APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING DATA VIA HETEROGENEOUS NETWORKS

• US 20140059157A1
• Filed: 06/24/2013
• Published: 02/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yamamura, Shinya
• Granted Patent: US 10,419,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

A relay device communicates with first and second terminal devices via first and second communication networks, respectively. The relay device determines whether or not a line stability and a line speed of each of the first and second communication networks satisfy a predetermined condition. When a line stability and a line speed of each of the first and second communication networks satisfy the predetermined condition, the relay device temporarily stores, in a memory, data received from the first terminal device via the first communication network, and transfers the temporarily stored data to the second terminal device via the second communication network.

Claims

1. A computer readable recording medium having stored therein a program for causing a computer included in a relay device to execute a procedure, the relay device being configured to communicate with first and second terminal devices via first and second communication networks, respectively, the procedure comprising:

performing a determination process of determining whether or not a line stability and a line speed of each of the first and second communication networks satisfy a predetermined condition; and

when a line stability and a line speed of each of the first and second communication networks satisfy the predetermined condition, temporarily storing, in a memory, data received from the first terminal device via the first communication network, to perform a transfer process of transferring the temporarily stored data to the second terminal device via the second communication network.

2. The computer readable recording medium of claim 1, wherein

the determination process includes:

determining whether or not a line stability of the second communication network is higher than a line stability of the first communication network and a line speed of the second communication network is lower than a line speed of the first communication network.

3. The computer readable recording medium of claim 2, wherein

the procedure further comprises:

when a line stability and a line speed of each of the first and second communication networks do not satisfy the predetermined condition, transferring the data received from the terminal device via the first communication network, to the second terminal device via the second communication network, without storing the received data in the memory.

4. The computer readable recording medium of claim 1, wherein

the transfer process includes:

providing network information that stores, for each of a plurality of communication apparatuses, a line stability and a line speed of a third communication network via which the each communication apparatus is able to communicate with the second terminal device network, and

selecting, based on the network information, from among the plurality of communication apparatuses, a priority apparatus for which a line stability of the third communication network is higher than a line stability of the second communication network and a line speed of the third communication network is faster than a line speed of the second communication network.

5. The computer readable recording medium of claim 4, wherein

the transfer process includes:

when communication with the priority apparatus is detected within a life time in which the data from the first terminal device is supposed to arrive at the second terminal device via the second communication network, preferentially transferring the data temporarily stored in the memory to the second terminal device via the priority apparatus through the third communication network.

6. The computer readable recording medium of claim 4, wherein

the procedure further comprises:

when communication with a new communication apparatus is detected, storing, in the network information, a line stability and a line speed of a fourth communication network via which the new communication apparatus is able to communicate with the second terminal device, in association with the new communication apparatus.

7. The computer readable recording medium of claim 1, wherein

the procedure further comprises:

when termination of communication with the first terminal device via the first communication network is detected during communication between the first terminal device communicating using the first communication network and the second terminal device communicating using the second communication network, notifying the second terminal device of a status of connection with the first terminal device, via the second communication network.

8. A relay device configured to communicate with first and second terminal devices via first and second communication networks, respectively, the relay device comprising:

a memory configured to store data received from the first terminal device via the first communication network; and

a processor configured to;

determine whether or not a line stability and a line speed of each of the first and second communication networks satisfy a predetermined condition, and

temporarily store, in a memory, data received from the first terminal device via the first communication network, to transfer the temporarily stored data to the second terminal device via the second communication network, when a line stability and a line speed of each of the first and second communication networks satisfy the predetermined condition.

9. The relay device of claim 8, wherein

the relay device is mounted in a movable body that moves within an area of the first communication network or the second communication network.

10. A method for a relay device configured to communicate with first and second terminal devices via first and second communication networks, respectively, the method comprising:

determining whether or not a line stability and a line speed of each of the first and second communication networks satisfy a predetermined condition; and

when a line stability and a line speed of each of the first and second communication networks satisfy the predetermined condition, temporarily storing, in a memory, data received from the first terminal device via the first communication network, to transfer the temporarily stored data to the second terminal device via the second communication network.

11. A system comprising:

a first terminal device that communicates using a first communication network;

a second terminal device that communicates using a second communication network; and

a relay device configured to;

determine whether or not a line stability and a line speed of each of the first and second communication networks satisfy a predetermined condition, and

temporarily store, in a memory, data received from the first terminal device via the first communication network, to transfer the temporarily stored data to the second terminal device via the second communication network, when a line stability and a line speed of each of the first and second communication networks satisfy the predetermined condition.