Wireless communication apparatus, wireless communication network and software upgrading method

• US 20050208944A1
• Filed: 01/19/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Communication Technologies, Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kurata, Ryosuke, Okita, Koichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,310,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Software in a base station is upgraded during a communication service. A base station control portion selects one or multiple signals in accordance with the state of radio waves from signals received through multiple definable communication paths. A wireless communication apparatus communicates with a wireless terminal and a wired communication network at multiple frequencies. In response to a request for software upgrading from a network management device, the wireless communication apparatus selects one frequency, controls the state of transmission waves of a wireless interface such that a communication path in which a communication service is being provided at the frequency can be switched to another communication network without instantaneous interruption, rewrites software defined for each wireless interface out of communication service to software received through a wired interface in advance, and returns the state of transmission waves of the wireless interface. Thus, the software can be upgraded without blackouts of the communication service to the wireless terminal.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus communicating between a wireless terminal and a wired communication network by using multiple wireless communication paths having different frequencies within a handover-possible wireless communication network, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a wired interface for communicating with the wired communication network;

a first wireless interface for communicating with the wireless terminal at a first frequency;

a first communication processing portion for performing processing for providing a communication service to the wireless terminal at the first frequency through the first wireless interface and the wired interface;

a second wireless interface for communicating with the wireless terminal at a second frequency;

a second communication processing portion for performing processing for providing a communication service to the wireless terminal at the second frequency through the second wireless interface and the wired interface; and

a control portion for controlling the wireless communication apparatus,

wherein the control portion;

selects one of the first and second frequencies sequentially and changes the state of transmission waves of the first and/or second wireless interfaces in accordance with the selected frequency such that a communication path in which a communication service is being provided can be switched to another communication path without instantaneous interruption;

upgrades defined software to software received through the wired interface in advance; and

returns the state of transmission waves of the first and/or second wireless interfaces after the software upgrading.

2. A wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control portion:

reduces an output of transmission waves of the first or second wireless interface in accordance with a selected frequency, resulting in a state that no communication service is available at the frequency; and

upgrades defined software under the state in the first or second wireless interface in accordance with the selected frequency and the first or second communication processing portion in accordance with the selected frequency.

3. A wireless communication network according to claim 1, wherein the control portion:

receives software to upgrade and an upgrade request through the wired interface,

selects one of the first and second frequencies sequentially in accordance with the received upgrade request, and changes the state of transmission waves of the first or second wireless interface in accordance with the selected frequency such that a communication path in which a communication service is being provided can be switched to another communication path without instantaneous interruption;

determines whether no communication path is providing a communication service at the selected frequency or not; and

when determined that no communication path is providing, upgrades defined software to the received software.

4. A wireless communication apparatus having sectors communicating at multiple respective frequencies between a wireless terminal and a wired communication network, by using multiple wireless communication paths having different frequencies and multiple wireless communication paths in different sectors within a handover-possible wireless communication network, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a wired interface for communicating with the wired communication network;

multiple wireless interfaces, one for each sector, for communicating with the wireless terminal at multiple frequencies;

multiple communication processing portions, one for each frequency, connected to the wireless interfaces, respectively, for performing processing for providing a communication service to a wireless terminal at a predetermined frequency through the wireless interface and the wired interface; and

a control portion for controlling the wireless communication apparatus,

wherein the control portion;

(a);

selects at least one of multiple frequencies sequentially and changes the state of transmission waves of the multiple wireless interfaces for the selected frequency such that a communication path can be switched to another communication path without instantaneous interruption; and

upgrades software defined in the communication processing portion in accordance with the selected frequency to software received through the wired interface in advance;

returns the state of transmission waves for the selected sector after the software upgrading; and

(b);

selects at least one of multiple sectors sequentially and changes the state of transmission waves of the wireless interface in accordance with the selected sector such that a communication path can be switched to another communication path without instantaneous interruption; and

upgrades software defined in the wireless interface in accordance with the selected sector to software received through the wired interface in advance; and

returns the state of transmission waves for the selected sector after the software upgrading.

