Communication device, communication system, power supply control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a technology capable of easily saving power of a communication device that can endure such an actual use that power is supplied for a communication function with large power consumption for a sufficient time period under a clear criterion.SOLUTION: A communication device comprises: a first communication unit that performs wireless communication by a first communication method for establishing connection by broadcasting; a second communication unit that performs wireless communication by a second communication method with longer distance and higher speed than in the first communication method; and a control unit that controls supply of power to the second communication unit. The control unit stops the supply of power to the second communication unit in a case where connection with a communication terminal by the first communication method is disconnected and the other communication terminal is not connected with the own device by the second communication method. The communication terminal can perform wireless communication by the first communication method and the second communication method.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a power supply control technique for a communication device. [Background technology]

[0002] There are information processing devices (communication terminals, hereinafter referred to as slave devices) that are equipped with two wireless communication methods: a method for short-range communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and a method for medium-range communication such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The latter is capable of high-speed communication over a wide bandwidth, and is therefore used for communication via the Internet, etc.

[0003] In Wi-Fi communications, a wireless router is used as the communications device (access point, hereafter referred to as the parent device). Wi-Fi communications achieves high speeds over a wide bandwidth, so it consumes a lot of power, and there is a demand for power saving, especially in portable mobile routers.

[0004] For parent devices used in such environments, there is a technology that uses the Bluetooth and wireless LAN interfaces depending on the application, reducing unnecessary power consumption of the wireless LAN (Local Area Network) interface, and using the wireless LAN as needed to ensure communication speeds (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-112225 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The following analysis is provided by the present invention.

[0007] In the parent device, communication functions that consume a lot of power (for example, Wi-Fi communication functions) are not always in use, so keeping them enabled all the time is wasteful, since this means constantly supplying power to the communication unit that realizes this communication function, which consumes power even when this communication function is not in use.

[0008] The technology described in Patent Document 1 can avoid the above situation. However, this technology requires a unique UUID (Bluetooth address) to be prepared, and the basis for determining whether the wireless LAN function is enabled or disabled is unclear, making it unclear whether it is enabled or disabled appropriately. Furthermore, multiple client devices are generally connected to an access point. However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 does not take such a situation into consideration.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a technology that can realize power saving in a communication device that can withstand practical use by simply supplying power to wireless communication functions that consume a lot of power for a necessary and sufficient period under clear criteria. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a first communication unit that performs wireless communication using a first communication method that establishes a connection by broadcasting; a second communication unit that performs wireless communication using a second communication method over a longer distance and at a higher speed than the first communication method; a control unit that controls the supply of power to the second communication unit, the control unit stops supplying power to the second communication unit when the connection between the communication terminal and the first communication method is cut off and another communication terminal is not connected to the device by the second communication method; There is provided a communication device in which the communication terminal is capable of wireless communication according to the first communication method and the second communication method.

[0011] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the communication device described above; the communication terminal connected to a network via the communication device, the communication device further includes a third communication unit that connects the communication terminal to the network; the communication terminal includes a terminal first communication unit that performs wireless communication using the first communication method; and a terminal second communication unit that performs wireless communication using the second communication method.

[0012] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power supply control method for a communication device by a computer, comprising: The communication device a first communication unit that performs wireless communication using a first communication method that establishes a connection by broadcasting; a second communication unit that performs wireless communication using a second communication method that is longer distance and faster than the first communication method, The computer when a connection state is established between the communication terminal capable of wireless communication by the first communication method and the second communication method by the first communication method, power supply to the second communication unit is started; A power supply control method is provided in which, when the connection between the communication terminal and the first communication method is disconnected and another communication terminal is not connected to the communication device using the second communication method, power supply to the second communication unit is stopped.

[0013] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer of a communication device including a first communication unit that performs wireless communication by a first communication method that establishes a connection by broadcasting, and a second communication unit that performs wireless communication by a second communication method that is longer distance and faster than the first communication method, A program is provided which, when a connection state is established between a communication terminal capable of wireless communication using the first communication method and the second communication method using the first communication method, starts supplying power to the second communication unit, and, when the connection between the communication terminal and the first communication method is disconnected and no other communication terminal is connected to the communication device using the second communication method, executes a procedure to stop supplying power to the second communication unit.

[0014] These programs can be recorded on a computer-readable storage medium. The storage medium can be a non-transient medium such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk, a magnetic recording medium, or an optical recording medium. The present invention can also be embodied as a computer program product. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily supply power to wireless communication functions that consume a large amount of power for a necessary and sufficient period under clear criteria, thereby realizing power saving in a communication device that can withstand practical use. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams for explaining the overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention and the functional configuration of a parent device, respectively. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams for explaining an outline of one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are an example of a functional block diagram and an example of a hardware configuration diagram of a parent device according to a first embodiment, respectively; [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are an example of a functional block diagram and an example of a hardware configuration diagram of a slave unit according to a first embodiment, respectively; [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart of an example of a connection establishment process using BLE according to the first embodiment; [Figure 6]10A and 10B are flowcharts illustrating an example of a connection confirmation process using BLE according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart of another example of the connection establishment process and the connection confirmation process using BLE according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a power supply control process of the parent device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram of a parent device according to a second embodiment; [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a part of a power supply control process of a parent device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a part of a power supply control process of a parent device according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] An outline of one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the reference numerals in the drawings are added to each element for convenience as an example to facilitate understanding, and are not intended to limit the present invention to the illustrated form. Furthermore, connection lines between blocks in the drawings and the like referred to in the following description include both bidirectional and unidirectional lines. Unidirectional arrows are used to schematically indicate the flow of the main signal (data) and do not exclude bidirectionality.

