Communication terminal, communication system, and computer program product
First Claim
1. A communication terminal, by switching from one mode to the other, operating in either master station operating mode for communicating with a plurality of slave stations that constitute a communication system, and also for controlling the communication system, or slave station operating mode for operating as a slave station in response to a control message from a master station, the communication terminal comprising:
- a transition request means for informing the master station of a transition request for its transition from the slave station to the master station, when it becomes necessary to operate as the master station while it is operating in the slave station operating mode; and
a mode switching means for making the transition from the slave station operating mode to the master station operating mode upon receiving a transition permission signal from the master station.
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Accused Products
Abstract
It is the objective of the present invention to realize a highly flexible communication system, in which a communication terminal can freely change from master station operating mode to slave station operating mode or vice versa at its own spontaneous request. In order to achieve this objective, a communication terminal of the present invention, by switching from one mode to the other, operates in either master station operating mode for communicating with a plurality of slave stations that constitute a communication system, and also for controlling the communication system, or slave station operating mode for operating as a slave station in response to a control message from a master station. When terminal 2 operating in slave station operating mode needs to operate as the master station, terminal 2 informs terminal 5, which is the master station, of a transition request REQ 1, for making the transition to the master station. Terminal 5 sends a transition permission signal ANS 1, to terminal 2, and then terminal 2 makes the transition from the slave station to the master station.
91 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A communication terminal, by switching from one mode to the other, operating in either master station operating mode for communicating with a plurality of slave stations that constitute a communication system, and also for controlling the communication system, or slave station operating mode for operating as a slave station in response to a control message from a master station,
the communication terminal comprising: -
a transition request means for informing the master station of a transition request for its transition from the slave station to the master station, when it becomes necessary to operate as the master station while it is operating in the slave station operating mode; and
a mode switching means for making the transition from the slave station operating mode to the master station operating mode upon receiving a transition permission signal from the master station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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5. A communication terminal, by switching from one mode to the other, operating in either master station operating mode for communicating with a plurality of slave stations that constitute a communication system, and also for controlling the communication system, or slave station operating mode for operating as a slave station in response to a control message from a master station,
the communication terminal comprising: -
a permission signal sending means for sending a permission signal to another communication terminal when operating in the master station operating mode, and receiving from another communication terminal a transition request for making the transition from the slave station to the master station; and
a mode switching means for making the transition from the master station operating mode to the slave station operating mode after sending the permission signal.
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10. A communication system comprising of a plurality of communication terminals, by switching from one mode to the other, operating in either master station operating mode for communicating with a plurality of slave stations that constitutes the communication system, and also for controlling the communication system, or slave station operating mode for operating as a slave station in response to a control message from a master station,
wherein when the slave station needs to operate as the master station, the slave station operating in the slave station operating mode informs the master station of a transition request for making the transition to the master station, when receiving the transition request, the master station sends out a transition permission signal to permit the transition request for making the transition to the master station, and the slave station receiving the transition permission signal from the master station, switches from the slave station operating mode to the master station operating mode.
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11. A computer program product with a computer program recorded on a computer readable recording medium, wherein the program is designed to cause a communication terminal to switch, as necessary, between master station operating mode for communicating with a plurality of slave stations that constitute a communication system, and also for controlling the communication system, and slave station operating mode for operating as a slave station in response to a control message from a master station,
wherein the computer program is to carry out the steps of: -
informing the master station of a transition request for making the transition from the slave station to the master station, when the slave station operating in the slave station operating mode needs to operate as the master station; and
switching from the slave station operating mode to the master station operating mode when receiving a transition permission signal from the master station.
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12. A computer program product with a computer program recorded on a computer readable recording medium, wherein the program is designed to cause a communication terminal to switch, as necessary, between master station operating mode for communicating with a plurality of slave stations that constitute a communication system, and also for controlling the communication system, and slave station operating mode for operating as a slave station in response to a control message from a master station,
wherein the computer program is to carry out the steps of: -
sending a permission signal to another communication terminal, when the communication terminal operating in the master station operating mode receives from another communication terminal, a transition request for making the transition to the master station; and
switching from the master station operating mode to the slave station operating mode after sending the permission signal.
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Specification