Communication device and communication method

• US 8,467,726 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2010
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intertrust Technologies Corporation (Fidelio Acquisition Co LLC)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shirakata, Naganori, Imamura, Koji, Ohta, Yoshitaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US13/144,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20110294429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 455/68, 455/69, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/91, 455/99, 455/100, 455/522, 455/574, 455/3.05, 455/3.06, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/456.6, 455/500, 455/502, 455/507, 340/539.1, 34053911-53919, 340/539.2, 34053921-53929, 340/539.3, 600/300, 600/301
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/067 using accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The communication device (10) which performs, when attached to the first region of the moving body, wireless communication with the communication partner device (20) attached to the second region of the moving body includes: a motion obtaining unit (11) which obtains motion information indicating a motion of at least one region of the moving body; a parameter determining unit (12) which determines a parameter corresponding to the motion of the region of the moving body indicated by the motion information obtained by the motion obtaining unit (11), using parameter information in which the motion and a parameter indicating a communication mode for successful wireless communication are associated with each other; and a wireless communication unit (13) which performs wireless communication with the communication partner device (20) according to the parameter determined by the parameter determining unit (12).

Claims

1. A communication device which performs, when attached to a first region of a moving body, wireless communication with a communication partner device attached to a second region of the moving body, said communication device comprising:

a motion obtaining unit configured to obtain motion information indicating a motion of at least one region of the moving body;

a parameter determining unit configured to determine a parameter corresponding to the motion of the region of the moving body indicated by the motion information obtained by said motion obtaining unit, using parameter information in which the motion and a parameter indicating a communication mode for successful wireless communication are associated with each other; and

a wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with the communication partner device according to the parameter determined by said parameter determining unit,

wherein said motion obtaining unit is configured to obtain, as the motion information, information indicating a motion of the first region, and

the parameter information is information in which the motion of the first region and a parameter which corresponds to signal strength of a radio signal received from the communication partner device when the motion is measured and indicates the communication mode for successful wireless communication are associated with each other in advance.

2. The communication device according to claim 1,

wherein said wireless communication unit is configured to receive a radio signal from the communication partner device, and

said communication device further comprises a parameter generating unit configured to generate the parameter information in which a parameter corresponding to signal strength of the received radio signal and the motion of the first region indicated by the motion information obtained when the radio signal is received are associated with each other.

3. The communication device according to claim 1,

wherein the motion information is information indicating a temporal variation in magnitude of acceleration of the region of the moving body.

4. The communication device according to claim 1,

wherein the parameter includes at least one of a parameter for specifying communication timing and a parameter for specifying radio wave strength in transmission.

5. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising

a moving body information sensor which measures moving body information of the first region,

wherein said wireless communication unit is configured to transmit, through wireless communication, the moving body information measured by said moving body information sensor, to the communication partner device.

6. The communication device according to claim 1,

wherein the communication partner device measures moving body information of the second region, and

said wireless communication unit is configured to receive, through wireless communication, the moving body information measured by the communication partner device.

7. The communication device according to claim 6,

wherein there is more than one communication partner device, and

said communication device further comprises an external communication unit configured to transmit, to an external device not attached to the moving body, the moving body information which said wireless communication unit has received from each of the communication partner devices.

8. A communication device which performs, when attached to a first region of a moving body, wireless communication with a communication partner device attached to a second region of the moving body, said communication device comprising:

a motion obtaining unit configured to obtain motion information indicating a motion of at least one region of the moving body;

a parameter determining unit configured to determine a parameter corresponding to the motion of the region of the moving body indicated by the motion information obtained by said motion obtaining unit, using parameter information in which the motion and a parameter indicating a communication mode for successful wireless communication are associated with each other; and

a wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with the communication partner device according to the parameter determined by said parameter determining unit,

wherein said motion obtaining unit is configured to obtain, as the motion information, information indicating a motion of the second region, and

the parameter information is information in which the motion of the second region and the parameter are associated with each other.

9. The communication device according to claim 8,

wherein said wireless communication unit is configured to receive a radio signal including the motion information indicating the motion of the second region from the communication partner device, and

said communication device further comprises a parameter generating unit configured to generate the parameter information in which a parameter corresponding to signal strength of the received radio signal and the motion of the second region indicated by the motion information obtained when the radio signal is received are associated with each other.

10. A communication device which performs, when attached to a first region of a moving body, wireless communication with a communication partner device attached to a second region of the moving body, said communication device comprising:

a motion obtaining unit configured to obtain motion information indicating a motion of at least one region of the moving body;

a parameter determining unit configured to determine a parameter corresponding to the motion of the region of the moving body indicated by the motion information obtained by said motion obtaining unit, using parameter information in which the motion and a parameter indicating a communication mode for successful wireless communication are associated with each other; and

a wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with the communication partner device according to the parameter determined by said parameter determining unit,

wherein a motion measuring device which measures a motion of a third region that is different from the first and second regions is attached to the third region,

said motion obtaining unit is configured to obtain, as the motion information, information indicating the motion of the third region from the motion measuring device, and

the parameter information is information in which the motion of the third region and the parameter are associated with each other.

11. The communication device according to claim 10,

wherein said wireless communication unit is configured to receive a radio signal from the communication partner device, and a radio signal including motion information indicating the motion of the third region from the motion measuring device, and

said communication device further comprises a parameter generating unit configured to generate the parameter information in which a parameter corresponding to signal strength of the radio signal received from the communication partner device and the motion information included in the radio signal received from the motion measuring device are associated with each other.

12. A communication method performed by a communication device which is attached to a first region of a moving body and performs wireless communication with a communication partner device attached to a second region of the moving body, said communication method comprising:

obtaining motion information indicating a motion of at least one region of the moving body;

determining a parameter corresponding to the motion of the region of the moving body indicated by the motion information obtained in said obtaining, using parameter information in which the motion and a parameter indicating a communication mode for successful wireless communication are associated with each other; and

performing wireless communication with the communication partner device according to the parameter determined in said determining,

wherein, in said obtaining, information indicating a motion of the first region is obtained as the motion information, and

the parameter information is information in which the motion of the first region and a parameter which corresponds to signal strength of a radio signal received from the communication partner device when the motion is measured and indicates the communication mode for successful wireless communication are associated with each other in advance.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for use in a computer, the recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon for causing the computer to execute the communication method according to claim 12.

13. An integrated circuit which performs, when attached to a first region of a moving body, wireless communication with a communication partner device attached to a second region of the moving body, said integrated circuit comprising:

a motion obtaining unit configured to obtain motion information indicating a motion of at least one region of the moving body;

a parameter determining unit configured to determine a parameter corresponding to the motion of the region of the moving body indicated by the motion information obtained by said motion obtaining unit, using parameter information in which the motion and a parameter indicating a communication mode for successful wireless communication are associated with each other; and

a wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with the communication partner device according to the parameter determined by said parameter determining unit,

wherein said motion obtaining is configured to obtain information indicating a motion of the first region as the motion information, and

the parameter information is information in which the motion of the first region and a parameter which corresponds to signal strength of a radio signal received from the communication partner device when the motion is measured and indicates the communication mode for successful wireless communication are associated with each other in advance.