[0018] The program is executed via a computer device, which includes, for example, a processor, a storage device, an input device, a communication interface, and, if necessary, a display device. This computer device is also configured to be able to communicate with internal or external devices (including computers) via the communication interface, either wired or wirelessly. Ports or interfaces are provided at the input / output connection points of each block in the diagram, but are not shown.

[0019] First, an overview of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 1(a) is a diagram for explaining the overall configuration of a communication system 100 of this embodiment. As shown in this figure, the communication system 100 of this embodiment includes a parent device 200 and child devices 300a, 300b, and 300c. Note that the number of child devices 300a, 300b, and 300c does not matter. Hereinafter, unless there is a particular need to distinguish between them, they will be represented by child device 300.

[0020] The parent device 200 is a communication device such as a router, a mobile router, or an access point. The child device 300 is a terminal (communication terminal) capable of communication such as a smartphone, a tablet, or a notebook computer. The child device 300 is connected to the network 900 via the parent device 200.

[0021] Master device 200 and slave device 300 have a first communication function using a first communication method with low power consumption over short distances, and a second communication function using a second communication method with high speed over medium distances (longer distances and higher speeds than the first communication method). Hereinafter, the first communication method will be described as a Bluetooth communication method, particularly a Bluetooth Low Energy communication method of version 4.0 or later, and the second communication method will be described as a Wi-Fi communication method. The Bluetooth Low Energy communication method will be referred to as BLE, and the Wi-Fi communication method will be referred to as Wi-Fi. Note that the communication methods are not limited to these.

[0022] BLE has a function for detecting proximity and broadcasting a small amount of data. BLE can use this broadcast function to establish a connection with a partner device within a predetermined range from the device itself. In this embodiment, this function of BLE is used to enable the Wi-Fi communication function of the parent device 200 when at least one child device 300 is located within the predetermined range of the parent device 200. Furthermore, when no child devices are located within the predetermined range of the parent device 200, the Wi-Fi communication function of the parent device is disabled. In this embodiment, whether or not the child device 300 has entered the predetermined range of the parent device 200 is determined based on whether or not the child device 300 can detect a BLE advertising packet.

[0023] For example, as shown in Fig. 2(a), when the communication ranges 400 of the master device 200 and the slave device 300a overlap, the master device 200 and the slave device 300a can communicate with each other and can receive BLE packets transmitted by the other device. Here, the areas inside the dashed circles around the master device 200 and the slave device 300 in Fig. 2(a) and Fig. 2(b) are the respective BLE communication ranges 400. The size of the communication ranges 400 of the master device 200 and each slave device 300 may be different.

[0024] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2(b), when the state changes from one in which the communication ranges 400 of all the slave devices 300 do not overlap with that of the master device 200 to one in which the communication range 400 of at least one slave device 300 overlaps with that of the master device 200 as shown in Fig. 2(a), the Wi-Fi communication function is enabled. On the other hand, when the state in which the Wi-Fi communication function is enabled changes from one in which the communication ranges 400 of all the slave devices 300 do not overlap with that of the master device as shown in Fig. 2(b), the Wi-Fi communication function is disabled.

[0025] To achieve this, the master device 200 of this embodiment includes, for example, a first communication unit 202 that communicates using BLE, a second communication unit 203 that communicates using Bluetooth, and a control unit 201 that controls the supply of power to the second communication unit, as shown in Fig. 1(b). Here, solid lines indicate the flow of control signals, and dashed lines indicate the flow of power. The same applies to the other functional block diagrams below.

[0026] <<First Embodiment>> A first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. In this embodiment, as described above, when the BLE communication ranges 400 of the parent device 200 and the child device 300 overlap, the Wi-Fi communication function of the parent device 200 is enabled. Furthermore, when the communication ranges 400 of the child device 300 to be determined and the parent device 200 no longer overlap, and when there is no child device 300 associated with the parent device 200 by the Wi-Fi communication function, the Wi-Fi communication function of the parent device is disabled.

[0027] [Base unit] First, a description will be given of the configuration of the parent device 200 of this embodiment. Fig. 3(a) is an example of a functional block diagram of the parent device 200 of this embodiment, showing functions related to this embodiment.

[0028] As shown in this figure, the master device 200 of this embodiment includes an overall control unit 211, a power control unit 212, a BLE communication unit 213, a Wi-Fi communication unit 214, and a WAN (Wide Area Network) communication unit 215.

[0029] The BLE communication unit 213 has a general function for performing communication by BLE. The BLE communication unit 213 corresponds to the first communication unit 202 in Fig. 1(b). The BLE communication unit 213 has both a function of an advertiser that transmits advertising packets and a function of a scanner that receives advertising packets.

[0030] In this embodiment, the BLE communication unit 213 mainly performs processing as an advertiser. Specifically, the BLE communication unit 213 broadcasts advertising packets at predetermined time intervals. Here, the BLE communication unit 213 sends out ADV_IND, which means that connection is possible from an unspecified number of devices, and when it receives CONNECT-REQ, which is a connection request, from the child device 300, it establishes a connection and checks the connection status. Note that the overall control unit 211 is notified of each processing result one by one.

[0031] The Wi-Fi communication unit 214 has a function for performing communication via a general wireless LAN such as Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi communication unit 214 corresponds to the second communication unit 203 in Fig. 1(b). In this embodiment, the Wi-Fi communication unit 214 communicates with the slave device 300 via wireless LAN.

