COMMUNICATION DEVICE, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, COMMUNICATION DEVICE CONTROL METHOD, AND COMMUNICATION DEVICE CONTROL PROGRAM
In order to stop a receive operation without stopping the communication operation of an external communication device while suppressing the effects on the reception of signals from the communication device as much as possible, a communication device includes: a transmission unit for transmitting a first signal during a specified time interval to an external communication device provided with a stop transmission function; and a reception unit which is provided with a stop reception function for stopping reception, and receives a second signal transmitted by the external communication device. The communication device also includes a stop transmission request unit which includes in the first signal stop transmission request information for requesting the stopping of the transmission of the second signal to the external communication device; and a stop reception unit which stops the receive operation of the reception unit after the first signal including the stop transmission request information is transmitted.
1 . A communication device, comprising:
transmission unit for transmitting a first signal during a specified time interval to an external communication device provided with a stop transmission function for stopping transmission;
reception unit which is provided with a stop reception function for stopping reception, and receives a second signal transmitted by the external communication device;
stop transmission request unit which includes, in the first signal, stop transmission request information for requesting the stopping of the transmission of the second signal to the external communication device; and
stop reception unit which stops the receive operation of the reception unit after the first signal including the stop transmission request information is transmitted.
2 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the stop transmission request information includes stop transmission time information for specifying a stop transmission time which is a time of stopping the transmission of the external communication device.
3 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the stop transmission request information includes restart transmission time information for specifying a restart transmission time which is a time of restarting the transmission of the external communication device.
4 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the stop transmission request information includes stop transmission period information for specifying a stop transmission period which is a period of time of the stopping of the transmission by the external communication device.
5 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the stop transmission request information includes stop transmission frequency information for specifying a stop transmission frequency which is the number of times of repetitions of the stop and the restart of the transmission by the external communication device.
6 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the stop transmission request information includes stop transmission cycle information for specifying a stop transmission cycle which is a cycle of repetitions of the stop and the restart of the transmission by the external communication device.
7 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the stop transmission request unit includes the stop transmission request information in the first signal based on a state of communication with the external communication device.
8 . The communication device of claim 7 , wherein the communication state is determined based on a measurement result of an amount of traffic with the external communication device.
9 . The communication device of claim 8 , wherein the stop transmission request unit includes the stop transmission request information in the first signal when the traffic is equal to or less than a specified value.
10 . The communication device of claim 8 , wherein the stop transmission request unit sets information included in the stop transmission request information based on the traffic with the external communication device.
11 . The communication device of claim 2 , wherein the stop transmission request unit sets the stop transmission time information based on the traffic with the external communication device.
12 . The communication device of claim 3 , wherein the stop transmission request unit sets the restart transmission time information based on the traffic with the external communication device.
13 . The communication device of claim 4 , wherein the stop transmission request unit sets the stop transmission period information based on the traffic with the external communication device.
14 . The communication device of claim 5 , wherein the stop transmission request unit sets the stop transmission frequency information based on the traffic with the external communication device.
15 . The communication device of claim 6 , wherein the stop transmission request unit sets the stop transmission cycle information based on the traffic with the external communication device.
16 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the stop transmission request unit includes the stop transmission request information in the first signal based on a condition of a processing load.
17 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the stop reception unit stops a receive operation of the reception unit for all or a part of the period from the beginning of the stop of the transmission by the external communication device to the end thereof.
18 . The communication device of claim 1 ,
wherein
communication with the external communication device follows a communication protocol defined by IEEE 802.11 standard,
transmission of the first signal is performed using a beacon defined by the IEEE 802.11 standard, and
the stop transmission request information is transferred using a QUIET element included in the beacon.
19 . A communication system, comprising:
second reception unit for receiving the first signal transmitted from the communication device of claim 1 ;
second transmission unit for transmitting the second signal; and
a second communication device including stop transmission unit for stopping transmission of the second signal when the first signal includes the stop transmission request information.
20 . A communication system, comprising:
a first communication device, comprising
transmission unit for transmitting a first signal during a specified time interval;
first reception unit which is provided with a stop reception function for stopping reception, and receives a second signal transmitted by an external communication device;
stop transmission request unit which includes, in the informing signal, stop transmission request information for requesting stopping of the transmission of the second signal; and
stop reception unit which stops the receive operation of the reception unit after the informing signal including the stop transmission request information is transmitted;
and
a second communication device, comprising:
second reception unit for receiving the informing signal;
transmission means for transmitting the second signal; and
stop transmission unit for stopping the transmission of the second signal when the informing signal includes the stop transmission request information.
21 . A communication control method, comprising the steps of:
transmitting a first signal during a specified time interval to an external communication device provided with a stop transmission function for stopping transmission;
being provided with a stop reception function for stopping reception, and receiving a second signal transmitted by the external communication device;
including, in the first signal, stop transmission request information for requesting stopping of the transmission of the second signal to the external communication device; and
stopping a receive operation after the first signal including the stop transmission request information is transmitted;
22 . A computer-readable storing medium storing the communication device control program, said program comprising the steps of:
transmitting a first signal during a specified time interval to an external communication device provided with a stop transmission function for stopping transmission;
being provided with a stop reception function for stopping reception, and receiving a second signal transmitted by the external communication device;
including, in the first signal, stop transmission request information for requesting stopping of the transmission of the second signal to the external communication device; and
stopping a receive operation after the first signal including the stop transmission request information is transmitted.
23 . (canceled)
24 . A communication device, comprising:
transmission means for transmitting a first signal during a specified time interval to an external communication device provided with a stop transmission function for stopping transmission;
reception means which is provided with a stop reception function for stopping reception, and receives a second signal transmitted by the external communication device;
stop transmission request means which includes, in the first signal, stop transmission request information for requesting the stopping of the transmission of the second signal to the external communication device; and
stop reception means which stops the receive operation of the reception unit after the first signal including the stop transmission request information is transmitted.