JPH09326800A - Radio communication equipment and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce power consumption by providing a means acquiring the address of an opposite party periodically and a means acquiring the address of the opposite party on the occurrence of a prescribed event so as to use the acquired address for communication. SOLUTION: An IrDA equipment making infrared ray communication conducts retrieval procedures to acquire an address of a communication opposite party periodically. The retrieval procedures and an interval Ti of the retrieval procedures are fixed and inputted by an operation section 105. Every time a retrieval procedure is finished, a Ti timer to measure a time interval to start a succeeding retrieval procedures is set to start time count. At the end of retrieval procedure, the Ti timer is cleared. A 'retrieval procedure start' is set to a variable (s). When the retrieval procedure is conducted and a destination address is acquired, communication in response to the operation is conducted to the destination. Even when the interval of the retrieval procedure conducted periodically is set longer, the address of the communication opposite party is acquired without a delay and then the power consumption is reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wireless communication device such as optical communication and its control method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, optical space communication has attracted attention as a means for connecting a computer and peripheral devices. The optical space communication can realize a wireless system that does not require a cable for connection at a relatively low cost.

The recently established IrDA (Infrared Data A
(ssociation) is an organization that is promoting the standardization of infrared space communication. IrDA has created a physical layer standard and protocol (communication protocol) having a transmission rate of 115.2 Kbps. As a physical layer standard, "Serial
Infrared (SIR) Physical Layer Link Specificatio
There is “n.” As a protocol, “Serial Infrared Lin”
k Access Protocol (IrLAP) ”,“ Link Management Prot
col (IrLMP) ”,“ A Flow-Control Mechanism forUse wi
th IrLMP (Tiny TP) ”and“ Serial and Pararel Port E
There is also mulation over IR (IrCOMM) ”. The infrared space communication method according to these standards and protocols is sometimes called IrDA. Recently, transmission speeds of 1.2 Mbps and 4 Mbps are also defined. In the current standard, Communication distance is 1
Within m, the irradiation angle is ± 15 °.

When infrared light space communication such as IrDA is used to connect a computer and a peripheral device (for example, a printer) (or when a computer is connected to a computer), each device may easily move and infrared rays may be emitted. It is necessary to frequently obtain the address of the partner device within the reach. Conventionally, the computer has regularly performed a discovery procedure to obtain the address of the partner device. One discovery procedure is to scan the communication partners within the communication range with IDs temporarily assigned to them.
A command-response sequence is performed for each D at an appropriate time (time slot time), and this is repeated by the number of IDs that can exist (the number of time slots).

FIG. 11 is a conventional example of a time chart of a discovery procedure that a computer periodically repeats.

Reference numerals 1101 and 1102 are timings at which an input from the operation unit of the computer occurs.

1103 and 1111 are the timings at which the discovery procedure occurs.

Reference numeral 1112 is a time Tp required for one discovery procedure.

Reference numeral 1113 denotes an interval T between the discovery procedure and the discovery procedure.
i.

Here, the time Tp required for one discovery procedure
Becomes (number of time slots x time slot time). The number of slots and slot time are fixed or are input from the operation unit. Also, the interval Ti between the discovery procedure and the discovery procedure
Is fixed (for example, 3 seconds) or is input from the operation unit.
By repeating the discovery procedure at the interval Ti, the address of the IrDA device within the reach of infrared rays is constantly monitored. The timings 1101 and 1102 at which the input from the operation unit occurs are independent of the timings 1103 to 1111 at which the discovery procedure occurs.

[0011]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the discovery procedure is repeated at short intervals and the Ir of the other party is
Since the address of the DA device is frequently monitored, the power consumption of the computer is large.

For example, a battery-driven computer, such as a notebook computer or a personal digital assistant (PDA), consumes the battery quickly if the discovery procedure is repeated and infrared rays are transmitted, resulting in a short operating time. turn into. The power consumption can be reduced by increasing the interval Ti between the discovery procedure and the discovery procedure, but this delays the acquisition of the address of the partner IrDA device.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example, and an object of the present invention is to provide a wireless communication apparatus and a control method thereof which can find a communication partner without delay while reducing power consumption.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, the wireless communication device of the present invention has the following configuration.
That is, a wireless communication device that communicates with an unspecified partner, and a first address acquisition unit that periodically acquires the address of the partner and a second address acquisition unit that acquires the address of the partner when a predetermined event occurs. And the communication means for performing communication using the addresses acquired by the first and second address acquisition means.

