Wireless communication device, wireless communication system, controlling method for wireless communication device, and recording medium

• US 8,831,510 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Akio, Ishikawa, Hiromu
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mathew, Max
• Application Number:
  US13/055,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20110124286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/42.1, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/41.3, 455/448
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A near-field wireless communication circuit 10 included in a terminal 1A can perform switching between a normal mode and a near mode which has a relatively short communicable distance and a relatively high transmission rate as compared with those in the normal mode. Further, a controller 13 executes preliminary processing for starting data transmission and reception in the near mode to/from a terminal 1B serving as a communication destination between the terminals 1A and 1B by using the near-field wireless communication circuit 10 which is set to the normal mode. Further, the controller 13 determines the availability of the data transmission and reception in the near mode to/from the terminal 1B by using a measured value of communication quality which has a correlation with a communication distance to the terminal 1B as a measure of the determination. Furthermore, when it is determined that the data transmission and reception in the near node are available, the controller 13 starts the data transmission and reception to/from the terminal 1B by using the near-field wireless communication circuit 10 which is set to the near mode, based on a result of the preliminary processing executed in the normal mode in advance.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

a near field wireless communication circuit capable of performing switching between a first communication mode and a second communication mode that has a relatively short communicable distance and a relatively high transmission rate as compared with a communicable distance and a transmission rate of the first communication mode; and

a controller that controls the switching between the first and second communication modes,

wherein the controller is configured to;

negotiate, with a communication destination device through the near field wireless communication circuit that is set to the first communication mode, to execute preliminary processing to satisfy or designate a condition for starting data transmission and reception in the second communication mode to/from the communication destination device;

determine an availability of the data transmission and reception in the second communication mode to/from the communication destination device by using a measured value of communication quality that has a correlation with a communication distance to the communication destination device as a measure of the determination; and

start, when it is determined that the data transmission and reception are available and when the condition is satisfied or designated as a result of the preliminary processing, the data transmission and reception by using the near field wireless communication circuit that is set to the second communication mode,

wherein the preliminary processing includes at least one of displaying a message to a user of the wireless communication device and accepting input operation by the user,

wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the condition is satisfied or designated when at least one of the following conditions is met;

a condition that the message is displayed to the user; and

a condition that the input operation is accepted.

2. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein in the determination of the availability of the data transmission and reception, the controller starts measurement of communication quality in the first communication mode, makes the transition to measurement of communication quality in the second communication mode according to satisfaction of predetermined criteria by the communication quality in the first communication mode, and determines that the data transmission and reception are available when the communication quality in the second communication mode meets predetermined criteria.

3. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein in the determination of the availability of the data transmission and reception, the controller operates the near field wireless communication circuit so as to perform the switching between the first communication mode and the second communication mode in a time-division manner, and performs the measurement of the communication quality in the second communication mode, while transmitting and receiving a beacon signal in the first communication mode to retain synchronization with the communication destination device.

4. The wireless communication device according to claim 3, wherein the beacon signal includes designation of a transmission period of a wireless signal in the second communication mode from the communication destination device,

wherein the controller performs the measurement of the communication quality in the second communication mode during the transmission period designated by the beacon signal.

5. The wireless communication device according to claim 3, wherein upon performing the data transmission and reception, the controller transmits the beacon signal in the first communication mode, and transmits or receives target data of the data transmission and reception in the second communication mode.

6. The wireless communication device according to claim 3, wherein upon performing the data transmission and reception, the controller switches the communication mode for transmitting and receiving the beacon signal from the first communication mode to the second communication mode.

7. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the controller performs a search of a device that can communicate in the second communication mode by using the near field wireless communication circuit that is set to the first communication mode.

8. The wireless communication device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a far field wireless communication circuit for wirelessly connecting to a base station included in a mobile phone communication network; and

a determiner that conducts data communication through the far field wireless communication circuit with a server that can be accessed through the mobile phone communication network, and determines, according to a data size of content to be downloaded from the server, through which of wireless connection to the mobile phone communication network and near field wireless connection to the communication destination device to download the content,

wherein the controller performs the search of the device that can communicate in the second communication mode, according to the determination of the download through the near field wireless connection.

