Controller apparatus, mobile terminal, and communication control method for changing topology

• US 7,848,255 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• 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: Suzuki, Toshihiro, Kobayashi, Motonari
• Primary Examiner(s): CHO, HONG SOL
• Application Number:
  US11/312,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20060159033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,812 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/255, 370/328, 370/338, 370/351, 370/400, 370/401
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/00 Network topologies

Abstract

A controller apparatus of this invention includes a topology information managing unit configured to manage topology information showing a topology, a location information acquiring unit configured to acquire location information on a plurality of mobile terminals, a link information acquiring unit configured to acquire link information at the mobile terminals, a determining unit configured to determine a way to change the topology, based on the location information, the link information and the topology information, and a transmitting unit configured to generate instruction information for changing the topology, based on the determined way to change the topology, and to transmit the instruction information to a certain mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A controller apparatus configured to control a topology in an ad hoc network formed by a plurality of mobile terminals, the controller apparatus comprising:

a topology information managing unit configured to manage topology information showing the topology;

a location information acquiring unit configured to acquire location information indicating a physical location on the mobile terminals;

a link information acquiring unit configured to acquire link information at the mobile terminals;

a determining unit configured to determine a way to change the topology, based on the acquired location information, the acquired link information, and the topology information managed by the topology information managing unit;

a transmitting unit configured to generate instruction information for changing the topology, based on the determined way to change the topology, for transmission to a certain mobile terminal, the instruction information configured to instruct the certain mobile terminal forming a part of the ad hoc network to move in a required direction or to a required location;

a communication environment information acquiring unit configured to acquire, from the mobile terminals, communication environment information showing a communication environment at the mobile terminals; and

a proxy control information transmitting unit configured to transmit proxy control information for performing the topology control in place of the controller apparatus, to a representative mobile terminal belonging to the ad hoc network, when the acquired communication environment information includes at least one of an average of a reception power, a reception signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) and a reception carrier-to-interference ratio (CIR) at the mobile terminals which is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

2. The controller apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the instruction information is configured to instruct the certain mobile terminal not joining in the ad hoc network to join in the ad hoc network.

3. The controller apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the determining unit is configured to determine a way to change the topology, based on traffic conditions in the ad hoc network.

4. The controller apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the determining unit is configured to determine a way to change the topology, so as to reduce a hop count in communication between certain mobile terminals.

5. The controller apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the topology information management unit is configured to associate and store a monitoring point and traffic volume.

6. The controller apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the instruction information instructs the certain mobile terminal forming a part of the ad hoc network to move in a required physical direction or to a required physical location.

7. A mobile terminal configured to be able to join in an ad hoc network, comprising:

a location information transmitting unit configured to transmit location information indicating a physical location on the mobile terminal to a controller apparatus configured to control a topology in the ad hoc network;

a link information transmitting unit configured to transmit link information at the mobile terminal to the controller apparatus;

an output unit configured to output instruction information transmitted from the controller apparatus, the instruction information configured to change the topology based on location information by instructing the mobile terminal to move in a required direction or to a required location;

a communication environment information transmitting unit configured to transmit, to the controller apparatus, communication environment information showing a communication environment at the mobile terminal; and

a proxy control information receiving unit configured to receive proxy control information, for performing the topology control in place of the controller apparatus, when the acquired communication environment information includes at least one of an average of a reception power, a reception signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) and a reception carrier-to-interference ratio (CIR) at the mobile terminal which is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

8. The mobile terminal as set forth in claim 7, wherein the instruction information is configured to instruct the mobile terminal to join in the ad hoc network.

9. The mobile terminal as set forth in claim 7, wherein the instruction information instructs the mobile terminal to move in a required physical direction or to a required physical location.

10. A communication control method in which a controller apparatus is configured to control a topology in an ad hoc network formed by a plurality of mobile terminals, the method comprising:

acquiring, at the controller apparatus, location information indicating a physical location on the mobile terminals;

acquiring, at the controller apparatus, link information at the mobile terminals;

determining, at the controller apparatus, a way to change the topology, based on the acquired location information, the acquired link information, and topology information showing the topology managed by the controller apparatus;

generating, at the controller apparatus, instruction information for changing the topology, based on the determined way to change the topology, for transmission to a certain mobile terminal;

outputting, at the certain mobile terminal, the instruction information transmitted from the controller apparatus, and the instruction information configured to instruct the certain mobile terminal forming a part of the ad hoc network to move in a required direction or to a required location;

acquiring, at the controller apparatus from the mobile terminals, communication environment information showing a communication environment at the mobile terminals; and

transmitting proxy control information for performing the topology control in place of the controller apparatus, to a representative mobile terminal belonging to the ad hoc network, when the acquired communication environment information includes at least one of an average of a reception power, a reception signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) and a reception carrier-to-interference ratio (CIR) at the mobile terminals which is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

11. The communication control method according to claim 10, wherein the instruction information instructs the certain mobile terminal forming a part of the ad hoc network to move in a required physical direction or to a required physical location.