Further, the control method of the wireless communication apparatus of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a method of controlling a wireless communication device that communicates with an unspecified partner, comprising a first address acquisition step of periodically acquiring the address of the partner,
A second address acquisition step of acquiring the address of the other party when a predetermined event occurs, and a communication step of performing communication using the addresses acquired by the first and second address acquisition steps.

The computer-readable memory of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a code of a first address acquisition step, which is a computer-readable memory that stores a program for controlling a wireless communication device that communicates with an unspecified partner, and that periodically acquires the address of the partner,
The code of the second address acquisition step of acquiring the other party's address when a predetermined event occurs and the code of the communication step of communicating using the addresses acquired by the first and second address acquisition steps. Prepare

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(First Embodiment) An IrDA device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an IrDA device according to this embodiment.

Reference numeral 101 denotes a CPU for controlling the entire apparatus, 1
Reference numeral 02 is a ROM storing a program executed by the CPU 101, 103 is a RAM storing data used by the CPU 101, 104 is an external storage device such as a magnetic disk storing files used by the CPU 101, and 105 is this device. An operation unit including a keyboard and a mouse for performing the operation, 106 is a display unit including a CRT or LCD, 107 is a UART (Universal Asy) that provides a serial data channel to the bus 112.
nchronous Receiver / Transmitter), 108 is UART
A modulator for converting a signal from 107 to the infrared transmitter 110, a demodulator for converting a signal from the infrared receiver 111 to the UART 107, and a L for transmitting infrared light.
Infrared receiver consisting of ED and its driver, 112
Is a bus connecting the constituent blocks 101 to 107 of the present apparatus.

In FIG. 9, one IrDA device has a plurality of I
An example is shown for communicating with any of the rDA devices.

Reference numeral 901 denotes an apparatus A equipped with IrDA.

Reference numeral 902 denotes a device B equipped with IrDA.

Reference numeral 903 denotes a device C equipped with IrDA.

Reference numeral 904 denotes an apparatus D equipped with IrDA.

Each of the devices A to D has the configuration shown in FIG. 1, does not have a fixed address, and randomly generates an address at startup. In this example, device A generates address a, device B generates address b, device C generates address c, and device D generates address d.

When device A wants to communicate with either device B to device D, device A needs to obtain the address of either device D from device B. The address is obtained by the discovery procedure. FIG. 10 shows an example of the discovery procedure.

From 1000 to 1008, device A is device B
XID command frame transmitted from the device to the device D.

Reference numeral 1009 denotes XI transmitted from the device B to the device A.
It is a D response frame.

1010 is an XI transmitted from the device C to the device A
It is a D response frame.

1011 is an XI transmitted from the device D to the device A.
It is a D response frame.

Here, the frame is a unit of communication data in IrDA.

Device A uses the XID command frame 10
00 from device B to device D. This XID command frame contains the number of time slots n.
In this example, n is 8. This XID command frame contains time slot number 0, indicating the beginning of the time slot numbered 0. Note that “XID (i)” in FIG. 10 is X in time slot i.
The ID command frame is shown.

Upon receiving the XID command frame 1000, each of the devices B to D generates a random number from 0 to n-1 according to the notified time slot number n. In this example, device B generates a random number of 2, device C generates a random number of 6, and device D generates a random number of 4.

Device A uses time slot numbers 1 through n
-1 at the beginning of XID command frame 1001 to 1
Each command frame 007 is broadcast from device B to device D. This XID command frame 1001-10
07 respectively include time slot numbers 1 to n-1.

The devices B to D which have received the XID command frames 1000 to 1007 including the time slot numbers corresponding to the generated random numbers, transmit the XID response frames 1009 to 1011 to the device A. In FIG. 10, since the device B has generated the random number 2,
XID command frame 1002 transmitted by device A in the second time slot and containing 2 as the time slot number
Is received, the XID response frame 1009 is returned to the device A. Similarly, the device C transmits the XID response frame 1010 and the device D transmits the XID response frame 1011 to the device A for the received time slot numbers 4 and 6, respectively.

These XID response frames are
The device B, the device C, and the device D respectively include the generated addresses. In the example of FIG. 10, the XID response frame 1009 includes the address b, the XID response frame 1010 includes the address c, and the XID response frame 1011 includes the address d.