[0032] The WAN communication unit 215 is a third communication unit that connects to a WAN such as the Internet. When the base unit 200 is a router, a mobile router, or the like, the WAN communication unit 215 relays the slave unit 300 connected to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214 to the network (such as the Internet) 900.

[0033] The overall control unit 211 controls the processing of each unit of the parent device 200. In this embodiment, this includes controlling the power supply from the power control unit 212 to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214 in accordance with the connection state via BLE. The overall control unit 211 also manages the child devices 300 connected via the Wi-Fi communication unit 214.

[0034] Specifically, when the communication range 400 of the main device overlaps with that of the slave device 300, the main device determines that communication between the main device 200 and the slave device 300 is possible, and enables the Wi-Fi communication function. When the communication ranges no longer overlap, the main device determines that communication between the main device 200 and the slave device 300 is not possible, and if there are no other slave devices 300 connected via the Wi-Fi communication function, the main device disables the Wi-Fi communication function. The presence or absence of a slave device 300 connected via the Wi-Fi communication function is determined, for example, by temporarily storing the MAC address of the slave device 300 in the storage device 233 (described later) and checking whether data is being transmitted or received with the slave device 300. That is, when there is no data being transmitted or received with the slave device 300 whose MAC address is stored in the storage device 233, the main device determines that there is no slave device 300 connected via the Wi-Fi communication function.

[0035] When the overall control unit 211 determines from the notification from the BLE communication unit 213 that the connection state with a specific child device 300 has continued for a predetermined period or more, it determines that the communication ranges of both devices overlap. Furthermore, when the overall control unit 211 determines from the notification from the BLE communication unit 213 that the disconnected state (disconnected state) with the child device 300 has continued for a predetermined period, it determines that the communication ranges of both devices no longer overlap.

[0036] Moreover, the overall control unit 211 controls the enabling and disabling of the Wi-Fi communication function by the power supply to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214. That is, the overall control unit 211 enables the Wi-Fi communication function by instructing the power control unit 212 to start supplying power to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214. Moreover, the overall control unit 211 disables the Wi-Fi communication function by instructing the power control unit 212 to stop supplying power to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214.

[0037] The power control unit 212 supplies power to each unit in accordance with instructions from the overall control unit 211. For example, as described above, it supplies power to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214. The overall control unit 211 and the power control unit 212 correspond to the control unit 201 in FIG. 1(b).

[0038] 3(b) shows an example of the hardware configuration of the parent device 200. As shown in this figure, the parent device 200 includes, for example, a CPU 231, a storage device 233, a communication interface (I / F) 234, and a power supply I / F 235, which are interconnected by an internal bus.

[0039] The CPU 231 loads a program stored in a non-volatile area of ​​the storage device 233 into a work area and executes the program to realize the above-mentioned functions and to comprehensively control the overall operation of the parent device 200. Note that the CPU 231 may be replaced by one or more processors such as an MPU (Micro Processing Unit).

[0040] The storage device 233 is configured by memories such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The storage device 233 stores programs for executing each function, information required for various processes, data generated by the processes, etc.

[0041] The storage device 233 may include, in addition to memories such as ROM and RAM, storage media such as a solid state drive (SSD), a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a DVD, etc. The storage device 233 may also include multiple memories.

[0042] The communication I / F 234 is an interface for performing communication. In this embodiment, communication is performed using BLE, Wi-Fi, and WAN communication methods.

[0043] Power supply I / F 235 supplies power from a power source to each component of base device 200. If base device 200 is a mobile router, power is supplied from, for example, a battery or the like provided as a power source. If base device 200 is a stationary type, power is obtained from an external power source such as a commercial power source via an outlet or the like and supplied.

[0044] [Sub-unit] Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the slave device 300 of this embodiment. Fig. 4(a) is an example of a functional block diagram of the slave device 300, showing functions related to this embodiment.

[0045] As shown in this figure, the slave device 300 of this embodiment includes an overall control unit 311, a power control unit 312, a BLE communication unit 313, a Wi-Fi communication unit 314, and an input / output control unit 316.

[0046] The BLE communication unit 313 has a function for performing communication by BLE, similar to the BLE communication unit 213 of the parent device 200. The child device 300 mainly performs processing as a scanner. For example, it receives advertising packets, requests necessary information, and makes connection requests. The overall control unit 311 is notified of the results of each processing one by one.

[0047] The Wi-Fi communication unit 314, like the Wi-Fi communication unit 214 of the base unit 200, communicates with the base unit 200 via wireless LAN.

[0048] The overall control unit 311 controls the processing of each unit of the child device 300. For example, like the parent device 200, the overall control unit 311 may control the power supply to the Wi-Fi communication unit 314 (see modified example).

[0049] The power control unit 312 supplies power to each unit in accordance with instructions from the overall control unit 311 .

[0050] The input / output control unit 316 presents necessary information to the user in accordance with instructions from the overall control unit 311, and also accepts instructions from the user and notifies the overall control unit 311. In this embodiment, for example, when advertising packets are received from a plurality of advertisers, an instruction to select an advertiser to send a connection request from among the received packets is accepted.

[0051] For example, the overall control unit 311 displays information identifying the parent device 200 that is the sender and is included in the advertising packet on a display device. Furthermore, upon receiving a selection instruction from the user, the overall control unit 311 instructs the BLE communication unit 313 to establish a connection with the selected parent device 200. The BLE communication unit 313 transmits a connection request to the instructed parent device 200.

