Wireless communication control system, wireless communication control apparatus, method for controlling wireless communication, method for producing directivity information, and radio

• US 10,154,383 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2017
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Ueki, Daichi, Saito, Keisuke, Hayama, Kosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Paige, Tyler D
• Application Number:
  US15/659,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20170325072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/541 Digital intensity or amplitude modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/5561 Digital phase modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2612 Arrangements for wireless medium access control, e.g. by allocating physical layer transmission capacity H04B7/2615 - H04B7/2643 take precedence; provision for broadband connection H04Q11/0478
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/02 Automatically-operated arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

A wireless communication control system includes a first radio having a directional antenna, a second radio, a directivity control unit controlling the directivity of the directional antenna, and a directivity information storage unit storing directivity information relating to a directivity, the directivity information being applied to the directional antenna in relation to wireless communication between the first and second radios in accordance with a plurality of change patterns indicating a temporal change in a received signal intensity. The directivity control unit acquires a temporal change in a received signal intensity during wireless communication between the first and second radios, selects, from among pieces of the directivity information stored in the directivity information storage unit, directivity information corresponding to the change pattern corresponding to the temporal change in the received signal intensity, applies the selected directivity information, and executes wireless communication between the first and second radios.

Claims

1. A wireless communication control system comprising:

a first radio comprising a directional antenna; and

a second radio performing wireless communication with the first radio;

the first radio comprising a processor configured with a program to perform operations comprising;

operation as a directivity information storage unit that stores a plurality of pieces of directivity information, wherein each piece of the plurality of pieces of directivity information relates a predetermined directivity to a change pattern of a received signal, the change pattern indicating a temporal change in a received signal intensity of the received signal at a reception radio when wireless communication is performed between the first radio and the second radio with the predetermined directivity applied to the directional antenna, the reception radio being one of the first radio and the second radio,

operation as an acquisition unit that acquires the temporal change in the received signal intensity when wireless communication is performed between the first radio and the second radio via the directional antenna to which the predetermined directivity is applied, and

operation as an execution unit that;

selects, from among the pieces of directivity information stored in the directivity information storage unit, directivity information corresponding to the change pattern determined based on the temporal change in the received signal intensity acquired by the acquisition unit;

applies the selected directivity information to the directional antenna; and

executes wireless communication between the first radio and the second radio.

2. The wireless communication control system according to claim 1, wherein the directivity information is set such that applying the directivity information to the directional antenna of the first radio causes the received signal intensity in the change pattern of the received signal received by the reception radio to be above a predetermined threshold.

3. The wireless communication control system according to claim 1, wherein

the second radio is disposed on a driving device whose driving is controlled in accordance with a plurality of predetermined driving patterns,

a relative position of the second radio with respect to the first radio changes due to the driving device being moved in accordance with the driving patterns, and

the directivity information is produced according to a change in the relative position of the second radio with respect to the first radio.

4. The wireless communication control system according to claim 1,

wherein positions of the first radio and the second radio do not change relative to each other.

5. The wireless communication control system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of the second radios, wherein

the plurality of second radios each alternatively communicate with the first radio,

the processor of the first radio is configured with the program to perform operations such that:

operation as the directivity information storage unit further comprises storing directivity information that corresponds to each of the plurality of second radios and is applied to the directional antenna of the first radio in relation to wireless communication between the first radio and the plurality of second radios in accordance with the plurality of driving patterns to perform driving of one or more driving devices in accordance with the plurality of predetermined driving patterns, and

operation as the execution unit further comprises selecting, from among the pieces of directivity information stored in the directivity information storage unit, directivity information that corresponds to the driving pattern acquired by the acquisition unit and corresponds to the plurality of second radios, and executing wireless communication between the first radio and the plurality of second radios in accordance with the selected directivity information.

6. The wireless communication control system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of the second radios, wherein

a second radio group comprising the plurality of second radios communicates with the first radio,

the processor of the first radio is configured with the program to perform operations such that:

operation as the directivity information storage unit further comprises storing directivity information that corresponds to the second radio group and is applied to the directional antenna of the first radio in relation to wireless communication between the first radio and the second radio group in accordance with the plurality of driving patterns to perform driving of one or more driving devices in accordance with the plurality of predetermined driving patterns, and

operation as the execution unit further comprises selecting, from among the pieces of directivity information stored in the directivity information storage unit, target directivity information that corresponds to the driving pattern acquired by the acquisition unit and corresponds to the second radio group, and executing wireless communication between the first radio and the second radio group in accordance with the selected target directivity information.

7. The wireless communication control system according to claim 1, wherein the second radio is a sensor-equipped radio comprising a sensor that measures a predetermined environmental parameter.

8. The wireless communication control system according to claim 1, wherein the directional antenna comprises a phased-array antenna.

9. The wireless communication control system according to claim 1, wherein the execution unit executes wireless communication for determining the change pattern with the predetermined directivity every time wireless communication between the first radio and the second radio is executed with a directivity that is based on the selected directivity information for a predetermined period.

10. A radio comprising:

a directional antenna for performing wireless communication with a partner communication device; and

a processor configured with a program to perform operations comprising;

operation as a directivity information storage unit that stores a plurality of pieces of directivity information, wherein each piece of the plurality of pieces of directivity information relates a predetermined directivity to a change pattern, the change pattern indicating a temporal change in a received signal intensity at a reception radio when wireless communication is performed between the radio and the partner communication device with the predetermined directivity applied to the direction antenna, the reception radio being one of the radio and the partner communication device,

operation as an acquisition unit that acquires the temporal change in the received signal intensity when wireless communication is performed with the partner communication device via the directional antenna to which the predetermined directivity is applied, and

operation as an execution unit that;

selects, from among the pieces of directivity information stored in the directivity information storage unit, directivity information corresponding to the change pattern determined based on the temporal change in the received signal intensity acquired by the acquisition unit;

applies the selected directivity information to the direction antenna; and

executes wireless communication with the partner communication device.