At the end of the discovery procedure, device A broadcasts an XID command frame 1009 from device B to device D. This XID command frame contains the time slot number FFH.

By the above-described discovery procedure, the device A, which is going to communicate, acquires the address of the device of the communication partner.

FIG. 2 is a time chart of the discovery procedure by the IrDA device of FIG.

201 and 202 are timings at which an input from the operation unit 105 occurs.

203 to 212 are timings at which the discovery procedure described in FIG. 10 occurs.

213 is the time T required for one discovery procedure.
p.

Reference numeral 214 denotes the interval Ti between the discovery procedure and the discovery procedure.
It is.

Here, the time Tp required for the discovery procedure is (number of time slots × time slot time) as in FIG. The number of slots and the slot time are fixed or input from the operation unit 105. Further, whether the discovery procedure and the interval Ti between the discovery procedures are fixed or are input from the operation unit 105. By repeating the discovery procedure at intervals Ti as shown at timings 203, 204, 205, 208, and 212, the address of the IrDA device within the reach of infrared rays is monitored. Since the interval Ti is set larger than the value in FIG. 11, the power consumption is small. Further, timings 201 and 202 at which an input from the operation unit 105 occurs
Then, the discovery procedure 206 and 207, 209, 210, 21
1 has occurred. A solid line arrow indicates that the discovery procedure is performed by the operation, and a broken line arrow indicates that the discovery procedure is not started depending on the procedure because the discovery procedure is being executed. This will be described in the flow chart below.

The input from the operation unit 105 may include command input for starting file transfer by infrared communication, file sharing, printing, and the like, and mouse operation. Timing 205 and 206 (and timing 2)
Although the interval between 08 and 209) is smaller than the interval Ti, the discovery procedure is started immediately by assuming that the infrared communication will start soon from the input from the operation unit 105. The control procedure by the IrDA device for realizing this time chart is the flowchart shown in FIGS. 3 to 5.

FIG. 3 shows the ROM 102 of the first embodiment.
7 is a flowchart executed when a Ti timer time-out interrupt or event is notified in the program stored in FIG. The timer is built in the CPU 101.

In step 301, the discovery procedure is started.

In step 302, the variable s is set to "start discovery procedure".

Here, it is assumed that the Ti timer is started and the variable s is initialized to "end discovery procedure" when the apparatus is started. Thus, every time the Ti timer expires, the discovery procedure shown in FIG. 10 is executed.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart executed at the time of the interruption or event notification of the end of the discovery procedure among the programs stored in the ROM 102 of the first embodiment.

At step 401, the Ti timer is started.

In step 402, the variable s is set to "end discovery procedure".

In this way, each time one discovery procedure is completed, the Ti timer that measures the time interval until the time discovery procedure is started is set and the clocking is started.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart executed at the time of key input interruption or event notification of the programs stored in the ROM 102 of the first embodiment.

At step 501, when the variable s is "end of discovery procedure", the routine proceeds to step 502. If not, that is, if the discovery procedure is being performed, the process ends.

At the end of the discovery procedure, the Ti timer is counting, so in step 502 the Ti timer is stopped.

In step 503, the discovery procedure is started.

In step 504, the variable s is set to "start discovery procedure".

In this way, when the discovery procedure is performed and the destination address is acquired, communication is performed with the destination according to the operation.

In this way, since the discovery procedure is performed when a key is input, the address of the communication partner can be acquired without delay even if the interval of the discovery procedure that is regularly performed is long.
Therefore, power consumption can be suppressed.

The flow chart of FIG. 5 can be executed not only when a key is input but also when a mouse operation is interrupted or an event is notified. (Second Embodiment) An apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The block diagram of the IrDA device of this embodiment is as follows.
It is the same as in FIG. However, the procedure executed there is different from that in the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a time chart of the device discovery procedure of the second embodiment.

Reference numerals 601 and 602 are timings at which an input from the operation unit 105 occurs.

603 to 609 are the timings at which the discovery procedure occurs.

610 is the time T required for one discovery procedure.
p.

Reference numeral 611 denotes an interval Ti between the discovery procedure and the discovery procedure.
It is.

Reference numeral 612 denotes a discovery procedure and a minimum interval Tk between the discovery procedures generated by the input from the operation unit 105.

