Method and apparatus for accessing wireless network by sharing communication, and wireless terminal device

• US 9,125,115 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Asoh, Junichi, Nagasawa, Tatsumi, Kubota, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGO, NGUYEN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US13/618,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20130128875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/230, 370/241, 370/252, 370/310, 370/328, 370/331, 370/332
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/04 Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method for switching access points of a wireless network via sharing communications is disclosed. A host computer and a client computer are connected to a first wireless network by a first communication system. The host computer determines a communication quality to the first wireless network. If the communication quality falls below a predetermined value, the host computer connects to a second wireless network to shift to a sharing communication mode to connect the client computer to the second wireless network. The host computer that has shifted to the sharing communication mode then connects to the client computer by a second communication system to connect the client to the second wireless network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

connecting a host device and a client device to a first wireless network by a first communication system, wherein said host device holds a group list in which identification information of a plurality of client devices to be allowed to be connected in a sharing communication mode are registered;

determining by said host device a communication quality to said first wireless network;

in a determination that said communication quality falls below a predetermined threshold, connecting said host device to a second wireless network to shift to said sharing communication mode to connect said client device to said second wireless network;

determining by said host device whether or not said plurality of client devices registered in said group list are present in a region in which communication by a second communication system is possible, while shifting to said sharing communication mode;

in a determination that any of said client devices is not present in said region, stopping by said host device a wireless adapter to be connected to said first wireless network for a predetermined period of time; and

connecting said host device that has shifted to said sharing communication mode to said client device by said second communication system to connect said client device to said second wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first communication system is a communication system in an infrastructure mode and said second communication system is a communication system in an ad hoc mode.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

connecting said client device to said host device by said second communication system to request said host device to operate in said sharing communication mode; and

shifting to said sharing communication mode by said host device in accordance with a request of said client device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring by said host device an intensity of radio waves transmitted via said first wireless network while shifting to said sharing communication mode; and

in a determination that said radio wave intensity is not lower than a predetermined value, negotiating by host device with said client device to end said sharing communication mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first wireless network is a wireless LAN and said second wireless network is a wireless WAN.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a cell formed by an access point of said second wireless network is larger than a cell formed by an access point of said first wireless network.