Communication apparatus, control method, and program

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an exemplary embodiment. When a digital camera 101 and a printer 102 are moved close to each other, data communication can be performed via a near field wireless communication 103 .

The near field wireless communication 103 includes non-contact IC card wireless communication that uses the electromagnetic induction or communication that uses near field communication (NFC) or an induced electric field. A maximum communication speed thereof is several hundreds of kbps and a communicatable range is within several centimeters. In the present exemplary embodiment, as an example of the near field wireless communication 103 , an NFC standard which is standardized in NFC Forum will be described.

The communication mode defines a function for establishing a logical communication path with a machine at the other end which is physically connected thereto. In the NFC standard, a reader/writer mode, a card emulation mode, and a bidirectional communication mode are defined.

The reader/writer mode is a mode in which a memory access from a reader/writer is accepted, and a memory area that is retained by a NFC tag is read and written. The card emulation mode is a mode in which the NFC tag is emulated to accept the memory access from the reader/writer. The bidirectional communication mode is a mode in which message communication with the machine at the other side is performed bidirectionally and a data packet is communicated bidirectionally with a communication partner. In the bidirectional communication mode, both machines need to operate in the bidirectional communication mode.

In the NFC Forum, an NFC connection handover for the handover to a communication method other than the NFC such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi is standardized. In the NFC handover, a dynamic handover method that uses the bidirectional communication mode and a static handover method that uses a reader/writer mode are defined.

The dynamic handover method generates information required for the handover from the both machines at a predetermined timing to provide the information from one machine to the other machine or exchange the information. On the other hand, the static handover method only allows the reader/writer side to read fixed information stored in the NFC tag, and thus the function thereof is limited as compared with the dynamic handover method. Even when a method other than the NFC standard is used for the near field wireless communication 103 , the communication mode or method similar to the above-mentioned communication mode or method can be used.

A wireless LAN communication 104 is communication in a communication mode such as Wi-Fi of IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN, Bluetooth (registered trademark), wireless USB, or WiGig, and different from the near field wireless communication 103 . In the present exemplary embodiment, as an example of the wireless LAN communication 104 , Wi-Fi will be described.

The wireless LAN communication 104 can directly communicate wirelessly between the digital camera 101 and the printer 102 or wirelessly communicate through a relay apparatus such as a wireless LAN access point. When the communication starts by the wireless LAN communication 104 , wireless parameters including information such as an encryption method, an encryption key, an authentication method, and an authentication key are set in the apparatus to perform the communication by performing the encryption or authentication.

Specifically, Wi-Fi protected access (WPA) which is standardized in the Wi-Fi alliance is an example of the encryption or authentication. Further, the encryption or authentication may be performed by other methods.

In the Wi-Fi alliance, a method for simplifying the setting of the wireless parameters is also standardized and a standard of Wi-Fi protected setup (WPS) or Wi-Fi Direct is present. In the above-mentioned standard, an out-of band interface (OOB) method that sets a wireless parameter in the apparatus using a communication path such as the NFC other than the wireless LAN is defined.

In the OOB method, a method for setting a network identifier of the near field wireless communication 103 and various wireless parameters of the wireless LAN communication 104 using the NFC connection handover standardized in the NFC is defined.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the digital camera 101 . A chip unit 201 functions as a communication unit that controls the near field wireless communication 103 to be performed. A host unit 202 functions as a control unit that controls the digital camera 101 to capture an image. The digital camera 101 includes the chip unit 201 and the host unit 202 , and separately can control individual power supplies and define an operation mode of the CPU.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the host unit 202 has two CPU operation modes including a SLEEP mode and an ACTIVE mode. The SLEEP mode is a state where the power supply is turned off for the user and the image capturing operation cannot be performed.

When the user turns on a power switch, the SLEEP mode is shifted to the ACTIVE mode state. In contrast, when the user turns off the power switch, the ACTIVE mode is shifted to the SLEEP mode. The chip unit 201 can operate even in the SLEEP mode, and perform the near field wireless communication 103 .

