ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20150358912A1
• Filed: 06/08/2015
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsukamoto, Nobuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,717,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An electronic device includes a first communication unit that performs wireless communication; a connection unit that connects a communication device including a second communication unit which performs wireless communication; and a control unit that (a) determines whether the communication device is capable of receiving predetermined power if the communication device and the connection unit are connected, and (b) performs a process of restricting wireless communication of the second communication unit if the communication device is not capable of receiving the predetermined power.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first communication unit that performs wireless communication;

a connection unit that connects a communication device including a second communication unit which performs wireless communication; and

a control unit that (a) determines whether the communication device is capable of receiving predetermined power if the communication device and the connection unit are connected, and (b) performs a process of restricting wireless communication of the second communication unit if the communication device is not capable of receiving the predetermined power.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a power receiving unit that wirelessly receives power from a power supply apparatus,

wherein if the communication device is not capable of receiving the predetermined power, the control unit causes the first communication unit to transmit data for causing the power supply apparatus to perform wireless power supply, after the second communication unit performs the process of restricting wireless communication of the second communication unit.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a power receiving unit that wirelessly receives power from a power supply apparatus,

wherein the control unit determines whether power received by the power receiving unit is not less than a predetermined value, after the process of restricting wireless communication of the second communication unit is performed.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit performs a process of causing the second communication unit to be in a wireless communication available state if power received by the power receiving unit is less than the predetermined value.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines whether a remaining capacity of a battery is not less than a predetermined value, after the process of restricting wireless communication of the second communication unit is performed.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit performs a process of causing the second communication unit to be in a wireless communication available state if a remaining capacity of the battery is not less than the predetermined value.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a power receiving unit that wirelessly receives power from a power supply apparatus,

wherein the control unit determines whether the first communication unit receives predetermined data from the power supply apparatus, after the process of restricting wireless communication of the second communication unit is performed.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit performs a process of causing the second communication unit to be in a wireless communication available state if the first communication unit receives the predetermined data from the power supply apparatus.

9. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined data includes data notifying the power supply apparatus of stopping supplying the predetermined power.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined power is larger than communication power used for wireless communication.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a communication protocol of the first communication unit corresponds to a protocol of the second communication unit.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a communication protocol of the first communication unit conforms to NFC (near field communication) standard.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is capable of performing a predetermined authentication using the second communication unit.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is capable of performing an electronic payment using the second communication unit.

15. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is capable of acting as at least one of a memory card and a SIM (subscriber identity module) card.

16. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device includes:

a communication antenna; and

a switch connected to the communication antenna in series, and

wherein the process of restricting wireless communication of the second communication unit includes a process of controlling the switch to disconnect between the communication antenna and the second communication unit.

17. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device includes:

a communication antenna; and

a switch connected to the communication antenna in parallel, and

wherein the process of restricting wireless communication of the second communication unit includes a process of turning on the switch.

18. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit obtains data associated with the communication device from the communication device if the communication device and the connection unit are connected, and

wherein the control unit determines whether the communication device is capable of receiving the predetermined power using the data associated with the communication device.

19. A method of controlling an electronic device comprising:

determining whether a communication device is capable of receiving predetermined power if the communication device and the electronic device are connected, wherein the electronic device includes a first communication unit that performs wireless communication, and the communication device includes a second communication unit that performs wireless communication; and

performing a process of restricting wireless communication of the second communication unit if the communication device is not capable of receiving the predetermined power.

20. A non-transitory storage medium that stores a program for causing a computer to perform a method of controlling an electronic device, the method comprising:

determining whether a communication device is capable of receiving predetermined power if the communication device and the electronic device are connected, wherein the electronic device includes a first communication unit that performs wireless communication, and the communication device includes a second communication unit that performs wireless communication; and

performing a process of restricting wireless communication of the second communication unit if the communication device is not capable of receiving the predetermined power.