Broadcasting method, access control apparatus, and terminal apparatus

• US 8,971,297 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2009
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Otani, Yoshiyuki, Okamura, Yumi, Suzuki, Hanae
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Chirag
• Assistant Examiner(s): ULYSSE, JAEL M
• Application Number:
  US13/142,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20110292918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,895 Days
• Field of Search: 370/237, 370/328, 370/336, 370/435, 370/253, 370/310, 370/338, 455/420, 455/436, 455/502, 455/515
• US Class Current: 370/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/085 collision avoidance

Abstract

A processing unit generates the timing information on the timing with which each of radio apparatuses is to synchronize in communications between the radio apparatuses when each of radio apparatuses broadcasts a signal. A modem unit, an RF unit and an antenna broadcast the generated timing information. The processing unit further generates the cycle information on a broadcast cycle in which each radio apparatus broadcasts the signal in communication between the radio apparatuses. The modem unit, the RF unit and the antenna broadcast the cycle information together with the timing information.

Claims

1. An access control apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to control communication between terminal apparatuses without having any direct involvement in data communication between the terminal apparatuses and without directly specifying a slot to be used in the data communication;

a generator configured to generate timing information on timing of a frame with which each of the terminal apparatuses is to synchronize in communication between the terminal apparatuses when each of the terminal apparatuses broadcasts a signal, the frame being followed by other frames; and

a broadcasting unit configured to broadcast a packet including the timing information generated by said generator, wherein

said generator further generates cycle information on a broadcast cycle, the broadcast cycle being an interval between broadcasts of signals by each of the terminal apparatuses, in communication between the terminal apparatuses,

said broadcasting unit broadcasts the cycle information generated by said generator, together with the timing information,

the access control apparatus further comprises a decision unit configured to increase the broadcast cycle by an integral multiple of the broadcast cycle or decrease the broadcast cycle by a reciprocal of an integral multiple thereof, and output a determined broadcast cycle to the generator, and

the cycle information is included in the packet together with the timing information.

2. The access control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an estimation unit configured to estimate a traffic volume in communication between the terminal apparatuses; and

the decision unit configured to determine the broadcast cycle according to the traffic volume estimated by said estimation unit.

3. The access control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said generator generates constraint information on a terminal apparatus to be controlled by the cycle information, and

said broadcasting unit broadcasts the constraint information generated by said generator, together with the cycle information.

4. The access control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said generator generates positional information on a position where the terminal apparatus to be controlled is to be located, as the control information.

5. A broadcasting method comprising:

controlling communication between terminal apparatuses without having any direct involvement in data communication between the terminal apparatuses and without directly specifying a slot to be used in the data communication;

generating timing information on timing of a frame with which each of terminal apparatuses is to synchronize in communication between the terminal apparatuses when the each of terminal apparatuses broadcasts a signal, the frame being followed by other frames; and

broadcasting a packet including the generated timing information, wherein

said generating generates cycle information on a broadcast cycle, the broadcast cycle being an interval between broadcasts of signals by each of the terminal apparatuses, in communication between the terminal apparatuses,

said broadcasting broadcasts the generated cycle information, together with the timing information,

the broadcasting method further includes increasing the broadcast cycle by an integral multiple of the broadcast cycle or decreasing the broadcast cycle by a reciprocal of an integral multiple thereof, and outputting a determined broadcast cycle, and

the cycle information is included in the packet together with the timing information.

6. The broadcasting method according to claim 5, further comprising:

estimating a traffic volume in communication between the terminal apparatuses; and

determining the broadcast cycle according to the estimated traffic volume.

7. A terminal apparatus, comprising:

a receive unit configured to receive, from an access control apparatus for controlling communication between terminal apparatuses without having any direct involvement in data communication between the terminal apparatuses and without directly specifying a slot to be used in the data communication, a packet including timing information on timing of a frame with which each of the terminal apparatuses is to synchronize when the each of the terminal apparatuses broadcasts a signal, the frame being followed by other frames;

a decision unit configured to determine timing synchronized with the timing information received by said receive unit and defining the timing of a broadcast of a signal subsequent to a previous broadcast of a signal; and

a broadcasting unit configured to broadcast the signal with the timing determined by said decision unit, wherein

said receive unit further receives, from the access control apparatus, cycle information on a broadcast cycle, the broadcast cycle being an interval between broadcasts of signals by each of the terminal apparatuses and being increased by an integral multiple of the broadcast cycle or decreased by a reciprocal of an integral multiple thereof by the access control apparatus,

said decision unit adjusts the timing of a broadcast of a signal subsequent to a previous broadcast of a signal according to the cycle information received by said receive unit, and

the cycle information is included in the packet together with the timing information.

8. The terminal apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the access control apparatus determines the cycle information received by said receive unit, according to a traffic volume in communication between the terminal apparatuses.

9. The terminal apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the cycle information received by said receive unit contains validity information on a period of validity, and

said decision unit adjusts the timing of the broadcast of a signal subsequent to the previous broadcast of a signal before the period of validity ends according to the cycle information received by said receive unit.

10. The terminal apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said decision unit adjusts the timing so that the broadcast cycle according to the cycle information takes a minimum cycle.

11. The terminal apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the broadcast cycle is determined according to a traffic volume in communication between the terminal apparatuses, the traffic volume being estimated by the access control apparatus.

12. A broadcasting method, comprising:

receiving, from an access control apparatus for controlling communication between terminal apparatuses without having any direct involvement in data communication between the terminal apparatuses and without directly specifying a slot to be used in the data communication, a packet including timing information on timing of a frame with which each of the terminal apparatuses is to synchronize when the each of the terminal apparatuses broadcasts a signal, the frame being followed by other frames;

determining timing synchronized with the received timing information and defining the timing of a broadcast of a signal subsequent to a previous broadcast of a signal;

broadcasting the signal with the determined timing;

further receiving, from the access control apparatus, cycle information on a broadcast cycle, the broadcast cycle being an interval between broadcasts of signals by each of the terminal apparatuses and being increased by an integral multiple of the broadcast cycle or decreased by a reciprocal of an integral multiple thereof by the access control apparatus;

adjusting the timing of the broadcast of a signal subsequent to the previous broadcast of a signal according to the received cycle information; and

broadcasting the signal with the adjusted timing, wherein

the cycle information is included in the packet together with the timing information.

13. The broadcasting method according to claim 12, wherein the broadcast cycle is determined according to a traffic volume in communication between the terminal apparatuses, the traffic volume being estimated by the access control apparatus.