JP2005189185A - Communications device, communication terminal device, its control method, control program and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a control device capable of readily performing simply sophisticated time processings, and to provide a communication terminal device, its control method, a control program, and a recording medium with the control program stored thereto. <P>SOLUTION: The communications device 1 comprises a GPS signal processing part 10 for outputting time information T1 and a time synchronizing pulse Px synchronized with the time by receiving high precision time information, a calculation processing part 32 for calculating the time difference between output timing of the time synchronizing pulse Px and communication synchronization timing with the communication terminal device 2 as time correction information T2, and a radio communication part 20 for transmitting the time information T1 acquired and the time correction information T2, to the communication terminal device 2. The communication terminal device 2 is provided with a time correction part for correcting a time clocked by own device 2, on the basis of received information, when receiving the time information T1 transmitted from the communication device 1 and the time correction information T2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication device having a wireless communication function, a communication terminal device, a control method thereof, a control program, and a recording medium.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a device that receives a GPS signal from a GPS satellite and corrects the time measured by the device based on time information included in the signal (for example, Patent Document 1). The technique described in Patent Document 1 relates to a technique for adjusting time between base stations in a mobile communication system, and is premised on that each base station includes a GPS receiver.
JP 2003-87182 A

However, when trying to perform advanced time processing such as adjusting the time of each device connected in the communication network, if all communication devices must have a GPS receiver, the configuration becomes complicated. .
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, a communication device capable of easily performing advanced time processing, a communication terminal device, a control method thereof, a control program, and a recording medium on which the control program is recorded. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a communication device for receiving short-distance wireless communication with an external communication terminal device, receiving highly accurate time information from the outside, and receiving the time information and A time information receiving means for outputting a time synchronization pulse synchronized with a time indicated by the time information, a time difference between an output timing of the time synchronization pulse and a communication synchronization timing with the communication terminal device, and And time correction information calculation means for calculating time correction information for the apparatus. According to this configuration, it is possible to calculate time correction information based on the communication synchronization timing at which communication synchronization is established with the communication terminal device.

  The said structure WHEREIN: It is preferable that the said wireless communication means transmits the said time correction information and the said time information to the said communication terminal device. Further, in the above configuration, a time measuring means for measuring time, a time correcting means for correcting the time measured by the time measuring means based on the time information, and a broadcast receiving means for receiving a predetermined broadcast And reception control means for causing the broadcast receiving means to perform an intermittent reception operation based on the time counted by the time counting means, and the wireless communication means, when the broadcast receiving means receives the broadcast, The activation instruction may be transmitted to a communication terminal device having a broadcast receiving function.

  Further, the present invention provides a communication terminal device, short-range wireless communication with the communication device, receiving the time correction information and the time information, a terminal-side wireless communication means, a time counting means for measuring time, When the time correction information and the time information are received, the time correction means corrects the time measured by the time counting means based on the time correction information and the time information. According to this configuration, the time counted by the own device can be corrected based on the time correction information and the time information transmitted from the communication device. In the above configuration, it is preferable that the time correction unit corrects the time of the time counting unit to a time obtained from the time correction information and the time information with reference to a communication synchronization timing with the communication device. Further, the communication terminal device may be configured as a timepiece having time display means for displaying the time counted by the timekeeping means.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling a communication device having a function of performing short-range wireless communication with an external communication terminal device, receiving highly accurate time information from the outside, and using the time information and the time information. Output a time synchronization pulse synchronized with the indicated time, establish communication synchronization with an external communication terminal device, the time difference between the output timing of the time synchronization pulse and the communication synchronization timing with the communication terminal device, It is calculated as time correction information for the communication terminal. In this configuration, it is preferable to transmit the time correction information and the time information to the communication terminal device.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method for a communication terminal device having a function of measuring time and a function of short-range wireless communication with a communication device, and receiving time correction information and time information transmitted from the communication device. Then, based on the time correction information and the time information, the time measured by the own device is corrected. In addition to being applied to the communication apparatus, communication terminal apparatus and control method thereof described above, the present invention distributes a control program for carrying out the present invention to general users via an electric communication line, or the like. The present invention can also be implemented in such a manner that the program is stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, floppy (registered trademark) disk, or optical recording disk and distributed to general users.

