WO2019131146A1

WO2019131146A1 - Device, communication equipment, and communication method

Info

Publication number: WO2019131146A1
Application number: PCT/JP2018/045736
Authority: WO
Inventors: 勝成藤井
Original assignee: 京セラ株式会社
Priority date: 2017-12-26
Filing date: 2018-12-12
Publication date: 2019-07-04
Also published as: JP2019117982A

Abstract

This device is equipped with communication equipment and a controller for controlling communication by the communication equipment. The controller performs control pertaining to at least either discontinuous reception (DRX) by the communication equipment or power saving mode (PSM) for communication by the communication equipment on the basis of periods in which data is not transmitted from the communication equipment.

Description

Device, communication device, and communication method

Cross-reference to related applications

This application claims the priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-250172 filed in Japan on Dec. 26, 2017, the entire disclosure of the prior application is incorporated herein by reference.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus, a communication device, and a communication method.

Conventionally, a system is known which collects data measured by a measuring device on a server. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system in which data measured by a measurement device is transmitted by a terminal to a server.

JP 2014-209311 A

An apparatus according to an embodiment includes a communication device and a controller that controls communication of the communication device.
The controller performs control related to at least one of intermittent reception (DRX) by the communication device and a power saving mode (PSM) of communication by the communication device based on a period in which data is not transmitted from the communication device.

The communication device according to one embodiment is a communication device that can be installed in a device.
The communication device performs control regarding at least one of intermittent reception (DRX) by the communication device and a power saving mode (PSM) of communication by the communication device based on a period in which data is not transmitted from the communication device.

A communication method according to an embodiment is a device communication method including a control step of controlling communication of a communication device. In the communication method, in the control step, control relating to at least one of intermittent reception (DRX) by the communication device and a power saving mode (PSM) of communication by the communication device based on a period during which data is not transmitted from the communication device. I do.

It is a perspective view showing the appearance of the communication apparatus concerning one embodiment. It is an exploded view of the communication apparatus shown in FIG. It is a top view of the internal structure shown in FIG. It is a bottom view of the internal structure shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 3; 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a communication apparatus according to an embodiment. It is a graph which shows the paging reception timing of a communication module. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the procedure which controls a communication apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the procedure which controls a communication apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the procedure which controls a communication apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the procedure which controls a communication apparatus. It is a figure which shows typically operation | movement of the communication apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a figure which shows typically operation | movement of the communication apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a figure which shows typically operation | movement of the communication apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a figure which shows typically operation | movement of the communication apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the procedure which controls a communication apparatus.

In the conventional system, for example, with the spread of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, improvement of convenience is required. The present disclosure relates to providing a highly convenient communication device, communication module, communication method, and program. According to one embodiment, a highly convenient communication device, communication module, communication method, and program can be provided. Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The communication device 1 according to one embodiment (see FIG. 1) may be the communication device 1 for Internet of Things (IoT). The communication device 1 according to an embodiment is not limited to the communication device 1 for IoT, and may be various communication devices 1 having a wireless communication function.

The communication device 1 may communicate with an external device such as an external server. The communication device 1 may acquire information on the external environment. The communication device 1 may transmit the acquired external environment information to an external server or the like. The communication device 1 may be used in a state of being attached to another device or a product or a cargo. As the communication device 1 is miniaturized, it becomes easy to be attached to another device, goods, cargo or the like.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the communication device 1 according to one embodiment may include a housing 10 and an internal structure 13. The internal structure 13 may be located inside the housing 10.

The housing 10 may include a plate 11 and a case 12. The housing 10 can protect the internal structure 13. The housing 10 may further include a packing for sealing between the plate 11 and the case 12. By sealing the space between the plate 11 and the case 12 with packing, moisture, dust and the like are less likely to intrude into the inside of the housing 10. As a result, the internal structure 13 is easily protected from moisture or dust.

The external shape of the housing 10 may be a rectangular parallelepiped having sides substantially along the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis which intersect with each other. The X, Y and Z axes may be orthogonal to one another. The length in the X-axis direction of the housing 10 is longer than the length in the Y-axis direction of the housing 10 and the length in the Z-axis direction of the housing 10. The length in the Y-axis direction of the housing 10 is longer than the length in the Z-axis direction of the housing 10. The X-axis direction is also referred to as a first direction. The Y-axis direction is also referred to as a second direction. The Z-axis direction is also referred to as a third direction. In other words, the length in the first direction of the housing 10 is longer than the length in the second direction and the length in the third direction. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are also referred to as the longitudinal direction, the short direction, and the thickness direction of the housing 10, respectively.

The housing 10 may be made of a material having a strength that can withstand the use environment according to the application of the communication device 1. For example, the housing 10 may be made of resin or metal.

The plate 11 may have a switch handle 11A and a notification window 11B. The switch handle 11A is disposed corresponding to the switch 81 (see FIG. 3) included in the internal structure 13. By doing this, the user can operate the switch 81 via the switch handle 11A. The switch handle 11A may be made of a flexible material. The notification window 11B is arranged corresponding to the notification unit 80 (see FIG. 3) included in the internal structure 13. The notification window 11B may be made of a transparent member or the like. By doing this, the user can visually recognize the notification unit 80 through the notification window 11B.

The plate 11 may further have a hole 11C, a hole 11D, a hole 11E and a hole 11F. 11 C of holes are arrange | positioned corresponding to the air pressure sensor 71 (refer FIG. 3) contained in the internal structure 13. As shown in FIG. The holes 11D are arranged corresponding to the temperature sensor 72 (see FIG. 3) included in the internal structure 13. The holes 11E are disposed corresponding to the humidity sensor 73 (see FIG. 3) included in the internal structure 13. The holes 11F are arranged corresponding to the illuminance sensor 74 (see FIG. 3) included in the internal structure 13. The atmospheric pressure sensor 71, the temperature sensor 72, the humidity sensor 73, and the illuminance sensor 74 are collectively referred to as a sensor 70 (see FIG. 3). Each sensor 70 can detect the environment outside the housing 10 with high accuracy.