The SLEEP mode is a low power consumption mode whose power consumption is smaller than that of the ACTIVE mode. The ACTIVE mode is an active mode when the host unit 202 operates. The SLEEP mode is an inactive mode when the host unit 202 is in a low power consumption state.

A near field wireless communication unit 203 controls the near field wireless communication 103 . A host operation mode detection unit 204 detects the operation mode of the host unit 202 . The host operation mode detection unit 204 detects whether the host unit 202 is in the ACTIVE mode or the SLEEP mode.

Further, even when the battery of the digital camera 101 ran out and the host unit 202 does not operate, the host operation mode detection unit 204 detects that the host unit 202 is in the SLEEP mode. A case where the host unit 202 does not operate is also an inactive mode.

The chip unit 201 includes a memory 205 and a storage area 206 that stores various wireless information. In the area 206 , wireless parameters exchanged through the near field wireless communication 103 and used in the wireless LAN communication unit 211 are stored.

A digital camera control unit 207 controls entire digital camera 101 . An operation mode control unit 208 controls the operation mode such as the SLEEP mode and the ACTIVE mode of the host unit 202 . An image capturing unit 209 performs a capturing operation. A storage unit 210 is also provided in the host unit 202 . A wireless LAN communication unit 211 controls the wireless LAN communication 104 .

FIG. 3 (including FIGS. 3A and 3B ) is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the near field wireless communication unit 203 of the digital camera 101 .

FIG. 4 is a message chart between the digital camera 101 and the printer 102 when the host unit 202 of the digital camera 101 is in the SLEEP mode.

FIG. 5 is a message chart between the digital camera 101 and the printer 102 when the host unit 202 of the digital camera 101 is in the ACTIVE mode.

A user of the digital camera 101 brings the digital camera 101 close to the printer 102 to exchange some information with the printer 102 . Here, when the power of the digital camera 101 is turned off, that is, the host unit 202 is in the SLEEP state, if the digital camera 101 is brought close to the printer 102 , it is considered that the user intends to set a wireless parameter for the wireless LAN communication 104 between the digital camera 101 and the printer 102 .

The wireless parameter for the wireless LAN communication 104 is a communication parameter that is required to perform the wireless communication of the wireless LAN communication 104 such as an SSID, an encryption method, an encryption key, an authentication method, and an authentication key as a network identifier.

Further, when the power of the digital camera is turned on, that is, the host unit 202 is in the ACTIVE state, if the digital camera 101 is brought close to the printer 102 , it is considered that the user intends to transmit an image from the digital camera 101 to the printer 102 .

The printer 102 generates a RF field (electromagnetic field) M 401 to perform the near field wireless communication 103 . The printer 102 regularly transmits “connection request M 402 ”.

When the digital camera 101 is brought close to the printer 102 , the “connection request M 402 ” transmitted from the printer 102 is received by the digital camera 101 . In step S 303 , the near field wireless communication unit 203 that receives the “connection request M 402 ” (Yes in step S 302 ) transmits a “connection response M 403 ” that has “a card emulation mode” and “a bidirectional communication mode” as “an available mode” to the printer 102 .

The printer 102 that receives the “connection response M 403 ” selects a communication mode that is intended to be performed by the printer 102 from the “available modes” included in the message and notifies the selected communication mode to the digital camera 101 in a “mode start M 404 ”.

When an access to the memory 205 of the digital camera 101 is performed, the “card emulation mode” is selected. On the other hand, when image data is transmitted/received, the “bidirectional communication mode” is designated. Even when the wireless parameter is provided or received, the “bidirectional communication mode” is designated. Which mode will be selected is determined according to the setting state of the printer 102 and the user's instruction.

In step S 304 , the near field wireless communication unit 203 that receives the “mode start M 404 ” changes the processing according to the “selected mode” included in the message. When the “selected mode” is the “card emulation mode” (Yes in step S 316 ), a “mode start response M 405 ” is transmitted to the printer 102 and then in step S 318 , the communication is performed with the printer 102 in the card emulation mode. With this operation, the printer 102 may read or write the memory 205 of the digital camera 101 .

