Wireless communication method, wireless communication apparatus and wireless communication control apparatus

• US 6,430,158 B1
• Filed: 01/19/1999
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sugita, Takehiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, TUAN A
• Application Number:
  US09/232,635
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.4, 455/423, 455/424, 455/425, 370/252, 370/328, 370/329, 370/334, 370/345, 370/365, 370/445, 370/354, 370/356, 370/358, 370/224, 370/227, 370/449, 370/450, 370/241-245
• US Class Current: 370/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40052 High-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus bus transfer protocol on a daisy chain bus using an embedded synchronisation G06F13/426
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02

Abstract

A method and apparatus for ensuring wireless transmission among respective communicating apparatuses when constructing a local area network with a plurality of wireless communicating apparatuses. Under the control of a control station (10), a wireless signal of a frame structure is transmitted between communicating stations (20) and (30). The wireless signal of a frame structure has a managing region and a data transmitting region. In the managing region, a test signal for checking quality of communication among a plurality of communicating stations and communication quality information representative of quality of communication among the plurality of communicating stations are transmitted. In the data transmitting region, isochronous data or asynchronous data is transmitted under the access control of the control station.

Claims

1. A wireless communication method wherein a control station controls access to wireless communication among a plurality of communicating stations, comprising the steps of:

transmitting wireless signals of a frame structure by wireless communication under control of said control station, said frame structure of said wireless signals including a managing region and a data transmitting region;

transmitting, in said managing region, test signals for checking a quality of communication among said plurality of communicating stations and for checking communication quality information representative of said quality of communication among said plurality of communicating stations; and

transmitting, in said data transmitting region, one of isochronous data and asynchronous data under said control of said control station.

2. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, by each of said communicating stations, a test signal transmitted from a communicating station;

producing, by each of said communicating stations, a test result from receptive conditions of said test signal; and

transmitting, by each of said communicating stations, said test result.

3. The wireless communication method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, by said control station, said test result transmitted from each of said communicating stations;

holding, by said control station, said test result; and

transmitting, by said control station, said communication quality information based on said test result to each of said communicating stations.

4. The wireless communication method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

determining, by said control station, said communicating stations capable of direct communication based on said test result transmitted from each of said communicating stations;

specifying, by said control station during said control, a relay communicating station if a transmission request for one of said isochronous data and said asynchronous data is made between said communicating stations determined to be incapable of direct communication; and

retaining temporarily, by said relay communicating station, one of said isochronous data and asynchronous data under said control of said control station.

5. A wireless communicating apparatus wherein wireless communication with other wireless communicating apparatuses is performed under access control of a predetermined control apparatus, said wireless communicating apparatus comprising:

a controller for controlling a communication in a frame cycle established by said control apparatus; and

a communication processor for transmitting/receiving, under control of said controller, in a managing region established in a first timing section within said frame cycle, a test signal for checking a quality of communication with said other wireless communicating apparatuses, and a test result based on said test signal.

6. The wireless communicating apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a test result generator for generating said test result from at least one of a receptive intensity when said communication processor receives said test signal, a degree of data error, and a likelihood of error correction.

7. The wireless communicating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said communication processor transmits/receives, under said control of said controller, in a data transmitting field established in a second timing within said frame cycle, one of isochronous data and asynchronous data to/from said other wireless communicating apparatuses.

8. The wireless communicating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

said communication processor receives communication quality information transmitted from said control apparatus in said managing region; and

said controller analyzes said communication quality information, determines said other wireless communicating apparatuses capable of direct communication, and causes said communication processor to communicate directly with only said other wireless communicating apparatuses determined to be capable of direct communication.

9. A wireless communication control apparatus for controlling access to wireless communication among a plurality of wireless communicating apparatuses, said control apparatus comprising:

a controller for causing said wireless communication among said plurality of wireless communicating apparatuses to be performed in a frame cycle, for establishing a managing region in a first timing within said frame cycle and for establishing a data transmitting region in a second timing;

a receiver for receiving, in said managing region, information transmitted from each of said wireless communicating apparatuses and representative of a test result of conditions of communication with other wireless communicating apparatuses;

a transmitter for producing communication quality information from a result of a determination by said controller determining received information representative of said test result and for transmitting produced communication quality information in said managing region.

10. The wireless communication control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said transmitter transmits signals for access control of said wireless communication among said plurality of wireless communicating apparatuses in said data transmitting region.

11. The wireless communication control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, if there are any of said wireless communicating apparatuses determined to be incapable of direct communication from said test result, said transmitter transmits information for specifying a wireless communicating apparatus forming a relay station.