Communication device and communication method

• US 6,879,826 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2001
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Muramatsu, Toshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US09/777,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20010012774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/67.11, 455/412.2, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/573, 455/343.2, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/525, 455/423, 455/673
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/20 of receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The communication device includes a communication microcomputer 203 and an information-processing microcomputer 207. The communication microcomputer 203 has a line quality measuring section 301, a battery level measuring section 302, a data table 304, and a data transmission/reception decision section 303. The information-processing microcomputer 207 has a data transmission/reception prediction section 307 and a communication processing section 305. The electric field level, degradation in line quality, and the remaining amount of a battery are periodically monitored during data communication such as electronic mail reception. The data transmission/reception decision section 303 implements a decision process based on various predetermined information sets acquired through the monitoring. When deciding that the line is disconnected during communication, the data transmission/reception decision section 303 interrupts the mail reception and performs a logging-out with the server, thus disconnecting the line. As a result, it can be avoided that the connection between the terminal and the server is maintained.

Claims

1. A communication device, wherein data is transmitted and received via a communication section and a line, comprising:

decision means for deciding whether or not to transmit and receive data based on predetermined information corresponding to the state of the line or the internal state of the device or whether or not to interrupt communications if the device is currently in a transmission/reception state; and

a controller for controlling said communication section according decision results from said decision means, said predetermined information containing prediction results based on a prediction of a data amount to be transmitted or received in current communication, wherein said predetermined information contains information representing a reception level.

2. The communication device defined in claim 1, further comprising:

an information holder for holding said predetermined information;

said decision means deciding whether or not to transmit and receive data based on current predetermined information and old predetermined information held in said holder, or whether or not to interrupt communications if the device is currently in a transmission/reception state.

3. The communication device defined in claim 1, further comprising notification means for notifying a user of decision results according to the decision results of said decision means.

4. The communication device defined in claim 1, wherein when said decision means decides disconnection of communications, said controller controls said communication means to disconnect the line after the logging-out in accordance with a predetermined communication procedure.

5. A communication device, wherein data is transmitted and received via a communication section and a line, comprising:

decision means for deciding whether or not to transmit and receive data based on predetermined information corresponding to the state of the line or the internal state of the device or whether or not to interrupt communications if the device is currently in a transmission/reception state; and

a controller for controlling said communication section according decision results from said decision means, said predetermined information containing prediction results based on a prediction of a data amount to be transmitted or received in current communication, wherein said predetermined information contains information representing an error rate.

6. A communication device, wherein data is transmitted and received via a communication section and a line, comprising:

decision means for deciding whether or not to transmit and receive data based on predetermined information corresponding to the state of the line or the internal state of the device or whether or not to interrupt communications if the device is currently in a transmission/reception state; and

a controller for controlling said communication section according decision results from said decision means, said predetermined information containing prediction results based on a prediction of a data amount to be transmitted or received in current communication, wherein said predetermined information contains information representing a response timing from a connected destination.

7. The communication device defined in claim 6, wherein said predetermined information contains information representing an output voltage level of a power source within the device.

8. The communication device defined in claim 7, wherein said power source within the device comprises a secondary battery.

9. The communication device defined in claim 8, further comprising prediction means for predicting a transmittable/receivable data amount based on a charging amount or output voltage level of said secondary battery;

said predetermined information containing prediction results acquired by said prediction means.

10. The communication device defined in claim 9, further comprising second prediction means for predicting the data amount to be transmitted or received in current communications;

said predetermined information containing the prediction results acquired by said second prediction means.

11. A communication method suitable for a communication device which transmits and receives data via a communication section and a line, said method comprising the steps of:

deciding whether or not to transmit and receive data based on predetermined information corresponding to the state of the line or the internal state of the system or whether or not to interrupt communications if the device is currently in a transmission/reception state; and

controlling said communication section to disconnect the line after the logging-out in a predetermined communication procedure, in accordance with decision results in said decision step, the predetermined information containing prediction results based on a prediction of a data amount to be transmitted or received in current communication, wherein said predetermined information contains information representing a reception level.

12. The communication method defined in claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

holding said predetermined information;

deciding whether or not to transmit and receive data based on current predetermined information and old predetermined information held in said holder, or whether or not to interrupt communications if the device is currently in a transmission/reception state.

13. The communication method defined in claim 11, further comprising the step of notifying a user of decision results according to the decision results of said step of deciding.

14. The communication method defined in claim 11, wherein said step of controlling further comprising the step of controlling said communication means to disconnect the line after the logging-out in accordance with a predetermined communication procedure when the decision result of said step of deciding is disconnection of communications.

15. A communication method suitable for a communication device which transmits and receives data via a communication section and a line, said method comprising the steps of:

deciding whether or not to transmit and receive data based on predetermined information corresponding to the state of the line or the internal state of the system or whether or not to interrupt communications if the device is currently in a transmission/reception state; and

controlling said communication section to disconnect the line after the logging-out in a predetermined communication procedure, in accordance with decision results in said decision step, the predetermined information containing prediction results based on a prediction of a data amount to be transmitted or received in current communication, wherein said predetermined information contains information representing an error rate.

16. A communication method suitable for a communication device which transmits and receives data via a communication section and a line, said method comprising the steps of:

deciding whether or not to transmit and receive data based on predetermined information corresponding to the state of the line or the internal state of the system or whether or not to interrupt communications if the device is currently in a transmission/reception state; and

controlling said communication section to disconnect the line after the logging-out in a predetermined communication procedure, in accordance with decision results in said decision step, the predetermined information containing prediction results based on a prediction of a data amount to be transmitted or received in current communication, wherein said predetermined information contains information representing a response timing from a connected destination.

17. The communication method defined in claim 16, wherein said predetermined information contains information representing an output voltage level of a power source within the device.

18. The communication method defined in claim 17, wherein said power source within the device comprises a secondary battery.

19. The communication method defined in claim 18, further comprising the step of predicting a transmittable/receivable data amount based on a charging amount or output voltage level of said secondary battery;

said predetermined information containing prediction results acquired by said the step of predicting.

20. The communication method defined in claim 19, further comprising the step of secondary predicting the data amount to be transmitted or received in current communications;

said predetermined information containing the prediction results acquired by said step of secondary predicting.