9. The wireless communication device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a display unit; and

an operation unit that accepts input operation by a user,

wherein the controller outputs information on at least one device detected by the search to the display unit, and accepts an instruction for designating the communication destination device from among the at least one device through the operation unit.

10. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a second communication circuit that is different from the near field wireless communication circuit,

wherein the controller starts preliminary acquisition of target content of the data transmission and reception from a server that can be accessed through the second communication circuit, according to execution of the preliminary processing in the first communication mode or performance of the determination of the availability of the data transmission and reception.

11. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a closeness degree display unit that displays a degree of closeness of the wireless communication device and the communication destination device,

wherein the controller changes a state of the display by the closeness degree display unit so as to indicate that the degree of closeness rises according to an upgrade of the communication quality.

12. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the preliminary processing includes at least one of:

(a) checking vacancy in a memory for reception of the communication destination device and displaying a result of the check to the user;

(b) removing data from the memory for reception to ensure a free space, the removing being performed with the input operation by the user;

(c) designating target content of the data transmission and reception, the designation being performed with the input operation by the user;

(d) making electronic payment with the input operation by the user; and

(e) authenticating the communication destination device with the input operation by the user.

13. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the controller performs, in the second communication mode, exchange of a connection key for encrypting data to be transferred in the data transmission and reception between the wireless communication device and the communication destination device in advance of the start of the data transmission and reception.

14. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication quality includes at least one of an RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator), an LQI (Link Quality Indicator), and a symbol error rate.

15. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein in the first communication mode, the average transmitted power is equal to or lower than −

41.3 dBm/MHz and at least a first bandwidth of about 500 MHz included in a range from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz is used,

wherein in the second communication mode, the average transmitted power is equal to or lower than −

70 dBm/MHz and a second bandwidth wider than the first bandwidth is used.

16. A wireless communication system comprising first and second communication devices,

wherein each of the first and second communication devices includes a near field wireless communication circuit capable of performing switching between a first communication mode and a second communication mode that has a relatively short communicable distance and a relatively high transmission rate as compared with a communicable distance and a transmission rate of the first communication mode,

wherein the first and second communication devices negotiate, with each other through the respective near field wireless communication circuits that are set to the first communication mode, to execute preliminary processing to satisfy or designate a condition for starting data transmission and reception in the second communication mode between the first and second communication devices,

wherein the first communication device determines an availability of the data transmission and reception in the second communication mode to/from the second communication device by using a measured value of communication quality that has a correlation with a communication distance as a measure of the determination,

wherein when it is determined that the data transmission and reception are available and when the condition is satisfied or designated as a result of the preliminary processing, the first and second communication devices start the data transmission and reception by using the respective near field wireless communication circuits that are set to the second communication mode,

wherein the preliminary processing includes at least one of displaying a message to a user of the first communication device and accepting input operation by the user,

wherein the first communication device determines that the condition is satisfied or designated when at least one of the following conditions is met:

a condition that the message is displayed to the user; and

a condition that the input operation is accepted.

17. The wireless communication system according to claim 16, further comprising a server that can be accessed from one of the first and second communication devices through a mobile phone communication network,

wherein the one communication device further comprises:

a far field wireless communication circuit for wirelessly connecting to a base station included in the mobile phone communication network; and

a determiner that conducts data communication with the server through the far field wireless communication circuit, and determines, according to a data size of content to be downloaded from the server, through which of wireless connection to the mobile phone communication network and near field wireless connection to another of the first and second communication devices to download the content.

18. The wireless communication system according to claim 17, wherein the another of the first and second communication devices further comprises a second communication circuit that can communicate with the server not through the base station,

wherein the another communication device starts preliminary acquisition of target content of the data transmission and reception from the server through the second communication circuit, according to execution of the preliminary processing in the first communication mode or performance of the determination of the availability of the data transmission and reception.

