Mobile communication system, resource switching method thereof, network control apparatus included therein, same and network control method

• US 7,142,847 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2001
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Hongo, Sadayuki, Umeda, Narumi, Yokoyama, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, Matthew D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEST, LEWIS G
• Application Number:
  US10/089,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20020150228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.4, 455/418, 455/419, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/67.11, 455/550.1, 455/560, 455/569.1, 455/566
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile communication system comprising a structure for realizing “network seamless” for roaming between different kinds of networks, “contents seamless” for converting different kinds of encoding or media therebetween, and “device seamless” for making it possible to utilize optimum I/O devices in conformity to surrounding environments. This mobile communication system detects a change in an environment in use concerning an object such as a mobile terminal, for example, notifies at least one apparatus relating to the change of the result of detection, sets various resources constituting a network in conformity to a new environment, and switches them. This makes it possible to construct a seamless network which automatically eliminates seams (restrictions) concerning changes in the environment and the like.

Claims

1. A mobile communication system capable of transferring information transmitted/received by a mobile terminal and including a network that has a predetermined resource therein, said network comprising:

detecting means for detecting one or more changes generated within an area assigned to one base station while a communication between said mobile terminal and said assigned one base station is established, said changes including at least one of change in a communication environment in which an object to be inspected exists, said change in the communication environment having the possibility of becoming a seam in mobile communication, and a change in a capability of said object to be inspected;

reporting means for notifying one or more apparatuses relating to said change detected by said detecting means of a result of said detection;

setting means for newly setting at least one of a network resource and a media type in conformity to said change detected by said detecting means, for automatically eliminating at least one of a network seam, content seam and device seam which are caused by said detected change; and

switching means for switching said network resource and media type into a content set by said setting means.

2. A mobile communication system according to claim 1, wherein said object to be inspected includes at least one of a communication terminal, transmission means for a radio area, and transmission means within a network.

3. A mobile communication system according to claim 1, wherein said network resource includes at least one of a wireless communication channel, a transmitter/receiver, a line within a network, a communication node apparatus, a communication terminal, an information switching apparatus, and an information converting apparatus.

4. A mobile communication system according to claim 1, wherein said switching means includes information converting apparatus which carries out, as said switching of information format, at least one of changing of media for information transferred over a network and changing of a transmission quality between the same media.

5. A resource switching method for a mobile communication system capable of transferring information transmitted/received by a mobile terminal and including a network that a predetermined resource therein, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting, in said network side, one or more changes generated within an area assigned to one base station while a communication between said mobile terminal and said assigned one base station is established, said changes including at least one of a change in a communication environment in which an object to be inspected exists, said change in the communication environment having the possibility of becoming a seam in mobile communication, and a change in a terminal capability of said object to be inspected;

notifying one or more apparatuses relating to said change detected by said detecting step of a result of said detection;

setting at least one of a network resource and a media type in conformity to said change detected by said detecting step, for automatically eliminating at least one of a network seam, content seam and device seam which are caused by said detected change; and

switching, in said network side, said network resource said network resource and said media type into a content set by said setting step.

6. A resource switching method for a mobile communication system according to claim 5, wherein said object to be inspected includes at least one of a communication terminal, transmission means for a radio area, and transmission means within a network.

7. A resource switching method for a mobile communication system according to claim 5, wherein said network resource includes at least one of a wireless communication channel, a transmitter/receiver, a line within a network, a communication node apparatus, a communication terminal, an information switching apparatus, and an information converting apparatus.

8. A resource switching method for a mobile communication system according to claim 5, wherein said switching step includes a step of carrying out, as switching of said information format, at least one of changing of media for information transferred over a network and changing of a transmission quality in the same media.

9. A network control method in a mobile communication system capable of transferring information transmitted/received by a mobile terminal and including a network that has a predetermined resource therein, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting, in said network side, one or more changes generated within an area assigned to one base station while a communication between said mobile terminal and said assigned one base station is established, said changes including at least one of a change in a communication environment in which an object to be inspected exists, said change in the communication environment having the possibility of becoming a seam in mobile communication, and a change in a terminal capability of said object to be inspected;

determining at least one of a network resource and a media type suitable for said change specified by said detection, for automatically eliminating at least one of a network seam, content seam and device seam which are caused by said detected change; and

controlling said object to be inspected concerning at least one of said determined network resource and media type so that said object to be inspected conforms to said detected change.

10. A network control method according to claim 9, wherein said object to be inspected includes at least one of a communication terminal, transmission means for a radio area, and transmission means within a network.

11. A network control method according to claim 9, wherein said network resource includes at least one of a wireless communication channel, a transmitter/receiver, a line within a network, a communication node apparatus, a communication terminal, an information switching apparatus, and an information converting apparatus.

12. A network control apparatus constituting a part of a network that has a predetermined resource and that is included in a mobile communication capable of transferring information transmitted/received by a mobile terminal, said network control apparatus comprising

receiving means for receiving a detection report, detected in said network side, of one or more changes generated within an area assigned to one base station while a communication between said mobile terminal and said assigned one base station is established, said changes including at least one of a change in a communication environment in which an object to be inspected exists, said change in the communication environment having the possibility of becoming a seam in mobile communication, and a change in a terminal capability of said object to be inspected;

determining means for determining at Least one of a network resource and a media type suitable for said change specified by said detection report, for automatically eliminating at least one of a network seam, content seam and device seam which are caused by said detected change; and

control means for controlling said object to be inspected concerning at least one of said determined network resource and media type so that said object conforms to said detected change.

13. A network control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said object to be inspected includes at least one of a communication terminal, transmission means for a radio area, and transmission means within a network.

14. A network control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said network resource includes at least one of a wireless communication channel, a transmitter/receiver, a line within a network, a communication node apparatus, a communication terminal, an information switching apparatus, and an information converting apparatus.

15. A mobile communication system capable of transferring information transmitted/received by a mobile terminal and including a network that has a predetermined resource therein, said network comprising:

a detector configured to detect one or more changes generated within an area assigned to one base station while a communication between said mobile terminal and said assigned one base station is established, said changes including at least one of a change in a communication environment in which an object to be inspected exists, said change in the communication environment having the possibility of becoming a seam in mobile communication, and a change in a terminal capability of said object to be inspected;

a transmitter configured to notify one or more apparatuses relating to said change detected by said detecting means of a result of said detection;

a controller configured to set at least one of a network resource and a media type in conformity to said change detected by said detecting means, for automatically eliminating at least one of a network seam, content seam and device seam which are caused by said detected change; and

said controller configured to switch said network resource and media type into a content set by said setting means.

16. A network control apparatus constituting a part of a network having a predetermined resource and included in a mobile communication capable of transferring information transmitted/received by a mobile terminal, said network control apparatus comprising

a receiver configured to receive a detection report, detected in said network side, of one or more changes generated within an area assigned to one base station while a communication between said mobile terminal and said assigned one base station is established, said changes including at least one of a change in a communication environment in which an object to be inspected exists, said change in the communication environment having the possibility of becoming a seam in mobile communication, and a change in a terminal capability of said object to be inspected from said object to be inspected;

a processor configured to determined at least one of a network resource and a media type suitable for said change specified by said detection report received from said object to be inspected, for automatically eliminating at least one of a network seam, content seam and device seam which are caused by said detected change; and

a controller configured to control said object to be inspected concerning at least one of said determined network resource and media type so that said object to be inspected conforms to said detected change.