The case 12 may have a bottom 12A and a side 12B. The bottom portion 12A is located on the opposite side of the plate 11 with the internal structure 13 interposed therebetween. The side surface portion 12B is located between the plate 11 and the bottom surface portion 12A, and intersects the bottom surface portion 12A and the plate 11. The case 12 may have

insertion ports

12C, 12D and 12E in the side surface portion 12B. The

insertion ports

12C and 12D may be disposed corresponding to the external terminals 22 and 23 (see FIG. 3) included in the internal structure 13. By doing this, the terminals of the external device can be connected to the

external terminals

22 and 23 through the

insertion ports

12C and 12D. The insertion port 12E is disposed corresponding to the slot 24 (see FIG. 3) included in the internal structure. By doing this, a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card or the like can be inserted into the slot 24 through the insertion port 12E.

At least one of the holes 11C to 11F and the notification window 11B may be disposed on the side surface 12B of the case 12.

The plate 11 may further have marks 11G. The mark 11 </ b> G may be, for example, a logo mark or the like representing a main body of the communication device 1. The user can specify the orientation of the communication device 1 based on the position of the mark 11G. For example, when disposing the communication device 1 on the ground or the like, the user may arrange the communication device 1 so that the side of the plate 11 does not contact the ground or the like. That is, the user can arrange the communication device 1 such that the bottom surface 12A of the case 12 contacts the ground or the like. When the side of the plate 11 is not in contact with the ground or the like, the holes 11C to 11F and the notification window 11B are less likely to be blocked by the ground or the like. When the holes 11C to 11F and the notification window 11B are disposed on the side surface portion 12B of the case 12, the communication device 1 is disposed such that the bottom surface portion 12A of the case 12 contacts the ground or the like. And notification window 11B becomes difficult to be closed by the ground etc.

As shown in FIG. 3, the internal structure 13 includes an antenna 100 and a communication module 50. The internal structure 13 may further include an external terminal 22. The internal structure 13 may further include a circuit board 20, as shown in FIG. Internal structure 13 may further include a battery 30. Internal structure 13 may further include a frame 40. The internal structure 13 may further include a sensor 70, a notification unit 80, and a switch 81.

As shown in FIG. 3, the antenna 100 may be located on the side of the housing 10 in the positive direction of the X axis. At least one of the communication module 50 and the external terminal 22 may be located on the negative side of the X axis in the housing 10. That is, the antenna 100 may be located on one end side of the housing 10 in the first direction. At least one of the communication module 50 and the external terminal 22 may be located on the other side of the housing 10 in the first direction. The antenna 100 and at least one of the communication module 50 and the external terminal 22 may be located opposite to each other along the first direction. By doing this, the antenna 100 is separated from the predetermined distance from at least one of the communication module 50 and the external terminal 22 which can be noise sources of radio waves, thereby receiving the influence of the noise sources when radio waves are received. It becomes difficult to receive. As a result, the convenience of the communication device 1 can be enhanced. It is more effective in the communication apparatus 1 for IoT, which is required to be smaller in size than a mobile phone such as a smartphone in many cases and is concerned about the influence of noise sources. When a plurality of external terminals 22 are provided, if at least one external terminal 22 is located on the opposite side to the antenna 100 along the first direction, an effect of reducing the influence of noise sources can be obtained.

The circuit board 20 may be plate-shaped. The circuit board 20 may be located along the XY plane. The circuit board 20 may be made of a material such as resin or ceramic. Various components may be mounted on the circuit board 20. The components mounted on the circuit board 20 may include, for example, an electronic component 60 (see FIG. 5), a sensor 70, or a notification unit 80 or the like. Terminals or wires may be mounted on the circuit board 20.

As shown in FIG. 4, the battery terminal 21 and the external terminal 22 may be mounted on the surface of the circuit board 20 on the negative direction side of the Z axis.

Battery terminal 21 includes a battery terminal 21A connected to the positive terminal of battery 30, a battery terminal 21B for detecting the remaining amount of battery 30, and a battery terminal 21C connected to the negative terminal of battery 30. The battery terminal 21 may have a biasing mechanism that biases the battery 30. The battery terminal 21 may bias the battery 30 in the negative direction of the X axis.

The external terminal 22 is fixed to the circuit board 20 by the support 22A. The external terminal 22 is a terminal to which an external device can be connected. The external terminal 22 may be, for example, a terminal to which a micro USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector can be connected. The communication device 1 may be controlled by an external device connected via the external terminal 22. The communication device 1 may charge the battery 30 with the power supplied from the external terminal 22. The communication device 1 may operate by the power supplied from the external terminal 22 when the power of the battery 30 is insufficient or when the battery 30 is not provided.

The external terminal 23 may be a terminal corresponding to a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) which is a type of circuit for converting a signal. A terminal corresponding to the UART can be used, for example, to connect to a sensor provided outside the communication device 1. This sensor may be a sensor provided separately from the sensor 70 included in the internal structure 13.

For example, a SIM card may be inserted into the slot 24. The slot 24 may be inserted with another card such as a memory card.

The battery 30 may supply power to each component of the communication device 1. The battery 30 may include a rechargeable secondary battery. The secondary battery may include, for example, a lithium ion battery, a nickel cadmium battery, or a nickel hydrogen battery. The battery 30 is not limited to a secondary battery, and may include a primary battery that can not be charged. The primary battery may include, for example, an alkaline battery or a manganese battery.

The frame 40 (see FIG. 3) may hold the circuit board 20 and the battery 30, as shown in FIG. The frame 40 may house the circuit board 20 and the battery 30 therein. The circuit board 20, the battery 30, and the frame 40 may be integrated. By integrating the circuit board 20, the battery 30, and the frame 40, the strength of the internal structure 13 can be enhanced.

