COMMUNICATION APPARATUS ENABLING COEXISTENCE OF SYSTEMS

• US 20110090067A1
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akio Kurobe, Go Kuroda, Hisao Koga, Koji Ikeda, Yuji Igata
• Original Assignee: Akio Kurobe, Go Kuroda, Hisao Koga, Koji Ikeda, Yuji Igata
• Inventors: KURODA, Go, Kurobe, Akio, Igata, Yuji, Koga, Hisao, Ikeda, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 8,774,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/13.23
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5408 using protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2643 using time-division multiple access [TDMA] H04B7/2615, H04B7/2618 take precedence

Abstract

A frequency band is divided into N subchannels. Sub-channels are first allocated for a power line communication system having a higher priority, such as public communication or the like. Sub-channels for a power line communication system having a relatively low priority, such as in-home communication or the like, are allocated from free subchannels. In this case, the subchannels used by the power line communication system having the high priority are limited to a plurality of consecutive subchannels from an upper side or a lower side of the frequency band.

Claims

1. In a system in which a plurality of communication systems, which are given predetermined priorities with respect to a right to use a frequency band of which an upper limit and a lower limit are respectively defined as F_MAX and F_MIN, coexist on the same communication medium, a communication apparatus (A1) belonging to a communication system (A) having a highest-priority use right comprising:

a coexistence signal generating section (86) for generating a coexistence signal indicating a frequency band from F_MIN to F_BOUND1 (F_MIN<

F_BOUND1≦

F_MAX) or a frequency band from F_BOUND2 (F_MIN≦

F_BOUND2<

F_MAX) to F_MAX, which is occupied and used by the communication system (A); and

a coexistence signal transmitting section (85) for transmitting the coexistence signal to another communication system.

2. The communication apparatus (A1) according to claim 1, wherein the frequency band is divided into:

a sub-frequency band X which is usable by the communication system (A) and the other communication system; and

a sub-frequency band Y which is usable only by the other communication system.

3. The communication apparatus (A1) according to claim 2, wherein ½

of the frequency band is allocated for the sub-frequency band X.

4. The communication apparatus (A1) according to claim 1, wherein

a period for data communication is divided into a plurality of time slots, and

the coexistence signal generating section (86) generates a coexistence signal having a matrix structure in which an occupied and used frequency band and a time slot are simultaneously specified.

5. The communication apparatus (A1) according to claim 1, wherein the coexistence signal generating section (86) generates a coexistence signal comprising:

one bit for specifying which of the frequency band from F_MIN to F_BOUND1 and the frequency band from F_BOUND2 to F_MAX is used; and

a plurality of bits for specifying a value of F_BOUND1 when the frequency band from F_MIN to F_BOUND1 is used, or a value of F_BOUND2 when the frequency band from F_BOUND2 to F_MAX is used.

6. The communication apparatus (A1) according to claim 1, wherein the communication medium used by the communication system (A) is a power line.

7. The communication apparatus (A1) according to claim 1, wherein the communication medium used by the communication system (A) is a wireless medium.

8. The communication apparatus (A1) according to claim 1, wherein

the communication system (A) is a system used as an access system, and

the other communication system is a system used as an in-home system.

9. In a system in which a plurality of communication systems, which are given predetermined priorities with respect to a right to use a frequency band of which an upper limit and a lower limit are respectively defined as F_MAX and F_MIN, coexist on the same communication medium, a communication apparatus (B1) belonging to a communication system (B) having a use right other than a highest-priority use right comprising:

a coexistence signal receiving section (95a) for receiving, from a communication system (A) having the highest-priority use right, a first coexistence signal indicating a frequency band from F_MIN to F_BOUND1 (F_MIN<

F_BOUND1≦

F_MAX) or a frequency band from F_BOUND2 (F_MIN≦

F_BOUND2<

F_MAX) to F_MAX, which is occupied and used by the communication system (A);

a coexistence signal generating section (96) for determining a frequency band which is to be occupied and used by the communication system (B) other than the frequency band indicated by the first coexistence signal, and generating a second coexistence signal indicating the determined frequency band; and

a coexistence signal transmitting section (95b) for transmitting the second coexistence signal to another communication system.

10. The communication apparatus (B1) according to claim 9, wherein the frequency band is divided into:

a sub-frequency band X which is usable by the communication system (A), the communication system (B), and the other communication system; and

a sub-frequency band Y which is usable only by the communication system (B) and the other communication system.

11. The communication apparatus (B1) according to claim 10, wherein ½

of the frequency band is allocated for the sub-frequency band X.

12. The communication apparatus (B1) according to claim 9, wherein

a period for data communication is divided into a plurality of time slots,

the coexistence signal receiving section (95a) receives, from the communication system (A), a first coexistence signal in which an occupied and used frequency band and a time slot are simultaneously specified, and

the coexistence signal generating section (96) determines a frequency band which is to be occupied and used by the communication system (B) other than the frequency band indicated by the first coexistence signal, and generates a second coexistence signal indicating the determined frequency band using a matrix structure.

