Radio communication system, radio communication control apparatus, radio communication control method, and computer program

• US 20030169697A1
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Mitsuhiro, Sugaya, Shigeru
• Granted Patent: US 7,729,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A communication terminal under the control of a wireless base station recursively has wireless base station capabilities in a parent network, constructs a daughter network within a scope of resources of the own apparatus assigned by the wireless base station, and assigns the resources to an other communication terminal under the control of the communication terminal having base station capabilities. This novel constitution allows to configure two or more networks guaranteed not to interfere each other, thereby allowing the coexistence of a plurality of personal area networks on a same frequency channel. At the same time, the novel constitution allows expanding a network area without increasing the scale of equipment.

Claims

1. A wireless communication control apparatus comprising:

a communication control means for performing communication control in accordance with a resource assignment included in a downstream signal of a first network; and

a resource assignment means for performing resource assignment in accordance with a transmission request included in an upstream signal of a second network.

2. The wireless communication control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said resource assignment means performs resource assignment to a communication apparatus under the control of said wireless communication control apparatus within a scope of resources assigned thereto.

3. A wireless communication control method comprising the steps of:

receiving, in a downstream signal, by a first communication terminal, resource assignment information determined by a wireless base station apparatus in accordance with a transmission request from said first communication terminal apparatus;

performing communication control in said first communication terminal apparatus in accordance with said resource assignment information; and

performing resource assignment to said second communication terminal apparatus within a scope of resources assigned to said first communication terminal apparatus from said wireless base station apparatus in said first communication terminal apparatus in response to a transmission request from a second communication terminal apparatus under the control of said first communication terminal apparatus.

4. The wireless communication control method according to claim 3, wherein,;

in response to a transmission request from an other communication terminal apparatus under the control of said second communication terminal apparatus, said second communication terminal apparatus recursively performs resource assignment to said other communication terminal apparatus with a scope of resources assigned to said second communication terminal apparatus by said first communication terminal apparatus.

5. A wireless communication control method for performing resource assignment based on time division multiplexing, comprising the steps of:

assigning a first resource period within a transmission frame to a first station which constitutes a first network with a station which assigns resource period at least to a own station; and

assigning a second resource period within said first resource period to a second station that constitutes a second network with at least said first station.

6. A wireless communication system based on time division multiplexing, comprising:

a first station constituting a first network with a station which assigns a resource period to a own station to communicate with an other station constituting said first network; and

a second station constituting a second network with at least said first station to communicate with an other station constituting said second network except for at least a portion of a resource period assigned to said first station.

7. A wireless communication system in which a plurality of wireless networks constituted by a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses and a control station for performing time slot assignment to each of said wireless communication apparatuses in every predetermined transmission frame period coexist, each of said wireless networks comprising:

a signal detecting means for detecting a signal from an other of said wireless networks;

a time slot analyzing means for analyzing a transmission time slot on which guaranteed time slot transmission is performed in an other of said wireless networks on the basis of a signal detected by said signal detecting means; and

a time slot assigning means that does not assign a transmission time slot on which guaranteed time slot transmission is performed in an other of said wireless networks to a wireless communication apparatus in an own wireless network.

8. The wireless communication system according to claim 7, wherein said time slot assigning means sets the transmission time slot on which guaranteed time slot transmission is performed in an other of said wireless networks as an unassigned area in the own wireless network.

9. The wireless communication system according to claim 8, wherein said time slot assigning means clears the setting of the unassigned area in the own wireless network in response to that said signal detecting means does not detect the signal from an other of said wireless networks.

10. The wireless communication system according to claim 7, wherein said time slot analyzing means analyzes an unassigned area in an other of said wireless networks and said time slot assigning means performs time slot assignment within the own wireless network by use of said unassigned area in said other wireless networks.

