Communication apparatus, communication interface module, and communication method

• US 8,437,289 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2010
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Tsuruoka, Tetsumei
• Primary Examiner(s): PHUNKULH, BOB A
• Application Number:
  US12/711,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20100215010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 Negotiating bandwidth

Abstract

A communication apparatus includes a controller configured to control transmission of a bandwidth request message, the transmission being triggered by a detection of connection establishment between the communication apparatus and a destination apparatus in a layer that is higher than a media-access control layer; and a transmitter configured to transmit the bandwidth request message in accordance with a control of the controller.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to control transmission of a bandwidth request message, the transmission being triggered by a detection of a connection establishment between the communication apparatus and a destination apparatus in a layer that is higher than a media-access control layer; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the bandwidth request message in accordance with a control of the controller, wherein

the controller controls the transmitter to transmit data that reaches the controller after the connection establishment, using a bandwidth allocated in accordance with the transmitted bandwidth request message, and

when a bandwidth required to transmit the data is not set before the bandwidth request message is transmitted, the controller makes a request for a predetermined amount of bandwidth using the bandwidth request message, and when the bandwidth required to transmit the data is set before the bandwidth request message is transmitted, the controller makes a request for the required bandwidth using the bandwidth request message.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the bandwidth required to transmit the data is set before the bandwidth request message is transmitted, the controller makes a request for a total bandwidth including the bandwidth required to transmit the data and a bandwidth required to newly transmit the bandwidth request message using the bandwidth request message.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the bandwidth required to transmit the data is not set until a bandwidth is allocated in accordance with the transmitted bandwidth request message, the controller transmits the bandwidth request message using the allocated bandwidth to make a request for a bandwidth required to transmit a subsequent bandwidth request message.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller monitors bandwidth allocation, the bandwidth allocation being performed by an access controller configured to control access to a network from a plurality of communication apparatuses, and

when an available bandwidth is detected, the controller transmits the bandwidth request message before a bandwidth required to transmit the data is set.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communication interface module that includes the controller and the transmitter; and

a processor configured to send the data to the communication interface module for the transmitter therein to transmit the data to the destination apparatus.

6. A communication interface module comprising:

a controller configured to control transmission of a bandwidth request message, the transmission being triggered by a detection of a connection establishment between the communication apparatus and a destination apparatus in a layer that is higher than a media-access control layer; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the bandwidth request message in accordance with a control of the controller, wherein

the controller controls the transmitter to transmit data that reaches the controller after the connection establishment, using a bandwidth allocated in accordance with the transmitted bandwidth request message, and

when a bandwidth required to transmit the data is not set before the bandwidth request message is transmitted, the controller makes a request for a predetermined amount of bandwidth using the bandwidth request message, and when the bandwidth required to transmit the data is set before the bandwidth request message is transmitted, the controller makes a request for the required bandwidth using the bandwidth request message.

7. A communication method comprising:

controlling transmission of a bandwidth request message, the transmission being triggered by a detection of a connection establishment between a communication apparatus and a destination apparatus in a layer that is higher than a media-access control layer;

transmitting the bandwidth request message; and

transmitting data after the connection establishment, using a bandwidth allocated in accordance with the transmitted bandwidth request message, wherein

when a bandwidth required to transmit the data is not set before the bandwidth request message is transmitted, transmitting the bandwidth request message that includes a request for a predetermined amount of bandwidth; and

when the bandwidth required to transmit the data is set before the bandwidth request message is transmitted, transmitting the bandwidth request message that includes a request for the required bandwidth.