As shown in FIG. 3, the frame 40 may have a body 41. The main body 41 may have a flat surface portion 41A and a side surface portion 41B. The flat portion 41A may be located on the positive side of the Z axis. The flat portion 41A may be in the form of a plate extending along the XY plane. The side surface portion 41B may protrude from the periphery of the flat surface portion 41A in the negative direction of the Z axis. It can be said that the main body 41 has an opening surrounded by the side surface portion 41B on the side in the negative direction of the Z axis. The main body 41 may accommodate the circuit board 20 and the battery 30 from the side of the opening.

As shown in FIG. 4, the frame 40 may have holding

portions

42A and 42B and

convex portions

45A and 45B.

The holding

portions

42A and 42B may be positioned at two corners located on the positive direction side of the X axis of the battery 30. The holding

portions

42A and 42B may further protrude from the side surface portion 41B of the main body 41 to the side in the negative direction of the Z axis. The shape of the holding

portions

42A and 42B viewed from the Y-axis direction may be L-shaped. The tips of the holding

portions

42A and 42B may project in the negative direction side of the X axis so as to hold the battery 30 on the negative direction side of the Z axis. The shape of the holding

portions

42A and 42B viewed from the Y-axis direction is not limited to the L shape, and may be any shape that can hold the battery 30.

The

convex portions

45A and 45B may be positioned at two corners located on the negative side of the X axis of the battery 30. The

protrusions

45A and 45B may further protrude from the side surface portion 41B of the main body 41 to the side in the negative direction of the Z axis. The

protrusions

45A and 45B can abut on the end of the battery 30 on the negative direction side of the X axis when, for example, a force is applied to the battery 30 from the positive direction of the X axis. By doing this, even if the battery 30 moves in the negative direction of the X axis, it becomes difficult to collide with the support 22A. As a result, the impact on the support 22A can be reduced.

The

protrusions

45A and 45B may support the battery 30 biased in the negative direction of the X axis when the battery terminal 21 has a biasing mechanism. The battery 30 may be sandwiched between the battery terminal 21 and the

protrusions

45A and 45B.

As shown in FIG. 3, the frame 40 may have a frame opening 46. The frame opening 46 may be an opening located in a part of the plate-like member of the main body 41. The frame opening 46 may be located corresponding to the position where the communication module 50 is mounted.

Each component of the frame 40 may, for example, comprise a material of appropriate strength. Materials of suitable strength may include, for example, resins or metals. Each component of the frame 40 may be integrally formed of a material of appropriate strength. By integrally forming the components of the frame 40, the strength of the frame 40 can be enhanced. As a result, it is difficult to transmit an external impact to the internal structure 13.

The communication module 50 may be mounted at a position corresponding to the frame opening 46 of the frame 40 on the surface on the positive direction side of the Z axis of the circuit board 20, as shown in FIG. The communication module 50 may include a side wall portion 50A extending toward the circuit board 20. The side wall portion 50A may be a shield case or may be another member. The side wall portion 50A can receive a force applied to the internal structure 13 from the positive direction of the Z axis. By doing this, the force applied to the communication module 50 can be reduced. As a result, the communication module 50 is less likely to be deformed.

As shown in FIG. 5, the communication module 50 may be mounted on the surface of the circuit board 20 on the positive direction side of the Z axis via the communication circuit board 51 different from the circuit board 20. The communication circuit board 51 may be made of, for example, a material such as ceramic. The communication circuit board 51 may be plate-shaped. The communication circuit board 51 and at least a part of the surface on the positive direction side of the Z axis of the battery 30 may be opposed to each other with the circuit board 20 interposed therebetween. When the communication circuit board 51 and the circuit board 20 contain different materials, the amount of bending of the communication circuit board 51 and the circuit board 20 due to an external force may be different. When the communication circuit board 51 and at least a part of the surface on the positive direction side of the Z axis of the battery 30 face each other with the circuit board 20 interposed therebetween, the circuit board 20 and the communication circuit board 51 are less likely to be bent. As a result, the communication circuit board 51 is less likely to come off the circuit board 20.

The communication circuit board 51 may have a cavity 52 on the side facing the circuit board 20. A part of the electronic component 60 may be mounted inside the cavity 52. A portion of the electronic component 60 mounted inside the cavity 52 may be a component not related to communication. The electronic component 60 includes, for example, a storage unit 61 and a control unit 62. The storage unit 61 and the control unit 62 may be mounted inside the cavity 52. When the communication device 1 does not include the communication module 50, the electronic component 60 may include a communication unit or the like. The electronic component 60 may be mounted on the circuit board 20 or may be mounted on the surface of the communication circuit board 51 on which the cavity 52 is formed. By mounting the electronic component 60 in the cavity 52, a gap can be formed between the electronic component 60 and the circuit board 20. By doing this, it is difficult to transmit the shock resulting from the deformation of the circuit board 20 to the electronic component 60. As a result, the electronic component 60 can be protected.

The cavity 52 and at least a part of the surface on the positive direction side of the Z axis of the battery 30 may be opposed to each other with the circuit board 20 interposed therebetween. By doing this, the external force is easily absorbed by the battery 30 having high rigidity, and becomes difficult to be transmitted to the communication circuit board 51. As a result, deformation of the communication circuit board 51 can be reduced, and the electronic component 60 in the cavity 52 is less likely to be damaged.

The sensor 70 may include, for example, at least one of an atmospheric pressure sensor 71, a temperature sensor 72, a humidity sensor 73, and an illuminance sensor 74 in order to obtain information on the external environment. The sensor 70 may include, for example, at least one of an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor, in order to obtain information on at least one of the position, movement, and attitude of the sensor 70 itself. The angular velocity sensor can detect the angular velocity of the device or the like in which the sensor 70 is provided. The acceleration sensor can detect an acceleration occurring in a device or the like in which the sensor 70 is provided. The geomagnetic sensor can detect the direction of geomagnetism. The sensor 70 may include a position sensor. The position sensor detects position information of a device or the like provided with the sensor 70 based on detection results of radio waves of near field communication such as RFID (Radio Frequency Identifier), IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc. You may Thus, the sensor 70 may detect information regarding the status of the communication device 1. Also, the sensor 70 may include at least one sensor used for the IoT device.