[0052] 4(b) shows an example of the hardware configuration of the slave device 300. As shown in this figure, the slave device 300 includes, for example, a CPU 331, a storage device 333, a communication interface (I / F) 334, a power supply I / F 335, and an input / output I / F 336, which are interconnected by an internal bus.

[0053] The CPU 331, storage device 333, communication interface (I / F) 334, and power supply I / F 335 are basically the same as the configurations of the parent device 200 with the same names.

[0054] The input / output I / F 336 is an interface for inputting and outputting data. For example, it may be realized by a display with a touch panel that presents information to the user and receives information from the user. Also, for example, an external display, a mouse, or a keyboard may be connected to the input / output I / F 336. Also, built-in key buttons or the like may be connected.

[0055] The hardware configuration of the parent device 200 and the child device 300 is not limited to this. They may include hardware not shown. Furthermore, the number of CPUs and the like included in the parent device 200 and the child device 300 is not limited.

[0056] [Connection establishment process via BLE] Here, the flow of the connection establishment process using BLE will be described. Fig. 5 is a flowchart of an example of the connection establishment process using BLE according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, as described above, the case will be described as an example in which the parent device 200 functions as an advertiser that sends out advertising packets, and the child device 300 functions as a scanner that monitors the advertising packets.

[0057] The parent device 200, which is a mobile router, transmits an advertising packet, ADV_IND, which is connectable to an unspecified number of devices (step S1101). The parent device 200 continues to send out advertising packets at predetermined time intervals.

[0058] When the communication ranges 400 of the parent device 200 and the child device 300 overlap, the child device 300 receives the advertising packet (ADV_IND) of the parent device.

[0059] If the information in the ADV_IND is insufficient, the slave device 300 that has received the ADV_IND transmits a SCAN_REQ (step S1102). The SCAN_REQ is a packet that is transmitted to acquire additional information (additional information) when the advertising data does not fit into the payload of the packet.

[0060] Upon receiving the SCAN_REQ, the parent device 200 transmits a SCAN_RSP as a response (step S1103). The SCAN_RSP is a packet that transmits additional information to the sender of the SCAN_REQ.

[0061] Thereafter, the slave device 300 presents the information received from the multiple parent devices 200 in the vicinity to the user and accepts the user's selection of the parent device 200 to connect to. Then, the slave device 300 transmits a connection request CONNECT_REQ to the selected parent device 200 (step S1104).

[0062] Upon receiving the CONNECT_REQ, the parent device 200 establishes a connection with the sender child device 300 (step S1105). After transmitting the advertising packet, when the parent device 200 receives the CONNECT_REQ (connection request), it stops advertising and switches to one-to-one connection communication.

[0063] The procedure in which the advertiser broadcasts an advertising packet and sends a SCAN_RSP in response to a SCAN_REQ, that is, the procedure up to receiving a connection request, is hereinafter referred to as the advertising process.

[0064] [Connection confirmation process using BLE] Next, a flow of a connection confirmation process by the parent device 200 using BLE will be described. After a connection with the child device 300 is established, the parent device 200 performs a connection confirmation process at a predetermined time interval (t1) to confirm whether the connection with the child device 300 continues. Figures 6(a) and 6(b) are flowcharts of an example of a connection confirmation process using BLE.

[0065] First, the parent device 200 transmits an ADV_DIRECT_IND to the child device 300 (step S1201). Note that the ADV_DIRECT_IND is a packet for establishing a high-speed connection with a device with which a connection has been established before.

[0066] In response, the child device 300 transmits a connection request CONNECT_REQ to the parent device 200 (step S1202). When the parent device 200 receives the CONNECT_REQ from the child device 300, the connection between the parent device 200 and the child device 300 is re-established (step S1203).

[0067] Then, at a predetermined time interval (t2; t2 < t1), the slave device 300 transmits a connection confirmation packet to the master device 200 (steps S1204, S1206). And the master device 200 that has received the connection confirmation packet transmits a response packet, which is a response to the connection confirmation packet, to the slave device 300 that is the source (steps S1205, S1207). This is a procedure for confirming whether the BLE connection is continuing.

[0068] Note that after connection establishment (S1203), when the master device 200 receives a connection confirmation packet from the slave device 300 at a predetermined time interval t2, it determines that it is connected to the slave device 300 via BLE.

[0069] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6(b), after connection establishment (S1203), if the master device 200 does not receive a connection confirmation packet from the slave device 300 even after a predetermined time interval t2 has elapsed, it determines that the BLE connection to the slave device 300 has been disconnected. Note that if a connection request is not received even when ADV_DIRECT_IND is transmitted (S1201), it is also determined that the connection has been disconnected.

[0070] Here, in the present embodiment, after the BLE connection is established, the master device 200 determines that the communication ranges 400 of the master device 200 and the slave device 300 overlap because the BLE connection state continues for at least a predetermined period (for example, m seconds). Similarly, in the present embodiment, when the disconnected state continues for a predetermined period (for example, n seconds), the master device 200 determines that the communication ranges 400 of the two devices no longer overlap.

[0071] Therefore, in the connection confirmation process, the slave device 300 continuously transmits the connection confirmation packet for at least k seconds (the larger of m seconds and n seconds).

[0072] The m seconds for determining whether the connected state is maintained and the n seconds for determining whether the disconnected state is maintained are preset. These correspond to the time until the user with the slave device 300 activates the Wi-Fi communication function when approaching the master device 200 and the time until the user deactivates the Wi-Fi communication function when moving away from the master device 200, respectively. These times are directly related to the user's experience of use, and therefore may be changeable by the user to suit the user's environment.

