Wireless relay apparatus and wireless relay method

• US 8,085,667 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2009
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Takao, Yoshida, Atsushi, Ishii, Tomoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOM, SHICK C
• Application Number:
  US12/667,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20100195561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15542 Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference

Abstract

A wireless relay apparatus capable of high-quality transmission of data includes a wireless control unit and a data link communication unit wirelessly receiving and transmitting data. The wireless relay apparatus also includes a congestion status determining unit determining whether a congestion caused by radio wave interference occurs in the wireless relay apparatus, and includes a data flow determining unit identifying a flow of data transmitted and received by the wireless relay apparatus and determining whether the flows intersect in the wireless relay apparatus, when the congestion status determining unit determines that there is a congestion. In addition, the wireless relay apparatus includes a transmission parameter adjustment unit adjusting transmission characteristics of a type according to a result of the determination by the data flow determining unit, from among types of transmission characteristics of radio used in at least one of the wireless control unit and the communication apparatuses.

Claims

1. A wireless relay apparatus for relaying data to be transmitted and received between at least two communication apparatuses among a plurality of communication apparatuses that communicate with each other wirelessly, said wireless relay apparatus comprising:

a communication unit configured to transmit and receive data wirelessly;

a data flow determining unit configured to determine, when there is a communication failure in said wireless relay apparatus caused by a radio wave, whether or not flows of data intersect each other in said wireless relay apparatus; and

an adjustment unit configured to, according to a result of the determination of said data flow determining unit, adjust a directivity of the radio wave, as a transmission parameter of a plurality of transmission parameters of radio used by at least one of said communication unit and the plurality of communication apparatuses,

wherein, when said data flow determining unit determines that the flows of data intersect each other, said adjustment unit adjusts, as a transmission parameter of the plurality of transmission parameters, a frequency in said communication unit and a communication apparatus, of the plurality of communication apparatuses, for one of the intersecting flows of data, such that the adjusted frequency for the one of the intersecting flows of data and a frequency for another of the intersecting flows of data are different.

2. The wireless relay apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a communication failure determining unit configured to determine whether or not there is a communication failure caused by a radio wave interference in said wireless relay apparatus,

wherein, when said communication failure determining unit determines that there is the communication failure, said data flow determining unit determines whether or not the flows of data intersect each other in said wireless relay apparatus, by identifying a flow of data transmitted to and received from said communication unit.

7. The wireless relay apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said data flow determining unit identifies the flow of the data based on information indicating a transmission source and a destination of the data included in the data received by said communication unit.

8. The wireless relay apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a routing unit configured to create route information indicating a route for relaying the data,

wherein said data flow determining unit identifies the flow of the data by referring to the route information.

9. The wireless relay apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein said communication unit receives data that is not relayed by said wireless relay apparatus, and

wherein said data flow determining unit identifies the flow of the data transmitted to and received from, between the at least two communication apparatuses except said wireless relay apparatus, based on information included in the data that is not relayed and received by said communication unit, the information indicating a transmission source and a destination of the data.

3. A wireless relay apparatus for relaying data to be transmitted and received between at least two communication apparatuses among a plurality of communication apparatuses that communicate with each other wirelessly, said wireless relay apparatus comprising:

a communication unit configured to transmit and receive data wirelessly;

a data flow determining unit configured to determine, when there is a communication failure in said wireless relay apparatus caused by a radio wave, whether or not flows of data intersect each other in said wireless relay apparatus;

an adjustment unit configured to, according to a result of the determination of said data flow determining unit, adjust a directivity of the radio wave, as a transmission parameter of a plurality of transmission parameters of radio used by at least one of said communication unit and the plurality of communication apparatuses; and

a communication failure determining unit configured to determine whether or not there is a communication failure caused by a radio wave interference in said wireless relay apparatus,

wherein, when said communication failure determining unit determines that there is the communication failure, said data flow determining unit determines whether or not the flows of data intersect each other in said wireless relay apparatus, by identifying a flow of data transmitted to and received from said communication unit, and

wherein, when said data flow determining unit determines that the flows of data do not intersect each other, said adjustment unit increases the directivity of the radio wave in said communication unit, as a transmission parameter of the plurality of transmission parameters, such that a direction of the radio wave which carries the data transmitted to and received from said communication unit is restricted to a direction along the identified flow of the data.

4. The wireless relay apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said adjustment unit increases the directivity of the radio wave in said communication unit, such that a direction of the radio wave that can be received by said communication unit is restricted to a communication apparatus, of the plurality of communication apparatuses, which is a transmission source of the identified flow of the data.