In one embodiment, the sensor 70 is not limited to an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor. In one embodiment, the sensor 70 detects, for example, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature around the communication device 1, a humidity sensor that detects the humidity around the communication device 1, and the illuminance of light at a predetermined portion of the communication device 1. It may include at least one of the following illumination sensors. In one embodiment, the sensor 70 may include other sensors other than those described above. Further, the sensor 70 is not limited to one incorporated in the communication device 1, and may be included in an external device connected to the communication device 1. In this case, the sensor 70 provided in the external device may be connected to the communication device 1 through the external terminal 23. In one embodiment, the communication module 50 transmits data detected by the sensor 70 to a server or other device or the like. In this case, the communication device 1 may appropriately communicate with a server or another device via a base station or a relay station.

As shown in FIG. 3, the notification unit 80 may be mounted at a position corresponding to the notification window 11B (see FIG. 1). The notification unit 80 may include, for example, a light emitting device such as a light emission diode (LED). The notification unit 80 may include another light emitting device. The notification unit 80 may turn on the light emitting device based on the control of the control unit 62. Various pieces of information notified by the notification unit 80 to the user may be associated with the lighting color and / or lighting pattern of the light emitting device. For example, the notification unit 80 may notify the user that the power of the communication device 1 is in the on state by lighting the light emitting device green. The notification unit 80 may notify the user that the communication device 1 is in communication with an external device or the like by keeping the light emitting device turned on. The notification unit 80 may notify that the remaining amount of the battery 30 is below the predetermined value by blinking the light emitting device.

The notification unit 80 may include, for example, a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The notification unit 80 may include another display device. The notification unit 80 may cause the display to display various types of information to be notified to the user based on the control of the control unit 62.

As shown in FIG. 3, the switch 81 may be mounted at a position corresponding to the switch handle 11A (see FIG. 1). The switch 81 can be operated by the user via the switch handle 11A. The operation by the user (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as “user operation”) input to the switch 81 may be output to the control unit 62.

For example, when a user operation on the switch 81 is detected, the control unit 62 may execute a predetermined function associated with the operation of the switch 81. The predetermined function may include a function of causing the communication device 1 to transition between a power-on state and a power-off state. The predetermined function may include a function of starting or stopping the operation of the communication device 1. The control unit 62 may execute different functions based on the number of times the switch 81 is pressed. The control unit 62 may perform different functions based on the length of time when the switch 81 is pressed. Such user operation and various functions associated with the user operation may be defined in advance and stored in, for example, the storage unit 61 or the like.

As shown in FIG. 3, the antenna 100 may be located along the outer surface of the main body 41 of the frame 40. The antenna 100 may be located on the side of the plane portion 41A of the main body 41 in the positive direction of the Z axis. That is, the antenna 100 may be located on the side opposite to the side on which the circuit board 20 and the battery 30 are held in the frame 40. In this way, when the battery 30 having a relatively heavy mass is located closer to the ground or the like, the antenna 100 can be located farther from the ground or the like. As a result, when the antenna 100 transmits and receives radio waves, the influence of noise and the like from the ground can be reduced.

The antenna 100 may be electrically connected to the communication module 50. The communication module 50 may wirelessly communicate with an external device by acquiring a radio wave received by the antenna 100 or transmitting the radio wave to the antenna 100.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of the communication device 1. As shown in FIG. 6, the communication device 1 according to an embodiment includes a communication module 50, a storage unit 61, a control unit 62, an antenna 100, and a sensor 70. The controller 62 is also referred to as a controller. The controller 62 may be connected to the sensor 70. The sensor 70 may be the sensor 70 provided in the communication device 1 or may be the above-described sensor provided as an external device different from the communication device 1. When connected to the communication device 1, the sensor provided as an external device may be connected via the external terminal 23. In FIG. 6, only the functional units that are largely related to the operation of the communication apparatus 1 according to an embodiment are shown, and the other functional units are omitted. For example, in the communication device 1, each functional unit shown in FIG. 6 needs to receive supply of power from, for example, the battery 30 or the like, but the battery 30 and other functional units related to power feeding are illustrated in FIG. It is omitted.

The communication module 50 can realize various functions including wireless communication. The communication module 50 may realize communication based on Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) technology. The communication module 50 may realize communication by various communication methods such as LTE (Long Term Evolution). Hereinafter, the communication module 50 will be described as including a modem whose communication system has been standardized in International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T). The communication module 50 may be, for example, an IoT module. The communication module 50 may wirelessly communicate with an external device via the antenna 100.

The communication module 50 may acquire position information of the communication device 1 based on GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) technology or the like. That is, the communication module 50 may be able to obtain position information of the own device. GNSS technology may include any satellite positioning system such as, for example, GPS (Global Positioning System), GLONASS, Galileo, and Quasi-Zenith Satellite (QZSS). The position information of the communication device 1 may include at least one of latitude, longitude, and altitude. The communication device 1 may obtain information on the position of the own device by the other components of the communication module 50. For example, the communication device 1 may incorporate a position information acquisition device such as a GPS module as the sensor 70. Further, the communication module 50 may be mountable to an apparatus for acquiring information on the position of the own device. For example, a position information acquisition device such as a GPS module may be connected to the communication device 1 as an external device. In this case, the position information acquisition device as an external device may be connected to the communication device 1 via the external terminal 23.

The control unit 62 includes at least one processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU), to provide control and processing capabilities for performing various functions. The processor may be implemented as a single integrated circuit. The integrated circuit is also referred to as an integrated circuit (IC). The processor may be implemented as a plurality of communicatively coupled integrated circuits and discrete circuits. The processor may be implemented based on various other known techniques.

