DATA PROCESSOR AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20110110397A1
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: Kato, Takatoshi, Tsuboi, Tsutomu, Mochizuki, Yoshinori, Morino, Harumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,503,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/130
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 Negotiating bandwidth

Abstract

A data processor which can flexibly control bandwidth settings and setting changes is provided. The data processor controls bandwidth allocation to electronic devices participating in a communication network. The data processor has a communication section used to communicate with the electronic devices and a bandwidth management section which performs control to variably allocate, based on requests from the electronic devices, bandwidths to be used for communication by the electronic devices. In cases where an additional device is added to the communication network and an adequate bandwidth cannot be allocated to the additional device, the bandwidth management section requests another electronic device transmitting video data of a resolution higher than corresponding to the user'"'"'s intention to change its data format so as to allow an adequate bandwidth to be allocated to the additional device.

Claims

1. A data processor for managing a bandwidth for use by an electronic device participating in a communication network, comprising:

a wireless communication section communicating with the electronic device and

a bandwidth management section performing control to variably allocate, based on a request from the electronic device, a bandwidth to be used for communication performed by the electronic device.

2. The data processor according to claim 1,

wherein the bandwidth management section comprises a bandwidth management table and performs bandwidth allocation control by referring to information recorded in the bandwidth management table, and

wherein the bandwidth management table comprises a field for holding information for use in managing the bandwidth for the electronic device.

3. The data processor according to claim 2, wherein the bandwidth management section records, upon recognizing an additional electronic device, identification information identifying the additional electronic device and attribute information about data to be transmitted by the additional electronic device as new entry data in the bandwidth management table.

4. The data processor according to claim 3, wherein the identification information represents a MAC address, and the attribute information represents a usable data format.

5. The data processor according to claim 4, wherein the MAC address information and the usable data format information is information contained in beacon information included in a superframe used in UWB communication.

6. The data processor according to claim 2, wherein the bandwidth is a data bandwidth set in medium access slots included in a superframe used in UWB communication.

7. The data processor according to claim 3, wherein, when a bandwidth acquisition command is received from the electronic device:

the bandwidth management section determines, by referring to the bandwidth management table, whether or not a requested bandwidth can be acquired and requests, as required, another electronic device to change the bandwidth used thereby or discontinue communication being performed thereby; and

, when it is determined that the request made by the bandwidth acquisition command can be met, the bandwidth management section updates entry data corresponding to the electronic device recorded in the bandwidth management table with information about the bandwidth that can be acquired for the electronic device and information about the destination address for transmission to be made using the bandwidth whereas, when it is determined that the request cannot be met, the bandwidth management section sends a notice of that effect to the electronic device having issued the bandwidth acquisition command.

8. The data processor according to claim 7, wherein, in determining whether or not the requested bandwidth can be acquired, the bandwidth management section:

requests, when there is communication present with priority lower than that of communication to be performed using the bandwidth requested by the bandwidth acquisition command, the data format for such lower-priority communication to be changed so as to make the bandwidth requested by the bandwidth acquisition command available;

or requests, when there is no such lower-priority communication present, the data format used by the electronic device having issued the bandwidth acquisition command to be changed;

or requests, when the data format used by the electronic device having issued the bandwidth acquisition command cannot be changed whereas there is communication present with a same priority as the priority of communication to be performed using the bandwidth requested by the bandwidth acquisition command, the data format used for such same-priority communication to be changed so as to make the bandwidth requested by the bandwidth acquisition command available;

or determines, when there is no such same-priority communication present, that the bandwidth requested by the bandwidth acquisition command is not available and transmits a notice of that effect to the electronic device having issued the bandwidth acquisition command.

9. The data processor according to claim 8, wherein the bandwidth management section requests, when there is communication present with priority lower than that of communication to be performed using the bandwidth requested by the bandwidth acquisition command, the data format for such lower-priority communication to be changed so as to make the bandwidth requested by the bandwidth acquisition command available and wherein, if a response informing that the data format for such lower-priority communication cannot be changed is received whereas the sum of a bandwidth used for communication with a lowest priority and a currently unused bandwidth at least equals the bandwidth requested by the bandwidth acquisition command, the bandwidth management section requests the data format used for such lowest-priority communication to be changed so as to make the requested bandwidth available.

10. The data processor according to claim 8, wherein the bandwidth management section requests, when there is communication present with a same priority as that of communication to be performed using the bandwidth requested by the bandwidth acquisition command, the data format for such same-priority communication to be changed so as to make the requested bandwidth available.

11. A communication system comprising an electronic device which can participate in a communication network together with the data processor according to claim 7, the electronic device comprising:

a communication section for engaging in communication with the data processor and another electronic device;

an interface section which, when a request for changing a bandwidth or discontinuing communication transmitted, as required, from the bandwidth management section of the data processor is received, displays the request and from which a response to the request is inputted; and

a control section for controlling display in and input operation from the interface section.

12. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein the bandwidth is a data bandwidth set in medium access slots included in a superframe used for UWB communication.