COMMUNICATION METHOD, COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20080119199A1
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Hamano, Yuichiro, Higuchi, Mamoru, Hayashi, Ritsuo, Noda, Yukihiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,983,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/455
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00692 using simultaneous multiple data streams, e.g. cooperative multipoint [CoMP], carrier aggregation [CA] or multiple input multiple output [MIMO] allocation of physical resources in CoMP or in CA H04L5/0035
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/144 over a different radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/249 according to timing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A communication method enabling communication on a predetermined mobile communication network and communication on a predetermined wireless communication network different from the predetermined mobile communication network, includes the step of: switching, means for carrying out predetermined data transfer while maintaining a communication channel on the predetermined mobile communication network, between communication on the predetermined mobile communication network and communication on the predetermined wireless communication network, or activating or deactivating a part concerning the predetermined wireless communication included in a mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A communication method enabling communication on a predetermined mobile communication network and communication on a predetermined wireless communication network different from the predetermined mobile communication network, comprising the steps of:

switching, for predetermined packet communication, between the communication on the predetermined mobile communication network and the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network, and activating or deactivating a part concerning the predetermined wireless communication included in a mobile terminal, wherein

the switching is made only for user data, and a control signal is transmitted always via the predetermined mobile communication network, and

when a communication data amount, corresponding to a data volume transmitted/received by the mobile terminal, exceeds a predetermined threshold, the switching between the communication on the predetermined mobile communication network and the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network is carried out.

2. The communication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

based on a radio link band usage condition, said switching between the communication on the predetermined mobile communication network and the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network is carried out.

3. The communication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said monitoring step and said step of switching the communication path between the predetermined mobile communication network and the predetermined wireless communication network resulting from the monitoring are carried out by a control part which carries out communication control of said predetermined mobile communication network.

4. The communication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said monitoring step is carried out by the mobile terminal; and

the mobile terminal determines, for the switching, the communication channel as a result of the monitoring, and provides an instruction for the switching to a control part which carries out communication control of the predetermined mobile communication network.

5. The communication method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

operating by a user of the mobile terminal, to said mobile terminal, for the switching between the communication on the predetermined mobile communication network and the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network.

6. The communication method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring a remaining battery power of the mobile terminal; and

carrying out switching into the communication on the predetermined mobile communication network when the remaining battery power falls below a predetermined threshold as a result of the monitoring during the communication using the predetermined wireless communication network.

7. The communication method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring a remaining battery power of the mobile terminal; and

when the remaining battery power falls from a predetermined threshold as a result of the monitoring, the activating of the part concerning the predetermined wireless communication network is not carried out by the mobile terminal.

8. The communication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

when the mobile terminal provides an instruction to switch into the communication on the predetermined mobile communication network, the part concerning the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network is deactivated.

9. The communication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

when it is determined that the mobile terminal does not carry out the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network, the part concerning the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network is deactivated.

10. The communication method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the step of:

deactivating the part concerning the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network when switching into the communication on the wireless communication network could not be carried out after an elapse of a predetermined time since the part concerning the communication on the wireless communication network included in the mobile terminal was activated.

11. The communication method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the steps of:

sending, via the mobile communication network, an instruction to activate a function of the mobile terminal concerning the communication on the wireless communication network;

the mobile terminal requesting via the predetermined wireless communication network for an address, and the address being then obtained by said mobile terminal via the predetermined wireless communication network in response thereto; and

confirming that the mobile terminal is in an environment such that communication on the predetermined wireless communication network is available when said address is included in a report from said mobile terminal.

12. The communication method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the step of:

activating, in response to a user'"'"'s operation, a function of the mobile terminal concerning the communication on the wireless communication network;

the mobile terminal requesting via the predetermined wireless communication network an address, and the address being then obtained by said mobile terminal via the predetermined wireless communication network in response thereto; and

confirming that the mobile terminal is in an environment such that communication on the predetermined wireless communication network is available when said address is included in a report from said mobile terminal.