The communication device 1 may further include a storage unit 61 connected to the control unit 62. The storage unit 61 may be configured by a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, or the like. The storage unit 61 stores various information, programs executed by the control unit 62, and the like. The storage unit 61 may function as a work memory of the control unit 62. Further, the storage unit 61 may be included in the control unit 62.

The antenna 100 may be electrically connected to the communication module 50. The communication module 50 may wirelessly communicate with an external device such as an external server by acquiring a radio wave received by the antenna 100 or transmitting a radio wave from the antenna 100.

The communication device 1 may transmit the detection result of the sensor 70 or position information of the communication device 1 to an external device. The control unit 62 may transmit the detection result of the sensor 70 or the position information of the communication device 1 to the external device via the communication module 50.

The communication module 50 may cause the antenna 100 to transmit a radio wave having a predetermined strength. The predetermined strength may be determined as appropriate. The communication module 50 may transmit a radio wave from the antenna 100 based on the control information acquired from the control unit 62. The communication module 50 may have, for example, a function included in Release 13 specification of 3 rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) or the like. The 3GPP Release 13 specifications include functions supported by a UE (User Equipment) category M1 and functions supported by an NB-IoT (Narrow Band IoT) category. Hereinafter, part of the communication function defined by 3GPP will be described.

[DRX]
From Release 8 of 3GPP, intermittent reception called DRX (Discontinuous Reception) has been defined as a technique for saving power of communication by a communication apparatus. Hereinafter, such discontinuous reception (Discontinuous Reception) will be abbreviated as “DRX” as appropriate. The DRX is a technology for suppressing power consumption by intermittently receiving a signal and stopping a radio frequency (RF) function unit during a period of not receiving the signal to put it into a sleep state. The DRX operation intermittently receives a downlink control channel (PDCCH: Physical Downlink Shared Channel) signal in an idle state (RRC # IDLE) of RRC (Radio Resource Control) and a connection state (RRC # CONNECTED) of RRC. Applies to The DRX cycle is defined as a maximum of 2.56 seconds. The DRX is defined in detail in 3GPP, so a more detailed description is omitted.

In one embodiment, the communication module 50 may transmit and receive radio waves from the antenna 100 based on the DRX technology defined in the 3GPP specifications. In the following description, the DRX technology may include the eDRX (extended DRX) technology described later. In one embodiment, the DRX technology is a technology that can reduce the power consumption of the communication module 50 by causing the communication module 50 to intermittently receive radio waves. When transmitting and receiving radio waves based on the DRX technology, the communication module 50 can realize intermittent transmission and reception of radio waves by stopping transmission and reception of radio waves for a predetermined period. A period until the communication module 50 starts DRX and ends DRX is also referred to as a DRX period. Hereinafter, the predetermined period for stopping transmission and reception of radio waves based on the DRX technology is also appropriately referred to as a sleep period in DRX.

[EDRX]
Also, from Release 13 of 3GPP, in order to further extend the DRX cycle, extended DRX (Extended DRX) is defined, in which the period of intermittent reception of signals is significantly extended. Hereinafter, such extended intermittent reception (extended DRX) will be abbreviated as eDRX as appropriate. eDRX realizes the extension of the sleep state to improve the power saving of the battery. In RRC # CONNECTED, 10.24 seconds (LTE) can be set as the largest eDRX cycle. Moreover, in RRC # IDLE, 43.96 minutes (eMTC) in the case of category M1 and 2.91 hours (NB-IoT) in the case of NB-IoT can be set as the maximum eDRX cycle. The eDRX is also defined in detail in 3GPP, so a more detailed description is omitted. In the following description, eDRX may be simply referred to simply as DRX. In addition, the predetermined period for stopping transmission and reception of radio waves based on the eDRX technology is also referred to as a sleep period in the eDRX as appropriate.

[PSM]
Furthermore, in 3GPP, in addition to the conventional idle state and connection state, a power saving mode (Power Saving Mode) has been defined. Hereinafter, such a power saving mode (Power Saving Mode) is appropriately abbreviated as PSM. PSM is an operation in which the terminal transits to the same state as power off in a pseudo-time for a fixed time while maintaining registration on the network. In this PSM, the communication device is in a sleep state where it does not receive any paging from the base station, so it can not be seen by the network, but data transmission can be enabled anytime. In PSM of Cat 1 defined in Release 12 of 3GPP, assuming that data of about 1 KB is sent once a day, it is possible to use it for 10 years or more with two AA batteries. The PSM is also defined in detail in 3GPP, so a more detailed description is omitted.

In one embodiment, the communication module 50 may start PSM, which is a function capable of reducing the power consumption of the communication device 1 itself, based on the control information acquired from the control unit 62. The communication module 50 may also start PSM based on control information acquired from an external device such as an external server. That is, the control unit 62 may cause the communication module 50 to start PSM. The period until the communication module 50 starts PSM and ends PSM is also referred to as PSM period. In one embodiment, the communication module 50 stops transmission and reception of radio waves for a predetermined period in a PSM period. After stopping transmission and reception of radio waves for a predetermined period, the communication module 50 performs transmission and reception of radio waves for confirming that the communication module 50 is operating. The predetermined period in which the communication module 50 does not transmit and receive radio waves in the PSM period is also appropriately referred to as a sleep period in PSM. The sleep period in PSM may be set longer than the sleep period in DRX.

FIG. 7 is a graph showing the timing at which the communication module 50 of the communication device 1 receives paging from the base station. In the graph shown in FIG. 7, the horizontal axis represents time. The vertical bar tm represents the timing at which the communication module 50 receives a paging. That is, the communication module 50 may receive, for example, a radio wave from the base station at a timing corresponding to the time specified by the vertical bar tm.