[0073] 5 and confirming the connection with the slave device 300, the slave device 300 may transmit a connection confirmation packet at a predetermined time interval, and the master device 200 may transmit a response packet in response. An example of a flowchart in this case is shown in FIG. 7.

[0074] After the connection is established (step S1105), the slave device 300 transmits a connection confirmation packet to the master device 200 at predetermined time intervals (steps S1106 and S1108). Upon receiving the connection confirmation packet, the master device 200 transmits a response packet (steps S1107 and S1109).

[0075] If the parent device 200 receives the connection confirmation packet for m seconds or more, it determines that the parent device 200 is in a connected state.

[0076] On the other hand, if the state where no connection confirmation packet is received from the slave device 300 (steps S1110, S1111) continues for n seconds or more even when the predetermined timing arrives, the master device 200 determines that the connection is in a disconnected state.

[0077] [Power supply control processing] Next, a flow of a process of controlling power supply to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214 by the overall control unit 211 of the parent device 200 will be described. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the power supply control process of this embodiment. Note that this process is started, for example, when the parent device 200 is started. At this time, power is not being supplied to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214.

[0078] The above-described advertising process is executed (step S1301), and when a connection request (CONNECT_REQ) is received from a specific child device 300 (step S1302), the parent device 200 establishes a connection with the child device 300 via BLE (step S1303).

[0079] Thereafter, the parent device 200 executes the above-described connection confirmation process with the child device 300, and the parent device 200 determines whether the connection state with the child device 300 has been maintained for m seconds (step S1304).

[0080] If the overall control unit 211 determines that the connection state has been maintained for m seconds or more (S1304; Yes), it instructs the power control unit 212 to supply power to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214 (step S1305). In response to the instruction, the power control unit 212 supplies power to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214. Then, the Wi-Fi communication function of the parent device 200 is enabled.

[0081] If no connection request is received in step S1302, or if it is determined in step S1304 that the connection state is less than m seconds (S1304; No), the parent device 200 returns to step S1301 and continues the advertising process.

[0082] Next, when the Wi-Fi communication function is enabled, the parent device 200 performs a connection confirmation process at a predetermined time interval t1, and determines whether the disconnected state with the child device 300 has been maintained for n seconds (step S1306).

[0083] If the overall control unit 211 determines that the disconnected state has been maintained for n seconds (step S1306; Yes), it determines whether there are any other child devices 300 connected to the parent device 200 via Wi-Fi (step S1307).

[0084] If it is determined that there is no other device (S1307; Yes), the overall control unit 211 instructs the power control unit 212 to stop the power supply to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214 (step S1308). In response to this, the power control unit 212 stops the power supply to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214, and the Wi-Fi communication function of the parent device 200 is disabled.

[0085] Thereafter, parent device 200 returns to step S1301 and repeats the process until its own power is turned off (step S1309). If the power is turned off, the process ends.

[0086] If it is determined in step S1306 that the disconnection state has lasted for less than n seconds, or if it is determined in step S1307 that there is another child device 300 that is connected to the parent device 200 via Wi-Fi communication, the overall control unit 211 returns to step S1306 and repeats the connection confirmation process at a predetermined time interval t1.

[0087] In the flowcharts used in the above explanation, multiple steps (processes) are listed in order, but the order in which each step is executed is not limited to the order listed. For example, the order of the steps shown in the figures can be changed to the extent that the content is not affected, such as executing each process in parallel. In particular, when the power is turned off, the process ends regardless of which step is being executed.

[0088] As described above, in this embodiment, when the master device 200 detects a connection request from the slave device 300 via BLE, it determines that a situation in which communication between the master device 200 and the slave device 300 is expected exists, and the master device 200 enables the Wi-Fi communication function of its own device. On the other hand, when the master device 200 cannot detect a BLE connection request or a connection confirmation packet from the slave device 300, it determines that a situation in which communication between the master device 200 and the slave device 300 is not expected exists, and the master device 200 disables the Wi-Fi communication function of its own device. Then, the enabling and disabling of the Wi-Fi communication function is performed using the BLE broadcast function.

[0089] Thus, according to this embodiment, the user carrying the slave device 300 can transition the state of the master device 200 to save power simply by moving closer to or farther away from the slave device 300, to a distance where the BLE communication ranges 400 of both the master device 200 and the slave device 300 overlap, without any other operation.

[0090] According to this embodiment, there is no need to set a unique UUID (Bluetooth address). Also, there is a clear criterion for enabling or disabling the Wi-Fi communication function, such as whether both devices are within a range where BLE packets can be received. Furthermore, when disconnecting, it is also determined whether another child device 300 is connected via the Wi-Fi communication function.

[0091] Therefore, according to this embodiment, the Wi-Fi communication function of the parent device 200 can be enabled for a necessary and sufficient period of time in accordance with clear criteria, without requiring complicated settings or procedures. Therefore, power saving can be achieved efficiently.

[0092] In particular, with the spread of portable information processing devices such as smartphones, the use of communications via the Internet and the like is increasing. When using Wi-Fi, which enables high-speed communications, wireless routers used as base stations, particularly mobile routers that users carry around, are required to be usable for long periods of time, i.e., to conserve power. To meet this demand, there is a mechanism that disables the mobile router when it is not in use, leaving only the functions necessary for recovery, and then requires the user to operate the mobile router to restore it when it is used again. However, this mechanism requires the user's time and effort and is not practical. However, according to this embodiment, the state of the base station (mobile router) can be transitioned without user operation, thereby achieving power conservation.

