Communication terminal containing apparatus, communication terminal apparatus, and radio communication system

• US 20030152054A1
• Filed: 02/04/2003
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Redwood Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hirano, Jun, Aramaki, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,257,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/02 Hybrid access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

The present invention discloses a communication terminal accommodation device that makes communication terminals under the control of different wireless LAN systems communicate with each other. In a first system, the transmission and reception periods of a downlink signal, a direct-link signal, and an uplink signal are set after the transmission and reception periods of RCH, BCH, FCH and ACH control channels. In a second system, the transmission and reception period of a PCF mode is set immediately after a beacon, and the transmission and reception period of a DCF mode is set after that. In the first system, a period after the PCF mode of the second system is set as an unused period, and the RCH reception period is set to start at the start time of the PCF mode of the second system.

Claims

1. A communication terminal accommodation device comprising:

first communication control means for performing communication in a master-slave network;

second communication control means for performing communication in a direct connection network; and

identification signal inserting means for inserting an identification signal into a transmission signal to monitor each control mode period.

2. The communication terminal accommodation device according to claim 1 wherein said identification signal inserting means inserts the identification signal at the timing just after the transmission of an annunciation channel in the master-slave network.

3. The communication terminal accommodation device according to claim 1 wherein said identification signal inserting means inserts the identification signal at the timing just after a broadcast phase containing an annunciation channel in the master-slave network.

4. The communication terminal accommodation device according to claim 1 wherein the identification signal is commonly used to identify both centralized control and distributed control modes in the direct connection network.

5. The communication terminal accommodation device according to claim 1 wherein said identification signal inserting means varies the length of the period of a centralized control mode to be protected by the identification signal.

6. The communication terminal accommodation device according to claim 1 wherein an upper limit to the period of a distributed control mode is provided within a range not exceeding the length of a transmission unit for communication in the direct connection network.

7. The communication terminal accommodation device according to claim 1 wherein said identification signal inserting means inserts an identification signal including information on the presence or absence of a frame in the master-slave network or its frame period.

8. The communication terminal accommodation device according to claim 1 wherein said identification signal inserting means inserts the identification signal just after completion of the period of a distributed control mode.

9. The communication terminal accommodation device according to claim 8 wherein communication in a centralized control mode is initiated immediately following the identification signal just after completion of the period of the distributed control mode, and the transmission of a frame of the master-slave network is initiated at the frame timing in the master-slave network.

10. The communication terminal accommodation device according to claim 8 wherein the communication period of a variable-length packet in the master-slave network is provided immediately following the identification signal just after completion of the period of the distributed control mode so that frame transmission of the master-slave network will be initiated at the frame timing in the master-slave network.

12. The communication terminal accommodation device according to claim 1 further comprising monitoring means for monitoring traffic conditions in the communication, and communication period calculating means for calculating communication periods in the master-slave network and the direct connection network based on the traffic conditions.

13. The communication terminal accommodation device according to claim 12 wherein said communication period calculating means further includes first required-band calculating means for calculating a required band from a communication request in the master-slave network monitored by said monitoring means, second required-band calculating means for calculating a required band from a communication request in a centralized control mode of the direct connection network monitored by said monitoring means, and third required-band calculating means for calculating a required band from a usage or collision rate in the distributed control mode of the direct connection network monitored by said monitoring means, whereby the communication periods are calculated, based on the required bands calculated from said first to third required-band calculating means, so that communication in the master-slave network and communication in the direct connection network will be distributed impartially.

14. The communication terminal accommodation device according to claim 12 wherein said communication period calculating means calculates the communication period of a variable-length packet in the master-slave network immediately following the identification signal just after completion of the period of the distributed control mode, and calculates a mixed period based on the communication period, such that the transmission of a frame of the master-slave network is performed during the communication period at the frame timing in the master-slave network, while communication is performed during the mixed period in such a communication state that it is mixed with communication in the distributed control mode.

11. The communication terminal accommodation device according to claim wherein priority is given to a connection request in a connection request period immediately following the identification signal just after completion of the period of the distributed control mode.

15. A communication terminal device for a direct connection network comprising:

identification signal confirmation means for confirming an identification signal that protects the period of a centralized control mode in a direct connection network; and

communication control means for initiating communication in the centralized control mode of the direct connection network after the identification signal has been confirmed.

19. The communication terminal device according to any one of claims 15 to 17, further comprising information confirmation means for confirming information contained in the identification signal, which indicates the presence or absence of a frame in the master-slave network or it period, such that periods for systems other than the system to which the terminal device itself belongs are changed to a standby state on the basis of the information confirmed by said information confirmation means.

20. The communication terminal device according to any one of claims 15 to 17, further comprising information confirmation means for confirming information contained in the identification signal, which indicates the presence or absence of a frame in the master-slave network or its period, such that communication is switched as being adapted to each system based on the information confirmed by said information confirmation means.

16. A communication terminal device for a master-slave network wherein said communication terminal device is configured to confirm an identification signal inserted at the timing just after the transmission of an annunciation channel in the master-slave network, or an identification signal inserted at the timing just after a broadcast phase including the annunciation channel in the master-slave network.

17. A communication terminal device for a master-slave network comprising:

identification signal confirmation means for confirming an identification signal that protects a centralized control mode of a direct connection network; and

connection request means for making a connection request during a connection request period provided after the identification signal has been confirmed.

18. The communication terminal device for the master-slave network according to claim 17 wherein a connection request to which a higher priority is given is made in the connection request period immediately following the identification signal.

21. A wireless communication system comprising:

a communication terminal accommodation device including first communication control means for performing communication in a master-slave network, second communication means for performing communication in a direct connection network, and identification signal inserting means for inserting an identification signal into a transmission signal to monitor each control mode period; and

a communication terminal device for the direct connection network including identification signal confirmation means for confirming an identification signal that protects the period of a centralized control mode in the direct connection network, and communication control means for initiating communication in the centralized control mode of the direct connection network after the identification signal has been confirmed.

24. The wireless communication system according to any one of claims 21 to 23 wherein, when said communication terminal device in the direct connection network is not participating in communication, said system is operated as a conventional master-slave network, and at the time when said communication terminal device in the direct connection network initiates communication, management of two or more communication systems is started using the identification signal.

25. The wireless communication system according to any one of claims 21 to 23 wherein, when said communication terminal device in the direct connection network stops participating in the communication while the management of two or more communication systems is being performed, said system is operated as a conventional master-slave network.

22. A wireless communication system comprising:

a communication terminal accommodation device including first communication control means for performing communication in a master-slave network, second communication means for performing communication in a direct connection network, and identification signal inserting means for inserting an identification signal into a transmission signal to monitor each control mode period; and

a communication terminal device for the master-slave network, which is configured to confirm an identification signal inserted at the timing just after the transmission of an annunciation channel in the master-slave network, or an identification signal inserted at the timing just after a broadcast phase including the annunciation channel in the master-slave network.

23. A wireless communication system comprising:

a communication terminal accommodation device including first communication control means for performing communication in a master-slave network, second communication means for performing communication in a direct connection network, and identification signal inserting means for inserting an identification signal into a transmission signal to monitor each control mode period; and

a communication terminal device for the master-slave network including identification signal confirmation means for confirming an identification signal that protects the period of a centralized control mode in the direct connection network, and connection request means for making a connection request during a connection request period provided after the identification signal has been confirmed.