Wireless communication system, wireless communication apparatus, and wireless communication method

• US 7,426,396 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Issued: 09/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sugaya, Shigeru, Konya, Satoshi, Iwami, Hideki, Iwasaki, Jun, Mizoguchi, Yasuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THUAN T
• Application Number:
  US10/777,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20040223477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• Field of Search: 455/446, 455/411, 455/422.1, 455/412.1, 455/67.13, 455/448, 455/450, 455/422, 455/433, 455/442, 455/414.1, 455/457, 455/458, 455/459, 4554561-4566
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/71635 Transmitter aspects H04B1/7174 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A wireless communication apparatus is provided in which a frequency band, a signal type, and a transmission power conforming to radio law of a country that uses a first wireless communication system are set by means of a receiving status of a specific signal of a second wireless communication system, so that user friendly wireless communication apparatus regarding operations thereof can be provided. In the wireless communication system 1 according to the present invention, an area information acquisition portion 2 acquires information on an area in which the wireless communication system presently exists. Based on communication setting information in the wireless communication system corresponding to area information stored in an information memory portion 4, an area information judgment portion 3 judges communication setting information capable of being set in the wireless communication system in accordance with the area information acquired from the area information acquisition portion 2. Based on the communication setting information judged by the area information judgment portion 3, communication parameter control setting portion 5 controls communication settings of the wireless communication system.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system which can perform wireless communication with another wireless communication system, comprising:

an area information acquisition unit configured to acquire information on an area in which the wireless communication system presently exists;

a memory unit configured to store communication setting information on the wireless communication system corresponding to said area information;

an area information judgment unit configured to judge the communication setting information which can be set in the wireless communication system based on the area information acquired from said area information acquisition unit; and

a communication control unit configured to control communication settings in the wireless communication system based on the communication setting information judged by said area information judgment unit, and to control the communication settings by selecting frequency bands, signal parameters, and transmission power output values associated with different areas in which the wireless communication system can be used.

2. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein

said area information acquisition unit includes a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiving system and information on an area in which the wireless communication system presently exits is identified by means of position information acquired from said GPS receiving system.

3. A wireless communication apparatus in a wireless communication system which can perform wireless communication with another wireless communication system, comprising:

an area information acquisition unit configured to acquire information on an area in which the wireless communication apparatus presently exists;

a memory unit configured to store communication setting information on the wireless communication apparatus corresponding to said area information;

an area information judgment unit configured to judge the communication setting information which can be set in the wireless communication apparatus based on the area information acquired from said area information acquisition unit; and

a communication control unit configured to control communication settings in the wireless communication apparatus based on the communication setting information judged by said area information judgment unit, and to control the communication settings by selecting frequency bands, signal parameters, and transmission power output values associated with different areas in which the wireless communication system can be used.

4. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said area information acquisition unit includes a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiving system and information on an area in which the wireless communication apparatus presently exists is identified by means of position information acquired from said GPS receiving system.