Apparatus and method for wireless communication

• US 8,345,588 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2009
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Semiconductor Group
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Adachi, Tomoko, Nabetani, Toshihisa, Toshimitsu, Kiyoshi, Hirano, Tatsuma
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOM, SHICK C
• Application Number:
  US12/410,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20090323608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

A wireless communication apparatus which can simultaneously conduct communication on at least two frequency channels is described. The apparatus includes a communication unit which refers to a connection management table to determine a communication system which can be used by a wireless communication terminal using an identifier of the wireless communication terminal, and conducts communication with the wireless communication terminal on a second frequency channel using the communication system, when a request from the wireless communication terminal to change the first frequency channel to the second frequency channel is permitted.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus which includes a communication unit that can simultaneously conduct communication on at least first and second frequency channels, comprising:

a notification unit which transmits, via the communication unit on the first frequency channel, a notification of a first communication system, an identifier of the second frequency channel, and a notification of a second communication system, the first communication system being used on the first frequency channel, and the second communication system being used on the second frequency channel;

a decision unit which decides whether or not to permit a connection request from a wireless communication terminal, decides whether or not to permit a frequency channel change request for changing to the second frequency channel from the wireless communication terminal, when the connection and change requests are received via the communication unit, generates a response to each of the connection and change requests, and transmits the response via the communication unit; and

a connection management table in which a third communication system is retained along with an identifier of the wireless communication terminal and an identifier of the second frequency channel, the third communication system being;

able to be used by the wireless communication terminal on the second frequency channel,

notified by the connection request received via the communication unit on the first frequency channel, and

retained when the connection request is permitted by the decision unit, wherein the communication unit refers to the connection management table to determine the third communication system which can be used to communicate with the wireless communication terminal using the identifier of the wireless communication terminal, and conducts communication with the wireless communication terminal on the second frequency channel using the third communication system, when the frequency channel change request is permitted by the decision unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third communication systems include a plurality of modulation and coding schemes,

when the frequency channel change request is received, the decision unit determines whether at least one of the modulation and coding schemes can be used on the second frequency channel based on the connection management table,

the decision unit permits the frequency channel change request based on the determination, and

the communication unit conducts communication with the wireless communication terminal on the second frequency channel using the determined at least one of the modulation and coding schemes.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit further transmits a wireless packet on the first and second frequency channels, the wireless packet being addressed to all or a part of a plurality of wireless communication terminals, each of the plurality of wireless communication terminals being connected with the apparatus on at least one of the first and second frequency channels, and

wherein the communication unit inserts an identical value in a field indicating the order of a delivery number when transmitting the wireless packet.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first queue for the first frequency channel;

a second queue for the second frequency channel; and

a processing unit which shifts a wireless packet addressed to the wireless communication terminal from the first queue to the second queue when the frequency channel change request is permitted.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, when the frequency channel change request is permitted, the communication unit starts the communication with the wireless communication terminal on the second frequency channel after at least a time necessary to shift the wireless packet from the first queue to the second queue elapses.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notification of the second communication system includes at least bandwidth information of the second frequency channel.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein security information is retained in the connection management table while correlated with the identifier of the wireless communication terminal, the security information being set in conducting the communication with the wireless communication terminal on the first frequency channel, and

the communication unit conducts the communication with the wireless communication terminal on the second frequency channel using the security information when the frequency channel change request from the wireless communication terminal is permitted.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a security method is retained in the connection management table while correlated with the identifier of the wireless communication terminal, the wireless communication terminal making a notification of the security method on the first frequency channel, the security method being able to be used by the wireless communication terminal, and

the decision unit decides whether or not to accept the frequency channel change request by determining whether or not the wireless communication terminal is capable of using the security method on the second frequency channel based on the connection management table when the frequency channel change request is received.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the notification unit transmits, via the communication unit on the first frequency channel, a notification of the security method, the security method being required on the second frequency channel.