6. The wireless relay apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a position obtaining unit configured to obtain a position of a communication apparatus, of the plurality of communication apparatuses, on the flow of the data identified by said data flow determining unit,

wherein said adjustment unit increases the directivity of the radio wave in said communication unit, such that the direction of the radio wave is restricted to a direction connecting the position of the communication apparatus obtained by said position obtaining unit and a position of said wireless relay apparatus.

5. A wireless relay apparatus for relaying data to be transmitted and received between at least two communication apparatuses among a plurality of communication apparatuses that communicate with each other wirelessly, said wireless relay apparatus comprising:

a communication unit configured to transmit and receive data wirelessly;

a data flow determining unit configured to determine, when there is a communication failure in said wireless relay apparatus caused by a radio wave, whether or not flows of data intersect each other in said wireless relay apparatus;

an adjustment unit configured to, according to a result of the determination of said data flow determining unit, adjust a directivity of the radio wave, as a transmission parameter of a plurality of transmission parameters of radio used by at least one of said communication unit and the plurality of communication apparatuses; and

a communication failure determining unit configured to determine whether or not there is a communication failure caused by a radio wave interference in said wireless relay apparatus,

wherein, when said communication failure determining unit determines that there is the communication failure, said data flow determining unit determines whether or not the flows of data intersect each other in said wireless relay apparatus, by identifying a flow of data transmitted to and received from said communication unit, and

wherein, when said data flow determining unit determines that the flows of data do not intersect each other, said adjustment unit increases the directivity of a radio wave outputted from a communication apparatus, of the plurality of communication apparatuses, located around said wireless relay apparatus, such that a direction of the radio wave outputted from the communication apparatus which is a transmission source located around said wireless relay apparatus and which is other than a communication apparatus on the identified flow of the data, is restricted to another communication apparatus, of the plurality of communication apparatuses, which is a destination.

10. A wireless relay method for relaying, by a relay apparatus, data to be transmitted and received between at least two communication apparatuses among a plurality of communication apparatuses that communicate with each other wirelessly, said wireless relay method comprising:

transmitting and receiving, via a communication unit, the data to and from the relay apparatus wirelessly;

determining, when there is a communication failure in the relay apparatus caused by a radio wave, whether or not flows of data intersect each other in the relay apparatus; and

adjusting, according to a result of the determination of said determining of whether or not the flows of data intersect each other, a directivity of the radio wave, as a transmission parameter of a plurality of transmission parameters of radio used by at least one of the plurality of communication apparatuses,

wherein, when said determining determines that the flows of data intersect each other, said adjusting adjusts, as a transmission parameter of the plurality of transmission parameters, a frequency in the communication unit and a communication apparatus, of the plurality of communication apparatuses, for one of the intersecting flows of data, such that the adjusted frequency for the one of the intersecting flows of data and a frequency for another of the intersecting flows of data are different.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon, the program for relaying, by a relay apparatus, data to be transmitted and received between at least two communication apparatuses among a plurality of communication apparatuses that communicate with each other wirelessly, the program causing a computer to execute a method comprising:

transmitting and receiving, via a communication unit, the data to and from the relay apparatus wirelessly;

determining, when there is a communication failure in the relay apparatus caused by a radio wave, whether or not flows of data intersect each other in the relay apparatus; and

adjusting, according to a result of the determination of said determining of whether or not the flows of data intersect each other, a directivity of the radio wave, as a transmission parameter of a plurality of transmission parameters of radio used by at least one of the plurality of communication apparatuses,

wherein, when said determining determines that the flows of data intersect each other, said adjusting adjusts, as a transmission parameter of the plurality of transmission parameters, a frequency in the communication unit and a communication apparatus, of the plurality of communication apparatuses, for one of the intersecting flows of data, such that the adjusted frequency for the one of the intersecting flows of data and a frequency for another of the intersecting flows of data are different.

12. A wireless relay method for relaying, by a relay apparatus, data to be transmitted and received between at least two communication apparatuses among a plurality of communication apparatuses that communicate with each other wirelessly, said wireless relay method comprising:

transmitting and receiving, via a communication unit, the data to and from the relay apparatus wirelessly;

determining, when there is a communication failure in the relay apparatus caused by a radio wave, whether or not flows of data intersect each other in the relay apparatus;

adjusting, according to a result of the determination of said determining of whether or not the flows of data intersect each other, a directivity of the radio wave, as a transmission parameter of a plurality of transmission parameters of radio used by at least one of the plurality of communication apparatuses; and

determining whether or not there is a communication failure caused by a radio wave interference in the relay apparatus,

wherein, when said determining of whether or not there is the communication failure determines that there is the communication failure, said determining of whether or not the flows of data intersect each other determines whether or not the flows of data intersect each other in the relay apparatus, by identifying a flow of data transmitted to and received from the communication unit, and

wherein, when said determining of whether or not the flows of data intersect each other determines that the flows of data do not intersect each other, said adjusting increases the directivity of the radio wave in the communication unit, as a transmission parameter of the plurality of transmission parameters, such that a direction of the radio wave which carries the data transmitted to and received from the communication unit is restricted to a direction along the identified flow of the data.