  According to the present invention, a communication device that performs wireless communication with a communication terminal device compensates for the time difference between the output timing of the time synchronization pulse synchronized with the highly accurate time and the communication synchronization timing with the communication terminal device. By calculating as the sex information, the communication terminal device side can correct the time of its own device from the time correction information and the time information with high accuracy based on the communication synchronization timing with the communication terminal.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a communication device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The communication device 1 is a device for setting the time of one or a plurality of communication terminal devices that are installed on the outside of a house roof or the like and arranged in the house and in the vicinity of the house with high accuracy. It has a function of performing communication and a function of receiving GPS signals from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite (not shown).

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, in this communication device 1, the GPS signal processing unit (time information receiving means) 10 detects the position of this communication device 1 from the GPS signal received via the GPS antenna 11. Information (longitude, latitude) and time information (current time) T1 are obtained by calculation, and a pulse (1PPS: hereinafter referred to as time synchronization pulse Px) synchronized with this time (second) is generated. And output. Here, as is well known, the GPS satellite has a built-in atomic clock, and the GPS signal includes information on the time measured in synchronization with UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). In the present embodiment, the local time is calculated from the standard time information included in the GPS signal and the time difference of the current location, and the time synchronization pulse synchronized with this time is output, so that the highly accurate time information T1 and time synchronization are output. The pulse Px can be acquired.

  The wireless communication unit 20 forms a communication service area of about several tens of meters around, for example, by Bluetooth (registered trademark) or wireless LAN (Local Area Network), and is close to the communication terminal device 2 in the communication service area. It is for performing range wireless communication. The wireless communication unit 20 includes an RF unit and a baseband unit for converting an analog reception signal received via the dedicated antenna 21 into a digital signal, a communication clock generation unit 22 that generates a communication clock f1, A communication synchronization clock generator 23 for generating a communication synchronization clock f2 for synchronizing the data transmission / reception timing (frame synchronization) with the communication terminal apparatus 2 of the communication destination is provided. In the example of FIG. 1, for convenience of description, the communication clock generation unit 22 and the communication synchronous clock generation unit 23 are illustrated at positions different from the wireless communication unit 20.

  The control unit 30 functions as a computer that controls the communication device 1 and includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a logic circuit. In the present embodiment, the control unit 30 executes a storage unit 31 that stores time information T1 acquired by the GPS signal processing unit 10 and various control programs, and a control program stored in the storage unit 31. , And functions as an arithmetic processing unit 32 that calculates the time difference between the output timing of the time synchronization pulse Px output from the GPS signal processing unit 10 and the frame synchronization timing of the communication terminal device 2 that has undergone communication synchronization as the time correction information T2. .

  In addition, the storage unit 31 stores terminal identification information (terminal ID) and the like of the communication terminal device 2 on the partner side that performs near field communication with the own device 1. That is, the communication device 1 communicates only with the communication terminal device 2 corresponding to the identification information stored in the storage unit 31. The communication terminal device 2 includes various devices having a Bluetooth communication function and a wireless LAN communication function in addition to a timekeeping function, such as a clock (clock or watch), an audio-visual device such as a video recorder, a television and a radio, a laundry Home appliances such as a machine and rice cooker, automobiles, in-vehicle devices such as a car navigation device existing in a car, mobile phones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), and PCs (Personal Computers).