19. A method of controlling a wireless communication device, the device including a near field wireless communication circuit, the circuit being capable of performing switching between a first communication mode and a second communication mode that has a relatively short communicable distance and a relatively high transmission rate as compared with a communicable distance and a transmission rate of the first communication mode, the method comprising:

negotiating, with a communication destination device through the near field wireless communication circuit that is set to the first communication mode, to execute preliminary processing to satisfy or designate a condition for starting data transmission and reception in the second communication mode to/from the communication destination device; and

starting, when the condition is satisfied or designated as a result of the preliminary processing, the data transmission and reception by using the near field wireless communication circuit that is set to the second communication mode,

wherein the preliminary processing includes at least one of displaying a message to a user of the wireless communication device and accepting input operation by the user,

wherein it is determined that the condition is satisfied or designated when at least one of the following conditions is met;

a condition that the message is displayed to the user; and

a condition that the input operation is accepted.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program, the program causing a computer to execute control processing for a wireless communication device, the device including a near field wireless communication circuit, the circuit being capable of performing switching between a first communication mode and a second communication mode that has a relatively short communicable distance and a relatively high transmission rate as compared with a communicable distance and a transmission rate of the first communication mode,

wherein the control processing includes:

negotiating, with a communication destination device through the near field wireless communication circuit that is set to the first communication mode, to execute preliminary processing to satisfy or designate a condition for starting data transmission and reception in the second communication mode to/from the communication destination device; and

causing, when the condition is satisfied or designated as a result of the preliminary processing, the near field wireless communication circuit that is set to the second communication mode to start the data transmission and reception,

wherein the preliminary processing includes at least one of displaying a message to a user of the wireless communication device and accepting input operation by the user,

wherein the control processing further includes determining that the condition is satisfied or designated when at least one of the following conditions is met;

a condition that the message is displayed to the user; and

a condition that the input operation is accepted.

21. A wireless communication device comprising:

a near field wireless communication circuit capable of performing switching between a first communication mode and a second communication mode that has a relatively short communicable distance and a relatively high transmission rate as compared with a communicable distance and a transmission rate of the first communication mode; and

a controller that controls the switching between the first and second communication modes,

wherein the controller is configured to;

negotiate, with a communication destination device through the near field wireless communication circuit that is set to the first communication mode, to execute preliminary processing to satisfy or designate a condition for starting data transmission and reception in the second communication mode to/from the communication destination device; and

start, when the condition is satisfied or designated as a result of the preliminary processing the data transmission and reception by using the near field wireless communication circuit that is set to the second communication mode,

wherein the preliminary processing includes at least one of displaying a message to a user of the wireless communication device and accepting input operation by the user,

wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the condition is satisfied or designated when at least one of the following conditions is met;

a condition that the message is displayed to the user; and

a condition that the input operation is accepted.

22. A wireless communication system comprising first and second communication devices,

wherein each of the first and second communication devices includes a near field wireless communication circuit capable of performing switching between a first communication mode and a second communication mode that has a relatively short communicable distance and a relatively high transmission rate as compared with a communicable distance and a transmission rate of the first communication mode,

wherein the first and second communication devices negotiate, with each other through the respective near field wireless communication circuits that are set to the first communication mode, to execute preliminary processing to satisfy or designate a condition for starting data transmission and reception in the second communication mode between the first and second communication devices,

wherein when the condition is satisfied or designated as a result of the preliminary processing, the first and second communication devices start the data transmission and reception by using the respective near field wireless communication circuits that are set to the second communication mode,

wherein the preliminary processing includes at least one of displaying a message to a user of the first communication device and accepting input operation by the user,

wherein the first communication device determines that the condition is satisfied or designated when at least one of the following conditions is met:

a condition that the message is displayed to the user; and

a condition that the input operation is accepted.