Communication apparatus, control method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

1. A communication apparatus for performing wireless communication by switching between a connected state in which connection is established and a non-connected state in which connection is not established based on control of a base station, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories that store a program for causing, when executed by the one or more processors, the communication apparatus to:

perform, during establishment of connection with the base station, synchronization processing for obtaining reference time information of a time synchronization system and establishing time synchronization;

set a time interval for performing the synchronization processing based on an error of an intra-apparatus time held in the communication apparatus with respect to time information represented by the reference time information; and

in a case where the communication apparatus is operating in the non-connected state, based on the time interval, request the base station to cause the communication apparatus to stay in the connected state at a timing when the synchronization processing is to be performed,

wherein the synchronization processing is performed at a timing based on the time interval, at which the communication apparatus is operating in the connected state.

2. A control method executed by a communication apparatus for performing wireless communication by switching between a connected state in which connection is established and a non-connected state in which connection is not established based on control of a base station, comprising:

performing, during establishment of connection with the base station, synchronization processing for obtaining reference time information of a time synchronization system and establishing time synchronization;

setting a time interval for performing the synchronization processing based on an error of an intra-apparatus time held in the communication apparatus with respect to time information represented by the reference time information; and

in a case where the communication apparatus is operating in the non-connected state, based on the time interval, requesting the base station to cause the communication apparatus to stay in the connected state at a timing when the synchronization processing is to be performed,

wherein the communication apparatus performs the synchronization processing at a timing based on the time interval, at which the communication apparatus is operating in the connected state.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein in a case where the communication apparatus is operating in the connected state at the timing at which the synchronization processing is to be performed, the synchronization processing is executed without making the request.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein

the communication apparatus holds information for making a magnitude of the error correspond to the time interval, and

in the setting, the time interval is selected and set based on the magnitude of the error and the information.

5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein

in the setting, the time interval is adaptively extended, maintained, or shortened based on the magnitude of the error.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein

in the setting, in a case where the magnitude of the error is less than a first threshold, the time interval is extended, and in a case where the magnitude of the error is not less than a second threshold, the time interval is shortened.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein

in the setting, in a second predetermined period after it is determined, in a state in which the time interval is maintained for a first predetermined period, to maintain the time interval, the time interval is maintained independently of the magnitude of the error.

8. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising

determining, based on the time interval, whether to transition to the non-connected state after the synchronization processing is performed in the connected state.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein

in a case where a distribution period of the reference time information matches the time interval, it is determined not to transition to the non-connected state after the synchronization processing is performed.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein

in a case where a distribution period of the reference time information is shorter than a predetermined time length, it is determined not to transition to the non-connected state after the synchronization processing is performed.

11. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising

determining a timing for making the request based on the time interval and a time after the request to the base station is made until the communication apparatus transitions to the connected state under the control of the base station.

12. The method according to claim 2 , wherein

the request is made in accordance with completion of a timer configured to count a time length in which the communication apparatus is to stay in the non-connected state.

13. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising

in a case where a message representing that the communication apparatus is to transition to the connected state should occur is received from the base station during the non-connected state, transitioning to the connected state by making the request without responding to the message.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a program configured to cause a computer included in a communication apparatus for performing wireless communication by switching between a connected state in which connection is established and a non-connected state in which connection is not established based on control of a base station to:

perform, during establishment of connection with the base station, synchronization processing for obtaining reference time information of a time synchronization system and establishing time synchronization;

set a time interval for performing the synchronization processing based on an error of an intra-apparatus time held in the communication apparatus with respect to time information represented by the reference time information; and

in a case where the communication apparatus is operating in the non-connected state, based on the time interval, request the base station to cause the communication apparatus to stay in the connected state at a timing when the synchronization processing should be performed,

wherein the communication apparatus performs the synchronization processing at a timing based on the time interval, at which the communication apparatus is operating in the connected state.