JP2000350269A - Communication unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To avoid problems that too wide a waiting interval causes much time up to update and too short a waiting interval causes waste of power by varying the update interval on the basis of a received confirming signal. SOLUTION: A transmission control means 212 starts a transmission power control means 213 and the transmission power control means 213 supplies power to a transmission means 214. The transmission means 214 receiving power transmits an update request signal. That is, the transmission means 214 transmits the update request signal at each update interval stored in an update interval storage means 208. When no reply comes from a data transmitter 10 with respect to this update request signal, it is considered that the data transmitter 10 and a data receiver 20 are in a communication disabled state. Then an update interval revision means 207 changes an update interval to increase the interval. Furthermore, in the case that a signal sent from the transmission control means 103 indicate 'no update data', the update interval revision means 207 revises the update interval to shorten the update interval.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication device for performing data communication between spatially separated devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when data is transmitted from a transmission side to a reception side, as shown in FIG. 4 (ii), the reception side intermittently performs only a certain period t10 and only during a time t11. By waiting for a signal and energizing only during t11, the power consumption of the waiting side can be reduced to t11 / t10.

In such a device, the transmitting side attaches a preamble signal 31 having a length t14 longer than the intermittent period t10 to the data 32 to be transmitted, and transmits the data.

[0004] After receiving the preamble signal 31, the receiving side waits for data continuously, not intermittently, and receives data 32 transmitted following the preamble signal 31 from the transmitting side.

[0005] With this configuration, it is possible to reduce power consumption by intermittently waiting for reception, and to reliably transmit and receive data even in intermittent standby.

[0006]

This is a system for transmitting and receiving data between a plurality of devices. One device A updates data at any time, and the other device B sends a data update request to device A. Then, a system is assumed in which the device A transmits data to the device B if the data has been updated since the last update request.

In such a system, in order to further reduce the power consumption, the power consumption per unit time can be reduced by increasing the reception standby interval.

However, increasing the standby interval has a problem in that when there is an update request, the update cannot be performed until the next standby interval. As described above, the standby interval should be optimally set according to various situations, but conventionally, the standby interval is basically fixed,
Even if it can be changed, the user has only to set in advance based on an empirical rule.

Accordingly, the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problem, and automatically sets the standby interval (update interval) from the state of the communication automatically, so that the standby interval is too wide to update. This is to avoid the problem that it takes time and the standby interval is short and wasteful power is consumed.

[0010]

According to the present invention, an update interval storing means for storing an update interval of data, and a request signal transmitting means for transmitting a request signal at every automatic update interval or based on an instruction from a user. And a data receiving unit for receiving a confirmation signal and update data for the request signal, wherein the communication device includes an update interval changing unit that varies the update interval based on the received confirmation signal. Solve the problem.

Further, according to the present invention, an update interval storing means for storing an update interval of data, a request signal transmitting means for transmitting a request signal at each automatic update interval or based on an instruction from a user, A data receiving means for receiving a confirmation signal and update data for the communication device, wherein, when the confirmation signal cannot be received within a predetermined time, by providing an update interval changing means for varying the update interval, Solve the problem.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. As an embodiment, a transmitting / receiving device including a television and a remote controller is assumed. In FIG. 1, the data transmission device 10 is a television, and the data reception device 20
Is a remote control. In this example, a description will be given by taking as an example the transmission and reception of the title of a currently broadcasted program.

The data transmission device 10 will be described. When the title of the program currently being broadcast is updated, the data is stored in the update data storage unit 101. Receiving means 106 receives a signal transmitted from remote controller 20. The reception control unit 105 sends the signal received by the reception unit 106 to the update determination unit 102. Update determination means 1
02 determines whether the signal sent from the reception control means 105 is a "request signal" or a "start signal".

When the update determining means 102 determines that the data is a “request signal”, and when data is stored in the update data storage means 101, it sends a “update data present” signal to the transmission control means 103. Update data storage means 101
If no data is stored in the
3 is sent a "no update data" signal.

The transmission control means 103 includes the update determination means 10
Transmitting means 1 for transmitting the signal and update data transmitted from
Send to 04. The transmitting means 104 actually transmits the signal.

