1. A communication apparatus that communicates with another communication apparatus, comprising:
a first communication unit configured to receive serial data from a first communication apparatus that is serially connected to the communication apparatus;
a modulation unit configured to modulate the serial data received by the first communication unit into data other than the serial data to generate transmission data; and
a second communication unit configured to perform first unicast transmission which involves transmitting the transmission data by designating a second communication apparatus as a transmission destination and second unicast transmission which involves transmitting the transmission data by designating a third communication apparatus as a transmission destination.
2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the second communication unit performs the second unicast transmission after the first unicast transmission.
3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the second communication unit performs the second unicast transmission after received a response to the first unicast transmission.
4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a determination unit configured to determine at least one of availability of serial communication by the second communication apparatus and availability of serial communication by electrical device that is serially connected to the second communication apparatus.
5. The communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
the second communication unit receives first serial communication availability information that indicates the availability of the serial communication by the second communication apparatus from the second communication apparatus, and
the determination unit determines the availability of the serial communication by the second communication apparatus based on the first serial communication availability information.
6. The communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
the second communication unit receives second serial communication availability information that indicates availability of the serial communication by the electrical device from the second communication apparatus, and
the determination unit determines the availability of the serial communication by the electrical device based on the second serial communication availability information.
7. The communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
the second communication unit transmits an information request for requesting information concerning the electrical device, and
the determination unit determines that the second communication apparatus is absent when the second communication unit fails to receive a response to the information request within a predetermined period.
8. The communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
the second communication unit transmits an information request for requesting information concerning the electrical device, and then, retransmits the information request when failed to receive a response to the information request, and
the determination unit determines that the second communication apparatus is absent when the number of times of retransmission of the information request retransmitted by the second communication unit is a predetermined number or more.
9. The communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
the second communication unit stops the first unicast transmission when the determination unit determines that the serial communication by at least one of the second communication apparatus and the electrical device is unavailable, or that the second communication apparatus is absent.
10. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the second communication unit performs communication via a power line.
11. A communication apparatus that communicates with another communication apparatus, comprising:
a storage unit configured to store serial communication availability information that indicates availability of serial communication by the communication apparatus;
a modulation unit configured to modulate the serial communication availability information stored in the storage unit into data other than serial data to generate transmission data; and
a communication unit configured to perform unicast transmission which involves transmitting the transmission data by designating the other communication apparatus as a transmission destination.
12. A communication apparatus that communicates with another communication apparatus, comprising:
a first communication unit configured to receive serial communication availability information that indicates availability of serial communication by an electrical device that is serially connected to the communication apparatus from the electrical device in a format of serial data;
a modulation unit configured to modulate the serial communication availability information received by the first communication unit into data other than serial data to generate transmission data; and
a second communication unit configured to perform unicast transmission which involves transmitting the transmission data by designating the other communication apparatus as a transmission destination.
13. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein
the communication unit or the second communication unit performs communication via a power line.
14. An integrated circuit used in a communication apparatus that communicates with another communication apparatus, comprising:
a first communication unit configured to receive serial data from a first communication apparatus that is serially connected to the communication apparatus;
a demodulation unit configured to modulate the serial data received by the first communication unit into data other than the serial data to generate transmission data; and
a second communication unit configured to perform first unicast transmission which involves transmitting the transmission data by designating a second communication apparatus as a transmission destination and second unicast transmission which involves transmitting the transmission data by designating a third communication apparatus as a transmission destination.
15. A communication method in a communication apparatus that communicates with another communication apparatus, comprising:
receiving serial data from a first communication apparatus that is serially connected to the communication apparatus;
modulating the serial data into data other than the serial data to generate transmission data;
performing first unicast transmission which involves transmitting the transmission data by designating a second communication apparatus as a transmission destination; and
performing second unicast transmission which involves transmitting the transmission data by designating a third communication apparatus as a transmission destination.
16. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the second communication unit performs the first unicast transmission when the second communication apparatus receives a transmission request from an electrical device that is connectable to the second communication apparatus.
17. The communication apparatus according to claim 16, wherein
the second communication unit stops the first unicast transmission when the second communication apparatus does not receive the transmission request from the electrical device.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A collapsible bed frame comprising:
a first cross unit including a first link member pivotally coupled to a second link member at a first pivot point; and
a support unit operatively coupled to the first cross unit, the support unit comprising:
a first slider slidably coupled to the first link member;
a first support member having a first end pivotally coupled to the second link member and an opposing second end pivotally coupled to the first slider;
a second slider slidably coupled to the first support member; and
a second support member having a first end pivotally coupled to at least one of the second link member and a connector operatively coupled to the second link member, and an opposing second end pivotally coupled to the second slider.
