Mobile communication device and method

• US 20020046258A1
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Yasushi, Mitsuo, Yanagidaira, Masatoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,203,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

A mobile communication device which selects one of a plurality of radio transmitting/receiving devices different at least in data communication speed from one another in accordance with the type of data to be transmitted or received, and controls a data communication by the selected one radio transmitting/receiving device.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device for communicating data through a predetermined network line, comprising:

a plurality of radio transmitting/receiving devices which are different at least in data communication speed from one another;

selecting means for selecting one of said plurality of radio transmitting/receiving devices in accordance with a data type of data signal to be transmitted or received; and

control means for controlling a data communication by the one radio transmitting/receiving device selected by said selecting means.

2. A mobile communication device according to claim 1, wherein said selecting means selects a radio transmitting/receiving device having a higher data communication speed from said plurality of radio transmitting/receiving devices as said one radio transmitting/receiving device when the data signal to be transmitted or received has a relatively large data size.

3. A mobile communication device according to claim 1, wherein said selecting means selects radio transmitting/receiving device which is relatively available for communication at all times from said plurality of radio transmitting/receiving devices as said one radio transmitting/receiving device when the data signal to be transmitted or received indicates emergency information which should be urgently communicated.

4. A mobile communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

setting means for setting an access point for each of said plurality of radio transmitting/receiving devices in accordance with a current position of a mobile unit,

wherein said selecting means selects a radio transmitting/receiving device having a higher communication speed from said plurality of radio transmitting/receiving devices as said one radio transmitting/receiving device when said data signal to be transmitted is a periodically transmitted data signal, and

said control means controls a data communication by said one radio transmitting/receiving device when said control means determines that a communication by said one radio transmitting/receiving device is available through the access point set by said setting means.

5. A mobile communication device according to claim 4, wherein said selecting means selects a radio transmitting/receiving device which is relatively available for communication at all times from said plurality of radio transmitting/receiving devices instead of said radio transmitting/receiving device having a higher data communication speed, as said one radio transmitting/receiving device, when said periodically transmitted data signal cannot be transmitted for a predetermined time period.

6. A mobile communication device according to claim 4, wherein said setting means sets a travel route from a current position to a destination of said mobile unit, and sets an access point located at the shortest distance from the current position of said mobile unit on the travel route for each of said plurality of radio transmitting/receiving devices.

7. A mobile communication device according to claim 1, wherein in a case that data transmission or reception is requested in accordance with a manipulation, said selecting means selects a radio transmitting/receiving device having a higher data communication speed as said one radio transmitting/receiving device when the radio transmitting/receiving device having a higher data communication speed is available for communication within said plurality of radio transmitting/receiving devices, and said selecting means selects a radio transmitting/receiving device which is relatively available for communication at all times from said plurality of radio transmitting/receiving devices as said one radio transmitting/receiving device when said radio transmitting/receiving device having a higher data communication speed is not available for communication.

8. A mobile communication device according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined network line is the Internet.

9. A mobile communication device according to claim 2, wherein said radio transmitting/receiving device having a higher data communication speed within said plurality of radio transmitting/receiving devices is a Bluetooth transmitter/receiver.

10. A mobile communication device according to claim 3, wherein said radio transmitting/receiving device which is relatively available for communication at all times within said plurality of radio transmitting/receiving devices is a mobile telephone.

11. A mobile communicating method for communicating data through a predetermined network line, comprising the steps of:

selecting one of a plurality of radio transmitting/receiving devices which are different at least in data communication speed from one another in accordance with a data type of data signal to be transmitted or received; and

controlling a data communication by the selected one radio transmitting/receiving device.