US 12,335,055 B2
Communication device and communications system with state-switching control to synchronize and control switching among communication states
Toshihisa Hyakudai, San Diego, CA (US); Junya Yamada, Kanagawa (JP); and Satoshi Ota, Kanagawa (JP)
Assigned to Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, Kanagawa (JP)
Filed by Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, Kanagawa (JP)
Filed on Aug. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/879,243.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/237,675, filed on Aug. 27, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0066221 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. H04L 12/12 (2006.01); H04L 5/14 (2006.01); H04L 67/12 (2022.01)
CPC H04L 12/12 (2013.01) [H04L 5/14 (2013.01); H04L 67/12 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A communication device, comprising:
a state-switching control circuit that controls switching between a first state in which synchronization for communicating with a communication partner device is established, a second state in which the communication is started after establishing the synchronization in the first state, a third state in which the communication is intermittently stopped without losing the establishment of the synchronization, and a fourth state in which the communication is stopped for a longer time than the third state and synchronization is reestablished with the communication partner device when restarting the communication;
a first communication control circuit that repeats, in a first cycle, an operation of continuously transmitting a first signal within a first signal interval to the communication partner device in the fourth state; and
a second communication control circuit that transmits, upon receiving a second signal output from the communication partner device in response to the first signal, a third signal synchronized with the second signal to the communication partner device, wherein
the state-switching control circuit switches, where the second communication control circuit transmits the third signal, a state from the fourth state to the first state.