11. A wireless communication control apparatus for performing, in a network environment in which a plurality of wireless networks for performing guaranteed time slot transmission in every predetermined transmission frame period between wireless communication apparatuses coexist, time slot assignment of a transmission frame period within said wireless networks, comprising:

a signal detecting means for detecting a signal from an other of said wireless networks;

a time slot analyzing means for analyzing a transmission time slot on which guaranteed time slot transmission is performed in an other of said wireless networks on the basis of the signal detected by said signal detecting means; and

a time slot assigning means which does not assign a transmission time slot on which guaranteed time slot transmission is performed on an other of said wireless networks to a wireless communication apparatus in an own wireless network.

12. The wireless communication control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said time slot assigning means sets the transmission time slot on which guaranteed time slot transmission is performed on an other of said wireless networks as an unassigned area within the own wireless network.

13. The wireless communication control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said time slot assigning means clears the setting of the unassigned area in the own wireless network in response to that said signal detecting means does not detect the signal from an other of said wireless networks.

14. The wireless communication control apparatus according to claim 11, said time slot analyzing means analyzes an unassigned area in an other of said wireless networks and said time slot assigning means performs time slot assignment within the own wireless network by use of said unassigned area in said other wireless networks.

15. A wireless communication control method for performing, in a network environment in which a plurality of wireless networks for performing guaranteed time slot transmission in every predetermined transmission frame period between wireless communication apparatuses coexist, time slot assignment of a transmission frame period within said wireless networks, comprising the steps of:

detecting a signal from an other of said wireless networks;

analyzing a transmission time slot on which guaranteed time slot transmission is performed in an other of said wireless networks on the basis of the signal detected in said signal detecting step; and

not assigning a transmission time slot on which guaranteed time slot transmission is performed on an other of said wireless networks to a wireless communication apparatus in an own wireless network.

16. The wireless communication control method according to claim 15, wherein said time slot assigning step sets the transmission time slot on which guaranteed time slot transmission is performed on an other of said wireless networks as an unassigned area within the own wireless network.

17. The wireless communication control method according to claim 16, wherein said time slot assigning step clears the setting of the unassigned area in the own wireless network in response to that said signal detecting step does not detect the signal from an other of said wireless networks.

18. The wireless communication control method according to claim 15, wherein said time slot analyzing step analyzes an unassigned area in an other of said wireless networks and said time slot assigning step performs time slot assignment within the own wireless network by use of said unassigned area in said other wireless networks.

19. A wireless communication system in which a plurality of wireless networks constituted by a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses and a control station for performing time slot assignment to each of said wireless communication apparatuses in every predetermined transmission frame period coexist, at least one of said wireless networks providing:

in response to the reception of a request for constructing a new wireless network, a transmission time slot for said new wireless network.

20. The wireless communication system according to claim 19, wherein each of said wireless networks comprising:

a setting means for setting a time slot unassigned area to an own wireless network;

a transmitting means for transmitting time slot assignment information of the own wireless network;

an analyzing means for receiving and analyzing time slot assignment information of an other wireless network; and

a assigning means for assigning a time slot of the own wireless network by use of an unassigned area of a time slot in an other wireless network.

21. The wireless communication system according to claim 19, wherein said construction request is a request for participating of an other control station which constructs a new wireless network into the corresponding wireless network.

22. The wireless communication system according to claim 19 wherein said construction request is a request from an other control station which constructs a new wireless network for a time slot to a control station of the corresponding wireless network.

23. The wireless communication system according to claim 19, wherein information that a transmission time slot has been set to said new wireless network is included in time slot assignment information and notified in the corresponding wireless network.

24. The wireless communication system according to claim 19, wherein a transmission frame for notifying said new wireless network of the setting of a transmission time slot is transmitted to a control station of said new wireless network.

25. A wireless communication control apparatus for performing, in a network environment in which a plurality of wireless networks for performing guaranteed time slot transmission in every predetermined transmission frame period between wireless communication apparatuses coexist, time slot assignment in a transmission frame period in said wireless networks, wherein

a request for constructing a new wireless network is transmitted to any of said existing wireless networks.

26. The wireless communication control apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said construction request is a request for participating into any of said existing wireless networks.

27. The wireless communication control apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said construction request is a time slot request for requesting the assignment of a use time slot to any of said existing wireless networks.