In step S 305 , when the “selected mode” is a “bidirectional communication mode”, the operation mode of the host unit 202 is detected by the host operation mode detection unit 204 to perform the following processing.

When the operation mode of the host unit 202 detected by the host operation mode detection unit 204 is the SLEEP mode (Yes in step S 306 ), in step S 307 , the digital camera 101 transmits the “mode start response M 405 ” to the printer 102 .

The printer 102 that receives the “mode start response M 405 ” transmits to the digital camera 101 a “bidirectional data transmission M 406 ” in which a starting service is designated. When the printer 102 transmits/receives the image data, “image transmission” is designated in the “starting service”. When the printer 102 sets the wireless parameter, the “wireless setting” is designated in the “starting service”.

In step S 308 , the near field wireless communication unit 203 receives the “bidirectional data transmission M 406 ”, and analyzes the “starting service” included in the message in step S 309 . When the setting is not the “wireless setting” (No in step S 309 ), in step S 312 , the near field wireless communication unit 203 transmits connection end to end the communication.

When the setting is the “wireless setting” (Yes in step S 309 ), in step S 310 , the near field wireless communication unit 203 transmits a “bidirectional data transmission M 407 ” in which the “starting service” is set to the “wireless setting” to the printer 102 . Thereafter, in step S 311 , the near field wireless communication unit 203 transmits/receives the “bidirectional data transmission M 408 and M 409 ” to/from the printer 102 to set the wireless parameter.

Therefore, information on the wireless parameter which is stored or generated in the printer 102 may be transmitted to the digital camera 101 or the information on the wireless parameter which is stored in the digital camera 101 may be transmitted to the printer 102 .

As an example, when the wireless parameter has been already stored in the wireless information storage area 206 of the digital camera 101 , the wireless parameter is transmitted from the digital camera 101 to the printer 102 . In this case, the near field wireless communication unit 203 transmits the wireless parameter which is stored in the wireless information storage area 206 to the printer 102 in the “bidirectional data transmission M 409 ”.

When the wireless parameter is not stored in the wireless information storage area 206 of the digital camera 101 , the wireless parameter is transmitted from the printer 102 to the digital camera 101 . In this case, when the near field wireless communication unit 203 receives the “bidirectional data transmission M 408 ”, the near field wireless communication unit 203 stores the wireless parameter contained in a message in the wireless information storage area 206 .

On the other hand, in step S 306 , if the near field wireless communication unit 203 receives the “mode start M 404 ” in which the “selection mode” is the “bidirectional communication mode”, when the host operation mode is the ACTIVE mode, in step S 314 , the near field wireless communication unit 203 transmits the “mode start response M 405 ” to the printer 102 .

Thereafter, “bidirectional data transmission messages M 501 , M 502 , M 503 , and M 504 ” are transmitted/received as it is between the printer 102 and the digital camera control unit 207 via the near field wireless communication unit 203 .

In other words, the bidirectional data transmission from the printer 102 is transmitted to the host unit 202 as it is and the bidirectional data transmission from the host unit 202 is transmitted to the printer 102 as it is. The digital camera control unit 207 of the host unit 202 confirms the “starting service” contained in the “bidirectional data transmission M 501 ” message received from the printer 102 .

When the “starting service” is “image transmission”, the digital camera control unit 207 transmits the “bidirectional data transmission M 502 ” in which “starting service” is “image transmission” to the printer 102 . Thereafter, the digital camera control unit 207 transmits/receives the “bidirectional data transmission M 503 and M 504 ” to/from the printer 102 to transmit the image data stored in the storage unit 210 to the printer 102 .

Here, an image designated by the printer 102 may be transmitted in the “bidirectional data transmission M 503 ” or an image designated by the operation of the user of the digital camera may be transmitted to the printer 102 .

As described above, according to the present exemplary embodiment, even though the host unit 202 is in the SLEEP mode, the wireless parameter may be set by the near field wireless communication 103 . Further, even when the battery is ran out so that the host unit 202 does not operate, the wireless parameter may be set via the near field wireless communication 103 .

