Data communication system, data communication device, program product for controlling data communication device, and portable terminal

• US 20030031155A1
• Filed: 08/09/2002
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Idehara, Takenori
• Granted Patent: US 7,376,109 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A data communication device includes the first interface for communicating with a portable terminal and the second interface for communicating with another communication device. The data communication device makes a judgment as to whether the first connection format for communication with the portable terminal via the first interface should be allowed when the data communication device receives the first connection request from the portable terminal via the first interface, selects another communication device that is capable of communicating with the portable terminal when the first connection format is not allowed, and transmits to the portable terminal the connection information concerning the second connection format for communication with the portable terminal via the selected another communication device and the second interface.

Claims

1. A data communication system comprising:

a portable terminal having a first communication interface for wireless communication;

a first communication device having a first network interface for communication via a network, and a second wireless communication interface for conducting wireless communication with said portable terminal; and

a second communication device having a second network interface for communication via a network, and a third wireless communication interface for conducting wireless communication with said portable terminal,

wherein said first communication device makes a judgment as to whether a first connection format for communication with said portable terminal via the second wireless communication interface should be allowed when said first communication device receives a first connection request from said portable terminal via the second wireless communication interface, selects the second communication device that is capable of wirelessly communicating with said portable terminal when the first connection format is not allowed, and transmits to said portable terminal the connection information concerning a second connection format for communication with said portable terminal via the second communication device, said network, and the first network interface; and

said portable terminal transmits a second connection request to said second communication device for forming said second connection format via the first wireless communication interface when said portable terminal receives said connection information via the first wireless communication interface from the first communication device.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first communication device does not allow the first connection format when said first communication device receives the first connection request from said portable terminal when said first communication device is engaged in communication with another portable device via the second wireless communication interface.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first communication device makes a judgment as to whether the first connection format for communication with said portable terminal via the second wireless communication interface should be allowed in accordance with characteristics of communication with said portable terminal.

4. A data communication device comprising:

a first interface for communicating with a portable terminal;

a second interface for communicating with another communication device; and

a controller that makes a judgment as to whether a first connection format for communication with said portable terminal via the first interface should be allowed when the data communication device receives a first connection request from said portable terminal via the first interface, selects another communication device that is capable of communicating with said portable terminal when the first connection format is not allowed, and transmits to said portable terminal the connection information concerning a second connection format for communication with said portable terminal via said another communication device and the second interface.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first interface conducts wireless communication.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said second interface conducts communication via a network.

7. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said controller switches the communication with a second portable terminal to the first connection format when the communication with a first portable terminal ends while the communication with the first portable terminal is conducted in the first connection format and the communication with the second portable terminal is conducted in the second connection format.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said controller selects one portable terminal based on a specified order of priority when there are multiple portable terminals that are communicating in the second connection format when the communication with the first portable terminal ends, and switches the communication with the selected portable terminal from the second connection format to the first connection format.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said specified order of priority is an order of receiving the first connection request from the portable terminal.

10. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said controller selects one communication device in accordance with specified characteristic information when there are multiple communication devices one of which may be said another communication device.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said specified characteristic information includes either the number of connections with the portable terminals each communication device is engaged in, response time of the communication with the portable terminal, or the data transfer rate in the communication with the portable terminal.

12. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said controller monitors the specified characteristic of the selected another communication device and selects yet another communication device when said specified characteristic information changes.

13. A program product for controlling a data communication device having a first interface for communicating with a portable terminal and a second interface for communicating with another communication device, said program product causing the data communication device to execute a process comprising the steps of:

making a judgment as to whether a first connection format for communication with said portable terminal via the first interface should be allowed when the data communication device receives a first connection request from said portable terminal via the first interface;

selecting another communication device that is capable of communicating with said portable terminal when the first connection format is not allowed; and

transmitting to said portable terminal the connection information concerning a second connection format for communication with said portable terminal via the selected another communication device and the second interface.

14. A program product as claimed in claim 13, said process further comprising the step of:

switching the communication with a second portable terminal to the first connection format when the communication with a first portable terminal ends while the communication with the first portable terminal is conducted in the first connection format and the communication with the second portable terminal is conducted in the second connection format.

15. A program product as claimed in claim 14, wherein, in said switching step, one portable terminal is selected based on a specified order of priority when there are multiple portable terminals that are communicating in the second connection format when the communication with the first portable terminal ends, and the communication with the selected portable terminal is switched from the second connection format to the first connection format.

16. A program product as claimed in claim 15, wherein said specified order of priority is an order of receiving the first connection request from the portable terminal.

17. A portable terminal comprising:

a first interface for communicating with a first communication device and a second communication device; and

a controller that transmits a connection request to the second communication device via the first interface when the portable terminal receives connection information concerning a connection format via the second communication device for a connection request transmitted to the first communication device via the first interface.