Method and device for communicating a message on a network and systems using them

• US 7,747,783 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Morvan, Isabelle, Tocze, Lionel, Caillerie, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDER, PATRICE L
• Application Number:
  US11/356,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20060136603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2687 Inter base stations synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

The communication method concerns communication stations adapted to communicate with each other when a base station supplies a synchronisation signal to mobile stations synchronising on this signal.

This method includes a request operation (901) during which a first base station (300) transmits, to a mobile station (301), a request for the storage in memory and transmission, by said mobile station, of a message, to a message destination communication station (302) which is not synchronised with said first base station.

Claims

1. A method of communicating between communication stations adapted to communicate with each other when at least one of the communication stations supplies a synchronization signal, the station then functioning in base station mode and the stations not supplying a synchronization signal but synchronizing on a synchronization signal sent by a station functioning in base station mode then functioning in mobile station mode,

wherein the method includes:

a first transmission operation, during which a first base station transmits, to a mobile station, a request for the storage in memory and transmission, by the mobile station, of a message to a communication station for which the message is intended and which is not synchronized with the first base station;

a detachment operation, during which the mobile station desynchronizes from the first base station, the mobile station then not being synchronized with the first base station;

an attachment operation, during which the mobile station synchronizes with a second base station, without the two base stations synchronizing with each other, the two base stations then not being synchronized with each other; and

a second transmission operation, during which the mobile station transmits, via the second base station, the message to the communication station for which the message is intended.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including a response operation during which the mobile station transmits, to the first base station, a message accepting or refusing transmission of the message to the message destination station.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, if during the response operation the mobile station transmits to the first base station a message refusing transmission of the message, the base station performs a new operation of selecting, from a location table, a mobile station which is the destination of the request to store in memory and to transmit.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, preliminary to the first transmission operation, the first base station performs an operation of selecting, from a location table, the mobile station which is the destination of the request to store in memory and to transmit.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, preliminary to the selection operation, the first base station performs an operation of determining synchronization or not of the message destination station with the first base station and, only when the message destination station is not synchronized with the first base station, an operation of selecting a mobile station which is the destination of the request to store in memory.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, during the operation of determining the synchronization or not of the message destination station with the first base station, the base station performs an operation of reading, in a location table, the operating mode of the message destination station, and

when the message destination station is functioning in base station mode, it is determined that the message destination station is not synchronized with the first base station, and

when the message destination station is functioning in mobile station mode, during the reading operation, the base station performs an operation of reading the identity of a base station with which the message destination station is synchronized and, when the base station with which the message destination station is synchronized is not the first base station, it is determined that the message destination station is not synchronized with the first base station.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the first transmission operation, the first base station transmits, to the mobile station, the content of the message to be transmitted to the message destination station.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the first transmission operation, the first base station transmits, to the mobile station, an identifier for the message destination station.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the first transmission operation, the first base station transmits, to the mobile station, an identifier for the first base station.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the first transmission operation, the first base station transmits, to the mobile station, an identifier for a source station which supplies, to the first base station, the message to be transmitted to the message destination station.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1 and 11, wherein the message represents traffic between the mobile stations synchronized on the first base station and the first base station.

17. An information storage means which can be read by a computer or a microprocessor storing instructions of a computer program, wherein it makes it possible to implement a communication method according to any one of claims 1 and 11.

18. An information storage means which is removable, partially or totally, and which can be read by a computer or a microprocessor storing instructions of a computer program, wherein it makes it possible to implement a communication method according to any one of claims 1 and 11.

11. A method of communicating between communication stations adapted to communicate with each other when at least one of the communication stations supplies a synchronization signal, the station then functioning in base station mode and the stations not supplying a synchronization signal but synchronizing on a synchronization signal sent by a station functioning in base station mode then functioning in mobile station mode, wherein the method includes:

a first operation of receiving a message, during which a mobile station synchronized with a first base station receives a message coming from the first base station,

an operation of detachment and attachment, during which the mobile station synchronizes with a second base station, without the two base stations synchronizing with each other, the two base stations then not being synchronized with each other, and

a second transmission operation, during which the mobile station transmits the message to the second base station.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, following the message reception operation and preliminary to the detachment and attachment operation, the mobile station performs an availability test during which it determines whether a communication would be interfered with by the detachment and attachment operation and, if during the availability test it is determined that no communication would be interfered with by a detachment and attachment operation, the detachment and attachment operation is performed.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, during the availability test, the mobile station determines whether or not it is participating in a current communication and, if it is participating in a current communication, it is determined that a communication would be interfered with by a detachment and attachment operation.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein, following the message reception operation and preliminary to the detachment and attachment operation, the mobile station performs an availability test during which it determines whether or not a quantity of energy available to it is greater than a predetermined quantity and, if during the availability test it is determined that the quantity of energy is greater than the predetermined quantity, the detachment and attachment operation is performed.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein, preliminary to the detachment and attachment operation, the mobile station performs a response operation during which the mobile station transmits, to the first base station, a message accepting transmission of the message.

