IP Library Granted Patent US 10,182,394
Granted Patent B2
US 10,182,394 · App. 15/303,353 · Granted Jan 15, 2019

Communication apparatus, communication method, and program

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,182,394
App. No.
15/303,353
Granted
Jan 15, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

[Object] To provide a communication apparatus, a communication method, and a program, each of which is capable of flexibly controlling operation of the communication apparatus in accordance with a change in communication environment while reducing power consumption. [Solution] A communication apparatus includes: a control module configured to control operation of the communication apparatus; and a communication module configured to determine whether or not information obtained by reception from another communication apparatus has been changed and control state transition of the control module in a case where it is determined that the information obtained by the reception has been changed.

Claims (41)

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a control module configured to control operation of the communication apparatus; and

a communication module configured to determine whether or not information obtained by reception from another communication apparatus has been changed and control state transition of the control module in a case where it is determined that the information obtained by the reception has been changed,

wherein control of the state transition of the control module includes transition of a state of the control module to an active state or an inactive state,

wherein the information obtained by the reception includes existence information containing identification information of another communication apparatus that communicably exists in the vicinity of the communication apparatus, and

wherein in a case where reception from another communication apparatus having identification information that is not contained in the existence information is performed, the communication module determines that the existence information has been changed and causes transition of the state of the control module from the inactive state to the active state.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein, when, after previous reception from another communication apparatus having the identification information contained in the existence information, further reception from the another communication apparatus has not been performed and a time period determined in advance has elapsed, the communication module determines that the existence information has been changed and causes transition of the state of the control module from the inactive state to the active state.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the information obtained by the reception includes reception strength information of another communication apparatus, and

in a case where a reception strength has been changed, the communication module determines that the reception strength information has been changed and causes transition of the state of the control module from the inactive state to the active state.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the control module includes a first control module and a second control module,

the communication module causes transition of a state of the first control module from an inactive state to an active state as the control of the state transition of the control module, and

the first control module causes transition of a state of the second control module from an inactive state to an active state on the basis of a result of processing of the first control module.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the first control module is a sensor module configured to detect an external environment of the communication apparatus, and

the second control module is an application processor module.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the control module includes an application processor module, and

the application processor module transitions to an active state and then shows, to a user, information related to a change in the information obtained by the reception.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein, based on information specifying another communication apparatus received from the another communication apparatus, the application processor module shows, to a user, information of the another communication apparatus related to a change in the information obtained by the reception.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the application processor module provides information received from another communication apparatus to an external device outside the communication apparatus.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

when the time period determined in advance has elapsed, the communication module deletes the identification information of the another communication apparatus from the existence information, and, in a case where no identification information of another communication apparatus is contained in the existence information, the communication module causes transition of the state of the control module from the active state to the inactive state.

10. A communication method comprising:

controlling operation of a communication apparatus by using a control module;

determining whether or not information obtained by reception from another communication apparatus has been changed; and

controlling state transition of the control module in a case where it is determined that the information obtained by the reception has been changed,

wherein control of the state transition of the control module includes transition of a state of the control module to an active state,

wherein the information obtained by the reception includes existence information containing identification information of another communication apparatus that communicably exists in the vicinity of the communication apparatus, and

wherein in a case where reception from another communication apparatus having identification information that is not contained in the existence information is performed, the communication module determines that the existence information has been changed and causes transition of the state of the control module from the inactive state to the active state.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform a method comprising:

controlling operation of a communication apparatus by using a control module,

determining whether or not information obtained by reception from another communication apparatus has been changed, and

controlling state transition of the control module in a case where it is determined that the information obtained by the reception has been changed

wherein control of the state transition of the control module includes transition of a state of the control module to an active state,

wherein the information obtained by the reception includes existence information containing identification information of another communication apparatus that communicably exists in the vicinity of the communication apparatus, and

wherein in a case where reception from another communication apparatus having identification information that is not contained in the existence information is performed, the communication module determines that the existence information has been changed and causes transition of the state of the control module from the inactive to the active state.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 11, 2016
From: NAGAMATSU, TATSUO
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040309/0566 →