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

• US 9,210,681 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2012
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• 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): Wyche, Myron K
• Application Number:
  US13/661,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20130064123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 first terminal comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a predetermined signal from a second terminal;

a ranging unit configured to determine a distance from the second terminal in response to receiving the predetermined signal from the second terminal; and

a sending unit configured to send a predetermined message to the second terminal, when the distance is determined to be within a predetermined range by the ranging unit in response to the predetermined signal being received by the receiving unit from the second terminal.

2. The first terminal according to claim 1, wherein the ranging unit determines the distance from the second terminal by performing communication with the second terminal.

3. The first terminal according to claim 2, wherein the ranging unit determines the distance from the second terminal by sending and receiving access control packets to and from the second terminal.

4. The first terminal according to claim 2, wherein the ranging unit determines the distance from the second terminal by a response signal from the second terminal in response to the communication with the second terminal.

6. The first terminal according to claim 1, wherein the sending unit is configured to send the predetermined message to the second terminal in response to the determination that the determined distance is within the predetermined range at the time of receiving the predetermined signal from the second terminal.

5. A message sending method of a first terminal, the method comprising:

a step of receiving, by circuitry of the first terminal, a predetermined signal from a second terminal;

a step of performing, by the circuitry, ranging to determine a distance from the second terminal in response to the receiving of the predetermined signal from the second terminal; and

a step of sending a predetermined message to the second terminal, when the distance is determined to be within a predetermined range in the step of performing in response to the step of receiving the predetermined signal from the second terminal.

7. The first terminal according to claim 5, wherein the step of sending comprises:

sending the predetermined message to the second terminal in response to the determination that the determined distance is within the predetermined range at the time of receiving the predetermined signal from the second terminal.

8. A first terminal comprising:

circuitry configured to

receive a predetermined signal from a second terminal,

determine a distance from the second terminal in response to receiving the predetermined signal from the second terminal, and

send a predetermined message to the second terminal, when the distance is determined to be within a predetermined range in response to the predetermined signal being received from the first terminal.

9. The first terminal according to claim 8, wherein the circuitry determines the distance from the second terminal by performing communication with the first terminal.

10. The first terminal according to claim 9, wherein the circuitry determines the distance from the second terminal by sending and receiving access control packets to and from the second terminal.

11. The first terminal according to claim 9, wherein the circuitry determines the distance from the second terminal by a response signal from the second terminal in response to the communication with the second terminal.

12. The first terminal according to claim 8, wherein the circuitry is configured to send the predetermined message to the second terminal in response to determining that the determined distance is within the predetermined range at the time of receiving the predetermined signal from the second terminal.

13. The first terminal according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined message is a request for another predetermined message from the second terminal.

14. The first terminal according to claim 13, wherein the circuitry receives the other predetermined message, after the second terminal determines the distance between the first terminal and the second terminal is within the predetermined range in response to the second terminal receiving the predetermined message.