[0093] <<Second embodiment>> Next, a second embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described. In the first embodiment, the parent device 200 operates as an advertiser that broadcasts advertising packets, but in this embodiment, the child device 300 operates as an advertiser.

[0094] The following description of this embodiment will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0095] 9 is an example of a functional block diagram of the parent device 200 of this embodiment. As shown in this diagram, the parent device 200 of this embodiment further includes a child device database (DB) 220 in addition to the configuration of the parent device 200 of the first embodiment.

[0096] The functions of the power control unit 212, the Wi-Fi communication unit 214, and the WAN communication unit 215 are basically the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0097] The BLE communication unit 213 has a function for performing communication by BLE, as in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, too, the BLE communication unit 213 has a function as an advertiser and a function as a scanner. In this embodiment, the BLE communication unit 213 mainly functions as a scanner. That is, the BLE communication unit 213 detects an advertising packet sent by the child device 300 and transmits a connection request to the child device 300.

[0098] The slave device DB 220 stores identification information of the slave devices 300 in a connected state. The identification information is information stored in an advertising packet or SCAN_RSP. The identification information may be, for example, a MAC address. In this embodiment, the slave device DB 220 is constructed in, for example, the storage device 233.

[0099] Basically, similarly to the first embodiment, the overall control unit 211 controls the processing of each unit of the parent device 200. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when a child device 300 is connected to the parent device 200, identification information for identifying the child device 300 is stored in the child device DB 220.

[0100] Furthermore, when a slave device 300 is disconnected from the base device 200, the overall control unit 211 deletes the identification information of the slave device 300 from the slave device DB 220. As a result, only slave devices 300 whose communication ranges 400 currently overlap with the communication range 400 of the base device 200 are registered in the slave device DB 220.

[0101] As in the first embodiment, the overall control unit 211 determines the connected state and disconnected state based on whether transmission and reception of a connection confirmation packet and a response packet have continued for a predetermined period and whether transmission and reception have been impossible for a predetermined period, respectively.

[0102] When the number of slave devices 300 registered in the slave device DB 220 becomes zero, the overall control unit 211 stops the power supply to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214.

[0103] The configuration of the slave device 300 is basically the same as that of the first embodiment, except that the BLE communication unit 313 mainly functions as an advertiser.

[0104] The procedure up to connection establishment is also basically the same as in the first embodiment. However, in this embodiment, in the connection establishment process, the slave device 300 transmits advertising packets (ADV_IND, ADV_DIRECT_IND), and the master device 200 transmits a connection request (CONNECT_REQ).

[0105] In this embodiment, in the connection confirmation process, the parent device 200 transmits a connection confirmation packet, and the child device 300 transmits a response packet. Therefore, if the parent device 200 receives a response packet within a predetermined time after transmitting the connection confirmation packet, it determines that the connection is established. Also, if the parent device 200 does not receive a response packet within a predetermined time after transmitting the connection confirmation packet, it determines that the connection has been disconnected.

[0106] [Power supply control processing] Next, a flow of a process of controlling power supply to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214 by the overall control unit 211 of the parent device 200 in this embodiment will be described. Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a part of the power supply control process in this embodiment.

[0107] As in the first embodiment, this process is started, for example, when the parent device 200 is started. At this time, power is not being supplied to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214. Here, the process up to when power is supplied to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214 will be described.

[0108] When the parent device 200 receives an advertising packet from a specific child device 300 (step S2101), the parent device 200 transmits a connection request (CONNECT_REQ) to the child device 300 (step S2102). Then, the parent device 200 establishes a connection with the child device 300 using BLE (step S2103).

[0109] Thereafter, the parent device 200 executes the above-described connection confirmation process with the child device 300, and determines whether the connection state with the child device 300 has been maintained for m seconds (step S2104).

[0110] If the overall control unit 211 determines that the connection state has been maintained for m seconds (S2104; Yes), it instructs the power control unit 212 to supply power to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214 (step S2105). Then, the overall control unit 211 registers the identification information of the child device 300 in the child device DB 220 (step S2106), and ends the process.

[0111] If an advertising packet is not received in step S2101, or if the connection state is less than m seconds in step S2104, the process returns to step S2101 and repeats the process.

[0112] Next, a flow of power supply control processing by the overall control unit 211 of the master unit 200 in a state where power is being supplied to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214 will be described. Fig. 11 is a flowchart of an example of this processing.

[0113] When the parent device 200 receives an advertising packet from a new child device 300 (step S2201), the parent device 200 transmits a connection request to the child device 300 (step S2202). Then, the parent device 200 establishes a connection with the child device 300 using BLE (step S2203).

[0114] Thereafter, the parent device 200 determines whether the connection state with the child device 300 has been maintained for m seconds (step S2204). If the connection state has been maintained for m seconds (S2204; Yes), the overall control unit 211 of the parent device 200 registers the identification information of the child device 300 in the child device DB 220 (step S2205).

[0115] Then, the master device 200 determines whether any of the slave devices 300 currently registered in the slave device DB 220 has disconnected its BLE connection (step S2206). Here, the master device 200 transmits a connection confirmation packet to each slave device 300 and checks whether a response packet is returned. If no response packet is returned for n consecutive seconds, the master device 200 determines that the slave device 300 is in a disconnected state.

[0116] If there is a child device 300 that has been in a disconnected state for n seconds, the parent device 200 deletes the child device 300 from the child device DB 220 (step S2207). After the deletion, the parent device 200 determines the number of child devices 300 registered in the child device DB 220 (step S2208).