5. A wireless communication network which is handover-possible, the wireless communication network comprising:

a wireless communication apparatus communicating between a wireless terminal and a wired communication network by using multiple wireless communication paths having different frequencies;

a control device having a handover unit for selecting one or multiple signals in accordance with the state of radio waves from signals received through multiple definable communication paths and communicating the wireless communication apparatus; and

a network management device for managing a network,

wherein the network management device sends software to upgrade and an upgrade request to the wireless communication apparatus, and

each of the wireless communication apparatus;

receives the software and upgrade request sent from the network management device;

selects at least one of multiple frequencies sequentially in accordance with the received upgrade request, and changes the state of transmission waves of the selected frequency such that a communication path in which a communication service is being provided can be switched by the control device to another communication path without instantaneous interruption;

upgrades defined software to the received software; and

returns the state of transmission waves after the software upgrading.

6. A wireless communication network according to claim 5, wherein the network management device:

selects one or multiple of the wireless communication apparatus having software to upgrade under a predetermined rule and creates a wireless communication apparatus group; and

sends software to upgrade and an upgrade request to the wireless communication apparatus belonging to the created wireless communication apparatus group.

7. A wireless communication network according to claim 6, wherein the network management device:

has a memory storing an adjacent identifier for identifying the wireless communication apparatus adjacent to the wireless communication apparatus in accordance with a device identifier for identifying the wireless communication apparatus; and

identifies the wireless communication apparatus adjacent to the selected wireless communication apparatus with reference to the memory so that the adjacent wireless communication apparatus cannot be selected for the same wireless communication apparatus group.

8. A wireless communication network according to claim 6, wherein the network management device:

has a memory storing, in accordance with a device identifier for identifying the wireless communication apparatus, the number of call connections in the wireless communication apparatus, an identifier of a group that the wireless communication apparatus belongs to and/or an identifier indicating that the wireless communication apparatus does not belong to any group; and

selects the wireless communication apparatus having the number of call connections at a minimum or equal to or lower than a predetermined number from the wireless communication apparatus not belonging to any wireless communication apparatus groups with reference to the memory and creates a wireless communication apparatus group.

9. A wireless communication network according to claim 6, wherein the network management device:

has a memory storing, in accordance with a device identifier for identifying the wireless communication apparatus, (a);

the number of call connections in the wireless communication apparatus, (b);

an adjacent identifier for identifying the wireless communication apparatus adjacent to the wireless communication apparatus, and (c);

a group information including one of an identifier of a group that the wireless communication apparatus belongs to, or, an information indicating that the wireless communication apparatus is excluded from candidates for the selection, or, an information indicating candidates for the selection;

searches the wireless communication apparatus having the minimum number of call connections or one of the wireless communication apparatus having the numbers of call connections equal to or lower than a predetermined number from the wireless communication apparatus indicated as candidates for the selection in the group information with reference to the memory and obtains an apparatus identifier of the searched wireless communication apparatus;

stores the identifier of the searched wireless communication apparatus group in group information corresponding to the obtained apparatus identifier;

obtains an adjacent identifier with respect to the obtained apparatus identifier; and

searches an apparatus identifier based on the obtained adjacent identifier and stores information indicating that the apparatus is excluded from candidates in group information corresponding to the searched apparatus identifier.

