Patent ID: 8924744
Filing Date: 2014-12-30
Classification: G06F,H04L,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A communication system comprising a network formed by a plurality of control units, each operated in a relatively high power consumption mode and a relatively low power consumption mode, wherein a selected one or more of the control units act solely or in cooperation with each other to implement a specific function, each of the selected one or more of the control units related to the specific function is set in the relatively high power consumption mode, each of non-selected ones of the control units unrelated to the specific function is set in the relatively low power consumption mode, the selected one or more of the control units related to the specific function form a logical ring, among the selected one or more of the control units forming the logical ring, a control unit that obtains a transmission right transmits sleep permission information, which permits the control unit to shift to the relatively low power consumption mode, and information indicating a control unit that will next obtain the transmission right, and function information corresponding to the specific function, when the control units that form the logical ring all transmit the sleep permission information, the information indicating a control unit that will next obtain the transmission right, and the function information corresponding to the specific function, a control unit that obtains the transmission right from a control unit that finally transmitted the sleep permission information transmits sleep execution information, and the control units forming the logical ring are all set in the relatively low power consumption mode based on the sleep execution information.