second wireless communication section.

19. The wireless communication device according to claim 16, wherein the wireless control section causes, after turning off power of the first wireless communication section, the second wireless communication section to scan, for a predetermined period of time, for a base station with which communication was last established, and in a case where the second wireless communication section failed to find the base station with which communication was last established within the predetermined period of time, the wireless control section turns off power of the second wireless communication section.

20. A wireless communication system comprising:

a first wireless communication device according to claim 1; and

a second wireless communication device according to claim 5.

5. A wireless communication device comprising:

a wireless communication section configured to transmit and receive a first wireless signal;

a wireless power transmission section configured to transmit power by a second wireless signal; and

a wireless control section configured to control the wireless communication section according to a wireless power transmission state of the wireless power transmission section,

wherein the wireless control section activates the wireless communication section after wireless power transmission by the wireless power transmission section is started.

6. The wireless communication device according to claim 5, wherein the wireless communication section transmits the first wireless signal after being activated.