Wireless communication system, terminal, message sending method, and program for allowing terminal to execute the method

• US 8,320,912 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2008
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Saito, Shin, Suzuki, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wyche, Myron
• Application Number:
  US12/016,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20080119185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/278, 370/280, 370/282, 370/294, 370/468, 455/435.1, 455/550, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Upon receiving a beacon, a terminal B sends a RTS control message to a terminal A before sending a registration request message to the terminal A. Upon receiving the RTS control message, the terminal A sends a CTS control message. The terminal B measures the time from when the RTS control message is sent to when the CTS control message is received so as to calculate the distance with the terminal A. If the distance with the terminal A is within a predetermined distance X1, the terminal B sends a registration request message to the terminal A. Similarly, the terminal A measures the distance with the terminal B, and sends a registration request acknowledgement message to the terminal B when the distance with the terminal B is within a predetermined distance X2.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system including a plurality of terminals configured to communicate with each other in an ad-hoc manner, comprising:

a first terminal configured to send a signal including beacon information; and

a second terminal configured to send a data packet to the first terminal in response to receiving the signal from the first terminal, to perform ranging to determine a first distance between the first terminal and the second terminal based on the data packet sent to the first terminal, and to send a registration request to the first terminal only when the first distance is determined to be within a first predetermined range.

2. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the first terminal is configured to perform ranging to determine a second distance between the second terminal and the first terminal in response to receiving the registration request from the second terminal, and to return an acknowledgement of the registration request to the second terminal only when the second distance is determined to be within a second predetermined range.

3. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the second terminal is configured to perform ranging to determine a second distance between the first terminal and the second terminal in response to receiving a registration request acknowledgement message from the first terminal, sent in response to receiving the registration request message, and to send a certificate-of-privilege issuing request message to the first terminal only when the second distance is determined to be within a second predetermined range.

35. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the first terminal is configured to receive a first plurality of different messages from the second terminal, and to perform ranging to determine a distance between the second terminal and the first terminal in response to each of the first plurality of different messages received from the second terminal;

and

the second terminal is configured to receive a second plurality of different messages from the first terminal, and to perform ranging to determine a distance between the first terminal and the second terminal in response to each of the second plurality of different messages received from the first terminal.

4. A wireless communication system including a plurality of terminals configured to communicate with each other in an ad-hoc manner, comprising:

a fourth terminal configured to send a signal including beacon information; and

a third terminal configured to send a data packet to the fourth terminal in response to receiving the signal from the fourth terminal, to perform ranging to determine a first distance between the fourth terminal and the third terminal based on the data packet sent to the fourth terminal, and to send a registration proposal to the fourth terminal only when the first distance is determined to be within a first predetermined range.

5. The wireless communication system according to claim 4, wherein the fourth terminal is configured to perform ranging to determine a second distance between the third terminal and the fourth terminal in response to receiving the registration proposal from the third terminal, and to return an acknowledgement of the registration proposal to the third terminal only when the second distance is determined to be within a second predetermined range.

6. The wireless communication system according to claim 4, wherein the third terminal is configured to perform ranging to determine a second distance between the fourth terminal and the third terminal in response to receiving a registration proposal acknowledgement message from the fourth terminal, sent in response to the registration proposal, and to send a certificate-of-privilege issuing request message to the fourth terminal only when the second distance is determined to be within a second predetermined range.

7. A terminal configured to communicate with another terminal in an ad-hoc manner, comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a predetermined signal from the other terminal;

a ranging unit configured to determine a distance between the other terminal and the terminal based on a data packet sent to the other terminal in response to the receiving unit receiving the predetermined signal from the other terminal; and

a sending unit configured to send a predetermined message to the other terminal only when the distance is determined to be within a predetermined range.

8. The terminal according to claim 7, wherein the ranging unit is configured to determine the distance between the other terminal and the terminal by performing communication with the other terminal.

9. The terminal according to claim 8, wherein the ranging unit is configured to determine the distance between the other terminal and the terminal by sending and receiving access control packets to and from the other terminal.

10. The terminal according to claim 8, wherein the ranging unit is configured to determine the distance between the other terminal and the terminal based on a response signal sent from the other terminal in response to the communication with the other terminal.

11. The terminal according to claim 7, wherein the receiving unit is configured to receive the predetermined signal including beacon information, and

the sending unit is configured to send the predetermined message including a registration request message only when the distance is determined to be within the predetermined range.

12. The terminal according to claim 7, wherein the receiving unit is configured to receive the predetermined signal including beacon information, and

the sending unit is configured to send the predetermined message including a registration proposal message only when the distance is determined to be within the predetermined range.

13. The terminal according to claim 11, wherein the ranging unit is configured to determine the distance between the other terminal and the terminal by performing communication with the other terminal.

