Wireless communication system and method of controlling same

• US 6,263,210 B1
• Filed: 05/17/1996
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Takumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Application Number:
  US08/651,035
• Time in Patent Office: 1,887 Days
• Field of Search: 455/462, 455/464, 455/561, 455/554, 455/555, 455/517, 455/11.1, 375/202, 375/132
• US Class Current: 455/464
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/71365 using continuous tuning of a single frequency source
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/7154 with means for preventing interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72505 Radio link set-up procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72513 On hold, intercom or transfer communication modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/733 with a plurality of base stations connected to a plurality of lines for selection in cordless PBX H04W84/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks

Abstract

A system, device, and method of controlling a wireless communication system including a plurality of wireless communication devices and a wireless control unit for controlling the wireless communication devices. The wireless communication devices and the wireless control unit are capable of communicating using a frequency hopping method. The wireless control unit manages the direct communication among the wireless communication devices as well as communication between the wireless control unit and the wireless communication devices.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system having a plurality of wireless communication devices and a wireless control unit for controlling the plurality of wireless communication devices, each of said wireless communication devices comprising:

first communication means for performing communication with said wireless control unit;

second communication means for performing communication between wireless communication devices without intervention of said wireless control unit;

said wireless control unit having management means for managing said first communication means and said second communication means,

wherein said management means has analyzing means for analyzing a communication request from the wireless communication device; and

said management means instructing said wireless communication device to communicate with said wireless control unit by way of said first communication means if the communication request analyzed by said analyzing means is a request for originating an outside-line call, and instructing said wireless communication device to communicate with another wireless communication device by way of said second communication means if the communication request analyzed by said analyzing means is a request for originating an extension call.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein if said analyzing means analyzes the communication request to be a request from said wireless communication device for starting origination of an extension call, said management means performs control in such a manner that said wireless communication device communicates with said management means before origination of the extension call between said wireless communication devices is begun, and the origination of said extension call is begun by way of said second communication means if a predetermined enable signal has been obtained from said management means.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said wireless communication device cancels said communication request if the predetermined enable signal is not obtained from said management means.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein said predetermined enable signal is issued based upon the number of wireless communication devices currently being used for extension calls.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein said predetermined enable signal is issued based upon an attribute of the wireless communication device requesting start of an extension call.

6. A wireless communication system having a plurality of wireless communication devices and a wireless control unit for controlling the plurality of wireless communication devices, each of said wireless communication devices comprising:

first communication means for performing communication with said wireless control unit;

second communication means for performing communication between said wireless communication devices without intervention of said wireless control unit;

third communication means for performing communication of control information with said wireless control unit during communication using said second communication means;

said wireless control unit having fourth communication means for performing communication of control information with a wireless communication device, which is communicating using said second communication means; and

wherein said first communication means, said second communication means and said third communication means use a frequency hopping method in said communication as a spread-spectrum method, hopping patterns associated with the frequency hopping method differ for said first and second communication means, said wireless communication device actuates said third communication means, in sync with a hopping pattern used in said first communication means, for a fixed period of time during communication by way of said second communication means, and communication of control information between said wireless communication device and said wireless control unit is performed by way of said third communication means.

7. A wireless communication system having a plurality of wireless communication devices capable of communicating using a frequency hopping method and a wireless control unit, capable of communicating using the frequency hopping method for controlling the plurality of wireless communication devices, each of said wireless communication devices comprising:

first communication means for performing communication between said wireless communication devices without intervention of said wireless control unit;

second communication means for performing communication of control information with said wireless control unit during performing communication using said first communication means;

control means for synchronizing the timing of the frequency hopping of said first communication means with the timing of the frequency hopping of said second communication means;

said wireless control unit having third communication means for communicating control information with said second communication means while said wireless communication device performs communication using said first communication means; and

wherein said communication of control information between said wireless communication device and said wireless control unit by way of said second communication means is performed in sync with a fixed time in a length of time which is other than that for communication information, contained in frequency hopping time used in said first communication means.

8. A wireless communication device accommodated in a wireless control unit, said wireless communication device comprising:

first communication means for performing communication with said wireless control unit;

second communication means for performing communication with another wireless communication device, which is accommodated in said wireless control unit, without intervention of said wireless control unit;

third communication means for performing communication of control information with said wireless control unit during communication with another wireless communication device using said second communication means; and

wherein said first communication means, said second communication means and said third communication means use a frequency hopping method in said communication as a spread-spectrum method, hopping patterns associated with the frequency hopping method differ for said first and second communication means, said wireless communication device actuates said third communication means, in sync with a hopping pattern used in said first communication means, for a fixed period of time during communication by way of said second communication means, and communication of control information between said wireless communication device and said wireless control unit is performed by way of said third communication means.

9. A wireless communication device capable of communicating using a frequency hopping method accommodated in a wireless control unit, said wireless communication device comprising:

first communication means for performing communication with another wireless communication device, which is accommodated in said wireless control unit, without intervention of said wireless control unit;

second communication means for performing comnmunication of control information with said wireless control unit during communication with another wireless communication device using said first communication means;

control means for synchronizing the timing of the frequency hopping of said first communication means with the timing of the frequency hopping of said second communication means; and

wherein said second communication means is allocated to a specific frequency, and said wireless communication device performs communication of control information between said wireless communication device and said wireless control unit by way of said second communication means to which the specific frequency has been allocated.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein said communication of control information between said wireless communication device and said wireless control unit by way of said third communication means is performed in sync with a fixed time in a length of time, which is other than that for communication information, contained in frequency hopping time used in said second communication means.

11. A method of controlling a wireless communication system having a plurality of wireless communication devices and a wireless control unit for controlling the plurality of wireless communication devices, comprising a step of performing communication of control information between said wireless control unit and said wireless communication device while said wireless communication device is carrying out communication without intervention of said wireless control unit,

wherein communication between the wireless communication devices without intervention of said wireless control unit and communication between said wireless control unit and said wireless communication device uses a spread-spectrum method,

wherein said spread-spectrum method is a frequency hopping method, and a hopping pattern used for communication between said wireless communication devices without the intervention of said wireless control unit is different from a hopping pattern used for communication between said wireless control unit and said wireless communication;

and

wherein said communication of control information between said wireless control unit and said wireless communication device is performed in sync with a fixed time in a length of time.