11. A wireless communication control apparatus that controls wireless communication performed by a first radio with a second radio via a directional antenna in a predetermined environment in which driving of one or more driving devices is controlled in accordance with a plurality of predetermined driving patterns, the wireless communication control apparatus comprising a processor configured with a program to perform operations comprising:

operation as a directivity information storage unit that stores a plurality of pieces of directivity information, wherein each piece of the plurality of pieces of directivity information relates a predetermined directivity to a change pattern, the change pattern indicating a temporal change in a received signal intensity at a reception radio when wireless communication is performed with a predetermined directivity applied to the direction antenna, the reception radio being one of the first radio and the second radio,

operation as an acquisition unit that acquires the temporal change in the received signal intensity when wireless communication is performed between the first radio and the second radio via the directional antenna to which the predetermined directivity is applied, and

operation as an execution unit that;

selects, from among the pieces of directivity information stored in the directivity information storage unit, directivity information corresponding to the change pattern determined based on the temporal change in the received signal intensity acquired by the acquisition unit;

applies the selected directivity information; and

executes wireless communication between the first radio and the second radio.

12. A method for controlling wireless communication that controls wireless communication performed by a first radio with a second radio via a directional antenna in a predetermined environment in which driving of one or more driving devices is controlled in accordance with a plurality of predetermined driving patterns, the method comprising:

acquiring a temporal change in a received signal intensity when wireless communication is performed between the first radio and the second radio via the directional antenna to which a predetermined directivity is applied;

selecting, from a directivity information storage unit that stores a plurality of pieces of directivity information, wherein each piece of the plurality of pieces of directivity information relates a predetermined directivity to a change pattern, the change pattern indicating the temporal change in the received signal intensity at a reception radio when wireless communication is performed between the first radio and the second radio with the predetermined directivity applied to the directional antenna, the reception radio being one of the first radio and the second radio; and

applying the selected directivity information to the directional antenna and executing wireless communication between the first radio and the second radio.

13. The method for controlling wireless communication according to claim 12, wherein the directivity information is set such that applying the directivity information to the directional antenna of the first radio causes the received signal intensity in the change pattern of the received signal received by the reception radio to be above a predetermined threshold.

14. The method for controlling wireless communication according to claim 12, wherein

the second radio is disposed on a driving device whose driving is controlled in accordance with a plurality of predetermined driving patterns,

a relative position of the second radio with respect to the first radio changes due to the driving device being moved in accordance with the driving patterns, and

the directivity information is produced according to a change in the relative position of the second radio with respect to the first radio.

15. The method for controlling wireless communication according to claim 12,

wherein positions of the first radio and the second radio do not change relative to each other.

16. The method for controlling wireless communication according to claim 12, wherein:

the second radio further comprises a plurality of the second radios each of which alternatively communicate with the first radio, the method further comprising;

storing directivity information that corresponds to each of the plurality of second radios and is applied to the directional antenna of the first radio in relation to wireless communication between the first radio and the plurality of second radios in accordance with the plurality of driving patterns to perform driving of one or more driving devices in accordance with the plurality of predetermined driving patterns,

selecting, from among the stored pieces of directivity information, directivity information that corresponds to the acquired driving pattern and corresponds to the plurality of second radios, and

executing wireless communication between the first radio and the plurality of second radios in accordance with the selected directivity information.

17. The method for controlling wireless communication according to claim 12, wherein:

the second radio further comprises a plurality of the second radios, and a second radio group that comprises the plurality of second radios communicates with the first radio, the method further comprising;

storing directivity information that corresponds to the second radio group and is applied to the directional antenna of the first radio in relation to wireless communication between the first radio and the second radio group in accordance with the plurality of driving patterns to perform driving of one or more driving devices in accordance with the plurality of predetermined driving patterns,

selecting, from among the stored pieces of directivity information, target directivity information that corresponds to the acquired driving pattern and corresponds to the second radio group, and

executing wireless communication between the first radio and the second radio group in accordance with the selected target directivity information.

18. The method for controlling wireless communication according to claim 12, further comprising executing wireless communication for determining the change pattern with the predetermined directivity every time wireless communication between the first radio and the second radio is executed with a directivity that is based on the selected directivity information for a predetermined period.

19. A directivity information production method for producing directivity information that is applied to a directional antenna in wireless communication performed by a first radio with a second radio via the directional antenna in a predetermined environment in which driving of one or more driving devices is controlled in accordance with a plurality of predetermined driving patterns, the method comprising:

transmitting test radio waves from a first transmission radio to a reception radio when driving of the one or more driving devices is controlled in accordance with the plurality of driving patterns, the reception radio being one of the first radio and the second radio;

measuring a change in a received signal intensity of the test radio waves when the test radio waves transmitted from the first transmission radio are received by the reception radio, and acquiring a change pattern in the received signal intensity corresponding to the driving pattern;

transmitting test radio waves at a plurality of control times that are set in an execution period during which a driving pattern is executed, from a second transmission radio to the reception radio when driving of the one or more driving devices is controlled in accordance with the plurality of driving patterns; and

measuring a received signal intensity of test radio waves when the test radio waves transmitted from the second transmission radio are received by the reception radio, and producing directivity information comprising a directivity for each change pattern corresponding to the plurality of driving patterns, the directivity information being applied to the directional antenna of the first radio in relation to wireless communication between the first radio and the second radio when driving of the one or more driving devices is controlled in accordance with the plurality of driving patterns such that the received signal has an intensity above a predetermined threshold.