10. A wireless communication apparatus which includes a communication unit that can conduct communication on at least first and second frequency channels, the communication unit selecting at least one of the first and second frequency channels, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a notification unit which transmits, via the communication unit on the first frequency channel, a connection request including a notification of a first communication system and a second communication system, the first communication system being able to be used on the first frequency channel, and the second communication system being able to be used on the second frequency channel,

wherein the communication unit conducts communication on the first frequency channel using the first communication system when a first successful response to the connection request is received via the communication unit, and conducts communication on the second frequency channel using the second communication system when a second successful response to a frequency channel change request to the second frequency channel transmitted via the communication unit is received via the communication unit.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first and second communication systems includes a plurality of modulation and coding schemes,

when the first successful response is received, the communication unit conducts the communication on the first frequency channel using at least one of the modulation and coding schemes which can be used on the first frequency channel, and

when the second successful response is received, the communication unit conducts the communication on the second frequency channel using at least one of the modulation and coding schemes which can be used on the second frequency channel.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, when receiving the second successful response, the communication unit starts the communication on the second frequency channel after at least a fixed time elapses since the reception of the second successful response, and

the fixed time is set as at least a time necessary for frequency channel changing processing.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the notification unit transmits, via the communication unit on the first frequency channel, a notification of a security method which is able to be used on the first and second frequency channels.

14. A wireless communication system comprising:

a first wireless communication apparatus which includes a first communication unit that can simultaneously conduct communication on at least first and second frequency channels; and

a second wireless communication apparatus which includes a second communication unit that can conduct communication on at least first and second frequency channels, the second communication unit selecting at least one of the first and second frequency channels,

wherein the first wireless communication apparatus includes;

a first notification unit which transmits, via the first communication unit on the first frequency channel, an identifier of the second frequency channel, a notification of a second communication system, and a notification of a first communication system, the first communication system being used on the first frequency channel, the second communication system being used on the second frequency channel;

a decision unit which decides whether or not to permit a connection request from the second wireless communication apparatus, decides whether or not to permit a frequency channel change request for changing to the second frequency channel from the second wireless communication apparatus, when the connection and frequency channel change requests are received via the first communication unit, generates a response to each of the connection and frequency channel change requests, and transmits the response via the first communication unit; and

a connection management table in which a third communication system is retained along with an identifier of the second wireless communication apparatus and an identifier of the second frequency channel, the third communication system being able to be used by the second wireless communication apparatus on the second frequency channel, notified by the connection request received via the first communication unit on the first frequency channel, and retained when the connection request is permitted by the decision unit, wherein the first communication unit refers to the connection management table to determine the third communication system which can be used to communicate with the wireless communication terminal using the identifier of the wireless communication terminal, and conducts communication with the wireless communication terminal on the second frequency channel using the third communication system, when the frequency channel change request is permitted by the decision unit, and

the second wireless communication apparatus includes;

a second notification unit which transmits to the first wireless communication apparatus of communication systems, via the second communication unit, on the first frequency channel, the connection request including a notification of a fourth communication system and the third communication system, the fourth communication system being able to be used on the first frequency channel, and the third communication system being able to be used on the second frequency channel when a frequency channel change request for changing to the second frequency channel is permitted by the first wireless communication apparatus; and

the second communication unit which conducts communication with the first wireless communication apparatus on the first frequency channel using the fourth communication system when the connection request is permitted by the first wireless communication apparatus, and conducts communication on the second frequency channel using the third communication system when the frequency channel change request to the second frequency channel, transmitted via the second communication unit, is permitted by the first wireless communication apparatus.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the first, second, and third communication systems include a plurality of modulation and coding schemes,

when receiving the frequency channel change request, the decision unit determines whether at least one of the modulation and coding schemes can be used on the second frequency channel between the second wireless communication apparatus based on the connection management table,

the decision unit permits the frequency channel change request based on the determination, and

