Wireless Camera Control Apparatus Multicast Unicast Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication systems for controlling image capturing apparatuses face reliability issues due to disturbances, leading to inconsistent communication and response times, which are not adequately addressed by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
A control apparatus that uses a detection unit to recognize user operations and transmits commands via multicast or broadcast for starting and ending operations, with unicast for confirmation and retransmission to ensure reliable communication, particularly through wireless communication protocols like IEEE 802.11.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If wireless communication is used to control image capturing apparatus, then ease of operation is improved, but communication reliability deteriorates due to disturbances
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus transmits control end signals to slave cameras and receives acknowledgment signals in return. When an acknowledgment signal is not received within a predetermined time, the control apparatus determines that the slave camera failed to receive the control end signal and retransmits it. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable communication despite wireless disturbances.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes communication protocols and acknowledgment mechanisms in advance before actual control operations. The predetermined time period for receiving acknowledgment signals is set beforehand, allowing the system to proactively handle potential communication failures rather than reacting after problems occur.
2Reliability
If communication retransmission processing is performed to achieve reliability, then communication reliability is improved, but response time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus transmits control end signals to all slave cameras individually via unicast, which may seem excessive compared to a single broadcast message. However, this partial targeting approach ensures each slave camera receives the signal reliably, and the acknowledgment mechanism confirms successful reception without requiring multiple retransmission cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The acknowledgment signal acts as an intermediary that confirms successful message delivery. This intermediary mechanism allows the control apparatus to verify communication success quickly, avoiding unnecessary retransmissions and maintaining fast response times while ensuring reliability.
3Reliability
If unicast transmission is used for control end signals, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control signal transmission is segmented into two distinct phases: control start signals transmitted via multicast/broadcast for efficiency, and control end signals transmitted via unicast for reliability. This segmentation allows each phase to use the most appropriate transmission method, balancing complexity and reliability requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The control apparatus performs multiple functions using the same wireless communication interface: it can transmit both multicast/broadcast signals for start commands and unicast signals for end commands. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate hardware components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while maintaining high reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A control apparatus that is connected to at least one image capturing apparatus by wireless communication transmits, by multicast or broadcast via the wireless communication, a command for instructing to start a prescribed operation to each image capturing apparatus, in response to detection of an operation for instructing to start the prescribed operation, and transmits, by unicast via the wireless communication, a command for instructing to end the prescribed operation to each image capturing apparatus, in response to detection of the operation for instructing to end the prescribed operation. Then, the control apparatus confirms a response to transmission of the command for instructing to end the prescribed operation, and retransmits, by unicast, the command to end the prescribed operation to each image capturing apparatus whose response is not confirmed.