COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20150004914A1
• Filed: 06/23/2014
• Published: 01/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kusakabe, Taketoshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,537,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A communication apparatus receives a use request to use a function of the communication apparatus from an external device via a communication unit. When the use request is received, the communication apparatus acquires a first identifier for identifying the external device as a request source which requests the use of the function. Based on the acquired first identifier and a second identifier for identifying an external device which requests power supply by a power transmission unit, the communication apparatus determines whether to cause the power transmission unit to transmit power to the external device. If it is determined to transmit power, the communication apparatus transmits, via the power transmission unit, power to the external device which requests power supply.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus for controlling a power transmission unit configured to transmit power to an external device, and a communication unit configured to communicate with the external device, comprising:

a reception unit configured to receive a use request to use a function of said communication apparatus from the external device via the communication unit;

an acquisition unit configured to acquire, when said reception unit receives the use request, a first identifier for identifying the external device as a request source which requests the use of the function;

a determination unit configured to determine, based on the first identifier acquired by said acquisition unit and a second identifier for identifying an external device which requests power supply by the power transmission unit, whether to cause the power transmission unit to transmit power to the external device; and

a power transmission control unit configured to transmit, via the power transmission unit, power to the external device which requests power supply, when said determination unit determines to transmit power.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

an interrupt unit configured to interrupt, if there is another external device which is receiving power transmitted by the power transmission unit when said acquisition unit acquires the first identifier, transmission of power to the other external device.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

when the use of the function by the external device as the request source which requests the use of the function ends,

said acquisition unit discards the first identifier, and

the power transmission control unit resumes transmission of power to the other external device, which has been interrupted by said interrupt unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a transmission unit configured to transmit the first identifier acquired by said acquisition unit to the external device which requests the use of the function,

wherein based on whether the second identifier corresponds to the first identifier transmitted by said transmission unit, said determination unit determines whether to transmit power to the external device which requests power supply.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first identifier transmitted by said transmission unit is used as the second identifier.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said transmission unit notifies the external device, which requests the use of the function, of a period of validity of the first identifier in addition to the first identifier.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when said reception unit receives the use request, said acquisition unit acquires the first identifier by newly generating the first identifier.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said communication apparatus further includes at least one of a printing function and a scanning function,

the communication unit and the transmission unit use wireless communication, and

the communication unit uses NFC and the transmission unit uses Qi.

9. A communication apparatus for controlling a power reception unit configured to receive power from an external device, and a communication unit configured to communicate with the external device, comprising:

a transmission unit configured to transmit a use request to request use of a function of the external device to the external device via the communication unit;

a reception unit configured to receive, from the external device via the communication unit, a first identifier, for identifying a request source that requests the use of the function, which has been generated by the external device when the external device receives the use request transmitted by said transmission unit;

a request unit configured to request power supply of the external device using a second identifier, for identifying a request source that requests power supply, based on the first identifier received by said reception unit; and

a power reception control unit configured to receive power from the external device via the power reception unit in response to the request by said request unit.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when a notification of completion of the use of the function requested by the use request is received from the external device, said reception unit prohibits the power request from being transmitted until a predetermined time elapses.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first identifier is used as the second identifier.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the external device includes at least one of a printing function and a scanning function,

the communication unit and the power reception unit use wireless communication, and

the communication unit uses NFC and the power reception unit uses Qi.

13. A control method for a communication apparatus for controlling a power reception unit configured to receive power from an external device, and a communication unit configured to communicate with the external device, comprising:

a transmission step of transmitting a use request to request use of a function of the external device to the external device via the communication unit;

a reception step of receiving, from the external device via the communication unit, a first identifier, for identifying a request source that requests the use of the function, which has been generated by the external device when the external device receives the use request transmitted in the transmission step;

a request step of requesting power supply of the external device using a second identifier, for identifying a request source that requests power supply, based on the first identifier received in the reception step; and

a power reception control step of receiving power from the external device via the power reception unit in response to the request in the request step.

14. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a control method for a communication apparatus according to claim 13.