14. The terminal according to claim 13, wherein the ranging unit is configured to determine the distance between the other terminal and the terminal by sending and receiving access control packets to and from the other terminal.

15. The terminal according to claim 13, wherein the ranging unit is configured to determine the distance between the other terminal and the terminal based on a response signal sent from the other terminal in response to the communication with the other terminal.

16. The terminal according to claim 11, wherein the sending unit is configured to send a public key certificate of the terminal together with the registration request message when sending the registration request message.

17. The terminal according to claim 12, wherein the sending unit is configured to send a public key certificate of the terminal together with the registration proposal message when sending the registration proposal message.

18. A wireless communication method, comprising:

sending, by a first terminal, a signal including beacon information;

sending, by a second terminal, a data packet to the first terminal in response to receiving the signal from the first terminal;

performing, by the second terminal, ranging to determine a first distance between the first terminal and the second terminal based on the data packet sent to the first terminal; and

sending, by the second terminal, a registration request to the first terminal only when the first distance is determined to be within a first predetermined range.

19. The wireless communication method according to claim 18, further comprising:

performing, by the first terminal, ranging to determine a second distance between the second terminal and the first terminal in response to receiving the registration request from the second terminal; and

returning, by the first terminal, an acknowledgement of the registration request to the second terminal only when the second distance is determined to be within a second predetermined range.

20. The wireless communication method according to claim 18, further comprising:

performing, by the second terminal, ranging to determine a second distance between the first terminal and the second terminal in response to receiving a registration request acknowledgement message from the first terminal, sent in response to receiving the registration request message; and

sending, by the second terminal, a certificate-of-privilege issuing request message to the first terminal only when the second distance is determined to be within a second predetermined range.

21. A wireless communication method, comprising:

sending, by a fourth terminal, a signal including beacon information;

sending, by a third terminal, a data packet to the fourth terminal in response to receiving the signal from the fourth terminal;

performing, by the third terminal, ranging to determine a first distance between the fourth terminal and the third terminal based on the data packet sent to the fourth terminal; and

sending, by the third terminal, a registration proposal to the fourth terminal only when the first distance is determined to be within a first predetermined range.

22. The wireless communication method according to claim 21, further comprising:

performing, by the fourth terminal, ranging to determine a second distance between the third terminal and the fourth terminal in response to receiving the registration proposal from the third terminal; and

returning, by the fourth terminal, an acknowledgement of the registration proposal to the third terminal only when the second distance is determined to be within a second predetermined range.

23. The wireless communication method according to claim 21, further comprising:

performing, by the third terminal, ranging to determine a second distance between the fourth terminal and the third terminal in response to receiving a registration proposal acknowledgement message from the fourth terminal, sent in response to the registration proposal; and

sending, by the third terminal, a certificate-of-privilege issuing request message to the fourth terminal only when the second distance is determined to be within a second predetermined range.

24. A method for a terminal to communicate with another terminal in an ad-hoc manner, comprising:

receiving a predetermined signal from the other terminal;

determining a distance between the other terminal and the terminal based on a data packet sent to the other terminal in response to receiving the predetermined signal from the other terminal in the step of receiving; and

sending a predetermined message to the other terminal only when the distance is determined to be within a predetermined range.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the step of determining comprises determining the distance between the other terminal and the terminal by performing communication with the other terminal.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the step of determining comprises determining the distance between the other terminal and the terminal by sending and receiving access control packets to and from the other terminal.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein the step of determining comprises determining the distance between the other terminal and the terminal based on a response signal sent from the other terminal in response to the communication with the other terminal.

28. The method according to claim 24, wherein the step of receiving comprises receiving the predetermined signal including beacon information, and the step of sending comprises sending the predetermined message including a registration request message only when the distance is determined to be within the predetermined range.

29. The method according to claim 24, wherein the step of receiving comprises receiving the predetermined signal including beacon information, and the step of sending comprises sending the predetermined message including a registration proposal message only when the distance is determined to be within the predetermined range.

30. The method according to claim 28, wherein the step of determining comprises determining the distance between the other terminal and the terminal by performing communication with the first terminal.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the step of determining comprises determining the distance between the other terminal and the terminal by sending and receiving access control packets to and from the other terminal.

32. The method according to claim 30, wherein the step of determining comprises determining the distance between the other terminal and the terminal based on a response signal sent from the other terminal in response to the communication with the other terminal.

33. The method according to claim 28, wherein the step of sending comprises sending a public key certificate of the terminal together with the registration request message when sending the registration request message.

34. The terminal according to claim 29, wherein the step of sending comprises sending a public key certificate of the terminal together with the registration proposal message when sending the registration proposal message.