Here, Tp related to the discovery procedure is the same as that in FIG. Also, the interval Ti between the discovery procedure and the discovery procedure is
It is the same as FIG. Timing 603, 604, 60
As shown in Nos. 5,607 and 609, by repeating the discovery procedure at the interval Ti, the IrD within the range where infrared rays reach
Monitoring the address of device A. Further, the operation unit 10
At the timing 601 and 602 when the input from 5 occurs,
The discovery procedures 606 and 608 have occurred.

Unlike FIG. 2, the input 6 from the operation unit 105
After the discovery procedure 606 is generated by 01, the discovery procedure is not generated even if there is an input from the operation unit 105 during the interval Tk. Input 602 from the operation unit 105 after the interval Tk
Causes the discovery procedure 608 to occur. Note that, in FIG. 6, the broken line arrow emanating from the timing 601 or 602 indicates that the discovery procedure is already being executed or the interval Tk has not elapsed since the discovery procedure was last executed, even if the operation unit 105 has performed the operation. Indicates that the discovery procedure should not be initiated.

Compared to FIG. 2, when the input from the operation unit 105 is frequent, the next discovery procedure is performed after at least the interval Tk, so that the occurrence frequency of the discovery procedure decreases and the power consumption becomes smaller. Become.

Second Embodiment ROM 10 of IrDA Device
Of the programs stored in 2, the flowchart executed at the time of Ti timer time-out interrupt or event notification is the same as in FIG.

Of the programs stored in the ROM 102 of the second embodiment, the flowchart executed at the time of the interruption of the discovery procedure end or the event notification is the same as that in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the program stored in the ROM 102 of the IrDA device of the second embodiment, which is executed at the time of key input interruption or event notification.

In step 701, if the variable s is "discovery procedure completed", that is, if the discovery procedure is not being executed, the process proceeds to step 702. If not, exit.

If the variable t is "Tk timer stop" in step 702, that is, if the interval Tk has elapsed since the discovery procedure triggered by the operation input was last executed, the process proceeds to step 703. If it hasn't passed, it ends.

At step 703, the Ti timer is stopped.

At step 704, the discovery procedure begins.

In step 705, the variable s is set to "start discovery procedure".

At step 706, the Tk timer is started.

In step 707, the variable t is set to "start Tk timer".

Here, when the apparatus is started, the variable t is "T".
It shall be initialized to "k timer stop".

Note that this flowchart can be executed not only by key input but also when interrupting a mouse operation or notifying an event.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of a program stored in the ROM 102, which is executed at the time of the Tk timer time-out interrupt or event notification.

In step 801, the variable t is set to "Tk timer stop".

As described above, according to the procedures of FIGS. 7 and 8, the discovery procedure started by the operation unit 105 is at least the interval T.
Since the operation is performed at the time k, the power consumption can be further reduced. Further, since the interval at which the discovery procedure is performed by the Ti timer is Ti at the longest, the interval Tk is Ti.
The following values may be set as values that are not too late to acquire the communication partner, for example, the interval Ti in the conventional example.

The following variations are possible with respect to the first and second embodiments. (1) Although IrDA is used as the optical space communication system, it can be implemented by other optical space communication systems. (2) Although IrDA is used as the optical space communication method, a wireless communication method using electromagnetic waves can also be used.

[0088]

[Other Embodiments] Even if the present invention is applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, etc.), an apparatus (for example, a copying machine) Machine, facsimile machine, etc.).

Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium storing a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or an apparatus, and to provide a computer (or CPU) of the system or apparatus.
And MPU) read and execute the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

Moreover, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by executing the program code read by the computer, but also the OS (operating system) running on the computer based on the instructions of the program code. It is needless to say that this also includes a case where the above) performs a part or all of the actual processing and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in the memory provided in the function expansion board inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code, It goes without saying that a case where the CPU or the like included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs some or all of the actual processing and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is also included.

When the present invention is applied to the above-mentioned storage medium, the storage medium will store the program code corresponding to the above-mentioned flowchart. Briefly, the memory map example of FIG. Each module shown will be stored in the storage medium.

That is, at least the code of the first address acquisition step for periodically acquiring the address of the other party,
Each of the code of the second address acquisition step of acquiring the address of the other party when a predetermined event occurs and the code of the communication step of performing communication using the addresses acquired by the first and second address acquisition steps The program code of the module may be stored in the storage medium.

