High rate/low rate bidirectional data transmission apparatus

Abstract: Full duplex communication is attained by using only one communication channel in wireless communication between a host computer 1 and a printer 6. The communication from the host computer 1 to the printer 6 is effected by wireless, and the communication from the printer 6 to the host computer 1 which includes a small amount of information is effected through a power line 9.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wireless communication apparatus system and method, and, more particularly, to a communication apparatus for data communication for in-house use, office automation or the like. Related Background Art In the past, wireless data communication for in-house use has been done in Japan by using a small power wireless apparatus. In such data communication, a communication circuit added to each data terminal has a transceiver. When such a transceiver is used for full duplex communication, electromagnetic waves (channels) of different frequencies for the respective directions of communication are required. The foregoing bands of electromagnetic waves available to the communication are now short. Nevertheless, in the above prior art, two channels are always occupied without regard to the amount of information to be communicated. Document US-A-3 980 954 discloses a communication system for providing communications between a central control center and various customers load locations in an electrical power distribution system. Control or interrogation signals are transmitted wireless from the central control center to all customer load locations, whereas reply signals from individual customer load locations are transmitted via power lines. Furthermore, document JP-A-2 128 881 describes a communication system, wherein communication between a host computer and a printer is effected wireless in both directions. It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication apparatus and method, which solve the above problem and can save the channels with a simple construction. This object is achieved by a communication apparatus and method as claimed in claims 1 and 12, respectively. According the present invention, in case where there is a difference in the amount of information depending on the direction of communication such as communication between a host computer and a printer, wireless communication is used for communication direction of larger amount of information to be communicated, a power line is used and an electric line carrier communication circuit is added for the communication for the other direction so that the full duplex communication is attained by occupying only one channel. The reason for preferably using the electric light line carrier communication for the communication of the direction of less communication information amount is that it is not permitted by a legal regulation to superimpose a signal of a broad frequency band on the power line and hence it does not fit to the transmission of large amount of information. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of a configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of a configuration of a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. I, numeral 1 denotes a host computer (for example, a personal computer); numeral 2 denotes a communication apparatus which is connected to the host computer 1, numeral 3 denotes a wireless transmission circuit of the communication apparatus 2, numeral 4 denotes a transmission antenna, numeral 5 denotes a receiving antenna, numeral 6 denotes a printer, numeral 7 denotes a communication apparatus which is connected to the printer, numeral 8 denotes a wireless receiver circuit of the communication apparatus 7, numeral 9 denotes a commercial power line from which the computer 1, the communication apparatus 2, the printer 6 and the communication apparatus 7 are powered, numeral 10 denotes an electric light line carrier transmission circuit of the communication apparatus 7, and numeral 11 denotes an electric light line carrier receiving circuit of the communication apparatus 2. In the present embodiment, the amount of information required between the computer 1 and the printer 6 is much larger in the direction from the computer 1 to the printer 6 (hereinafter referred to as a down line) than in the opposite direction (hereinafter referred to as an up line). Namely, a large amount of information such as character information and image information to be printed out flows over the down line while a relatively small amount of information such as a handshake signal at the start of the communication and a retransmission request (ARQ) or the like when an error occurs in the course of communication flows over the up line. In Fig. 1, the relatively large amount of information sent out of the computer 1 is transmitted to the printer 6 through the down line, namely the wireless transmission circuit 3, the antenna 4, the antenna 5 and the wireless receiver circuit 8. On the other hand, the relatively small amount of information sent out of the printer 6 is transmitted to the computer 1 through the up line, that is, the electric light line carrier transmission circuit 10, the commercial power line 9 and th electric light line carrier receiver circuit 11. When there is a difference in the amounts of the information between the up line and the down line, the wireless communication is allocated to the communication of the larger information amount and the power line carrier communication is allocated to the communication of the smaller information amount so that only one wireless channel is used and a valuable resource of electric wave is saved. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the information amount of the down line is larger than that of the up line. In the opposite case, the complementary measure of exchanging the communication apparatuses 2 and 7 may be taken. Fig. 2 show a second embodiment of the present invention. Those elements which are duplicate of the elements of the first embodiment are designated by the same numerals and the explanation thereof is omitted. In Fig. 2, numerals 21 and 24 denote double-throw switching circuits, numerals 22 and 23 denote wireless communication transceiver circuits, and numerals 25 and 26 denote electric light line carrier communication transceiver circuits. In the present embodiment, the transceiver circuit 22 is used in place of the wireless transmission circuit of the first embodiment, the transceiver circuit 23 is used in place of the wireless receiver circuit, the electric light line carrier transceiver circuit 26 is used in place of the power line carrier transmission circuit, and the electric light line carrier transceiver circuit 25 is used in place of the electric light line receiver circuit. The double-pole double-throw switching circuit 21 is provided between the computer 1 and the communication apparatus 2 and the double-pole double-throw switching circuit 24 is provided between the communication apparatus 7 and the printer 6 so that the up line and the down line can be switched to either the wireless communication or the electric light line carrier communication. In the present embodiment, if the amounts of information of the up line and the down line are reversed, the double-pole double-throw switches are switched to cope therewith. The double-pole double-throw switching circuits 21 and 24 are not limited to the mechanical contacts as shown but they may be of electric circuit type. The switching may be made automatically in response to automatic information amount detection means (not shown). In the in-house wireless data communication, the electric light line carrier communication is additionally used, and the wireless communication is used for the line of the larger information amount among the up line and the down line and the electric light line carrier communication is used for the line of the smaller information amount. As a result, the number of channels of the electric wave can be reduced to one half. Full duplex communication is attained by using only one communication channel in wireless communication between a host computer 1 and a printer 6. The communication from the host computer 1 to the printer 6 is effected by wireless, and the communication from the printer 6 to the host computer 1 which includes a small amount of information is effected through a power line 9.

