Radio communication device, radio communication system, congestion control method, and record medium

• US 9,191,854 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego, Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US14/004,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20140004894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/404.1, 455/569.2, 455/575.9, 455/99, 455/152.1, 455/557, 340/438, 340/425.5, 340/426.1, 340/426.2, 340/426.18, 340/426.19, 340/426.21, 340/991, 340/993, 340/575.4, 348/148, 701/1, 701/213, 701/36, 701/200, 342/257.21, 342/457
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/093 Data selection, e.g. prioritizing information, managing message queues, selecting the information to be output
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/021 in wireless networks with changing topologies, e.g. ad-hoc networks self-organizing networks H04W84/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0226 based on location or mobility handoff or reselection H04W36/00; mobile application services making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/282 taking into account the speed of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/343 taking into account loading or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/383 power control in peer-to-peer links

Abstract

A radio communication device that communicates with other radio communication devices that become communication partners includes first detection means that detects moving states of said other radio communication devices; second detection means that detects a moving state of its own device; third detection means that detects a congestion level of communication between said other radio communication devices or a congestion level of communication between said other radio communication devices and said own device; transmission means that transmits a radio signal from said own device to said other communication devices; and control means that controls said transmission means to transmit the radio signal based on the moving states of said other radio communication devices, the moving state of said own device, and said congestion level.

Claims

1. A radio communication device that communicates with other radio communication devices that are communication partners, comprising:

a first detection unit that detects moving states of said other radio communication devices;

a second detection unit that detects a moving state of its own device;

a third detection unit that detects a congestion level of communication between said other radio communication devices or a congestion level of communication between said other radio communication devices and said own device;

a transmission unit that transmits a radio signal from said own device to said other communication devices; and

a control unit that controls said transmission unit to transmit the radio signal based on the moving states of said other radio communication devices, the moving state of said own device, and said congestion level.

2. The radio communication device as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said moving state is a moving direction,

wherein if a ratio of the number of other radio communication devices that move in the same or nearly the same moving direction as said own device to the number of said other radio communication devices is equal to or greater than a threshold, when said congestion level exceeds a reference value, said control unit decreases a transmission power of said radio signal by a value that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and

wherein if said ratio is less than said threshold, when said congestion level exceeds said reference value, said control unit decreases said transmission power by a value that is equal to or greater than 0 and that is less than said predetermined value.

3. The radio communication device as set forth in claim 2,

wherein said second detection unit acquires the position of said own device a plurality of times and detects the moving direction of said own device based on said plurality of positions of said own device,

wherein whenever said second detection unit acquires the position of said own device, said transmission unit transmits position information that represents the position of said own device as said radio signal to said other radio communication devices, and

wherein said first detection unit receives said position information from said other radio communication devices a plurality of times and detects moving directions of said other radio communication devices based on the position information received the plurality of times.

4. The radio communication device as set forth in claim 2,

wherein said second detection unit acquires the position of said own device a plurality of times and detects the moving direction of said own device based on said plurality of positions of said own device,

wherein said transmission unit transmits moving direction information that represents a moving direction of said own device as said radio signal to said other radio communication devices, and

wherein said first detection unit receives said moving direction information from said other radio communication devices and detects moving directions of said other radio communication devices based on the moving direction information.

5. The radio communication device as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said moving state is a moving direction,

wherein if a ratio of the number of other radio communication devices that move in the same or nearly the same moving direction as said own device to the number of said other radio communication devices is equal to or greater than a threshold, when said congestion level exceeds a reference value, said control unit increases a transmission period of said radio signal by a value that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and

wherein if said ratio is less than said threshold, when said congestion level exceeds said reference value, said control unit increases said transmission period by a value that is equal to or greater than 0 and that is less than said predetermined value.

6. The radio communication device as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said moving state is a moving direction,

wherein if a ratio of the number of other radio communication devices that move in the same or nearly the same moving direction as said own device to the number of said other radio communication devices is equal to or greater than a threshold, when said congestion level exceeds a reference value, said control unit increases a transmission speed of said radio signal by a value that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and

wherein if said ratio is less than said threshold, when said congestion level exceeds said reference value, said control unit increases said transmission speed by a value that is equal to or greater than 0 and that is less than said predetermined value.

