Communication system capable of selecting optimum gateway for terminals

• US 7,586,894 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2004
• 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: Aoki, Hidenori, Takeda, Shinji, Yagyu, Kengo, Umeda, Narumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Skripnikov, Alex
• Application Number:
  US11/059,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20050195795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/338, 370/252, 370/238, 370/254, 370/401, 370/402, 370/389, 370/392, 370/237, 370/370, 370/395.54, 370225-228, 370217-220, 370352-356, 709/241
• US Class Current: 370/349
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing

Abstract

A communication apparatus is disclosed, which includes an information collection unit, a storage unit, a selection unit, and a route control unit. The information collection unit is configured to collect route information and condition information. The storage unit is configured to store the route information and the connection information. The selection unit is configured to select a connection apparatuses for a terminal apparatus based on the route information and the connection information. The route control unit is configured to control routes from the communication apparatus to the connection apparatus.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus configured to form a network with other wireless communication apparatuses, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

an information collection unit configured to collect route information on states of routes between the wireless communication apparatus and respective connection apparatuses, each of the connection apparatuses connecting the network and another network, and connection apparatus information on the connection apparatuses;

a storage unit configured to store the route information and the connection apparatus information collected by said information collection unit;

a selection unit configured to select one of the connection apparatuses optimum for a terminal apparatus bases on the route information and the connection apparatus information stored in said storage unit; and

a route control unit configured to routes transmission of data from the terminal apparatus to the one of the connection apparatuses selected by said selection unit, wherein

said selection unit is further configured to determined, in response to receipt of a packet from the terminal apparatus, the packet including an identifier of a first connection apparatus as a destination, wherein the first connection apparatus satisfies a predetermined condition, based on the route information and the connection apparatus information stored in said storage unit; and

said route control unit is further configured to change the identifier included in the packet to the identifier of a second connection apparatus that satisfies the predetermined condition based on the determination made by said selection unit.

2. The wireless communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a notification unit configured to notify at least one of the other wireless communication apparatus of information indicating at least one of quality of routes between the wireless communication apparatus and the respective connection apparatuses and priorities of the routes between the wireless communication apparatus and the respective connection apparatuses,

wherein said selection unit is further configured to select one of the connection apparatuses that satisfies the predetermined condition based on the information notified by said notification unit of at least one of the other wireless communication apparatuses.

3. The wireless communication apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said selection unit is further configured to reselect the connection apparatus based on the information notified by said notification unit of at least one of the other wireless communication apparatuses.

4. The wireless communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a priority control unit configured to control a route priority between the wireless communication apparatus and the selected one of the connection apparatuses.

5. A connection apparatus configured to connect a network including wireless communication apparatuses as claimed in claim 1 to another network, the connection apparatus comprising:

an information collection unit configured to collect a combination of an identification of a terminal apparatus and an identification of the connection apparatus or another connection apparatus whichever is optimum for the terminal apparatus obtained from the communication apparatuses;

a storage unit configured to store the combination of identifications collected by said information collection unit;

a selection unit configured to select the connection apparatus or the other connection apparatus for the terminal apparatus as an optimum connection apparatus through which data to be transmitted to the terminal apparatus is transmitted, based on the combination of identification stored in said storage unit; and

a route control unit configured to route the data to be transmitted to the terminal apparatus to the other connection apparatus if the connection apparatus has not been selected as the optimum connection apparatus.

6. The connection apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a notification unit configured to notify the other connection apparatus that the connection apparatus has been selected as the optimum connection apparatus.

7. A wireless communication apparatus configured to form a network with other wireless communication apparatuses, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

an information collection unit configured to collect route information on states of routes between the wireless communication apparatus and respective connection apparatuses, each of the connection apparatuses connecting the network and another network, and connection apparatus information on the connection apparatuses;

a storage unit configured to store the route information and the connection apparatus information collected by said information collection unit;

a selection unit configured to select one of the connection apparatuses optimum for a terminal apparatus based on the route information and the connection apparatus information stored in said storage unit; and

a route control unit configured to route transmission of data from the terminal apparatus to the one of the connection apparatuses selected by said selection unit, wherein

said selection unit is further configured to determine, when a packet is received from the terminal apparatus, the packet inquiring the data link layer address of a connection apparatus, and if the network layer address contained in the packet is that of a first connection apparatus, whether the first connection apparatus satisfies a predetermined condition, based on the route information and the connection apparatus information stored in said storage unit; and

said route control unit is further configured to return unchanged the data link layer address of the first connection apparatus when the determination made by said selection unit was that the first connection apparatus was optimum, but otherwise change the data link layer address to another address of the one of the connection apparatuses that is optimum as determined by the selection unit.

