Mobile communication system, resource switching method thereof, network control apparatus included therein, same and network control method

• US 20020150228A1
• Filed: 04/10/2002
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Hongo, Sadayuki, Umeda, Narumi, Yokoyama, Tsutomu
• Granted Patent: US 7,142,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/220.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile communication system comprising a structure for realizing “network seamless” for roaming between different kinds of networks, “contents seamless” for converting different kinds of encoding or media therebetween, and “device seamless” for making it possible to utilize optimum I/O devices in conformity to surrounding environments. This mobile communication system detects a change in an environment in use concerning an object such as a mobile terminal, for example, notifies at least one apparatus relating to the change of the result of detection, sets various resources constituting a network in conformity to a new environment, and switches them. This makes it possible to construct a seamless network which automatically eliminates seams (restrictions) concerning changes in the environment and the like.

Claims

1. A mobile communication system comprising:

detecting means for detecting at least one of a change in an environment in which an object to be inspected exists and a change in a capability of said object to be inspected;

reporting means for notifying one or more apparatuses relating to said change detected by said detecting means of at least a result of said detection;

setting means for newly setting at least one of a network resource and an information format in conformity to said change detected by said detecting means; and

switching means for switching said network resource and information format into a content set by said setting means.

2. A mobile communication system according to claim 1, wherein said object to be inspected includes at least one of a communication terminal, transmission means for a radio area, and transmission means within a network.

3. A mobile communication system according to claim 1, wherein said network resource includes at least one of a wireless communication channel, a transmitter/receiver, a line within a network, a communication node apparatus, a communication terminal, an information switching apparatus, and an information converting apparatus.

4. A mobile communication system according to claim 1, wherein said switching means includes information converting apparatus which carries out, as said switching of information format, at least one of changing of media for information transferred over a network and changing of a transmission quality between the same media.

5. A mobile communication system comprising:

a network, having a resource, for transferring information to be transmitted/received by a mobile terminal;

a network control section for controlling said network; and

an information converting apparatus, as information format switching means with respect to information transferred over said network, for carrying out at least one of changing of media for information transferred over said network and changing of a transmission quality between the same media in accordance with an instruction from said network control section.

6. A mobile communication system according to claim 5, wherein said information converting apparatus comprises:

a network interface section for transmitting/receiving information to/from a resource constituting said network;

an information converting section for converting a format of information captured through said network interface section into another format, and sending out thus converted information to said resource constituting said network by way of said network interface section; and

a control section for controlling said information converting section in accordance with an instruction from said network control section captured through said network interface section.

7. A resource switching method for a mobile communication system, said method comprising:

a detecting step of detecting at least one of a change in an environment in which an object to be inspected exists and a change in a capability of said object to be inspected;

a reporting step of notifying one or more apparatuses relating to said change detected by said detecting step of at least a result of said detection; and

a setting step of newly setting at least one of a network resource and an information format in conformity to said change detected by said detecting step; and

a switching step of switching said network resource and said information format into a content set by said setting step.

8. A resource switching method for a mobile communication system according to claim 7, wherein said object to be inspected includes at least one of a communication terminal, transmission means for a radio area, and transmission means within a network.

9. A resource switching method for a mobile communication system according to claim 7, wherein said network resource includes at least one of a wireless communication channel, a transmitter/receiver, a line within a network, a communication node apparatus, a communication terminal, an information switching apparatus, and an information converting apparatus.

10. A resource switching method for a mobile communication system according to claim 7, wherein said switching step includes a step of carrying out, as switching of said information format, at least one of changing of media for information transferred over a network and changing of a transmission quality in the same media.

11. A network control method comprising the steps of:

receiving a detection report of at least one of a change in an environment in which an object to be inspected exists and a change in a capability of said object to be inspected from said object to be inspected;

determining at least one of a network resource and an information format suitable for said change specified by said detection report received from said object to be inspected; and

controlling said object to be inspected concerning at least one of said determined network resource and information format so that said object conforms to said detected change.

12. A network control method according to claim 11, wherein said object to be inspected includes at least one of a communication terminal, transmission means for a radio area, and transmission means within a network.

13. A network control method according to claim 11, wherein said network resource includes at least one of a wireless communication channel, a transmitter/receiver, a line within a network, a communication node apparatus, a communication terminal, an information switching apparatus, and an information converting apparatus.

15. A network control apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said object to be inspected includes at least one of a communication terminal, transmission means for a radio area, and transmission means within a network.

16. A network control apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said network resource includes at least one of a wireless communication channel, a transmitter/receiver, a line within a network, a communication node apparatus, a communication terminal, an information switching apparatus, and an information converting apparatus.

14. A network control apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving a detection report of at least one of a change in an environment in which an object to be inspected exists and a change in a capability of said object to be inspected from said object to be inspected;

determining means for determining at least one of a network resource and an information format suitable for said change specified by said detection report received from said object to be inspected; and

control means for controlling said object to be inspected concerning at least one of said determined network resource and information format so that said object conforms to said detected change.