[0117] If the number is zero, the overall control unit 211 of the parent device 200 instructs the power control unit 212 to stop the power supply to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214 (step S2209), and ends the process. After this, the process of Fig. 10 continues if the Wi-Fi communication function is disabled, and the process of Fig. 11 continues if the function is enabled, until the parent device 200 is powered off.

[0118] If an advertising packet is not received in step S2201, if the connected state is not maintained for m seconds in step S2204, if there is no child device 300 that has maintained a disconnected state for n seconds in step S2206, or if there is one or more child devices 300 registered in the child device DB 220 in step S2208, the process returns to step S2201 and repeats.

[0119] In this embodiment as well, the order in which the steps in the flowchart are executed can be changed as appropriate.

[0120] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the slave device DB 220 may be omitted. That is, each time a slave device 300 that has been in a disconnected state for n seconds occurs, it may be determined whether or not there is another slave device 300 that is connected to the master device 200 via Wi-Fi, as in the first embodiment, and if there is no other slave device 300, the power supply to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214 may be cut off.

[0121] In this case, the process of registering the identification information of the slave device in the slave device DB 220 and the process of deleting it from the slave device DB 220 are not performed.

[0122] As described above, according to this embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the BLE broadcast function is used to control enabling and disabling of the Wi-Fi communication function of the master device 200. Therefore, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0123] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when one child device 300 is in a disconnected state, the procedure of searching for other child devices 300 that are connected using the Wi-Fi communication function can be omitted, leading to further power saving.

[0124] <Variation 1> In the above embodiments, the power supply to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214 is controlled, but the power supply control destination is not limited to this. For example, the power supply to the WAN communication unit 215 may also be controlled.

[0125] The overall control unit 211 starts supplying power to the WAN communication unit 215 at the same time that it starts supplying power to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214. In addition, the overall control unit 211 stops supplying power to the WAN communication unit 215 at the same time that it stops supplying power to the Wi-Fi communication unit 214.

[0126] This means that when the Wi-Fi communication function is not in use, power supply to the two functional units is stopped, resulting in further power savings.

[0127] <Variation 2> In each of the above embodiments, the parent device 200 determines whether the communication ranges 400 of the two devices overlap based on whether it can detect a connection request or advertising packet sent from the child device 300, but this is not limited to this.

[0128] For example, when BLE receives a packet, it can obtain information about the strength of the received signal (Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI)). The strength of this RSSI can then be used to determine the distance to the sending device. In other words, the higher the RSSI, the closer the sending device is.

[0129] Using this, the overall control unit 211 of the master device 200 may be configured to determine that the distance between the master device 200 and the slave device 300 is equal to or less than a predetermined value and that their communication ranges overlap when the distance calculated based on the RSSI of CONNECT_REQ or ADV_IND is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold. This makes it possible to determine an appropriate threshold depending on the usage environment of the master device 200 and the slave device 300, the Wi-Fi communication function installed, etc. Therefore, it is possible to more accurately and efficiently control the power supply to the Wi-Fi communication function.

[0130] Note that the Bluetooth output levels of general products are not standardized. Furthermore, radio wave transmission loss varies depending on the actual usage environment. For these reasons, unless the output level and usage environment of the slave device 300 are clear, it is not possible to obtain an appropriate distance estimation accuracy. For this reason, for example, a reference value may be measured in advance in a test environment that is similar to the actual usage environment, and the RSSI may be associated with the distance.

[0131] <Variation 3> In the above-described embodiments, only the parent device 200 controls the enabling and disabling of the Wi-Fi communication function, but the present invention is not limited to this. Similarly, the child device 300 may also control the enabling and disabling of the Wi-Fi communication function.

[0132] For example, when the slave device 300 functions as a scanner in BLE communication as in the first embodiment, the slave device 300 controls the power supply to the Wi-Fi communication unit 314 in the same manner as the master device 200 in the second embodiment.

[0133] That is, the overall control unit 311 of the slave device 300 determines whether the connected state or the disconnected state is maintained based on the presence or absence of a response packet to the connection confirmation packet that is transmitted. If the connected state is maintained for a predetermined period, similar to the above embodiment, the overall control unit 311 causes the power control unit 312 to start supplying power to the Wi-Fi communication unit 314. On the other hand, if the disconnected state is maintained for a predetermined period, the overall control unit 311 causes the power control unit 312 to stop supplying power to the Wi-Fi communication unit 314.

[0134] Also, as in the second embodiment, when the slave device 300 functions as an advertiser in BLE communication, the slave device 300 controls the power supply to the Wi-Fi communication unit 314 in the same manner as the master device 200 in the first embodiment.

[0135] That is, the overall control unit 311 of the slave device 300 determines whether to maintain the connected state or the disconnected state based on the reception status of connection confirmation packets transmitted from the master device 200 at predetermined time intervals. Then, as in the above embodiment, the overall control unit 311 causes the power control unit 312 to start supplying power to the Wi-Fi communication unit 314. On the other hand, if the disconnected state is maintained for a predetermined period of time, the overall control unit 311 causes the power control unit 312 to stop supplying power to the Wi-Fi communication unit 314.

[0136] This allows the slave device 300 to control whether the Wi-Fi communication function is enabled or disabled, and also allows the slave device 300 to achieve power saving.

[0137] In this case, if the connection with the parent device 200 is cut off for n seconds or more, the child device 300 stops supplying power to the Wi-Fi communication unit 314 without determining the connection status of other devices. Therefore, it is not necessary to register the identification information of the parent device 200 to be connected.