In the update determination means 102, the "start signal"
Is determined, the update determination unit 102 sends a data transmission instruction to the transmission control unit 103, and the transmission control unit 10
3 sends the data stored in the update data storage means 101 to the transmission means 104, and the data is transmitted from the transmission means 104. When all data has been transmitted, an "update data end" signal is sent.

Next, the data receiving device 20 will be described. The timer unit 209 outputs a signal at each update interval based on the update interval stored in the update interval storage unit 208. In the update determination unit 210, the timer unit 209
The transmission control unit 212 is activated when a signal is input from the user or when an update request signal is input from the user.

The transmission control means 212 activates the transmission power control means 213, and the transmission power control means 213
14 to supply power. Powered transmission means 21
4, an update request signal is transmitted. That is, the update request signal is transmitted from the transmission unit 214 at each update interval stored in the update interval storage unit 208.

If there is no response from the data transmitting device 10 to this update request signal, it is possible that the data transmitting device 10 and the data receiving device 20 are in a state where communication is not possible. Therefore, the update interval changing unit 207 changes the update interval to increase the interval. This means that if communication is not possible, there is no need to actually update (cannot be accurate)
This is to reduce power consumption as much as possible.

Further, in the reception control means 202, the value of the update flag stored in the update flag storage means 205 is set to "not connected".

When the signal transmitted from the transmission control means 103 is "no update data", the update interval changing means 2-7 changes the update interval so as to narrow the update interval. In other words, the absence of update data means that the update will be performed in a future process, and the update interval is changed in order to avoid delaying the update timing.

On the other hand, if the transmitted signal is "updated data", the reception control means 202 changes the value of the update flag in the update flag storage means 205 to "not updated".

The receiving means 201 continues to receive data until receiving the "update data end" signal from the transmitting means 104. When the receiving apparatus receives the “update data end” signal, the supply of the received power is cut off under the control of the received power control unit 203. The data received by the receiving means 201 is sent to the reception control means 202, the data is updated by the data updating means 204, and the update flag of the update flag storage means 205 is changed to "updated". When the data reception is completed, the update interval changing means 20
7 is changed so as to increase the update interval. This is because it is expected that after the update is completed, it will be rarely updated continuously.

With the configuration as shown in FIG. 2, the signal transmitted from transmitting means 214 and transmission power control means 213
Between the transmission power supplied to the transmission means and the signal received by the reception means 201 and the reception power control means 20
3 shows the relationship with the received power supplied to the receiving means.

FIG. 2 (i) shows a case where, after transmitting the request signal, there is no response to the confirmation signal from the transmitting device. Transmission means 2
14, the transmission power is supplied only for t21, and the request signal is transmitted. The transmission power duration t21 is a minimum time required to transmit the request signal. On the other hand, the power is supplied to the receiving means only t22 after the power is supplied to the transmitting means and td later. t22 is set to a value larger than the longest time from when the request signal is transmitted to when there is a response from the transmitting device. The time between t22 is the response confirmation time.

Here, td is set to a value smaller than the shortest time (depending on the distance and the device) from when the transmission power is supplied (after the request signal is transmitted) to when there is a response from the transmitting device. I have.

FIG. 2 (ii) shows a case where a confirmation signal is transmitted from the transmission device within a response confirmation time after the transmission of the update request signal, and the confirmation signal is received. After receiving the confirmation signal,
Power supply to the receiving means is interrupted. The acknowledgment signal has two states, “updated data exists” and “no update data”.

"No update data" indicates that there is no data in the update data storage means 101, and "Update data exists" means that there is data in the update data storage means 101. Further, even when there is data in the update data storage unit 101, if there is a data amount equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold value, "no update data" may be set. FIG. 2 (ii) is an example in the case where "no update data" is received as the confirmation signal.

FIG. 2 (iii) shows a case where "update data exists" is received as a confirmation signal. Until the receiving device receives the acknowledgment signal, it is the same as FIG. 2 (ii). After receiving the confirmation signal, transmission power t27 is supplied to the transmission means, and a start signal is transmitted. The receiving means receives the update data transmitted from the transmitting device. When the update data has been received,
The transmitting device transmits an "update data end" signal. The reception control unit 202 that has received the “update data end” signal sends a signal to the reception power control unit 203 to cut off the supply of the reception power.

