Radio communication terminal, method for selecting communication channel and computer-readable storage medium

• US 8,249,003 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Access Technica Limited (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Kazuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): Masur, Paul H
• Application Number:
  US12/399,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20100226319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/329, 370/335, 370/338, 370/340, 370/341, 455/450, 455/451, 455/452.1, 455/452.2, 455/453, 455/454, 455/462, 455/464, 455/509
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

A radio communication terminal includes a communication unit, a channel investigating unit and a channel setting unit. The communication unit communicates using at least one channel in a first frequency band. The channel investigating unit investigates all channels in the first frequency band, detects an available channel in the all channels and outputs a detection result as available channel information. The channel setting unit receives the available channel information, determines whether or not a plurality of channels adjacent to each other in the first frequency band are available for communication based on the available channel information.

Claims

1. A radio communication terminal, comprising:

a communication unit which communicates using at least one channel in a first frequency band;

a channel investigating unit which investigates all channels in said first frequency band, detects an available channel in said all channels and outputs a detection result as available channel information; and

a channel setting unit which receives said available channel information, determines whether or not a plurality of channels adjacent to each other in said first frequency band are available for communication based on said available channel information, and sets a plurality of channels which are not adjacent to each other in said communication unit as channels which are available for communication in said first frequency band when it is determined that said plurality of channels adjacent to each other are not available for communication.

2. The radio communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein

said channel setting unit determines that said plurality of channels which are adjacent to each other in said first frequency band are available for communication, and sets said plurality of channels which are adjacent to each other in said communication unit as channels to be used for communication in said first frequency band.

3. The radio communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein

said channel setting unit determines that one available channel exists in said first frequency band, and sets said one channel in said communication unit as a channel to be used for communication in said first frequency band.

4. The radio communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein

said channel setting unit determines that no available channel exists in said first frequency band, and sets one channel which includes the least amount of interference among said all channels in said first frequency band in said communication unit as a channel to be used for communication in said first frequency band.

5. The radio communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein

said communication unit can communicates using at least one channel in a second frequency band in addition to said first frequency band, and said channel investigating unit investigates all channels of said second frequency band in addition to said first frequency band, detects an available channel in said all channels and outputs said detection result as available channel information.

6. The radio communication terminal according to claim 5, wherein

said channel setting unit determines a channel to be used for communication in each of said first and said second frequency bands based on said available channel information and sets said channel in said communication unit.

7. The radio communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein

said channel setting unit determines that a plurality of channels which are adjacent to each other in one frequency band of said first and said second frequency bands can not be used for communication, and sets a plurality of channels which are not adjacent to each other in said one frequency band in said communication unit as channels which are used for communication.

8. The radio communication terminal according to claim 7, wherein

said channel setting unit determines that said plurality of channels which are adjacent to each other in said one frequency band can be used for communication, and sets said plurality of channels which are adjacent to each other in said one frequency band in said communication unit as channels which are used for communication.

9. The radio communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein

said channel setting unit determines that only one available channel exists in one frequency band out of said first and said second frequency bands, selects at least one channel in other frequency band in addition to said one available channel, and sets each of said channels which are selected respectively in said first and said second frequency bands in said communication unit as channels which are used for communication.

10. The radio communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein

said channel setting unit determines that no available channel exists in one frequency band of said first and said second frequency bands, and determines whether or not a plurality of channels which are adjacent to each other in other frequency band can be used for communication.

11. The radio communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein

said channel setting unit determines that no available channel exists in said one frequency band of said first and said second frequency bands and a plurality of channels which are adjacent to each other in other frequency band can be used for communication, and sets said plurality of channels which are adjacent to each other in said other frequency band in said communication unit as channels which are used for communication.

12. The radio communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein

said channel setting unit determines that no available channel exists in said one frequency band of said first and said second frequency bands and a plurality of channels which are adjacent to each other in other frequency band cannot be used for communication, and sets a plurality of channels which are not adjacent to each other in said other frequency band in said communication unit as channels which is used for communication.

13. The radio communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein

said channel setting unit determines that no available channel exists in one frequency band of said first and said second frequency bands and a plurality of channels which are adjacent to each other in other frequency band can not be used for communication, and sets one available channel in said other frequency channel in said communication unit as a channel which is used for communication.

14. The radio communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein

said channel setting unit determines that no available channel exists in both said first frequency band and said second frequency band, and sets one channel which includes the least amount of interference among all channels in said first and said second frequency bands, to said communication unit as a channel which is used for communication.

