COMMUNICATION METHOD, CONTROL STATION, AND COMMUNICATION APPARATUS

• US 20070140197A1
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sawada, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 8,149,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

When a first communication apparatus issues a request for communication quality securement to a control station in order to select communication using a communication path via a control station or communication using a direct communication path between communication apparatuses, it is determined whether the communication partner of the first communication apparatus is a communication apparatus accommodated in the same control station. The control station selects a communication path on the basis of the determination.

Claims

1. A communication method for selection of communication using a communication path via a control station and communication using a direct communication path between communication apparatuses, the method comprising the steps of:

when issuing a request for communication quality securement from a first communication apparatus to the control station, determining whether a communication partner of the first communication apparatus is a communication apparatus accommodated in the same control station; and

selecting either communication path on the basis of the determination.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determination is performed on the basis of communication partner information contained in a request signal for communication quality securement from the first communication apparatus, by the control station.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of notifying the first communication apparatus of the selected communication path.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the notification to the first communication apparatus is performed as a response to a request for communication quality securement from the first communication apparatus, by the control station.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein, when a direct communication path between the communication apparatuses is selected on the basis of the determination, the control station notifies the first communication apparatus of the direct communication path between the communication apparatuses even if the first communication apparatus issues a request for a communication path via the control station.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first communication apparatus determines a communication path required for the control station on the basis of the notification.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selection of the communication path is performed on the basis of information indicating whether the communication partner has a function of performing communication via the direct communication path and the determination, by the control station.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first communication apparatus monitors communication by another communication apparatus and whether the partner apparatus is a communication apparatus accommodated in the same control station is determined in accordance with the monitoring result.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the first communication apparatus requests a communication path selected by the control station on the basis of the selection.

18. A program which is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium and causes a computer to execute a communication method defined in claim 1.

19. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to execute a communication method defined in claim 1 is recorded.

10. A control station in a system which is configured to perform communication using a communication path via a control station and communication using a direct communication path between communication apparatuses, comprising:

a determination unit adapted to, when a first communication apparatus issues a request for communication quality securement, determine whether to accommodate a communication partner of the first communication apparatus; and

a selection unit adapted to select either communication path on the basis of determination by said determination unit.

11. The station according to claim 10, wherein said determination unit performs determination on the basis of communication partner information contained in a request signal for communication quality securement from the first communication apparatus.

12. The station according to claim 10, further comprising a notification unit adapted to notify the first communication apparatus of the selected communication path.

13. The station according to claim 12, wherein said notification unit transmits a response to a request for communication quality securement from the first communication apparatus, as notification, to the first communication apparatus.

14. The station according to claim 12, wherein a direct communication path between the communication apparatuses is selected on the basis of the determination, said notification unit notifies the first communication apparatus of the direct communication path between the communication apparatuses even if the first communication apparatus issues a request for a communication path via the control station.

15. The station according to claim 10, wherein said selection unit selects the communication path on the basis of information indicating whether the communication partner has a function of performing communication via the direct communication path and the determination by said determination unit.

16. A communication apparatus in a system which is configured to perform communication using a communication path via a control station and communication using a direct communication path between communication apparatuses, comprising:

a determination unit adapted to determine whether a communication partner is accommodated in the same control station; and

a selection unit adapted to select either communication path in accordance with determination by said determination unit.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said determination unit monitors communication by another communication apparatus, and determines, in accordance with the monitoring result, whether the communication partner is a communication apparatus accommodated in the same control station.