As an example, the communication module 50 may start DRX at a time represented by T0 and end DRX at a time represented by T1. That is, the period from the time represented by T0 to the time represented by T1 may be the DRX period represented by D1. The communication module 50 may stop transmission and reception of radio waves during the sleep period in DRX represented by P1 in the DRX period. The communication module 50 may perform the DRX operation in the period from the time represented by T0 to the time represented by T1, or in the period after the time represented by T2. When performing the DRX operation, the communication module 50 may stop transmission and reception of radio waves over a sleep period in DRX represented by P1.

Similarly, the communication module 50 may start PSM at a time represented by T1 and may end PSM at a time represented by T2. That is, the period from the time represented by T1 to the time represented by T2 may be a PSM period represented by D2. The communication module 50 may stop transmission and reception of radio waves during the sleep period in the PSM represented by P2 in the PSM period. The communication module 50 may stop transmission and reception of radio waves during a DRX sleep period represented by P2 when performing an operation in PSM.

In the sleep period in PSM, the power consumption of the communication module 50 can be reduced to the same extent as the power consumption in the state where the communication module 50 is powered off. That is, when the communication module 50 starts PSM, the power consumption of the communication module 50 can be reduced without the power supply of the communication module 50 being turned off. If the communication module 50 is simply turned off, the operation of the communication module 50 is difficult to confirm. On the other hand, when the communication module 50 starts PSM, the operation of the communication module 50 can be easily confirmed by the communication module 50 transmitting and receiving radio waves each time the PSM sleep period elapses. That is, when the communication module 50 starts PSM, both the confirmation of the operation of the communication module 50 and the reduction of the power consumption of the communication module 50 can be compatible.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure of controlling the communication device 1 according to an embodiment. Hereinafter, the operation of the communication device 1 according to an embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIG. 8, when the operation of the communication device 1 according to the embodiment starts, the control unit 62 acquires a period in which data is not transmitted from the communication module 50 (step S11). A period in which data is not transmitted from the communication module 50 acquired in step S11 is abbreviated as a "data non-transmission period" as appropriate in the present specification and the drawings.

The data non-transmission period may be, for example, a period in which data was not actually transmitted from the communication module 50 until now. Further, the data non-transmission period may be, for example, a period from the time of the last transmission of data from the communication module 50 to the current time when the communication module 50 has not transmitted data until now. Furthermore, the data non-transmission period may be, for example, a period during which data is to be transmitted from the communication module 50 when the communication module 50 has a schedule for transmitting data from now. The data non-transmission period may be a period from the time when data was last received from the external device to the current time, when the communication device 1 is connected to the external device via the external terminal. The data non-transmission period may be a period from the last transmission of data to the present time, in the case where the accumulated data is transmitted to a server etc. on condition that the communication device 1 accumulates data by a predetermined amount or more. .

In one embodiment, the control unit 62 may determine the non-data transmission period based on the allocation of radio resources for data transmission and the like.
Further, in one embodiment, the control unit 62 may determine the data non-transmission period based on, for example, the presence or absence of data to be transmitted stored in the storage unit 61 or the amount of data to be transmitted. In one embodiment, the control unit 62 may determine the non-data transmission period based on, for example, a schedule of data transmission timing notified from a base station or a server.

Information up to the present of the data non-transmission period may be stored as a history in the storage unit 61 or the like. On the other hand, information including the future of the data non-transmission period may be stored in the storage unit 61 or the like, for example, when the control unit 62 and / or the communication module 50 define the data transmission timing. Further, the information including the future of the data non-transmission period may be directly grasped by, for example, the control unit 62 and / or the communication module 50 without being stored in the storage unit 61 or the like.

In step S11, the control unit 62 may inquire, for example, the communication module 50 or the storage unit 61 about the data non-transmission period. On the other hand, in step S11, for example, the communication module 50 or the storage unit 61 may periodically notify the control unit 62 of the data non-transmission period.

When the data non-transmission period is acquired in step S11, the control unit 62 performs control regarding at least one of DRX and PSM based on the acquired data non-transmission period (step S12). In step S12, the control unit 62 may perform various controls on the DRX by the communication module 50 and the PSM of the communication by the communication module 50. Further, in step S12, control relating to either DRX or PSM may be performed, or control relating to both DRX and PSM may be performed.

Thus, in one embodiment, the control unit 62 controls at least one of DRX by the communication module 50 and PSM of communication by the communication module 50 based on the data non-transmission period. Here, the control relating to DRX may typically be start of DRX, stop, maintenance of started or stopped state of DRX, change of DRX period, change of sleep period in DRX, etc. . Similarly, the control relating to PSM may typically be starting PSM, stopping PSM, maintaining started or stopped state of PSM, changing PSM period, changing sleep period in PSM, etc. . Further, as control relating to DRX and PSM, typically, DRX may be stopped to start PSM, or PSM may be stopped to start DRX. Further, the control unit 62 may perform control related to eDRX by the communication module instead of control related to control related to DRX.

The control related to at least one of DRX and PSM performed in step S12 can be made various according to the data non-transmission period acquired in step S11. The contents of such control may be defined in advance and stored, for example, in the storage unit 61. When the predetermined data non-transmission period is acquired, the control unit 62 reads the content of the control associated with the acquired data non-transmission period from the storage unit 61, and performs the control.

The above-mentioned discontinuous reception (DRX) may be DRX (Discontinuous Reception) defined by 3GPP. Further, the above-mentioned extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) may be eDRX (Extended Discontinuous Reception) defined by 3GPP. Further, the above-mentioned power saving mode (PSM) may be PSM (Power Saving Mode) defined by 3GPP.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a specific example of an operation performed by the communication device 1 according to an embodiment. Hereinafter, a specific example of the operation of the communication device 1 according to an embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the operation of the communication apparatus 1 according to the embodiment starts, first, the control unit 62 acquires a data non-transmission period (step S11). The operation performed in step S11 is performed in the same manner as described in FIG.

When the data non-transmission period is acquired in step S11, the control unit 62 determines whether the acquired data non-transmission period is equal to or more than a predetermined one (step S22). In step S22, the control unit 62 determines whether or not the data non-transmission period is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, such as 10 seconds.