8. A connection apparatus configured to connect a network including communication apparatuses as claimed in claim 7 to another network, the connection apparatus comprising:

an information collection unit configured to collect a combination of an identification of a terminal apparatus and an identification of the connection apparatus or another connection apparatus whichever is optimum for the terminal apparatus obtained from the communication apparatuses;

a storage unit configured to store the combination of identifications collected by said information collection unit;

a selection unit configured to select the connection apparatus or the other connection apparatus for the terminal apparatus as an optimum connection apparatus through which data to be transmitted to the terminal apparatus is transmitted, based on the combination of identification stored in said storage unit; and

a route control unit configured to route the data to be transmitted to the terminal apparatus to the other connection apparatus if the connection apparatus has not been selected as the optimum connection apparatus.

9. A communication system, comprising:

a network and another network;

a communication apparatus that communicates in the network with other communication apparatuses, the communication apparatus including

an information collection unit configured to collect route information on routes between the communication apparatus and respective connection apparatuses, each of the connection apparatuses connecting the network and another network, and connection apparatus information on the connection apparatuses,

a storage unit configured to store the route information and the connection apparatus information collected by said information collection unit,

a selection unit configured to select one of the connection apparatuses optimum for a terminal apparatus based on the route information and the connection apparatus information stored in said storage unit, and

a route control unit configured to route transmission of data from the terminal apparatus to the one of the connection apparatuses selected by said selection unit, wherein

said selection unit is further configured to determine, in response to receipt of a packet from the terminal apparatus, the packet including an identifier of a first connection apparatus as a destination, whether the first connection apparatus satisfies a predetermined condition, based on the route information and the connection apparatus information stored in said storage unit, and

said route control unit is further configured to change the identifier included in the packet to the identifier of a second connection apparatus that satisfies the predetermined condition based on the determination made by said selection unit;

a connection apparatus of the respective connection apparatuses, said connection apparatus including

an information collection unit configured to collect a combination of an identification of a terminal apparatus and an identification of the connection apparatus or another connection apparatus whichever is optimum for the terminal apparatus obtained from the communication apparatuses,

a storage unit configured to store the combination of identifications collected by said information collection unit,

a selection unit configured to select the connection apparatus or the other connection apparatus for the terminal apparatus as an optimum connection apparatus through which data to be transmitted to the terminal apparatus is transmitted, based on the combination of identification stored in said storage unit, and

a route control unit configured to route the data to be transmitted to the terminal apparatus to the other connection apparatus if the connection apparatus has not been selected as the optimum connection apparatus.

10. A method of communicating through a network formed by a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses, the network connected with another network via connection apparatuses, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting route information on routes between the wireless communication apparatus and the respective connection apparatuses and connection apparatus information on the connection apparatuses;

storing in a computer readable memory the route information and the connection apparatus information collected;

selecting one of the connection apparatuses optimum for a terminal apparatus based on the route information and the connection apparatus information stored; and

routing transmission of data from the terminal apparatus to the one of the connection apparatuses selected, said selecting step also determines, in response to receipt of packets from the terminal apparatus, the packet including an identifier of a first connection apparatus as a destination, whether the first connection apparatus satisfies a predetermined condition, based on the route information and the connection apparatus information stored during said storing step; and

said routing step also changes the identifier included in the packet to the identifier of a second connection apparatus that satisfies the predetermined condition based on the determination made in the selecting step.

11. A method of communicating through a network formed by a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses, the network connected with another network via connection apparatuses, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting route information on routes between the wireless communication apparatus and the respective connection apparatuses and connection apparatus information on the connection apparatuses;

storing in a computer readable memory the route information and the connection apparatus information collected;

selecting one of the connection apparatuses optimum for a terminal apparatus based on the route information and the connection apparatus information stored; and

routing transmission of data from the terminal apparatus to the one of the connection apparatuses selected, wherein

said selecting step also determines when a packet is received from the terminal apparatus, the packet inquiring the data link layer address of a connection apparatus, and if the network layer address contained in the packet is that of a first connection apparatus, whether the first connection apparatus satisfies a predetermined condition, based on the route information and the connection apparatus information stored during said storing step; and

said routing step also returns unchanged the data link layer address of the first connection apparatus when the determination made in the selecting step was that the first connection apparatus was optimum, but otherwise changes the data link layer address to another address of the one of the connection apparatuses that is optimum as determined in the selecting step.