Wireless communication device and wireless communication method

• US 9,232,561 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2012
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Akita, Koji, Ito, Takayoshi, Kasami, Hideo, Horikawa, Seiichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US13/683,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20130203360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/552.1, 455/67.11, 455/455, 455/73, 370/338
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• 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 wireless communication device has a plurality of wireless units each configured to cover a different wireless communication range and be capable of receiving data in the corresponding wireless communication range, a status information generator provided corresponding to the wireless unit utilized to receive data among the plurality of wireless units, in order to generate status information concerning the wireless communication range of the wireless unit utilized to receive the data, and a storage configured to store the status information in association with the data.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

a plurality of wireless modules each covering a different wireless communication range;

a status information generator to generate status information which specifies the wireless module utilized to receive data, from among the plurality of wireless modules; and

a storage to store the status information in association with the received data,

wherein the status information includes information for uniquely identifying the wireless module utilized to receive the data.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the status information is a weighted value which is weighted corresponding to the wireless module utilized to receive the data.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the weighted value is largest for the wireless module which covers a narrowest wireless communication range among the plurality of wireless modules.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein when two or more wireless modules among the plurality of wireless modules have received or try to receive identical data, the status information generator generates the status information by synthesizing the weighted values corresponding to the two or more wireless modules.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein when two or more wireless modules among the plurality of wireless modules have received or try to receive identical data, the status information generator generates the status information based on the weighted value corresponding to the wireless module which covers a narrowest wireless communication range among the two or more wireless modules.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display controller which performs control for selecting at least partial data from the storage based on the status information stored in the storage, in order to display the selected data on a display.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the display controller sets priorities on the data stored in the storage based on the status information stored in the storage, and displays data on the display in accordance with the priorities.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless transmitter to select at least partial data from the storage based on the status information stored in the storage, in order to transmit the selected data to a predetermined communication partner.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the wireless transmitter sets priorities on the data stored in the storage based on the status information stored in the storage, and transmits data to the communication partner in accordance with the priorities.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the wireless transmitter is one of the plurality of wireless modules.

11. The device of claim 1,

wherein at least one of the plurality of wireless modules receives data together with distribution requirement information of the data, and

when receiving the distribution requirement information, the storage stores the data, the status information corresponding to the data, and the distribution requirement information corresponding to the data in association with one another.

12. The device of claim 11, further comprising:

an authenticator to perform a predetermined authentication process with a communication partner for transmitting the data stored in the storage,

wherein the distribution requirement information is capable of including information instructing the communication partner for transmitting the data so as to preliminarily perform the authentication process to each other, and

when the distribution requirement information includes the information concerning the authentication process, the authenticator performs the authentication process with the communication partner, and allows that the data is transmitted to the communication partner only when the authentication is successfully completed.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one antenna.

14. A wireless communication method, comprising:

generating status information which specifies a wireless module utilized to receive data, from among a plurality of wireless modules each covering a different wireless communication range; and

storing the status information in association with the received data,

wherein the status information includes information for uniquely identifying the wireless module utilized to receive the data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the status information is a weighted value which is weighted corresponding to the wireless module utilized to receive the data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the weighted value is largest for the wireless module which covers a narrowest wireless communication range among the plurality of wireless modules.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein when two or more wireless modules among the plurality of wireless modules have received or try to receive identical data, the status information is generated by synthesizing the weighted values corresponding to the two or more wireless modules.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein when two or more wireless modules among the plurality of wireless modules have received or try to receive identical data, the status information is generated based on the weighted value corresponding to the wireless module which covers a narrowest wireless communication range among the two or more wireless modules.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

performing control for selecting at least partial data from the storage based on the status information stored in the storage, in order to display the selected data on a display.