Wireless communication apparatus having self sensing function

• US 8,184,565 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2009
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Lim, Joon Hyung, Park, Tah Joon, Cho, Han Jin, Hwang, Sang Hoon, Hong, Kyung Hee, Kwon, Yong Il, Kim, Myeung Su
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Kenny
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smarth, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US12/430,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20100150041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 370/311
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/883 where the sensing device enters an active or inactive mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/02 Automatically-operated arrangements

Abstract

Disclosed is a wireless communication apparatus having a self sensing function, which can detect an object by use of a wake-up function without employing a separate sensor. The wireless communication apparatus includes a communication unit wirelessly communicating with a server forming a wireless network, and a wake-up unit waking up the communication unit under the control of the server when the communication unit is in sleep mode, and sensing the presence of an object within a preset communication range according to a reflection signal, which is a signal reflected by the object after being transmitted from the communication unit.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus having a self sensing function, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with a server of a wireless network; and

a wake-up unit configured to wake up the communication unit under the control of the server when the communication unit is in sleep mode, and to detect the presence of an object within a preset communication range according to a reflection signal, which is a signal reflected by the object after being transmitted from the communication unit, wherein the wake-up unit comprises;

a signal converter configured to convert the reflection signal into a direct current (DC) signal, and a detector configured to detect a signal level of the DC signal received from the signal converter,

wherein the wake-up unit is configured to detect the object according to a signal level of the reflection signal, which is a reflected wireless communication signal between the communication unit and the server.

2. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication unit is configured to send the reflection sensing signal using on-off keying, and the detector of the wake-up unit is configured to determine the presence of the object, according to at least one of a number of high pulses or a number of low pulses of the converted DC voltage received from the signal converter.

3. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication apparatus is a Zigbee wireless communication apparatus configured to transfer a signal using Zigbee.

4. A wireless communication apparatus having a self sensing function, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with a server of a wireless network; and

a wake-up unit configured to wake up the communication unit under the control of the server when the communication unit is in sleep mode, and to sense the presence of an object within a preset communication range according to a reflection signal, which is a signal reflected by the object after being transmitted from the communication unit,

wherein the communication unit comprises a first directional antenna configured to output a sensing signal in a preset direction, and

the wake up unit comprises;

a second direction antenna configured to receive the reflection signal, which is the sensing signal reflected off the object after being output from the first directional antenna,

a signal converter configured to convert the reflection signal into a direct current (DC) signal, and

a detector configured to detect a signal level of the DC signal received from the signal converter,

and the wake-up unit is configured to detect the object according to a signal level of the reflection signal.

5. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 4, wherein the communication unit is configured to send the sensing signal using on-off keying, and the detector of the wake-up unit is configured to determine the presence of the object according to at least one of a number of high pulses or a number of low pulses of the converted DC voltage received from the signal converter.

6. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 4, wherein the wireless communication apparatus is a Zigbee wireless communication apparatus configured to transfer a signal using Zigbee.