  The solar power generation unit 40 supplies power generated by photoelectric conversion by a solar power generation panel (not shown) provided in the communication device 1 to each unit of the own device 1. The power storage unit 41 stores the power generated by the solar power generation unit 40, and the power stored in the power storage unit 41 during the day is supplied to each unit of the device 1 at night. . Here, the photovoltaic power generation panel has an area enough to generate enough power to operate each part of the device 1 itself. Therefore, since the communication apparatus 1 has a configuration that does not require external power supply, the user is conscious of securing a power source if the place is irradiated with sunlight or light strong enough to generate power. The communication device 1 can be installed at any place without the need.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the communication terminal device 2. FIG. 2 shows a case where the communication terminal device 2 is configured as a clock such as a table clock or a wristwatch. The communication terminal device 2 includes a time measuring unit 50 for measuring time for functioning as a clock, and a time display unit 51 for displaying the time measured, and further performs near field communication with the communication device 1. A wireless communication unit 60 and a time correction unit 70 are provided. Here, the wireless communication unit 60 is for performing wireless communication with the communication device 1 via Bluetooth, wireless LAN, or the like, and has a configuration substantially similar to that of the wireless communication unit 20 of the communication device 1. That is, the wireless communication unit 60 includes a communication clock generation unit 62 that generates a communication clock f1 in addition to an RF unit and a baseband unit for converting an analog reception signal received via the dedicated antenna 61 into a digital signal. And a communication synchronization clock generator 63 for generating a communication synchronization clock f2 for synchronizing the data transmission / reception timing (frame synchronization, etc.) with the communication terminal device 2 of the communication destination.

  The time correction unit 70 includes a logic circuit and the like, and corrects the time counted by the time measuring unit 2 based on the time correction information T2 calculated by the arithmetic processing unit 32 of the communication device 1. Note that the communication terminal device 2 other than the clock device also includes at least the timer unit 50, the wireless communication unit 60, and the time correction unit 70 (the communication clock generation unit 62 and the communication synchronization unit) of the communication terminal devices 2 described above. In addition to this, the communication terminal device 2 has a configuration unique to the communication terminal device 2, for example, in the case of a video recorder, a configuration for receiving a TV broadcast and recording a video. In the case of a television, it has a function for displaying a TV broadcast.

  Next, an operation when the time of the communication terminal device 2 is corrected with high accuracy by the communication device 1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the communication apparatus 1. Hereinafter, the operation will be described with reference to this figure. First, in the communication device 1, the GPS signal processing unit 10 receives a GPS signal to acquire highly accurate time information T <b> 1, and the wireless communication unit 20 establishes communication synchronization with the counterpart communication terminal device 2. Is executed (step S1). Note that the processing for obtaining the time information T1 from the GPS satellite and the communication synchronization establishment processing have no priority order, and any of them may be performed first, and the communication device 1 performs parallel processing (so-called multitask processing). May be executed in parallel as long as they can be executed.

  Here, the process of establishing synchronization with the counterpart communication terminal apparatus 2 includes a process of synchronizing the communication synchronization clock f2 of the communication apparatus 1 and the communication synchronization clock f2 of the communication terminal apparatus 2. For example, in the case of Bluetooth, in order to achieve synchronization according to the Bluetooth standard, that is, synchronization within the piconet, the slave (communication terminal device 2) is a master (communication device 1) Bluetooth clock (for example, communication of the communication device 1). A fixed offset value (clock offset) is given to its own clock (communication clock f1) so as to synchronize with the master by referring to the synchronization clock f2), and the master and slave have a common slot number for each time slot. The process of applying a tag is applied. As a result, the communication synchronization clock f2 of the communication device 1 and the communication synchronization clock f2 of the communication terminal device 2 are synchronized, and the frame synchronization timing is determined based on the communication synchronization clock f2. . The GPS signal processing unit 10 outputs the acquired time information T1 and a highly accurate time synchronization pulse Px synchronized with the time information T1 to the control unit 30, and the control unit 30 stores the time information T1 in the storage unit. 31 is stored.

