System and method for determining a tentative master of a radio conference system

• US 6,178,323 B1
• Filed: 11/06/1998
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Nagata, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, QUANG D
• Application Number:
  US09/186,681
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/416, 455/502, 455/507, 455/509, 455/511, 455/515, 455/517, 455/524, 379/202, 379/203, 379/204, 379/205, 379/206
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/562 where the conference facilities are distributed

Abstract

A radio terminal 1 has a self-terminal information storing section 4 for storing terminal information of its own, an other terminal information storing section 3 for temporarily storing terminal information which is sent from other radio terminals, and a master determining section 2 for determining a radio terminal appropriate for being a tentative master, based on the stored terminal information. This master determining section 2 determines the tentative master based on the specified information of the terminal information such as transmission power, battery information and network address information. Since, if a user selects an appropriate radio terminal and starts the construction of a temporary network, the radio terminal acquires terminal information of all other terminals and determined an optimum tentative master, the network is then constructed while being the determined tentative master as a center, and communication can be conducted.

Claims

1. A system for determining a tentative master of a radio conference system in which an unspecified number of radio terminals are collected at arbitrary places, a network is temporarily constructed by making a certain terminal of said radio terminals to be a tentative master that is a temporary master and synchronizing with one channel issued from said tentative master, and communication is conducted, wherein

said radio terminals comprise:

a self-terminal information storing means for storing terminal information of its own;

an other terminal information storing means for temporarily storing terminal information which is transmitted from other terminals; and

a master determining means for determining a terminal appropriate for being a tentative master, based on said stored terminal information, and

a network is temporarily constructed by making said determined radio terminal to be said tentative master.

2. A system for determining a tentative master of a radio conference system according to claim 1, wherein said master determining means determines said tentative master based on specified information of said terminal information such as transmission power, battery information and network address information.

3. A system for determining a tentative master of a radio conference system according to claim 2, wherein said master determining means successively compares said stored terminal information with each other and determines said tentative master while giving priority to said battery information in case of desiring to maintain said network for a long time.

4. A system for determining a tentative master of a radio conference system according to claim 2, wherein said master determining means successively compares said stored terminal information with each other and determines said tentative master while giving priority to said transmission power in case of desiring to make a range of said network wide.

5. A method of determining a tentative master of a radio conference system, comprising steps of:

collecting an unspecified number of radio terminals at arbitrary places;

temporarily constructing a network by making a certain terminal of said radio terminals to be a tentative master that is a temporary master and synchronizing with one channel issued from said tentative master; and

conducting communication,

wherein

said radio terminals comprise;

a self-terminal information storing means for storing terminal information of its own;

an other terminal information storing means for temporarily storing terminal information which is transmitted from other terminals; and

a master determining means for determining a terminal appropriate for being a tentative master, based on said stored terminal information, and

a network is temporarily constructed by making said determined radio terminal to be said tentative master.

6. A method of determining a tentative master of a radio conference system according to claim 5, wherein said master determining means determines said tentative master based on specified information of said terminal information such as transmission power, battery information and network address information.

7. A system for determining a tentative master of a radio conference system according to claim 6, wherein said master determining means successively compares said stored terminal information with each other and determines said tentative master while giving priority to said battery information in case of desiring to maintain said network for a long time.

8. A system for determining a tentative master of a radio conference system according to claim 6, wherein said master determining means successively compares said stored terminal information with each other and determines said tentative master while giving priority to said transmission power in case of desiring to make a range of said network wide.