The flow of the above processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, it is determined whether or not the update time has come in step S301. If it is the update time, the transmission power is turned on by the transmission control means (S302). After the transmission power is turned on, an update request signal is transmitted (S303).

When the update request signal is correctly transmitted, the transmission power is turned off by the transmission control means (S304). Subsequently, the reception power is turned on at time td after the transmission means starts transmission (S305).

It is determined whether there is a response within the response confirmation time (S306). If there is no response, the reception power is immediately turned off after the response confirmation time has elapsed (S307), and
The next update interval is changed (S308). If there is a response within the response confirmation time, the reception power is immediately turned off (S309).

The contents of the response signal are determined (S31).
0), if the response signal is "no update data", the next update interval is changed (S311). In the case of "updated data", the transmission power is turned on (S312), a start signal is transmitted (S313), and immediately after the transmission ends, the transmission power is turned off (S314).

The reception power is turned on at time td after the start signal is transmitted (S315), and update data is received (S316). This process is continued until an "update data end" signal is received (S317).

When the "update data end" signal is received, the reception power is turned off (S318), and the update interval is changed (S319). The above processing is repeated until the processing is completed (S
320). With such a configuration and processing, the update interval can be automatically and optimally changed.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of changing the update interval described above. FIG. 6 (i) shows a case where there is no response from the data transmission device to the update signal from the data reception device. The output timing of the previous timer means 209 is set to 61
0, the current time is 611, the interval (update interval) between 610 and 611 is t, and the next update signal is 612, 61
Assuming that the interval between 1 and 612 is t ′, the update interval t ′ after the update
Is changed to a value satisfying t ′> t.

FIG. 5 (ii) shows an example in the case where the response from the data transmitting apparatus is "no update data". Assuming that the previous update signal is 620 and the current update is 621, the interval between 620 and 621 is t, the next update signal is 622, and the interval between 621 and 622 is t ′, and the update interval t ′ after update is t. Change to a value that satisfies'<t.

FIG. 5 (iii) shows an example in the case where the response from the data transmitting apparatus is "updated data exists". Assuming that the previous update signal is 630 and this time is 631, the interval between 630 and 631 is t, the next update signal is 632, and the interval between 631 and 632 is t ′, and the update interval t ′ after update is t. Change to a value that satisfies'> t.

Since such a change of the update interval is repeated while the process is continued, as shown in FIG. 5 (i), when there is no response from the data transmission device, the update interval is gradually increased. become. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 5 (ii), when the response from the data transmitting apparatus is "no update data" for a predetermined time, the update interval gradually narrows during this time.

Therefore, the maximum value and the minimum value of the update interval are determined in advance, and a change that exceeds the determined maximum value and minimum value is not performed, so that the response time becomes extremely large or small. It is also conceivable to prevent that from happening.

[0041]

According to the present invention, a communication apparatus which does not consume power for regular reception by constantly sending an update request signal from the data receiving side, based on the reception state, In order to automatically and optimally change and set the cycle of the update request signal, power consumption is reduced and the problem of delay in update timing is avoided.
There is no need for the user to make settings.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing signal timings in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing signal timings of a conventional transmission / reception system.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a setting example of an update interval in the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 data transmission device 101 update data storage means 102 update determination means 103 transmission control means 104 transmission means 105 reception control means 106 reception means 20 data reception apparatus 201 reception means 202 reception control means 203 reception power control means 204 data update means 205 update flag Storage means 207 Update interval change means 208 Update interval storage means 209 Timer means 210 Update determination means 212 Transmission control means 213 Transmission power control means 214 Transmission means

Claims (2)

[Claims] An update interval storage unit for storing an update interval of data; a request signal transmitting unit for transmitting a request signal at each of the automatic update intervals or based on an instruction from a user; a confirmation signal and update data for the request signal A communication device comprising: a data receiving unit that receives the confirmation signal; and an update interval changing unit that changes the update interval based on the received confirmation signal. 2. An update interval storage unit for storing an update interval of data, a request signal transmission unit for transmitting a request signal at each of the automatic update intervals or based on an instruction from a user, a confirmation signal for the request signal, and update data. A communication apparatus comprising: a data receiving unit that receives the confirmation signal; and an update interval changing unit that varies the update interval when the confirmation signal cannot be received within a predetermined time.