  Next, in the communication device 1, the arithmetic processing unit 32 causes the time difference between the output timing of the time synchronization pulse Px output from the GPS signal processing unit 10 and the frame synchronization timing determined based on the communication synchronization clock f <b> 2. Is calculated as time correction information T2 (step S2). More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the arithmetic processing unit 32 starts counting the clock of the communication clock f1 at the timing when the time synchronization pulse Px arrives, and is notified from the communication synchronous clock generation unit 23. When the count ends at the frame synchronization timing, a count value corresponding to the above-described time difference is calculated and stored in a register (not shown) as time correction information T2. Next, the communication device 1 transmits the time correction information T2 stored in the register and the time information T1 stored in the storage unit 31 to the communication terminal device 2 by the wireless communication unit 20 under the control of the control unit 30. (Step S3).

  On the other hand, when receiving the time correction information T2 and the time information T1, the communication terminal device 2 performs time correction processing for correcting the time counted by the own device 2. Specifically, the time correction unit 70 operates a clock counter (not shown) based on the frame synchronization timing notified from the communication synchronous clock generation unit 63, and the timing that requires time, for example, the time display unit 51 The clock counter value is acquired at the timing of updating the time. Next, the time correction unit 70 calculates the time error from this value (the time counted by the communication terminal device 2) and the time value at the timing obtained from the received time correction information T2 and the time information T1. The current time is corrected by calculating and sending this error to the timer 50. That is, based on the frame synchronization timing that is one of the communication synchronization timings with the communication device 1, the time counted by the own device 2 is corrected to the time obtained from the time correction information T2 and the time information T1.

  Thereby, the time measured by the time measuring unit 50 of the communication terminal device 2 can be set to a highly accurate time synchronized with the standard time. In addition, when there are a plurality of communication terminal devices 2, the time correction information T <b> 2 is calculated based on the frame synchronization timing of each communication terminal device 2 and transmitted to each communication terminal device 2, whereby the plurality of communication terminal devices 2. Can be corrected with high accuracy, and the times of the plurality of communication terminal apparatuses 2 can be accurately synchronized.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the communication device 1 outputs the time synchronization pulse Px synchronized with this time together with the highly accurate time information T1 acquired from the GPS signal, and the communication terminal of the other party. The time difference with the frame synchronization timing with the apparatus is transmitted to the communication terminal apparatus 2 as time correction information T2, and the communication terminal apparatus 2 measures the time based on the received time information T1 and time correction information T2. Since the time error is corrected, the time measured by the communication terminal device 2 can be made highly accurate without arranging a GPS receiver in the communication terminal device 2. Thereby, compared with the conventional structure which needs to arrange | position a GPS receiver to all the communication terminal devices 2, the time of the communication terminal device 2 can be made highly accurate with a simple structure.

  Further, if there is the communication device 1 of the present embodiment, the communication terminal device 2 only needs to perform the time correction process described above, so that it can be applied to various devices such as a computer having a communication function such as an existing Bluetooth or wireless LAN. The time of an existing device can be easily increased in accuracy simply by adding on the function of the time correction process.

  Application examples using the above-described communication apparatus 1 include the following. For example, terrestrial digital broadcasting is assigned different emergency broadcast channels for each region. However, since the receiving device for digital terrestrial broadcasting consumes a relatively large amount of power, it is not preferable to always drive the receiving device so that emergency broadcasts can be received at all times. Therefore, assuming that the communication terminal device 2 is a television with a built-in digital terrestrial broadcast receiver, the communication device 1 is provided with a function of receiving at least an emergency broadcast channel of terrestrial digital broadcast, and the emergency broadcast is received. In this case, an activation instruction may be given to the communication terminal device 2 that can receive the emergency broadcast so that the communication terminal device 2 is activated from a standby state.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the communication device 1 incorporates a broadcast receiving device (broadcast receiving means) 100 capable of receiving at least an emergency broadcast channel of digital terrestrial broadcasting. It is always driven by the power of photovoltaic power generation to determine whether or not an emergency broadcast has been received. Then, when the emergency broadcast is received, under the control of the control unit 30, the wireless communication unit transmits the information on the activation instruction to the preset communication terminal device 2 (device including the terrestrial digital broadcast receiving device). Thereby, even when the communication terminal device 2 is in a standby state and has not received terrestrial digital, the communication terminal device 2 can reliably receive the emergency broadcast.

