Terminal Apparatus Wi-Fi BLE Switching for Printer Status Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

In terminal apparatuses that use wireless communication with electronic devices, there is a trade-off between reducing power consumption and maintaining user convenience, particularly when monitoring the status of a printer after data transmission, as existing methods either consume more power or decrease convenience by not being able to recognize if printing is completed normally.

Innovation Solution

A terminal apparatus equipped with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication capabilities, where the processing unit instructs the electronic device to perform a job using Wi-Fi and then switches off Wi-Fi to acquire status information using BLE, allowing for reduced power consumption while maintaining user convenience by monitoring job completion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If Wi-Fi is kept ON to monitor printer status after data transmission, then user convenience is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the wireless communication monitoring function into two separate communication modes: Wi-Fi for initial data transmission and BLE for status monitoring. This segmentation allows each communication type to be optimized for its specific purpose, with BLE consuming less power for the monitoring phase while Wi-Fi handles the high-bandwidth data transfer phase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically switches between Wi-Fi and BLE communication modes based on the operational phase. During data transmission, Wi-Fi is active; after transmission completes, the system transitions to BLE for status monitoring. This dynamic adaptation optimizes power consumption by using the lower-power BLE mode when high-speed Wi-Fi is no longer needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If Wi-Fi connection is maintained to monitor job completion, then reliability of status monitoring is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestatus monitoring reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs BLE as a temporary, low-cost communication solution for status monitoring after the primary Wi-Fi connection is terminated. BLE provides sufficient reliability for monitoring job completion status without requiring the continued maintenance of the power-intensive Wi-Fi connection, effectively using a simpler communication method for the secondary monitoring function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Use of energy by moving object

If Wi-Fi is turned OFF after data transmission to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but ability to recognize job completion status decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidjob completion status information

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces BLE as an intermediary communication channel that bridges the gap between turning off Wi-Fi and maintaining status monitoring capability. BLE serves as a mediator that can detect printer status changes and transmit this information back to the terminal device, ensuring job completion status is communicated without requiring Wi-Fi to remain active.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Use of energy by moving object

If BLE is used exclusively for communication, then power consumption is reduced, but communication speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcommunication speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs all high-speed data transmission operations using Wi-Fi before switching to BLE for monitoring. By completing the bandwidth-intensive data transfer phase first with the faster Wi-Fi connection, the system ensures that the speed-critical operation is handled by the appropriate communication mode, while the subsequent low-bandwidth status monitoring can efficiently use BLE.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10628095B2Terminal apparatus, communication system, computer-readable recording medium, and communication control method

Publication Date: 2020.04.21 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

Provided is a terminal apparatus including a first wireless communication interface that performs wireless communication with an electronic apparatus using a first wireless communication scheme, a second wireless communication interface that performs wireless communication with the electronic apparatus using a second wireless communication scheme, and a processor. The processor instructs the electronic apparatus, a communication connection to which is made with the first wireless communication scheme, to perform a job, and then performs control that turns off the wireless communication in compliance with the first wireless communication scheme and acquires status information on the electronic apparatus using the second wireless communication scheme.