Mobile device and communication control method

• US 9,750,072 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2014
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Okubo, Yuzuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Magloire, Vladimir
• Assistant Examiner(s): Syed, Majid
• Application Number:
  US14/340,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20150044988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 709231, 709238, 709250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1432 Metric aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1467 involving prepayment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/28 with meter at substation or with calculation of charges at terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/60 based on actual use of network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/34 Selective release of ongoing connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Determining an initial number of TCP connections, dynamically determining increases and decreases in the number of TCP connections, and so on depending on a wireless communication method that is used enables a plurality of TCP connections to be used for wireless communication methods having higher communication bandwidths, and can thus improve communication speeds. Meanwhile, a drop in communication speed can be suppressed when using wireless communication methods having lower communication bandwidths.

Claims

1. A mobile device having a phone function that establishes communication with a partner apparatus by carrying out wireless communication with a base station using one of a plurality of wireless communication standards, the device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, causes the mobile device to;

hold a correspondence table in which the plurality of wireless communication standards that can be used by the mobile device are associated with corresponding numbers of connections with the partner apparatus;

specify a current wireless communication standard of the mobile device;

determine the number of connections corresponding to the specified wireless communication standard, based on the correspondence table;

provide a screen for inputting an instruction as to whether or not to use the number of connections corresponding to the determined wireless communication standard;

carry out communication with the partner apparatus using the determined number of connections when an instruction to use the number of connections is input via the screen; and

carry out communication with the partner apparatus using a predetermined number of connections when an instruction not to use the number of connections is input via the screen.

2. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein if the specified wireless communication standard is a mobile telephone communication standard, the number of connections is determined to be a number determined in advance for each communication standard.

3. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein if the specified wireless communication standard is not a mobile telephone communication standard, the number of connections is determined to be a number determined in advance based on a connection speed.

4. The mobile device according to claim 3, wherein the connection speed is a connection speed in a direction in which data is transferred.

5. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the execution of the instructions by the processor further causes the mobile device to determine whether or not the mobile device is moving at a speed, and if the mobile device is moving at a speed, the number of connections is determined to be a number that is lower than the number corresponding to the specified wireless communication standard.

6. The mobile device according to claim 5, wherein the mobile device is determined to be moving at a speed if a number of handovers occurring in a predetermined amount of time is greater than a predetermined number.

7. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the execution of the instructions by the processor further causes the mobile device to determine whether or not a network being connected to is a low-speed communication network, and if the network is a low-speed communication network, the number of connections is determined to be a number that is lower than the number corresponding to the specified communication standard.

8. The mobile device according to claim 7, wherein whether or not the network being connected to is a low-speed communication network is determined based on speed information associated with setting information specifying a connection destination leading to the partner apparatus.

9. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the execution of the instructions by the processor further causes the mobile device to obtain contract information indicating a contract mode for a fee charged to the mobile device, and if the contract mode is pay-for-use, determine the number of connections to be a number that is lower than the number corresponding to the specified wireless communication standard.

10. The mobile device according to claim 5, wherein the number that is lower than the number corresponding to the specified wireless communication standard is 1.

11. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the execution of the instructions by the processor further causes the mobile device to periodically determine the number of connections.

12. The mobile device according to claim 1,

wherein inputting further instructions includes at least one of an instruction to determine the number of connections, an instruction to periodically determine the number of connections, an instruction to determine the number of connections in accordance with a contract mode, an instruction to determine the number of connections in accordance with whether or not the mobile device is moving at a speed, and an instruction to determine the number of connections in accordance with whether or not a network being connected to is a low-speed communication network are allowed via the screen.

13. A communication control method carried out by a mobile device having a phone function that establishes communication with a partner apparatus by carrying out wireless communication with a base station using one of a plurality of wireless communication standards, the method comprising:

holding a correspondence table in which the plurality of wireless communication standards that can be used by the mobile device are associated with corresponding numbers of connections with the partner apparatus;

specifying a current wireless communication standard of the mobile device;

determining a number of connections corresponding to the wireless communication standard that has been specified, based on the correspondence table;

providing a screen for inputting an instruction as to whether or not to use the number of connections corresponding to the determined wireless communication standard;

carrying out communication with the partner apparatus using the determined number of connections when an instruction to use the number of connections is input via the screen; and

carrying out communication with the partner apparatus using a predetermined number of connections when an instruction not to use the number of connections is input via the screen.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having recorded therein a program for causing a computer to act as a mobile device having a phone function that establishes communication with a partner apparatus by carrying out wireless communication with a base station using one of a plurality of wireless communication standards, the program causing the computer to:

hold a correspondence table in which the plurality of wireless communication standards that can be used by the mobile device are associated with corresponding numbers of connections with the partner apparatus;

specify a current wireless communication standard of the mobile device;

determine the number of connections corresponding to the specified wireless communication standard, based on the correspondence table;

provide a screen for inputting an instruction as to whether or not to use the number of connections corresponding to the determined wireless communication standard;

carry out communication with the partner apparatus using the determined number of connections when an instruction to use the number of connections is input via the screen; and

carry out communication with the partner apparatus using a predetermined number of connections when an instruction not to use the number of connections is input via the screen.