15. The radio communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein

said channel investigating unit determines whether or not an interfering radio wave exists in at least one channel, while said communication unit communicates using a plurality of channels.

16. The radio communication terminal according to claim 15, wherein

when said channel investigating unit determines that said interfering radio wave exists in said at least one channel, said channel setting unit stops using said channel which is determined to include said interfering radio wave and sets a new channel including no interfering radio wave.

17. A radio communication terminal, comprising:

communication means for communicating using at least one channel in a first frequency band;

channel investigating means for investigating all channels in said first frequency band, detecting an available channel in all channels, and outputting said detection result as available channel information; and

channel setting means for receiving said available channel information, determining whether or not a plurality of channels which are adjacent to each other in said first frequency band can be used for communication based on said information and setting a plurality of channels which are not adjacent to each other as a channel to be used for communication in said first frequency band when it is determined that a plurality of channels adjacent to each other can not be used for communication.

18. A radio communication terminal, comprising:

a communication unit which is configured to communicate using a plurality of channels which are to be bonded for communication, said plurality of channels include at least two channels in a first frequency band, or at least two channels in a second frequency band, or at least one channel each in said first and said second frequency bands;

a channel investigating unit which is configured to investigate all channels in the frequency band to be used, to detect an available channel for communication in said all channels and to output available channel information as the detection result; and

a channel setting unit which is configured to receive said available channel information, to determine whether or not at least two channels are available for communication in said first frequency band based on said available channel information, to determine whether or not at least one each of channels are available for communication in said first and said second frequency bands based on said available channel information when it has been determined that at least two channels were not available for communication in said first frequency band, and to set said at least one each of channels in said first and said second frequency bands in said communication unit as channels to be bonded for communication when it has been determined that said at least one each of channels in said first and said second frequency bands were available for communication.

19. The radio communication terminal according to claim 18, wherein

said channel setting unit is further configured to determine whether or not at least two channels are available for communication in said second frequency band based on said available channel information when it has been determined that no channel was available for communication in said first frequency band, and to set at least two channels in said second frequency band in said communication unit as channels to be bonded for communication when it has been determined that said at least two channels in said second frequency band were available for communication, and

wherein said at least two channels in said second frequency band are either of channels adjacent to each other or channels not adjacent to each other.

20. A channel selecting method in a radio communication terminal which communicates using a plurality of channels which are to be bonded for communication, said plurality of channels include at least two channels in a first frequency band, or at least two channels in a second frequency band, or at least one channel each in said first and said second frequency bands, the method comprising:

investigating all channels in the frequency band to be used, detecting an available channel for communication in said all channels and creating available channel information as the detection result;

determining whether or not at least two channels are available for communication in said first frequency band based on said available channel information;

determining whether or not at least one each of channels are available for communication in said first and said second frequency bands based on said available channel information when it has been determined that at least two channels were not available for communication in said first frequency band; and

setting said at least one each of channels in said first and said second frequency bands in said communication unit as channels to be bonded for communication when it has been determined that said at least one each of channels in said first and said second frequency bands were available for communication.

21. The channel selecting method according to claim 20, further comprising:

determining whether or not at least two channels are available for communication in said second frequency band based on said available channel information when it has been determined that no channel was available for communication in said first frequency band; and

setting at least two channels in said second frequency band in said communication unit as channels to be bonded for communication when it has been determined that said at least two channels in said second frequency band were available for communication, and

wherein said at least two channels in said second frequency band are either of channels adjacent to each other or channels not adjacent to each other.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium which stores instructions to enable a computer to carry out a channel selecting method installed in a radio communication terminal which communicates using a plurality of channels which are to be bonded for communication, said plurality of channels include at least two channels in a first frequency band, or at least two channels in a second frequency band, or at least one channel each in said first and said second frequency bands, wherein

said method comprising:

investigating all channels in the frequency band to be used, detecting an available channel for communication in said all channels and creating available channel information as the detection result;

determining whether or not at least two channels are available for communication in said first frequency band based on said available channel information;

determining whether or not at least one each of channels are available for communication in said first and said second frequency bands based on said available channel information when it has been determined that at least two channels were not available for communication in said first frequency band; and

setting said at least one each of channels in said first and said second frequency bands in said communication unit as channels to be bonded for communication when it has been determined that said at least one each of channels in said first and said second frequency bands were available for communication.