10. A wireless communication network which is handover-possible, the wireless communication network comprising:

a wireless communication apparatus having multiple wave signal processing portions, one for each sector, for communicating with a wireless terminal at multiple frequencies, and multiple communication processing portions, one for each frequency, connected to the wave signal processing portions, respectively, and having sectors communicating at the respective multiple frequencies between the wireless terminal and a wired communication network by using multiple wireless communication paths having different frequencies and multiple wireless communication paths having different sectors;

a control device having a handover unit selecting one or multiple signals in accordance with the state of radio waves from signals received by multiple definable communication paths and communicating with the wireless communication apparatus; and

a network management device for managing the network,

wherein the network management device sends software to upgrade and an upgrade request to the wireless communication apparatus, and

each of the wireless communication apparatus;

receives the software and upgrade request sent from the network management device;

(a);

sequentially selects at least one of multiple frequencies in accordance with the received upgrade request and changes the state of transmission waves of the multiple wave signal processing portions for the selected frequency such that a communication path in which a communication service is being provided can be switched to another communication path by the control device without instantaneous interruption;

upgrades software defined in the communication processing portions in accordance with the selected frequency to the received software; and

returns the state of transmission waves for the selected frequency after the software upgrading; and

(b);

sequentially selects at least one of multiple sectors and changes the state of transmission waves of the wave signal processing portion in accordance with the selected sector such that a communication path in which a communication service is being provided can be switched to another communication path by the control device without instantaneous interruption;

upgrades software defined in the wave signal processing portion in accordance with the selected sector to the received software; and

returns the state of transmission waves for the selected sector after the software upgrading.

11. A software upgrading method for upgrading software in a wireless communication apparatus in a handover-possible wireless communication network, the network including a wireless communication apparatus communicating between a wireless terminal and a wired communication network by using multiple wireless communication paths having different frequencies, a control device having a handover unit for selecting one or multiple signals in accordance with the state of radio waves from signals received through multiple definable communication paths and communicating with the wireless communication apparatus, and a network management device managing a network,

the method comprising the steps of:

sending software to upgrade and an upgrade request to the wireless communication apparatus by the network management device;

receiving the software and upgrade request sent from the network management device by the wireless communication apparatus;

selecting at least one of multiple frequencies sequentially in accordance with the received upgrade request and changing the state of transmission waves of the selected frequency by the control device such that a communication path in which a communication service is being provided can be switched to another communication path without instantaneous interruption by the wireless communication apparatus;

upgrading defined software to the received software by the wireless communication apparatus; and

returning the state of transmission waves after the software upgrading by the wireless communication apparatus.

12. A software upgrading method for upgrading software in a wireless communication apparatus in a handover-possible wireless communication network, the network including a wireless communication apparatus having multiple wave signal processing portions, one for each sector, for communicating with a wireless terminal at multiple frequencies and multiple communication processing portions, one for each frequency, connected to the wave signal processing portions, respectively, and having sectors communicating at the respective multiple frequencies between the wireless terminal and a wired communication network by using multiple wireless communication paths having different frequencies and multiple wireless communication paths having different sectors;

a control device having a handover unit selecting one or multiple signals in accordance with the state of radio waves from signals received by multiple definable communication paths and communicating with the wireless communication apparatus; and

a network management device for managing the network,

the method comprising the steps of;

sending software to upgrade and an upgrade request to the wireless communication apparatus by the network management device;

receiving the software and upgrade request sent from the network management device by the wireless communication apparatus;

(a);

by the wireless communication apparatus,

sequentially selecting at least one of multiple frequencies in accordance with the received upgrade request and changing the state of transmission waves of the multiple wave signal processing portions for the selected frequency such that a communication path in which a communication service is being provided can be switched to another communication path by the control device without instantaneous interruption;

upgrading software defined in the communication processing portions in accordance with the selected frequency to the received software; and

returning the state of transmission waves for the selected frequency after software upgrading; and

(b);

by the wireless communication apparatus,

sequentially selecting at least one of multiple sectors and changing the state of transmission waves of the wave signal processing portion in accordance with the selected sector such that a communication path in which a communication service is being provided can be switched to another communication path by the control device without instantaneous interruption;

upgrading software defined in the wave signal processing portion in accordance with the selected sector to the received software; and

returning the state of transmission waves for the selected sector after the software upgrading.