13. The communication apparatus (B1) according to claim 9, wherein the coexistence signal generating section (96) generates a second coexistence signal comprising:

one bit for specifying which of the frequency band from F_MIN to F_BOUND1 and the frequency band from F_BOUND2 to F_MAX is used; and

a plurality of bits for specifying a value of F_BOUND1 when the frequency band from F_MIN to F_BOUND1 is used, or a value of F_BOUND2 when the frequency band from F_BOUND2 to F_MAX is used.

14. The communication apparatus (B1) according to claim 9, wherein the communication medium used by the communication system (B) is a power line.

15. The communication apparatus (B1) according to claim 9, wherein the communication medium used by the communication system (B) is a wireless medium.

16. The communication apparatus (B1) according to claim 9, wherein

the communication system (A) is a system used as an access system, and

each of the communication system (B) and the other communication system is a system used as an in-home system.

17. A system in which at least a first communication system (A) having a highest-priority right to use a frequency band of which an upper limit and a lower limit are respectively defined as F_MAX and F_MIN, and a second communication system (B) having a use right other than the highest-priority use right, coexist on the same communication medium, wherein

a communication apparatus (A1) belonging to the communication system (A) comprises:

a coexistence signal generating section (86) for generating a first coexistence signal indicating a frequency band from F_MIN to F_BOUND1 (F_MIN<

F_BOUND1≦

F_MAX) or a frequency band from F_BOUND2 (F_MIN≦

F_BOUND2<

F_MAX) to F_MAX, which is occupied and used by the communication system (A); and

a coexistence signal transmitting section (85) for transmitting the first coexistence signal to the communication system (B), and

a communication apparatus (B1) belonging to the communication system (B) comprises;

a coexistence signal receiving section (95a) for receiving the first coexistence signal from the communication system (A);

a coexistence signal generating section (96) for determining a frequency band which is to be occupied and used by the communication system (B) other than the frequency band indicated by the first coexistence signal, and generating a second coexistence signal indicating the determined frequency band; and

a coexistence signal transmitting section (95b) for transmitting the second coexistence signal to another communication system.

18. A coexistence control method executed in a system in which at least a first communication system (A) having a highest-priority right to use a frequency band of which an upper limit and a lower limit are respectively defined as F_MAX and F_MIN, and a second communication system (B) having a use right other than the highest-priority use right, coexist on the same communication medium, wherein

a communication apparatus (A1) belonging to the communication system (A) performs:

generating a first coexistence signal indicating a frequency from F_MIN to F_BOUND1 (F_MIN<

F_BOUND1≦

F_MAX) or a frequency band from F_BOUND2 (F_MIN F_BOUND2<

F_MAX) to F_MAX, which is occupied and used by the communication system (A); and

transmitting the first coexistence signal to the communication system (B), and

a communication apparatus (B1) belonging to the communication system (B) performs;

receiving the first coexistence signal from the communication system (A);

determining a frequency band which is to be occupied and used by the communication system (B) other than the frequency band indicated by the first coexistence signal, and generating a second coexistence signal indicating the determined frequency band; and

transmitting the second coexistence signal another communication system.

19. In a system in which a plurality of communication systems, which are given predetermined priorities with respect to a right to use a frequency band of which an upper limit and a lower limit are respectively defined as F_MAX and F_MIN, coexist on the same communication medium, an integrated circuit used in a communication apparatus (A1) belonging to a communication system (A) having a highest-priority use right, wherein

circuits functioning as the following sections are integrated on the integrated circuit:

a coexistence signal generating section (86) for generating a coexistence signal indicating a frequency band from F_MIN to F_BOUND1 (F_MIN<

F_BOUND1≦

F_MAX) or a frequency band from F_BOUND2 (F_MIN≦

F_BOUND2<

F_MAX) to F_MAX, which is occupied and used by the communication system (A); and

a coexistence signal transmitting section (85) for transmitting the coexistence signal to another communication system.

20. In a system in which a plurality of communication systems, which are given predetermined priorities with respect to a right to use a frequency band of which an upper limit and a lower limit are respectively defined as F_MAX and F_MIN, coexist on the same communication medium, an integrated circuit used in a communication apparatus (B1) belonging to communication system (B) having a use right other than a highest-priority use right, wherein

circuits functioning as the following sections are integrated on the integrated circuit:

a coexistence signal receiving section (95a) for receiving, from a communication system (A) having the highest-priority use right, a first coexistence signal indicating a frequency band from F_MIN to F_BOUND1 (F_MIN<

F_BOUND1≦

F_MAX) or a frequency band from F_BOUND2 (F_MIN≦

F_BOUND2<

F_MAX) to F_MAX, which is occupied and used by the communication system (A);

a coexistence signal generating section (96) for determining a frequency band which is to be occupied and used by the communication system (B) other than the frequency band indicated by the first coexistence signal, and generating a second coexistence signal indicating the determined frequency band; and

a coexistence signal transmitting section (95b) for transmitting the second coexistence signal to another communication system.