Communication apparatus, control method therefor, and computer-readable storage medium

• US 9,537,538 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsieh, Ping
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jia, Xin
• Application Number:
  US14/312,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20150004914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 communication unit configured to communicate with one of plural external devices and a power transmission unit configured to transmit power to another or the same one of the external devices, comprising:

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

an identification unit configured to identify a second device included in the external devices that requests power supply by the power transmission unit;

a determination unit configured to determine whether to cause the power transmission unit to transmit power to the second device based on whether the use request is received by the reception unit and whether the second device is the first device that transmits the use request; and

a power transmission control unit configured to transmit, via the power transmission unit, power to the second device that requests power supply when said determination unit determines to transmit power, wherein

the determination unit is configured to determine to cause the power transmission unit to transmit power to the second device in a case where the use request is not received by the reception unit or where the second device is the first device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an interrupt unit configured to interrupt transmission of power to a third device if said third device is included in the external devices and is receiving power transmitted by the power transmission unit when the reception unit receives the use request.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the power transmission control unit resumes transmission of power to the third device that has been interrupted by said interrupt unit when the use of the function by the first external device ends.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission unit configured to transmit a first identifier for identifying the first device to the first device, wherein

said determination unit determines whether to transmit power to the second device based on whether a second identifier for identifying the second device corresponds to the first identifier transmitted by said transmission unit.

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 also notifies the first device of a period of validity of the first identifier in addition to the first identifier.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first identifier is newly generated when said reception unit receives the use request.

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. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

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

a second acquisition unit configured to acquire a second identifier for identifying the second device that requests power supply by the power transmission unit, wherein

based on whether or not the first identifier is acquired and whether the first identifier and the second identifier both identify the same device, the determination unit determines whether to cause the power transmission unit to transmit power to the second device.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus is a printer, and the reception unit receive print data as the user request.

11. A control method for controlling a communication apparatus for controlling a communication unit configured to communicate with one of the external devices, and a power transmission unit configured to transmit power to another or the same one of the external devices, the method comprising:

receiving a use request to use a function of the communication apparatus from a first device included in the external devices via the communication unit;

identifying a second device included in the external devices which requests power supply by the power transmission unit;

based on whether the use request is received and whether the second device is the first device that transmits the use request, determining whether to cause the power transmission unit to transmit power to the second device; and

when it is determined to transmit power, transmitting power to the second device that requests power supply via the power transmission unit, wherein

it is determined to cause the power transmission unit to transmit power to the second device in a case where the use request is not received or where the second device is the first device.