[0096]

As described above, the wireless communication device and the control method thereof according to the present invention can suppress the power consumption due to the acquisition of the address of the partner device without delaying the acquisition of the address of the partner device. effective.

[0097]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an IrDA device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a time chart of a discovery procedure by the IrDA device in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a Ti program included in a program stored in a ROM of the IrDA device according to the first and second embodiments.
9 is a flowchart executed when a timer time-out interrupt or event notification is performed.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart executed at the time of interrupt or event notification of the end of the discovery procedure among the programs stored in the ROM 102 of the IrDA device in the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 5: RO of the IrDA device according to the first embodiment
9 is a flowchart executed at the time of key input interruption or event notification of the program stored in M102.

FIG. 6 is a time chart of a discovery procedure by the IrDA device according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an RO of the IrDA device according to the second embodiment.
9 is a flowchart executed at the time of key input interruption or event notification of the program stored in M102.

FIG. 8 RO of the IrDA device in the second embodiment
9 is a flowchart executed at the time of a Tk timer time-out interrupt or event notification in the program stored in M102.

FIG. 9 shows a plurality of I's in the first and second embodiments.
It is a figure which shows the structural example of the communication system by an rDA apparatus.

FIG. 10 is IrDA in the first and second embodiments.
It is a figure which shows the sequence of the discovery procedure by an apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a diagram of a conventional example of a time chart of a discovery procedure that a computer periodically repeats.

FIG. 12 is a diagram of a memory map in a medium that stores a program that realizes the device of the embodiment.

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A wireless communication device for communicating with an unspecified partner, the first address acquiring means for periodically acquiring the address of the partner, and the address of the partner when a predetermined event occurs. A wireless communication device comprising: a second address acquisition unit that performs communication, and a communication unit that performs communication using the addresses acquired by the first and second address acquisition units. 2. An operation unit for inputting, further comprising:
The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the address acquisition unit acquires the address of the other party by using the input from the operation unit as the event. 3. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second address acquisition unit acquires an address at intervals of at least a fixed time. 4. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication means performs communication using light as a medium. 5. The wireless communication device according to claim 4, wherein the wireless communication means uses infrared light as a medium as light. 6. The first and second address acquisition means broadcast a predetermined value, generate a plurality of different numerical values of the predetermined value, and sequentially broadcast the numerical values one by one. In the communication partner, when any one of the plurality of numerical values randomly generated based on the predetermined value and the sequentially broadcasted numerical value match, the address is given from the communication partner. The wireless communication device according to claim 5, wherein the wireless communication device receives and acquires the address of the other party. 7. A method of controlling a wireless communication device for communicating with an unspecified partner, comprising: a first address acquisition step of periodically acquiring the partner's address; and a partner's address when a predetermined event occurs. A method of controlling a wireless communication device, comprising: a second address acquisition step of acquiring an address; and a communication step of communicating using the addresses acquired in the first and second address acquisition steps. 8. An operation unit for inputting, further comprising:
The method of controlling a wireless communication device according to claim 7, wherein the address acquisition step acquires the other party's address by using the input from the operation unit as the event. 9. The method of controlling a wireless communication device according to claim 7, wherein the second address acquisition step acquires an address at intervals of at least a fixed time. 10. The method for controlling a wireless communication device according to claim 7, wherein in the wireless communication step, communication is performed using light as a medium. 11. The method of controlling a wireless communication device according to claim 10, wherein the wireless communication step uses infrared light as a medium as light. 12. The first and second address acquisition steps broadcast a predetermined value, generate a plurality of different numerical values of the predetermined value, and sequentially broadcast the numerical values one by one. In the communication partner, when any one of the plurality of numerical values randomly generated based on the predetermined value and the sequentially broadcasted numerical value match, the address is given from the communication partner. The method of controlling a wireless communication device according to claim 11, wherein the address of the other party is received and the address of the other party is acquired. 13. A computer-readable memory storing a program for controlling a wireless communication device that communicates with an unspecified partner, the code of a first address acquisition step of periodically acquiring the address of the partner, and a predetermined code. And a code for a communication step for performing communication using the addresses acquired by the first and second address acquisition steps when the other event occurs. A computer-readable memory characterized by the following.