19. A device for communication between communication stations adapted to communicate with each other when at least one of said communication stations supplies a synchronization signal, said station then functioning in base station mode and the stations not supplying a synchronization signal but synchronizing on a synchronization signal transmitted by a station functioning in base station mode then functioning in mobile station mode,

wherein the device comprises:

first transmission means adapted for a first base station to transmit, to a mobile station, a request for the storage in memory and transmission, by said mobile station, of a message, to a communication station for which the message is intended and which is not synchronized with said first base station;

detachment means adapted for the mobile station to desynchronize from the first base station, the mobile station then not being synchronized with the first base station;

attachment means adapted for the mobile station to synchronize with a second base station, without the two base stations synchronizing with each other, the two base stations then not being synchronized with each other; and

second transmission means adapted for the mobile station to transmit, via the second base station, the message to the communication station for which the message is intended.

20. The device according to claim 19, further comprising, in the first base station:

a memory containing a location table representing communication stations, and

a selection means, adapted to select, from said location table, the mobile station which is the destination of the request to store in memory and to transmit.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein, when a selected mobile station transmits to the first base station a message refusing transmission of the said message, the selection means is adapted to select, from said location table, a new mobile station which is the destination of the request to store in memory and to transmit.

22. The device according to claim 20, further comprising means for determining the synchronization or not of the message destination station with the first base station, and only when the message destination is not synchronized with the first base station, the selection means effects a selection, from said location table, of a mobile station which is the destination of the request to store in memory.

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein:

A) the location table contains, at least for each mobile station, information representing the identity of a base station with which the mobile station is synchronized, and

B) the synchronization determination means is adapted to read, from the location table, the operating mode of the message destination station, and;

when the message destination station is functioning in base station mode, to determine that the message destination station is not synchronized with the first base station, and

when the message destination station is functioning in mobile station mode, the synchronization determination means is adapted to read, from said location table, the identity of a base station with which the message destination station is synchronized and, when the base station with which the message destination station is synchronized is not the first base station, it is determined that the message destination station is not synchronized with the first base station.

24. The device according to claim 19, wherein the first transmission means is adapted to transmit, with said request, to the mobile station, the content of the message to be transmitted to the message destination station.

25. The device according to claim 19, wherein the first transmission means is adapted to transmit, with said request, to the mobile station, an identifier for the message destination station.

26. The device according to claim 19, wherein the first transmission means is adapted to transmit, with said request, to the mobile station, an identifier for the first base station.

27. The device according to claim 19, wherein the first transmission means is adapted to transmit, with said request, to the mobile station, an identifier for a source station which supplies, to the first base station, the message to be transmitted to the message destination station.

30. The device according to any one of claims 19 and 28, wherein said transmission means is adapted so that said message represents traffic between the mobile stations synchronized on the first base station and the first base station.

31. A network, wherein it has at least two devices according to any one of claims 19 and 28.

32. A telephone, wherein it has a device according to any one of claims 19 and 28.

33. A photographic apparatus, wherein it has a device according to claims 19 and 28.

34. A printer, wherein it has a device according to any one of claims 19 and 28.

35. A scanner, wherein it has a device according to any one of claims 19 and 28.

36. A camera, wherein it has a device according to any one of claims 19 and 28.

37. A computer, wherein it has a device according to any one of claims 19 and 28.

38. A facsimile machine, wherein it has a device according to any one of claims 19 and 28.

39. A television receiver, wherein it has a device according to any one of claims 19 and 28.

40. An audio/video player, wherein it has a device according to any one of claims 19 and 28.

28. A device for communication between communication stations adapted to communicate with each other when at least one of said communication stations supplies a synchronization signal, said station then functioning in base station mode and the stations not supplying a synchronization signal but synchronizing on a synchronization signal transmitted by a station functioning in base station mode then functioning in base station mode, the device comprising:

in a mobile station synchronized with a first base station, first means of receiving a message, adapted to receive a message coming from said first base station,

detachment and attachment means adapted to synchronize said mobile station with a second base station, without the two base stations synchronizing with each other, the two base stations being then not synchronized with each other,

said transmission means also being adapted to transmit the message to said second base station when said mobile station is synchronized with said second base station.

29. The device according to claim 28, wherein the transmission means is also adapted to transmit, to said first base station, a message accepting or refusing transmission of said message to the message destination station.