NEAR-FIELD WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, COMMUNICATION TERMINAL, AND COMMUNICATION METHOD

• US 20150264516A1
• Filed: 03/10/2015
• Published: 09/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ICOM Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ICOM Incorporated
• Inventors: OTA, Futoshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,736,622 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The communication terminals each includes a communication controller for identifying the communication terminal to be reconnected as a communication destination after an inter-terminal connection is disrupted. The communication controller includes a first table and a second table. The first table is configured to, while placing a highest priority on the communication terminal most recently connected before the inter-terminal connection is disrupted, place a first connection priority on the other communication terminals according as a connection order in a direction of going back in time. The second table is configured to place a second connection priority on the other communication terminals by each device function thereof. The communication controller identifies, as the communication terminal to be reconnected as the communication destination, a communication terminal with the first connection priority ranked highest among the other communication terminals with the second connection priority ranked highest.

Claims

1. A near-field wireless communication system operable to connect at least three communication terminals to one another to allow mutual communications through near-field wireless communication among the communication terminals, wherein

the communication terminals each comprises a communication controller for identifying the communication terminal to be reconnected as a communication destination after an inter-terminal connection is disrupted,

the communication controller comprises a first table and a second table,

the first table is configured to, while placing a highest priority on a communication terminal most recently connected before the inter-terminal connection is disrupted, place a first connection priority on other communication terminals according as a connection order in a direction of going back in time,

the second table is configured to place a second connection priority on the other communication terminals by each device function thereof, and

the communication controller identifies, as a communication terminal to be reconnected as a communication destination, a communication terminal with the first connection priority ranked highest in the first table among the other communication terminals with the second connection priority ranked highest in the second table.

2. A communication terminal communicably connected to at least two other communication terminals through near-field wireless communication with the other communication terminals, wherein

the communication terminal comprises a communication controller for identifying the communication terminal to be reconnected as a communication destination after an inter-terminal connection is disrupted,

the communication controller comprises a first table and a second table,

the first table is configured to, while placing a highest priority on the communication terminal most recently connected before the inter-terminal connection is disrupted, place a first connection priority on the other communication terminals according as a connection order in a direction of going back in time,

the second table is configured to place a second connection priority on the other communication terminals by each device function thereof, and

the communication controller identifies, as the communication terminal to be reconnected as the communication destination, a communication terminal with the first connection priority ranked highest in the first table among the other communication terminals with the second connection priority ranked highest in the second table.

3. A communication method employed for a communication terminal to communicate with at least two other communication terminals through near-field wireless communication, the method comprising:

a first step of, while placing a highest priority on the communication terminal most recently connected before an inter-terminal connection is disrupted, placing a first connection priority on the other communication terminals according as a connection order in a direction of going back in time;

a second step of placing a second connection priority on the other communication terminals by each device function thereof; and

a third step of identifying, as the communication terminal to be reconnected as a communication destination, a communication terminal with the first connection priority ranked highest among the other communication terminals with the second connection priority ranked highest.