If it is determined in step S22 that the data non-transmission period is not longer than a predetermined period, the control unit 62 returns to step S11 and continues the process.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S22 that the data non-transmission period is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the control unit 62 performs the process of step S23. In step S23, the control unit 62 performs control relating to the DRX and / or PSM corresponding to each in accordance with the result determined in step S22 (step S23).

For example, when it is determined that the data non-transmission period is 5 seconds or more, the control unit 62 may start DRX. Also, for example, when it is determined that the data non-transmission period is 60 seconds or more, the control unit 62 may stop DRX and start PSM. Also, for example, when it is determined that the data non-transmission period is 20 seconds or more, the control unit 62 may stop the PSM. Also, for example, when it is determined that the data non-transmission period is 10 minutes or more, the control unit 62 may stop PSM and start DRX.

As described above, in order to perform the operations of step S22 and step S23, for example, the storage unit 61 or the like previously stores the data non-transmission period and the control content related to DRX and / or PSM corresponding to each. You may

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a specific example of the operation performed by the communication device 1 according to an embodiment. Hereinafter, a specific example of the operation of the communication device 1 according to an embodiment will be described.

The operation shown in FIG. 10 is to change the operation in step S23 shown in FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 9, at step S23, at least one of DRX and PSM is started or stopped. On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 10, the operation of step S33 is performed instead of step S23. In step S33, the control unit 62 changes the period of at least one of DRX and PSM. Furthermore, in step S33, the control unit 62 may change the sleep period in at least one of DRX and PSM.

For example, if it is determined that the data non-transmission period is 10 seconds or more, the control unit 62 may shorten the DRX period from 2 minutes to 1 minute. Also, for example, when it is determined that the data non-transmission period is 10 seconds or more, the control unit 62 may extend the DRX period from 2 minutes to 4 minutes. Also, for example, when it is determined that the data non-transmission period is 1 minute or more, the control unit 62 may extend the PSM period from 5 minutes to 10 minutes. Also, for example, when it is determined that the data non-transmission period is 30 seconds or more, the control unit 62 may shorten the sleep period in DRX from 2.56 seconds to 1 second. For example, when it is determined that the data non-transmission period is 5 minutes or more, the control unit 62 may extend the sleep period in eDRX from 10 minutes to 43 minutes. For example, if it is determined that the data non-transmission period is 30 minutes or more, the control unit 62 may extend the sleep period in PSM from 1 hour to 6 hours.

When the sleep period in at least one of DRX and PSM is changed in step S33, not only the sleep period may be extended, but also the sleep period may be shortened. In one embodiment, the period changed in step S33 may be changed in accordance with the length of the data non-transmission period which is determined in step S22 or more. For example, at least one of DRX and PSM may be gradually extended (or shortened) as the data non-transmission period exceeds a plurality of periods set in step S22. In addition, as the data non-transmission period exceeds a plurality of periods set in step S22, for example, the sleep period in at least one of DRX and PSM may be gradually extended (or shortened) in stages.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a specific example of an operation performed by the communication device 1 according to an embodiment. Hereinafter, a specific example of the operation of the communication device 1 according to an embodiment will be described.

The operation shown in FIG. 11 is to change the operation after step S33 shown in FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 10, in step S33, the sleep period in at least one of DRX and PSM is changed. On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 11, after step S22, the operation of step S43 is performed. In step S43, the control unit 62 extends the sleep period in DRX (step S43).

When the sleep period in DRX is extended in step S43, the control unit 62 determines whether the sleep period is extended to a predetermined period (step S44). For example, in step S44, the upper limit period for extending the sleep period in DRX may be defined in advance, for example, 2.56 seconds (10.24 seconds or 43.96 minutes for eDRX). If it is determined in step S44 that the sleep period has not been extended to the predetermined period, the control unit 62 returns to step S11 and continues the process.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S44 that the sleep period has been extended to the predetermined period, the control unit 62 starts PSM (step S45). For example, in step S45, DRX may be stopped at the start of PSM.

Thus, in one embodiment, the controller 62 may initiate PSM when sleep in DRX is extended to a predetermined period.

Conventionally, control related to DRX and / or PSM as described above is performed based on information received from the outside such as a base station or a server. According to the communication apparatus 1 according to one embodiment, control related to DRX and / or PSM is performed based on information from a system different from information received from the outside such as a base station or a server, that is, data non-transmission period. be able to. Therefore, when implemented as an IoT unit, for example, the communication device 1 according to one embodiment can realize flexible use that can not be conventionally achieved. The communication device 1 according to one embodiment can reduce power consumption by appropriately controlling DRX and / or PSM in such flexible use. As a result, the convenience of the communication device 1 and the communication module 50 can be improved.

12A to 12D are diagrams showing an example of the operation of the communication device 1 according to an embodiment. 12A to 12D show an example of the operation of the communication device 1 described in FIG.

In the communication device 1 according to one embodiment, when there is no data to be transmitted as shown in FIG. 12A, DRX is started as shown in FIG. 12B. Thus, the communication device 1 can reduce power consumption. Also, in the communication device 1 according to an embodiment, when there is no data to be further transmitted in DRX as shown in FIG. 12C, the sleep period in DRX is extended to the upper limit (step S43). Therefore, the communication device 1 can further reduce power consumption. In addition, when the sleep period in the DRX is extended to the upper limit (step S44), the communication device 1 according to an embodiment starts PSM as illustrated in FIG. 12D. Therefore, the communication device 1 can further reduce power consumption.

Next, an example of an operation when data to be transmitted from the communication module 50 is generated after DRX or PSM is started in the communication device 1 according to an embodiment will be described.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a specific example of an operation performed by the communication device 1 according to an embodiment. Hereinafter, a specific example of the operation of the communication device 1 according to an embodiment will be described.

When the operation shown in FIG. 13 starts, the control unit 62 first starts DRX or PSM (step S51). When starting DRX or PSM in step S51, for example, it may start as described in FIG. 9 or FIG.