[0138] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and further modifications, substitutions, and adjustments can be made without departing from the basic technical concept of the present invention. For example, the network configurations and the configurations of each element shown in the drawings are examples to aid in understanding the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the configurations shown in these drawings.

[0139] Finally, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be summarized. [First form] (See communication device from the first perspective above) [Second Form] In the communication device of the first aspect, It is desirable that the control unit starts supplying power to the second communication unit when a connection state is established between one of the communication terminals using the first communication method. [Third Form] In the communication device of the second embodiment, the first communication method is Bluetooth Low Energy; The second communication method is preferably Wi-Fi. [Fourth Form] In the communication device of the second or third aspect, After establishing a connection with the communication terminal using the first communication method, the control unit preferably executes a connection confirmation process to periodically check the connection with the communication terminal using the first communication method, and determines that the connection is in the connected state if the connection is maintained for a predetermined period of time, and determines that the connection is in the disconnected state if the connection is disconnected for a predetermined period of time. [Fifth Form] (See the second perspective on communication systems above.) [Sixth Form] (See the third aspect of power supply control method above.) [Seventh Form] (See the fourth perspective program above) The fifth to seventh embodiments can be expanded to the second to fourth embodiments in the same manner as the first embodiment.

[0140] The disclosures of the above-mentioned patent documents and other documents are incorporated herein by reference. Modifications and adjustments of the embodiments and examples are possible within the scope of the entire disclosure of the present invention (including the scope of the claims), and further based on the basic technical concept thereof. Furthermore, various combinations and selections of the various disclosed elements (including each element of each claim, each element of each embodiment or example, each element of each drawing, etc.) are possible within the scope of the disclosure of the present invention. In other words, the present invention naturally includes various modifications and alterations that would be possible by a person skilled in the art in accordance with the entire disclosure and technical concept, including the scope of the claims. In particular, with regard to the numerical ranges described herein, any numerical value or subrange included within the range should be construed as being specifically described, even if not otherwise specified. [Explanation of symbols]

[0141] 100: Communication systems, 200: Parent device, 201: Control unit, 202: First communication unit, 203: Second communication unit, 211: Overall control unit, 212: Power control unit, 213: BLE communication unit, 214: Wi-Fi communication unit, 215: WAN communication unit, 220: Child device DB, 231: CPU, 233: Storage device, 234: Communication I / F, 235: Power supply I / F, 300: Child device, 300a: Child device, 300b: Child device, 300c: Child device, 311: Overall control unit, 312: Power control unit, 313: BLE communication unit, 314: Wi-Fi communication unit, 316: Input / output control unit, 331: CPU, 333: Storage device, 334: Communication I / F, 335: Power supply I / F, 336: Input / output I / F, 400: communication range, 900: Network

Claims

1. a first communication unit that performs wireless communication using a first communication method that establishes a connection by broadcasting; a second communication unit that performs wireless communication using a second communication method over a longer distance and at a higher speed than the first communication method; a third communication unit that connects the communication terminal to a network; a control unit that controls the supply of power to the second communication unit and the third communication unit, the control unit stops supplying power to the second communication unit and the third communication unit when the connection between the communication terminal and the first communication method is cut off and another communication terminal is not connected to the device by the second communication method; the communication terminal is capable of wireless communication using the first communication method and the second communication method, the control unit starts supplying power to the second communication unit when a connection state is established between the control unit and one of the communication terminals using the first communication method; the first communication method is BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), The control unit causes the first communication unit to broadcast the BLE advertising packet at a predetermined time interval, and when a response to the advertising packet is received, determines that the communication device has entered a connection state using the first communication method. , communication devices.

2. 2. The communication device according to claim 1, The control unit further starts supplying power to the third communication unit when a connection state is established between the control unit and one of the communication terminals using the first communication method.

3. 3. The communication device according to claim 2, The communication device, wherein the second communication method is Wi-Fi.

4. 4. The communication device according to claim 3, After establishing a connection with the communication terminal using the first communication method, the control unit executes a connection confirmation process to periodically check the connection with the communication terminal using the first communication method, and if the connection is maintained for a predetermined period of time, determines that the state is connected, and if the connection is disconnected for a predetermined period of time, determines that the state is disconnected.

5. A communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4; the communication terminal connected to a network via the communication device, the communication terminal includes a terminal first communication unit that performs wireless communication using the first communication method; a terminal second communication unit that performs wireless communication using the second communication method.

6. A method for controlling power supply by a computer in a communication device, comprising: The communication device a first communication unit that performs wireless communication using a first communication method that establishes a connection by broadcasting; a second communication unit that performs wireless communication using a second communication method over a longer distance and at a higher speed than the first communication method; a third communication unit that connects the communication terminal to a network, The computer when a connection state is established between the communication terminal capable of wireless communication by the first communication method and the communication terminal by the second communication method and the communication terminal by the first communication method, power supply to the second communication unit and the third communication unit is started; when the connection between the communication terminal and the communication device using the first communication method is cut off and another communication terminal is not connected to the communication device using the second communication method, stopping the supply of power to the second communication unit and the third communication unit; the first communication method is BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), The power supply control method, wherein the computer determines that a connection state has been established using the first communication method when a response to the BLE advertising packet is received.

7. A computer of a communication device including a first communication unit that performs wireless communication by a first communication method that establishes a connection by broadcasting, a second communication unit that performs wireless communication by a second communication method that is longer distance and faster than the first communication method, and a third communication unit that connects a communication terminal to a network, A program for executing the power supply control method according to claim 6.

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