Further, in the present exemplary embodiment, when the host unit 202 is in the SLEEP mode, only the wireless parameter is provided or received in the bidirectional communication mode, but other specific information may be transmitted or received. For example, the camera setting information may be transmitted or received. In this case, when a PC or a smart phone has camera setting information, if the camera is brought close to the PC or the smart phone, even though the host unit of the camera is in a SLEEP mode, the camera setting information may be transmitted/received through the bidirectional communication mode of the near field wireless communication unit 203 .

In a second exemplary embodiment, after receiving the wireless parameter of the first exemplary embodiment from the printer 102 , the transmitted or received wireless parameter is notified to the host unit 202 .

It is assumed that if the host unit 202 is in the SLEEP mode, as described in the first exemplary embodiment, the wireless parameter is transmitted or received. The host operation mode detection unit 204 monitors whether the host unit 202 is shifted to the ACTIVE mode.

Thereafter, the host unit 202 enters the ACTIVE mode by the operation of the user or by connecting the digital camera 101 and the PC through a USB cable. When the host unit 202 is in the ACTIVE mode, the near field wireless communication unit 203 notifies the wireless parameter stored in the wireless information storage area 206 to the host unit 202 .

The digital camera control unit 207 sets the wireless parameter notified from the near field wireless communication unit 203 in the wireless LAN communication unit 211 .

Alternatively, when the host unit 202 is in the ACTIVE mode, the digital camera control unit 207 checks contents stored in the wireless information storage area 206 . As a result of the check, when the wireless parameter is stored in the wireless information storage area 206 , the digital camera control unit 207 sets the wireless parameter in the wireless LAN communication unit 211 .

According to the second exemplary embodiment, when the power is supplied to the host unit 202 and the host unit 202 is shifted to the ACTIVE mode, the wireless parameter information which is transmitted or received while the host unit 202 is in the SLEEP mode is automatically set in the wireless LAN communication unit 211 . Therefore, the wireless LAN communication may be performed using the wireless LAN communication unit 211 .

In the first and second exemplary embodiments, the digital camera and the printer have been described as an example. However, if an apparatus includes the near field wireless communication 103 and the wireless LAN communication 104 , the present invention may be applied to another types of apparatuses.

For example, instead of the digital camera, the exemplary embodiments can be used for various apparatuses such as a mobile phone, a personal computer, a printer, a wireless LAN access point (wireless LAN router), a speaker, or an earphone. Further, instead of the printer, the exemplary embodiments may be used for various apparatuses such as a mobile phone, a personal computer, a printer, a wireless LAN access point (wireless LAN router), a speaker, or an earphone.

As described above, according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, even though the host unit is in a low power consumption mode or an inactive mode where the host unit does not operate, predetermined information such as wireless setting information may be transmitted or received using the bidirectional communication mode.

Further, when the host unit is in an active state, information other than the predetermined information can also be transmitted or received. When the host unit is in an active mode to be in an operation state, the information which is transmitted or received while the host unit is in the low power consumption mode or in an inoperative state is set to be used by the host unit which is in the active state, or the other communication unit.

The present invention may be embodied by the following processing. Specifically, software (program) that implements the function of the above-described exemplary embodiments is supplied to a system or an apparatus through a network or various storage media and a computer (or a CPU or MPU) of the system or the apparatus reads out and executes the program.

Aspects of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus (or devices such as a CPU or MPU) that reads out and executes a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functions of the above-described embodiments, and by a method, the steps of which are performed by a computer of a system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functions of the above-described embodiments. For this purpose, the program is provided to the computer for example via a network or from a recording medium of various types serving as the memory device (e.g., computer-readable medium). In such a case, the system or apparatus, and the recording medium where the program is stored, are included as being within the scope of the present invention.

While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all modifications, equivalent structures, and functions.

This application is a national phase application of international application PCT/JP2013/000198, filed on Jan. 17, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, and this application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-015601, filed Jan. 27, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.