13. A communication apparatus in a mobile terminal carrying out communication on a predetermined mobile communication network and communication on a predetermined wireless communication network different from the predetermined mobile communication network, comprising:

a part responding to switching, for predetermined packet communication, between the communication on the predetermined mobile communication network and the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network, to activate or deactivate a part concerning the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network, wherein the switching is made only for user data, and a control signal is transmitted always via the predetermined mobile communication network;

a part monitoring a communication data amount, corresponding to a data volume transmitted/received by the mobile terminal; and

a part requesting switching from the communication on the predetermined mobile communication network to the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network when the communication data amount exceeds a predetermined threshold as a result of the monitoring.

14. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

a part monitoring a remaining battery power; and

a part requesting switching into the communication on the predetermined mobile communication network when the remaining battery power falls below a predetermined threshold as a result of the monitoring during the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network.

15. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

said part carrying out activation or deactivation of the part concerning the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network deactivates the part concerning the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network when it is determined that said communication apparatus does not carry out the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network.

16. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

when a remaining battery power falls below a predetermined threshold as a result of monitoring during the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network, the activation of the part concerning the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network is not carried out even when an instruction to activate said part concerning the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network is received.

17. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

a display device is provided to display that an instruction to activate or deactivate the part concerning the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network has been received, and, the activating or deactivating is carried out in response to a corresponding operation made by a user.

18. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 13, comprising:

a part deactivating the part concerning the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network when switching into the communication on the wireless communication network could not be carried out after an elapse of a predetermined time since the part concerning the communication on the wireless communication network included in the mobile terminal was activated.

19. A communication system for carrying out, with a mobile terminal, communication on a predetermined mobile communication network and communication on a predetermined wireless communication network different from the predetermined mobile communication network, comprising:

a part switching, for carrying out predetermined packet communication, between the communication on the predetermined mobile communication network and the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network;

a part providing an instruction to activate or deactivate a part included in the mobile terminal concerning the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network, wherein the switching is made only for user data, and a control signal is transmitted always via the predetermined mobile communication network;

a part monitoring a communication data amount corresponding to a data volume transmitted/received by the mobile terminal; and

a part carrying out the switching between the communication on the predetermined mobile communication network and the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network when the communication data amount exceeds a predetermined threshold as a result of the monitoring.

20. The communication system as claimed in claim 19, comprising:

a part switching between the communication on the predetermined mobile communication network and the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network based on a radio link band usage condition.

21. The communication system as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

a control part carrying out communication control of the predetermined mobile communication network has said part carrying out the switching as a result of the monitoring.

22. The communication system as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the mobile terminal has said monitoring part; and

the mobile terminal determines, as a result of the monitoring, as to whether or not the switching between the communication on the predetermined mobile communication network and the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network should be carried out, and sends a corresponding switching request signal to a control part carrying out communication control of the predetermined mobile communication network.

23. The communication system as claimed claim 19, wherein:

the switching between the communication on the predetermined mobile communication network and the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network is achieved as a result of a corresponding switching request signal being sent to a control part carrying out communication control of the predetermined mobile communication network when a user operates the mobile terminal.

24. The communication system as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the mobile terminal has a part monitoring a remaining battery power of the mobile terminal; and

a corresponding switching request signal for switching into the communication on the predetermined mobile communication network is sent from the mobile terminal to a control part carrying out communication control of the predetermined mobile communication network when the remaining battery power falls below a predetermined threshold as a result of monitoring during the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network.

25. The communication system as claimed in claim 19, comprising:

a part, when a report that the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network is not possible is received from the mobile terminal, sending an instruction to deactivate the part of the mobile terminal concerning the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network.

26. The communication system as claimed in claim 19, comprising:

a part sending an instruction to deactivate the part concerning the communication on the predetermined wireless communication network when switching into the communication on the wireless communication network could not be carried out after an elapse of a predetermined time since a signal requesting activation of the part concerning the communication on the wireless communication network included in the mobile terminal was sent.