2. The collapsible bed frame in accordance with claim 1 further comprising an adjacent cross unit operatively coupled to the first cross unit, the adjacent cross unit having a first link member pivotally coupled to a second link member.
3. The collapsible bed frame in accordance with claim 2 further comprising a second support unit operatively coupled to the adjacent cross unit.
4. The collapsible bed frame in accordance with claim 2 further comprising:
an upper connector pivotally coupling the first link member of the first cross unit to the second link member of the adjacent cross unit; and
a lower connector pivotally coupling the second link member of the first cross unit to the first link member of the adjacent cross unit.
5. The collapsible bed frame in accordance with claim 4 wherein the upper connector pivotally couples a first end of the first link member of the first cross unit to a first end of a second link member of the adjacent cross unit, and the lower connector pivotally couples a first end of the second link member of the first cross unit to a first end of the first link member of the adjacent cross unit.
6. The collapsible bed frame in accordance with claim 1 wherein a first distance between a second pivot point at which the second support member is pivotally coupled to at least one of the second link member and the connector and the first pivot point is greater than a distance between a third pivot point at which the first support member is pivotally coupled to the second link member and the first pivot point.
7. The collapsible bed frame in accordance with claim 6 wherein the first support member is pivotally coupled to an upper portion of the second link member and the second support member is pivotally coupled to at least one of a top end of the second link member and the connector.
8. The collapsible bed frame in accordance with claim 7 wherein the second support member is pivotally coupled to the connector.
9. The collapsible bed frame in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first slider is slidably coupled to a lower portion of the first link member between a lower connector and the first pivot point.
10. The collapsible bed frame in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a plurality of first cross units, each first cross unit of the plurality of first cross units including a first link member pivotally coupled to a second link member at the first pivot point, and a support unit operatively coupled to each first cross unit.
11. The collapsible bed frame in accordance with claim 1 wherein, with the collapsible bed frame in an expanded configuration, the first cross unit forms an X-shaped first cross unit.
12. A cross unit for a collapsible bed frame, the cross unit comprising:
a first link member;
a second link member pivotally coupled to the first link member at a first pivot point; and
a support unit comprising:
a first slider slidably coupled to the first link member;
a first support member having a first end pivotally coupled to the second link member and an opposing second end pivotally coupled to the first slider;
a second slider slidably coupled to the first support member; and
a second support member having a first end pivotally coupled to the second link member and an opposing second end pivotally coupled to the second slider.
13. The cross unit in accordance with claim 12 further comprising a connector, the first end of the second support member pivotally coupled to the connector.
14. The cross unit in accordance with claim 12 wherein a first distance between a second pivot point at which the second support member is pivotally coupled to the second link member and the first pivot point is greater than a second distance between a third pivot point at which the first support member is pivotally coupled to the second link member and the first pivot point.
15. The cross unit in accordance with claim 14 wherein the first support member is pivotally coupled to an upper portion of the second link member and the second support member is pivotally coupled to a top end of the second link member.
16. The cross unit in accordance with claim 14 further comprising a connector, the second support member pivotally coupled at the second pivot point to the connector.
17. A method for constructing a collapsible frame, said method comprising:
pivotally coupling a plurality of collapsible cross units together, each cross unit of the plurality of cross units including a first link member pivotally coupled to a second link member at a first pivot point; and
operatively coupling a support unit to at least one cross unit of the plurality of cross units, said operatively coupling comprising:
slidably coupling a first slider of the support unit to the first link member;
pivotally coupling a first end of a first support member to the second link member and an opposing second end of the first support member to the first slider;
slidably coupling a second slider to the first support member; and
pivotally coupling a first end of a second support member to the second link member and an opposing second end of the second support member to the second slider.
18. The method in accordance with claim 17 wherein pivotally coupling a first end of a second support member to the second link member comprises pivotally coupling the first end of the second support member to a connector to which the second link member is pivotally coupled.
19. The method in accordance with claim 17 wherein pivotally coupling a plurality of collapsible cross units together comprises:
pivotally coupling the first link member of a first cross unit and the second link member of an adjacent second cross unit to an upper connector; and
pivotally coupling the second link member of the first cross unit and the first link member of the adjacent second cross unit to a lower connector.
20. The method in accordance with claim 19 wherein the second support member is pivotally coupled at a second pivot point to the second link member and the first support member is pivotally coupled at a third pivot point to the second link member, a first distance between the second pivot point and the first pivot point is greater than a second distance between the third pivot point and the first pivot point.