28. A wireless communication control method for performing, in a network environment in which a plurality of wireless networks for performing guaranteed time slot transmission in every predetermined transmission frame period between wireless communication apparatuses coexist, time slot assignment in a transmission frame period in said wireless networks, wherein

a request for constructing a new wireless network is transmitted to any of said existing wireless networks.

29. The wireless communication control method according to claim 28, wherein said construction request is a request for participating into any of said existing wireless networks.

30. The wireless communication control method according to claim 28, wherein said construction request is a time slot request for requesting the assignment of a use time slot to any of said existing wireless networks.

31. A wireless communication control apparatus for performing, in a network environment in which a plurality of wireless networks for performing guaranteed time slot transmission in every predetermined transmission frame period between wireless communication apparatuses coexist, time slot assignment in a transmission frame period in said wireless networks, wherein

in response to the reception of a request for constructing a new wireless network, a transmission time slot for said new wireless network is set.

32. The wireless communication control apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said construction request is a request for participating into any of said existing wireless networks.

33. The wireless communication control apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said construction request is a time slot request for requesting the assignment of a use time slot to any of said existing wireless networks.

34. The wireless communication control apparatus according to claim 31, wherein information that said transmission time slot has been set is included in time slot assignment information in the corresponding wireless network, and said time slot assignment information is transmitted to said new wireless network.

35. The wireless communication control apparatus according to claim 31, wherein a transmission frame for notifying said new wireless network of information that said transmission time slot has been set is transmitted to a control station of said new wireless network.

36. A wireless communication control method for performing, in a network environment in which a plurality of wireless networks for performing guaranteed time slot transmission in every predetermined transmission frame period between wireless communication apparatuses coexist, time slot assignment in a transmission frame period in said wireless networks, wherein

in response to the reception of a request for constructing a new wireless network, a transmission time slot for said new wireless network is set.

37. The wireless communication control method according to claim 36, wherein said construction request is a request for participating into any of said existing wireless networks.

38. The wireless communication control method according to claim 36, wherein said construction request is a time slot request for requesting the assignment of a use time slot to any of said existing wireless networks.

39. The wireless communication control method according to claim 36, wherein information that said transmission time slot has been set is included in time slot assignment information in the corresponding wireless network, and said time slot assignment information is transmitted to said new wireless network.

40. The wireless communication control method according to claim 36, wherein a transmission frame for notifying said new wireless network of information that said transmission time slot has been set is transmitted to a control station of said new wireless network.

41. A computer-readable program for executing, on a computer system, processing of performing, in a network environment in which a plurality of wireless networks for performing guaranteed time slot transmission in every predetermined transmission frame period between wireless communication apparatuses coexist, time slot assignment in a transmission frame period in said wireless networks, comprising the steps of:

detecting a signal from an other of said wireless networks;

analyzing a transmission time slot on which guaranteed time slot transmission is performed in an other of said wireless networks on the basis of the signal detected in said signal detecting step; and

not assigning a transmission time slot on which guaranteed time slot transmission is performed on an other of said wireless networks to a wireless communication apparatus in an own wireless network.

42. A computer-readable program for executing, on a computer system, processing of performing in a network environment in which a plurality of wireless networks for performing guaranteed time slot transmission in every predetermined transmission frame period between wireless communication apparatuses coexist, time slot assignment in a transmission frame period in said wireless networks, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for constructing a new wireless network;

performing time slot assignment with a time slot unassigned area set in an own wireless network in response to said construction request; and

transmitting time slot assignment information in said own wireless network.

43. A computer-readable program for executing, on a computer system, processing of performing, in a network environment in which a plurality of wireless networks for performing guaranteed time slot transmission in every predetermined transmission frame period between wireless communication apparatuses coexist, time slot assignment in a transmission frame period in said wireless networks, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a request for constructing a new wireless network to any of said existing wireless networks;

receiving time slot assignment information from any of said existing wireless networks; and

performing time slot assignment in an own wireless network on the basis of said time slot assignment information.