Mobile communication device containable in ad hoc network

• US 20060009248A1
• Filed: 05/21/2004
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Atsushi, Iisaka, Atsushi, Sakamoto, Kiyomi, Nomura, Noboru
• Granted Patent: US 7,212,514 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/517
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

In a mobile communication device 1, when an inquiry packet sent from another mobile communication device 1 for inquiring whether to accept or deny the participation in an ad hoc network is transferred to a work area 13, a transmission/reception control section 12 determines whether a denial flag set in a storage device 6 is 1. When the denial flag is 1, the transmission/reception control section 12 generates a first response for denying the participation in the ad hoc network, and transmits it through a transmission/reception section 14 to the another mobile communication device 1 having transmitted the inquiry packet.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device capable of data communication through an ad hoc network, the device comprising:

a reception section for receiving inquiry information for inquiring whether to accept or deny participation in the ad hoc network, the inquiry information being sent from another mobile communication device;

a condition determination section for, after the reception section receives the inquiry information, determining whether at least one preset condition is satisfied; and

a transmission section for generating information for denying the participation in the ad hoc network based on a determination result of the condition determination section, and for transmitting the information to the another mobile communication device.

2. The mobile communication device according to claim 1, wherein the condition determination section determines whether the at least one condition is satisfied based on a state of the mobile communication device.

3. The mobile communication device according to claim 2, further comprising a storage device for storing information indicating whether to accept the participation in the ad hoc network based on a user'"'"'s input, wherein

when the condition determination section determines that the information stored in the storage device indicates no acceptance of the participation in the ad hoc network, the transmission section generates the information for denying the participation in the ad hoc network.

4. The mobile communication device according to claim 2, further comprising a state detection section for detecting whether the mobile communication device is in communication, wherein

when the condition determination section determines that the state detection section has detected the mobile communication device as being in communication, the transmission section generates the information for denying the participation in the ad hoc network.

5. The mobile communication device according to claim 2, further comprising a storage device having stored therein a scheduled time at which the mobile communication device engages in communication, wherein

when the condition determination section determines that the scheduled time stored in the storage device is reached after a lapse of a predetermined period of time, the transmission section generates the information for denying the participation in the ad hoc network.

6. The mobile communication device according to claim 2, further comprising a residual power detection section for detecting a residual power of a battery in the mobile communication device, wherein

when the condition determination section determines that the residual power detected by the residual power detection section is less than or equal to a predetermined reference value, the transmission section generates the information for denying the participation in the ad hoc network.

7. The mobile communication device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a storage device having stored therein a database describing a chargeable point for the mobile communication device; and

a position detection section for detecting a current position of the mobile communication device, wherein

when the condition determination section determines that a distance from the current position detected by the position detection section to the chargeable point stored in the storage device is less than or equal to a predetermined reference value, the transmission section generates information for accepting the participation in the ad hoc network if the residual power detected by the residual power detection section is less than or equal to a predetermined reference value.

8. The mobile communication device according to claim 2, further comprising a storage section having stored therein an age of a user of the mobile communication device, wherein

when the age of the user, which is stored in the storage section, is equal to or more than a predetermined reference value, the transmission section generates information for accepting the participation in the ad hoc network regardless of another condition.

9. The mobile communication device according to claim 2, further comprising a storage section having stored therein information indicating a driving history of a user of the mobile communication device, wherein

when an age of the user, which is stored in the storage section, is equal to or more than a predetermined reference value, the transmission section generates the information for denying the participation in the ad hoc network.

10. The mobile communication device according to claim 1, being mounted in a vehicle.

11. A method for a mobile communication device to perform data communication through an ad hoc network, the method comprising:

a reception step for receiving inquiry information for inquiring whether to accept or deny participation in the ad hoc network, the inquiry information being sent from another mobile communication device;

a condition determination step for, after the inquiry information is received at the reception step, determining whether at least one preset condition is satisfied; and

a transmission step for generating information for denying the participation in the ad hoc network based on a determination result of the condition determination step, and for transmitting the information to the another mobile communication device.

12. The data communication method according to claim 11, being implemented by a computer program.

13. The data communication method according to claim 12, wherein the computer program is stored in a storage medium.