  Here, it is specified that the emergency broadcast is broadcast at a predetermined time. For this reason, the communication device 1 causes the broadcast receiving device 100 to perform an intermittent reception operation based on the time counted by the own device 1 by the control unit 30 and drives the broadcast receiving device 100 only during a time zone in which the emergency broadcast is broadcast. It is preferable. According to this configuration, it is possible to reduce the power consumption of the communication device 1 driven by the power of solar power generation. Furthermore, it is preferable that the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 has a function of automatically setting the emergency broadcast reception channel of the area from the position information acquired by the GPS signal processing unit 10 under the control of the control unit 30. . Thereby, the position information obtained by the GPS signal processing unit 10 can be effectively used. It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to digital terrestrial broadcasting but may be other broadcasts (including TV and radio) such as terrestrial analog broadcasting.

  Further, for example, when assuming that the communication terminal device 2 is an audiovisual device having a TV function or a radio function such as a video recorder, a television, or a radio, each communication terminal device 2 is provided with a function for setting a reception channel from position information. The apparatus 1 may transmit the position information acquired by the GPS signal processing unit 10 to the communication terminal apparatus 2 and set the reception channel from the position information received by each communication terminal apparatus 2. According to this configuration, since there is no need to arrange a GPS receiver for acquiring position information in each communication terminal device 2, a program that realizes the function of setting the reception channel in each communication terminal device 2 is provided. The reception channel can be automatically set by simply adding it.

  Further, the communication device 1 described above may be provided with a time measuring unit that measures time, and the time measured by the time measuring unit may be corrected based on the time information T1 acquired by the GPS signal processing unit 10. In this case, for example, when a home appliance such as a washing machine or a rice cooker is assumed as the communication terminal device 2, the communication device 1 holds information on the timer time (selection start time or rice cooking start time) of each communication terminal device 2. Then, at the timing when the timer time comes, the power supply of the communication terminal device 2 may be turned on to start a predetermined operation. According to this configuration, there is no need to set the timer time in the communication terminal device 2, and as a result, when the timer time is set in the communication terminal device 2 driven by the AC power source, the timer time setting information is generated due to a power failure. Although it may disappear and the timer may become invalid, the communication device 1 driven by solar power generation is not affected by the power failure, so even if a temporary power failure occurs, each communication terminal device 2 It is possible to reliably start at a preset timer time and perform a predetermined operation.

  Further, for example, when assuming a car or a garage equipped with an automatic shutter as the communication terminal device 2, in addition to the above-described aspect of correcting the time counted by the communication terminal device (car) 2 with high accuracy, the communication device 1 Since it is possible to detect that the communication terminal device (car) 2 has come close by being able to receive with the communication terminal device 2, in such a case, an instruction to open the shutter of the communication terminal device (garage) 2 is given. It is also possible to open the shutter.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the time correction unit 70 of the communication terminal device 2 is configured by a logic circuit or the like has been described. However, the communication terminal device 2 includes a computer that controls the communication terminal device 2, and this The CPU of the computer may function as the time correction unit 70 by executing a control program stored in a recording unit such as a ROM.

  In the above-described embodiment, the communication device 1 acquires the time information T1 and the time correction information T2 and transmits them to the communication terminal device 2, and the communication terminal device 2 corrects the time of the own device. In the above description, the control program is stored in a storage unit in each device. However, the control program is stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as a magnetic recording medium, an optical recording medium, or a semiconductor recording medium. The computer may read the control program from the recording medium and execute it. The control program may be downloaded from a distribution server on the communication network.

