# US 2023/0067697 A1 · Communication device, communication system, and recording medium

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- Number: US 2023/0067697 A1
- Document ID: US20230067697A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/795,240
- Filed: 2020-03-30
- Published: 2023-03-02
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-30
- Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
- Applicants: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
- Inventors: Hiroshi KOMORI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230067697A1

## CPC

- H04J 3/0652: {Synchronisation among time division multiple access [TDMA] nodes, e.g. time triggered protocol [TTP] (bus network with centralized control in which slots are of a TDMA packet structure H04L12/4035)}
- H04W 56/003: {Arrangements to increase tolerance to errors in transmission or reception timing}
- G05B 19/0425: {Safety, monitoring}
- G05B 19/4185: {characterised by the network communication}
- H04L 12/12: Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
- H04W 24/10: Scheduling measurement reports {; Arrangements for measurement reports}
- G05B 2219/25126: Synchronize communication based on internal clock of microprocessor
- H04J: MULTIPLEX COMMUNICATION (transmission in general H04B; peculiar to transmission of digital information H04L5/00; systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal H04N7/08; in exchanges H04Q11/00; stereophonic systems H04S)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A communication device (10) communicates with a communication device (20) in each of time divisions defined by shared time that is shared with the communication device (20). The communication device (10) includes a clocking unit (11) that measures the shared time, an acquirer (13) that acquires, from the communication device (20), error information about a first error of the communication device (20) in measuring the shared time, and a specifier (14) that specifies, to the communication device (20), a suspension duration at least at a start or at an end of each of the time divisions. The suspension duration is a duration for which the communication device (20) suspends data transmission. The suspension duration specified by the specifier (14) is greater than or equal to a greater error of the first error and a second error that is an error of the clocking unit (11) in time measurement.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A communication device for communicating with another device in each of time divisions defined by shared time that is shared with the another device, the communication device comprising:
processing circuitry
to measure the shared time;
to acquire, from the another device, error information about a first error of the another device in measuring the shared time; and
to specify, to the another device, a suspension duration at least at a start or at an end of each of the time divisions, the suspension duration being a duration for which the another device suspends data transmission, wherein
the specified suspension duration is greater than or equal to a greater error of the first error and a second error that is an error of the processing circuitry in time measurement.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The communication device according to claim 1, wherein
the processing circuitry acquires the error information indicating the first error from the another device, and
the specified suspension duration is equal to the greater error of the first error and the second error.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a storage to store association information associating an error range with a predefined value, wherein
the processing circuitry acquires the error information indicating the first error from the another device, and
the specified suspension duration is equal to the predefined value associated with a range including the greater error of the first error and the second error in the association information.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The communication device according to claim 1, wherein
the processing circuitry detects an abnormality in communication with the another device, and
when the abnormality is detected, the processing circuitry specifies, to the another device, a suspension duration greater than the suspension duration currently specified.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The communication device according to claim 1, wherein
the processing circuitry detects a new device configured to communicate with the communication device in each of the time divisions,
when the new device is detected, the processing circuitry acquires, from the new device, the error information about the first error of the new device in measuring the shared time, and
when the first error of the new device in time measurement is greater than the suspension duration specified to the another device, the processing circuitry specifies, to the another device, a suspension duration greater than the suspension duration currently specified.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The communication device according to claim 1, wherein
the communication device communicates with a plurality of other devices,
the processing circuitry specifies the suspension duration to the plurality of other devices, and
the specified suspension duration is greater than or equal to a greatest error of the first errors of the plurality of other devices in time measurement and the second error.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The communication device according to claim 1, wherein
the processing circuitry detects, from the plurality of other devices, a lost device for which communications with the communication device is lost, and
when the first error of the lost device in time measurement is a greatest error of the first errors of the plurality of other devices in time measurement, the processing circuitry specifies, to the plurality of other devices excluding the lost device, a suspension duration less than the suspension duration currently specified.

### Claim 8

A communication system, comprising:
a first communication device; and
a second communication device to communicate with the first communication device in each of time divisions defined by shared time that is shared with the first communication device,
the second communication device including
first processing circuitry
to measure the shared time,
to acquire, from the first communication device, error information about a first error of the first communication device in measuring the shared time, and
to specify, to the first communication device, a suspension duration at least at a start or at an end of each of the time divisions, the suspension duration being a duration for which the first communication device suspends data transmission,
the specified suspension duration being greater than or equal to a greater error of the first error and a second error that is an error of the processing circuitry in time measurement,
the first communication device including
second processing circuitry
to transmit the error information to the second communication device, and
to set the specified suspension duration.

### Claim 9

(canceled)

### Claim 10

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium including a program to be executed by a computer to communicate with a device in each of time divisions defined by shared time that is shared with the device, the program causing the computer to perform operations comprising:
specifying, to the device, a suspension duration at least at a start or at an end of each of the time divisions, the suspension duration being a duration for which the device suspends data transmission, wherein
the specified suspension duration is greater than or equal to a greater error of a first error of the device in measuring the shared time and a second error of the computer in measuring the shared time.