When DRX or PSM is started in step S51, the control unit 62 determines whether data to be transmitted from the communication module 50 is generated (step S52). When it is determined in step S52 whether or not data to be transmitted from the communication module 50 is generated, for example, acquisition of a data non-transmission period in step S11 of FIG. 8 can be performed. For example, when determining whether there is data to be transmitted, a period during which data is not transmitted may be acquired. If it is determined in step S52 that no data to be transmitted is generated, the control unit 62 returns to step S51 and continues the process.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S52 that data to be transmitted is generated, the control unit 62 may stop the started DRX or PSM (step S53) and transmit data from the communication module 50 (step S54). ).

When the data is transmitted in step S54, the control unit 62 may start DRX (step S55). When DRX is started in step S55, the control unit 62 determines whether a predetermined period has elapsed (step S56). In step S56, the control unit 62 may stop DRX and start PSM after a predetermined period has elapsed (step S57).

As described above, in one embodiment, when data to be transmitted from the communication module 50 is generated, the control unit 62 may stop the DRX or PSM and control the communication module 50 to transmit data. In this case, when the data is transmitted from the communication module 50, the control unit 62 may start DRX. Furthermore, the control unit 62 may continue the started DRX until a predetermined period has elapsed since the data was transmitted from the communication module 50. Furthermore, the control unit 62 may stop the started DRX and start the PSM when a predetermined period has elapsed since the data was transmitted from the communication module 50.

As described above, according to the communication device according to one embodiment, power consumption can be reduced while performing appropriate tracking as desired.

Although the present disclosure has been described based on the drawings and examples, it should be noted that those skilled in the art can easily make various changes or modifications based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these variations or modifications are included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each functional unit can be rearranged so as not to be logically contradictory. A plurality of functional units may be combined or divided into one. Each embodiment according to the present disclosure described above is not limited to be implemented faithfully to each described embodiment, and may be implemented by combining the respective features or omitting some of them as appropriate. .

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the communication device 1 includes the communication module 50 that can be, for example, an IoT module, and the control unit 62 controls the communication module 50. The communication device 1 can be realized, for example, with an IoT unit. On the other hand, the communication module 50 may include a control unit configured by a processor such as a CPU and a storage unit configured by a memory, for example. In this case, the communication module 50 can perform control alone. That is, in one embodiment, the communication module 50 may be mountable to the communication device 1. Here, the communication module 50 performs control regarding at least one of intermittent reception (DRX) by the communication module 50 and power saving mode (PSM) of communication by the communication module 50 based on a period during which data is not transmitted from the communication module 50. .

Also, the embodiments described above are not limited to the implementation as a communication device and communication module. For example, the embodiments described above may be implemented as a communication method of a communication apparatus and a program that is executed by a controller that controls the communication apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 communication apparatus 10 case 11 plate 11A switch handle

11B notification window

11C, 11D, 11E, 11F hole 11G mark 12 case 12A bottom part

12B side part

12C, 12D, 12E insertion port 13 internal structure 20 circuit board 21 (21A, 21B, 21C)

Battery terminal

22, 23 External terminal 22A Support section 24 Slot 30 Battery 40 Frame 41 Body

41A Flat section

41B Side section

42A,

42B Holding section

45A, 45B Convex section 46 Frame opening 50 Communication module 50A Side wall section 51 Communication circuit Substrate 52 Cavity 60 Electronic Component 61 Memory Unit 62 Controller (Controller)
70 sensor 71 barometric pressure sensor 72 temperature sensor 73 humidity sensor 74 illuminance sensor 80 notification unit 81 switch 100 antenna

Claims

Communication equipment,
A controller that controls communication of the communication device;
A device comprising
The controller performs control related to at least one of intermittent reception (DRX) by the communication device and power saving mode (PSM) of communication by the communication device based on a period in which data is not transmitted from the communication device.
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller starts or stops at least one of the DRX and the PSM based on a period in which data is not transmitted from the communication device.
The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller starts or stops at least one of the PSM and the PSM when a period during which data is not transmitted from the communication device exceeds a predetermined period.
The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the controller changes a period of at least one of the DRX and the PSM based on a period in which data is not transmitted from the communication device.
The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the controller changes a sleep period in at least one of the DRX and the PSM based on a period in which data is not transmitted from the communication device.
The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller extends a sleep period in at least one of the DRX and the PSM when a period during which data is not transmitted from the communication device exceeds a predetermined period.
The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller starts the PSM when sleep in the DRX is extended to a predetermined period.
The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller shortens a sleep period in at least one of the DRX and the PSM when a period in which data is not transmitted from the communication device exceeds a predetermined period.
The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the controller controls the DRX or the PSM to stop data transmission from the communication device when data to be transmitted from the communication device is generated. .
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller initiates the DRX upon transmitting data from the communication device.
The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller continues the initiated DRX until a predetermined period of time has elapsed since transmitting data from the communication device.
The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the controller stops the initiated DRX and starts the PSM when a predetermined time period has elapsed since data was transmitted from the communication device.
The above-mentioned intermittent reception (DRX) is DRX (Discontinuous Reception) defined in 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project),
The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the power saving mode (PSM) is a power saving mode (PSM) defined by a third generation partnership project (3GPP).
The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the controller performs control related to extended intermittent reception (eDRX) by the communication device.
The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) is an extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) defined by a third generation partnership project (3GPP).
The device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the communication device transmits data detected by a sensor.
A communication device that can be installed in the device,
A communication device that performs control related to at least one of intermittent reception (DRX) by the communication device and a power saving mode (PSM) of communication by the communication device based on a period in which data is not transmitted from the communication device.
A communication method of an apparatus comprising a control step of controlling communication of a communication device, comprising:
A communication method, in the control step, performing control regarding at least one of intermittent reception (DRX) by the communication device and a power saving mode (PSM) of communication by the communication device based on a period in which data is not transmitted from the communication device. .