Claims: A bidirectional communication apparatus (2, 4 and 21 or 5, 7 and 24) powered from a power line (9) , wherein communication in one direction is effected wireless and communication in the other direction is effected through said power line (9) , characterized by switching means ( 21 or 24 ) for switching between a first state in which transmission is effected wireless and reception is effected through said power line ( 9 ), and a second state in which transmission is effected through said power line and reception is effected wireless. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said switching means (21 or 24) switches in accordance with different amounts of information to be communicated depending on the direction of communication which is effected. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, further characterized by first means (4, 22 or 5, 23) for either transmitting or receiving information by wireless; and second means (25, 26) for either receiving or transmitting information through said power line (9) . A communication apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said first or second means transmits print data from a computer (1) . A communication apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said first or second means receives print data so as to be outputted to a printer (6) . A communication apparatus according to claim 4, further characterized by comprising said computer (1) . A communication apparatus according to claim 5, further characterized by comprising said printer (6) . A system comprising a plurality of bidirectional communication apparatuses according to claim 3, characterized in that said system makes communications between each of said apparatuses. A system according to claim 8, characterized in that one apparatus (2, 4, 22) transmits print data from a computer (1) and the other apparatus (5, 7, 24) receives said print data so as to be outputted to a printer (6) . A system according to claim 9, further characterized by comprising said computer (1) . A system according to claim 9, further characterized by comprising said printer (6) . A communication method characterized by the step of: switching between a first state in which transmission is effected wireless and reception is effected through a power line, and a second state in which transmission is effected through said power line and reception is effected wireless. A communication method according to claim 12, further characterized by the step of detecting amounts of information to be transmitted and received, respectively, wherein said switching step is executed in accordance with the detection in said detecting step. A communication method according to claim 13, characterized in that said switching step is executed in accordance with different amounts of information to be communicated depending on the direction of communication which is effected. A communication method according to claim 12, further characterized in that print data are transmitted from a computer. A communication method according to claim 12, characterized in that print data are received so as to be outputted to a printer.

Inventors: SATO HIDEAKI, SATO, HIDEAKI, Sato, Hideaki, c/o Canon K.K.
Applicants: CANON KK, CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1993
Main classification: H04B3
IPC codes: B41J29, H04B7, H04B3