7. The radio communication device as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said moving state is a moving speed,

wherein if a ratio of the number of other radio communication devices that move at a moving speed that differs from its own device in a predetermined range to the number of said other radio communication devices is equal to or greater than a threshold, when said congestion level exceeds a reference value, said control unit decreases a transmission power of said radio signal by a value that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and

wherein if said ratio is less than said threshold, when said congestion level exceeds said reference value, said control unit decreases said transmission power by a value that is equal to or greater than 0 and that is less than said predetermined value.

8. The radio communication device as set forth in claim 7,

wherein said second detection unit acquires the position of said own device a plurality of times and detects the moving speed of said own device based on said plurality of positions of said own device and time intervals at which the positions are acquired,

wherein whenever said second detection unit acquires the position of said own device, said transmission unit transmits position information that represents the position of said own device as said radio signal to said other radio communication devices, and

wherein said first detection unit receives said position information from said other radio communication devices a plurality of times and detects moving speeds of said other radio communication devices based on the position information received the plurality of times and the received time intervals of the position information.

9. The radio communication device as set forth in claim 7,

wherein said second detection unit acquires the position of said own device a plurality of times and detects the moving speed of said own device based on said plurality of positions of said own device and time intervals at which the positions are acquired,

wherein said transmission unit transmits moving speed information that represents the moving speed of said own device as said radio signal to said other radio communication devices, and

wherein said first detection unit receives said moving speed information from said other radio communication devices and detects moving speeds of said other radio communication devices based on the moving speed information.

10. The radio communication device as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said moving state is a moving speed,

wherein if a ratio of the number of other radio communication devices that move at a moving speed that differs from its own device in a predetermined range to the number of said other radio communication devices is equal to or greater than a threshold, when said congestion level exceeds a reference value, said control unit increases a transmission period of said radio signal by a value that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and

wherein if said ratio is less than said threshold, when said congestion level exceeds said reference value, said control unit increases said transmission period by a value that is equal to or greater than 0 and that is less than said predetermined value.

11. The radio communication device as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said moving state is a moving speed,

wherein if a ratio of the number of other radio communication devices that move at a moving speed that differs from its own device in a predetermined range to the number of said other radio communication devices is equal to or greater than a threshold, when said congestion level exceeds a reference value, said control unit increases a transmission speed of said radio signal by a value that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and

wherein if said ratio is less than said threshold, when said congestion level exceeds said reference value, said control unit increases said transmission speed by a value that is equal to or greater than 0 and that is less than said predetermined value.

12. The radio communication device as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said third detection unit detects said congestion level that is the congestion level of radio channels between said other radio communication devices or the number or density of said other radio communication devices.

13. A radio communication system comprising:

a plurality of radio communication devices as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said plurality of radio communication devices communicate with each other.

14. A congestion control method for a radio communication device that communicates with other radio communication devices that are communication partners, comprising:

detecting moving states of said other radio communication devices;

detecting a moving state of its own device;

detecting a congestion level of communication between said other radio communication devices or a congestion level of communication between said other radio communication devices and said own device;

transmitting a radio signal from said own device to said other communication devices; and

controlling transmission of the radio signal based on the moving states of said other radio communication devices, the moving state of said own device, and said congestion level.

15. A non-transitory computer readable record medium on which a program that causes a computer to execute procedures is recorded, the procedures comprising:

a first detection procedure that detects moving states of said other radio communication devices that are communication partners;

a second detection procedure that detects a moving state of said computer;

a third detection procedure that detects a congestion level of communication between said other radio communication devices or a congestion level of communication between said other radio communication devices and said computer;

a transmission procedure that transmits a radio signal from said computer to said other communication devices; and

a control procedure that controls transmission of said radio signal based on the moving states of said other radio communication devices, the moving state of said computer, and said congestion level.