It is a figure which shows the functional structure of the communication apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of a functional structure of a communication terminal device. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of a communication apparatus. It is a timing chart with which it uses for description of operation | movement of a communication apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating the modification of a communication apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Communication apparatus, 2 ... Communication terminal apparatus, 10 ... GPS signal processing part, 20, 60 ... Wireless communication part, 22, 62 ... Communication clock generation part, 23, 63 ... Communication synchronous clock generation part, 30 ... Control Reference numeral 31: Storage unit 32: Arithmetic processing unit 40: Solar power generation unit 41: Power storage unit 50: Timekeeping unit 51: Time display unit 70: Time correction unit

Claims (13)

Wireless communication means for short-range wireless communication with an external communication terminal device;
Time information receiving means for receiving highly accurate time information from the outside and outputting the time information and a time synchronization pulse synchronized with the time indicated by the time information;
Time correction information calculating means for calculating a time difference between an output timing of the time synchronization pulse and a communication synchronization timing with the communication terminal device as time correction information for the communication terminal device. .   The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit transmits the time correction information and the time information to the communication terminal apparatus. A time keeping means for keeping time, and
Time correction means for correcting the time counted by the time counting means based on the time information;
Broadcast receiving means for receiving a predetermined broadcast;
Receiving control means for causing the broadcast receiving means to perform an intermittent reception operation based on the time measured by the time counting means;
3. The communication according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit transmits an activation instruction to a communication terminal device having a reception function of the broadcast when the broadcast receiving unit receives the broadcast. apparatus. Terminal-side wireless communication means for performing short-range wireless communication with the communication device according to claim 2 and receiving the time correction information and the time information;
A time keeping means for keeping time, and
When the time correction information and the time information are received, the time correction means corrects the time measured by the time counting means based on the time correction information and the time information. Communication terminal device.   5. The time correction unit corrects the time of the time counting unit to a time obtained from the time correction information and the time information with reference to a communication synchronization timing with the communication device. The communication terminal device described.   6. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the communication terminal apparatus is configured as a clock having time display means for displaying the time counted by the time counting means. In a control method of a communication device having a function of short-range wireless communication with an external communication terminal device,
Receiving highly accurate time information from outside, outputting the time information and a time synchronization pulse synchronized with the time indicated by the time information, and establishing communication synchronization with an external communication terminal device,
A method for controlling a communication apparatus, comprising: calculating a time difference between an output timing of the time synchronization pulse and a communication synchronization timing with the communication terminal apparatus as time correction information for the communication terminal.   The method for controlling a communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the time correction information and the time information are transmitted to the communication terminal apparatus. In a control method of a communication terminal device having a function of measuring time and a function of short-range wireless communication with a communication device,
Control of a communication terminal device that receives time correction information and time information transmitted from the communication device, and corrects a time counted by the own device based on the time correction information and the time information. Method. In a control program for controlling a communication device having a function of short-range wireless communication with an external communication terminal device by a computer,
Receiving high-accuracy time information from outside, outputting the time information and a time synchronization pulse synchronized with the time indicated by the time information, and establishing communication synchronization with an external communication terminal device,
A control program for causing a time difference between an output timing of the time synchronization pulse and a communication synchronization timing with the communication terminal apparatus to be calculated as time correction information for the communication terminal.   The control program according to claim 10, wherein the time correction information and the time information are transmitted to the communication terminal device. In a control program for controlling a communication terminal device having a function of measuring time and a function of short-range wireless communication with a communication device by a computer,
A control program for receiving time correction information and time information transmitted from the communication device, and correcting a time counted by the own device based on the received time correction information and the time information.   13. A computer-readable recording medium on which the control program according to any one of claims 10 to 12 is recorded.

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