Wireless communication system, wireless communication apparatus, wireless communication method, and computer program

• US 20060268800A1
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2005
• 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 7,804,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

In network groups adjacent to each other constructed by communication apparatuses notifying beacons, the communication apparatuses can exchange necessary data between themselves, avoiding interference. Communication stations in a group set one beacon period to operate the network group. A communication station in the group acquires a beacon period and a reservation period of an adjacent group, sets its own reservation period avoiding the acquired beacon period and reservation period, and as necessary, enters the adjacent group to exchange necessary data. A device shared by a plurality of users does not belong to any group, and a communication apparatus in a different group temporarily enters the beacon period as necessary to exchange data.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system in which one beacon period is set at every predetermined period in a same network group and at least a part of communication apparatuses in the network group notify a beacon containing information concerning a network so as to form the network group, the wireless communication system comprising:

a communication apparatus which searches for an adjacent existing network group by a beacon scan and enters each network group by transmitting a beacon signal during each beacon period of two or more network groups having different beacon periods.

2. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus detects another network group by receiving a beacon signal during a beacon period different from a beacon period set in a network group of the communication apparatus.

3. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein in the case where communication apparatuses operating with different beacon periods spatially overlap each other in wireless coverage, device-authenticated communication apparatuses that a user intends set one beacon period and form one network group.

4. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus acquires a beacon period and a reservation period in adjacent another network group by analyzing a beacon signal received from the another network group and sets a reservation period in a network group of the communication apparatus and the another network group, avoiding the acquired beacon period and reservation period.

5. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein if the communication apparatus needs to communicate with another network group, the communication apparatus enters the network group by transmitting its own beacon during a beacon period of the network group, and the communication apparatus exchanges data with a communication apparatus in the network group.

6. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein

a shared communication apparatus connected with a device shared by a plurality of users sets its own beacon period independently of any network group, and

if a communication apparatus of arbitrary network group communicates with the shared communication apparatus, the communication apparatus of arbitrary network group enters a network group of the shared communication apparatus by transmitting a beacon during the beacon period and exchanges necessary data.

7. A wireless communication apparatus which operates in a wireless communication environment where one beacon period is set at every predetermined period in a same network group and at least a part of the communication apparatuses in the network group notify a beacon containing information concerning a network so as to form the network group, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a communication unit transmitting and receiving wireless data over a transmission path;

a beacon generator generating a beacon signal containing information concerning a network;

a beacon analyzer analyzing a beacon signal received from an adjacent communication apparatus; and

a communication controller controlling a data transmission/reception operation in the communication unit,

wherein the communication controller controls a communication operation for each network group based on a result of analyzing a beacon signal received in a beacon period set in a network group of the wireless communication apparatus or a beacon period different therefrom.

8. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the communication controller searches for an adjacent existing network group by a beacon scan and enters each network group by transmitting a beacon signal during each beacon period of two or more network groups having different beacon periods.

9. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein at the time of detecting a communication apparatus operating with a beacon period different from that of a network group of the communication controller, the communication controller sets one beacon period with a device-authenticated communication apparatus that a user intends and merges into one network group.

10. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the communication controller acquires a beacon period and a reservation period in another network group based on a result of analyzing a beacon received from the another network group of a different beacon period, and sets a reservation period in a network group of the wireless communication apparatus and the another network group, avoiding the acquired beacon period and reservation period.

11. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein if the communication controller needs to communicate with another network group, the communication controller enters the network group by temporarily transmitting its own beacon during a beacon period of the network group and the communication controller exchanges data with a communication apparatus in the network group.

12. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein at the time of receiving a beacon signal from a new communication apparatus during its own beacon period, the communication controller determines whether or not to accept a connection with the new communication apparatus.

13. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising an application connection unit connecting an application device, wherein at the time of receiving a beacon signal from a new communication apparatus, the communication controller determines whether or not to accept a connection with the new communication apparatus based on application attribute information held by the application device.

14. A wireless communication method for performing communication operation in a wireless communication environment where one beacon period is set at every predetermined period in a same network group and at least a part of communication apparatuses in the network group notify a beacon containing information concerning a network so as to form the network group, the wireless communication method comprising the steps of:

setting one beacon between communication apparatuses in a network group;

searching for an adjacent existing network group by a beacon scan;

attempting to enter another network group of a different beacon period by transmitting a beacon signal during a beacon period of the network group; and

controlling a connection with a new communication apparatus at the time of receiving a beacon signal from the new communication apparatus during its own beacon period.

15. A computer program described in computer-readable form so as to allow a computer system to execute processing for performing communication operation in a wireless communication environment where one beacon period is set at every predetermined period in a same network group and at least a part of communication apparatuses in the network group notify a beacon containing information concerning a network so as to form the network group, the computer program comprising the steps of:

setting one beacon between communication apparatuses in a network group;

searching for an adjacent existing network group by a beacon scan;

attempting to enter another network group of a different beacon period by transmitting a beacon signal during a beacon period of the network group; and

controlling a connection with a new communication apparatus at the time of receiving a beacon signal from the new communication apparatus during its own beacon period.