13. A wireless relay method for relaying, by a relay apparatus, data to be transmitted and received between at least two communication apparatuses among a plurality of communication apparatuses that communicate with each other wirelessly, said wireless relay method comprising:

transmitting and receiving, via a communication unit, the data to and from the relay apparatus wirelessly;

determining, when there is a communication failure in the relay apparatus caused by a radio wave, whether or not flows of data intersect each other in the relay apparatus;

adjusting, according to a result of the determination of said determining of whether or not the flows of data intersect each other, a directivity of the radio wave, as a transmission parameter of a plurality of transmission parameters of radio used by at least one of the plurality of communication apparatuses; and

determining whether or not there is a communication failure caused by a radio wave interference in the relay apparatus,

wherein, when said determining of whether or not there is the communication failure determines that there is the communication failure, said determining of whether or not the flows of data intersect each other determines whether or not the flows of data intersect each other in the relay apparatus, by identifying a flow of data transmitted to and received from the communication unit, and

wherein, when said determining of whether or not the flows of data intersect each other determines that the flows of data do not intersect each other, said adjusting increases the directivity of a radio wave outputted from a communication apparatus, of the plurality of communication apparatuses, located around the relay apparatus, such that a direction of the radio wave outputted from the communication apparatus which is a transmission source located around the relay apparatus and which is other than a communication apparatus on the identified flow of the data, is restricted to another communication apparatus, of the plurality of communication apparatuses, which is a destination.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon, the program for relaying, by a relay apparatus, data to be transmitted and received between at least two communication apparatuses among a plurality of communication apparatuses that communicate with each other wirelessly, the program causing a computer to execute a method comprising:

transmitting and receiving, via a communication unit, the data to and from the relay apparatus wirelessly;

determining, when there is a communication failure in the relay apparatus caused by a radio wave, whether or not flows of data intersect each other in the relay apparatus;

adjusting, according to a result of the determination of said determining of whether or not the flows of data intersect each other, a directivity of the radio wave, as a transmission parameter of a plurality of transmission parameters of radio used by at least one of the plurality of communication apparatuses; and

determining whether or not there is a communication failure caused by a radio wave interference in the relay apparatus,

wherein, when said determining of whether or not there is the communication failure determines that there is the communication failure, said determining of whether or not the flows of data intersect each other determines whether or not the flows of data intersect each other in the relay apparatus, by identifying a flow of data transmitted to and received from the communication unit, and

wherein, when said determining of whether or not the flows of data intersect each other determines that the flows of data do not intersect each other, said adjusting increases the directivity of the radio wave in the communication unit, as a transmission parameter of the plurality of transmission parameters, such that a direction of the radio wave which carries the data transmitted to and received from the communication unit is restricted to a direction along the identified flow of the data.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon, the program for relaying, by a relay apparatus, data to be transmitted and received between at least two communication apparatuses among a plurality of communication apparatuses that communicate with each other wirelessly, the program causing a computer to execute a method comprising:

transmitting and receiving, via a communication unit, the data to and from the relay apparatus wirelessly;

determining, when there is a communication failure in the relay apparatus caused by a radio wave, whether or not flows of data intersect each other in the relay apparatus;

adjusting, according to a result of the determination of said determining of whether or not the flows of data intersect each other, a directivity of the radio wave, as a transmission parameter of a plurality of transmission parameters of radio used by at least one of the plurality of communication apparatuses; and

determining whether or not there is a communication failure caused by a radio wave interference in the relay apparatus,

wherein, when said determining of whether or not there is the communication failure determines that there is the communication failure, said determining of whether or not the flows of data intersect each other determines whether or not the flows of data intersect each other in the relay apparatus, by identifying a flow of data transmitted to and received from the communication unit, and

wherein, when said determining of whether or not the flows of data intersect each other determines that the flows of data do not intersect each other, said adjusting increases the directivity of a radio wave outputted from a communication apparatus, of the plurality of communication apparatuses, located around the relay apparatus, such that a direction of the radio wave outputted from the communication apparatus which is a transmission source located around the relay apparatus and which is other than a communication apparatus on the identified flow of the data, is restricted to another communication apparatus, of the plurality of communication apparatuses, which is a destination.