the first communication unit conducts communication with the second wireless communication apparatus on the second frequency channel using the determined at least one of the modulation and coding schemes,

when the connection is permitted, the second communication unit conducts the communication with the first wireless communication apparatus on the first frequency channel using the at least one of the modulation and coding schemes which can be used on the first frequency channel, and

when the frequency channel change request is permitted, the second communication unit conducts the communication with the first wireless communication apparatus on the second frequency channel using at least one of the modulation and coding schemes which can be used on the second frequency channel.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein the first communication unit further transmits a wireless packet on the first and second frequency channels, the wireless packet being addressed to all or a part of a plurality of third wireless communication apparatuses, the third wireless communication apparatuses including the second wireless communication apparatus and each of the third wireless communication apparatuses being connected with the first wireless communication apparatus on at least one of the first and second frequency channels, and

wherein the first communication unit inserts an identical value in a field indicating the order of a delivery number when transmitting the wireless packet.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein the first wireless communication apparatus further includes:

a first queue for the first frequency channel;

a second queue for the second frequency channel; and

a processing unit which shifts a wireless packet addressed to the second wireless communication apparatus from the first queue to the second queue when the frequency channel change request is permitted.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein, when the frequency channel change request is permitted, the second communication unit starts the communication on the second frequency channel after at least a fixed time elapses since the permission, and

the fixed time is set as at least a time necessary for frequency channel change processing.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein, when the frequency channel change request is permitted, the first communication unit starts the communication with the second wireless communication apparatus on the second frequency channel after at least a time necessary to shift the wireless packet from the first queue to the second queue elapses.

20. The system according to claim 14, wherein the notification of the second communication system includes at least bandwidth information of the second frequency channel, and

the second wireless communication apparatus determines whether or not to transmit the frequency channel change request according to the bandwidth information of which the second wireless communication apparatus is notified by the first wireless communication apparatus.

21. The system according to claim 14, wherein security information is retained in the connection management table while correlated with the identifier of the second wireless communication apparatus, the security information being set in conducting the communication with the second wireless communication apparatus on the first frequency channel, and

the first communication unit conducts the communication with the second wireless communication apparatus on the second frequency channel using the security information when the frequency channel change request from the second wireless communication apparatus is permitted.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein a security method is retained in the connection management table while correlated with the identifier of the second wireless communication apparatus, the second wireless communication apparatus making a notification of the security method on the first frequency channel, the security method being able to be used by the second wireless communication apparatus, and

the decision unit decides whether or not to accept the frequency channel change request by determining whether or not the second wireless communication apparatus is capable of using the security method on the second frequency channel based on the connection management table when the frequency channel change request is received.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the first wireless communication apparatus transmits, via the first communication unit on the first frequency channel, a notification of the security method to the second wireless communication apparatus on the first frequency channel, the security method being required on the second frequency channel.

24. A wireless communication method for enabling to simultaneously conduct communication on at least first and second frequency channels, the method comprising:

transmitting, on the first frequency channel, a notification of a first communication system, an identifier of the second frequency channel, and a notification of a second communication system, the first communication system being used on the first frequency channel, and the second communication system being used on the second frequency channel;

deciding whether or not to permit a connection request from a wireless communication terminal, deciding whether or not to permit a frequency channel change request for changing to the second frequency channel from the wireless communication terminal, when the connection and frequency channel change requests are received, generating a response to each of the connection and frequency channel change requests, and transmitting the response; and

retaining in a connection management table a third communication system along with an identifier of the wireless communication terminal and an identifier of the second frequency channel, the third communication system being;

able to be used by the wireless communication terminal on the second frequency channel,

notified by the connection request received on the first frequency channel, and

retained when the connection request is permitted,

referring to the connection management table to determine the third communication system which can be used to communicate with the wireless communication terminal using the identifier of the wireless communication terminal, and conducting communication with the wireless communication terminal on the second frequency channel using the third communication system, when the frequency channel change request is permitted.