JP2006270777A - Onboard wireless communication apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To properly execute high speed wireless communication when a state incapable of executing high speed wireless communication is shifted to a state capable of executing the high speed wireless communication. <P>SOLUTION: When an onboard wireless communication apparatus 1 shifts from a single area to a hybrid area and an handup condition establishes, the communication apparatus 1 informs a post device about the establishment of the handup condition in place of execution of the handup, interrupts a communication link by a wireless communication system A on the condition that a wireless communication interruption request is notified from the post device, and connects a communication link by the wireless communication system B on the condition that the wireless communication interruption request is notified from the post device. Even when execution of the handup with a base station is inhibited, high speed packet communication can properly be executed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is capable of wireless communication by the first wireless communication method when the device is located in the first wireless communication area that provides the first wireless communication method compliant with the first wireless communication protocol. And a second wireless communication system that provides at least a first wireless communication system and a second wireless communication system that has a smaller coverage area and a higher communication speed than the first wireless communication protocol and conforms to the second wireless communication protocol. The present invention relates to an in-vehicle wireless communication device configured to be capable of wireless communication by at least one of a first wireless communication method and a second wireless communication method when the own device is located in a communication area.

Conventionally, a plurality of wireless communication systems conforming to a plurality of wireless communication protocols having different cover areas (number of areas per single area) and different communication speeds have been provided (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent No. 3210989

  In recent years, a first wireless communication area that provides a first wireless communication method that complies with a first wireless communication protocol that has a wide cover area and low communication speed, and the first wireless communication method and the cover area described above are provided. A wireless communication system is built in which a second wireless communication area that provides two wireless communication systems including a second wireless communication system that conforms to a second wireless communication protocol that is narrow and has a high communication speed is mixed.

  In this case, in the wireless communication system in which the first wireless communication area and the second wireless communication area described above are mixed, the in-vehicle wireless communication device inevitably has its own device located in the first wireless communication area. Wireless communication is performed by the first wireless communication method that complies with the first wireless communication protocol. However, if the device is located in the second wireless communication area, conventionally, communication speed is important. In view of the background, wireless communication is performed by the second wireless communication method that conforms to the second wireless communication protocol that has a narrow coverage area but high communication speed.

  By the way, in this type of wireless communication system, handoff from a wireless communication protocol having a high communication speed to a base station to a wireless communication protocol having a low communication speed, that is, hand-down is permitted. In some cases, handoff from a wireless communication protocol having a low communication speed to a base station to a wireless communication protocol having a high communication speed, that is, performing hand-up, is prohibited.

  Therefore, in the in-vehicle wireless communication device, when the area is shifted from the second wireless communication area to the first wireless communication area, handoff from the second wireless communication protocol having a high communication speed to the first wireless communication protocol having a low communication speed is performed. From then on, the wireless communication is continued by switching from the second wireless communication method having a high communication speed to the first wireless communication method having a low communication speed, while the first wireless communication is continued. Even if the area shifts from the area to the second wireless communication area, the in-vehicle wireless communication device does not perform a handoff from the first wireless communication protocol having a low communication speed to the second wireless communication protocol having a high communication speed. However, the wireless communication is continued with the first wireless communication method having a low communication speed. In other words, the conventional system has a problem in that high-speed wireless communication cannot be performed despite the transition from a state where high-speed wireless communication cannot be performed to a state where it can be performed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to appropriately perform high-speed wireless communication when the state is shifted from a state where high-speed wireless communication cannot be performed to a state where it can be performed. It is in providing the vehicle-mounted radio | wireless communication apparatus which can be performed.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the wireless communication means is located in a first wireless communication area that provides a first wireless communication method that complies with the first wireless communication protocol, Performs wireless communication by the first wireless communication system, while at least a first wireless communication protocol and a second wireless communication protocol that has a narrower coverage area and higher communication speed than the first wireless communication protocol. When the device is located in the second wireless communication area that provides the second wireless communication method, wireless communication is performed by at least one of the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method.

  When the hand-up condition is satisfied, the control means notifies the succeeding device connected to the succeeding device connecting means that the hand-up condition is satisfied, thereby providing a condition that the wireless communication disconnection request is notified from the succeeding device. The wireless communication means is disconnected from the communication link by the first wireless communication system, and the wireless communication means is connected to the communication link by the second wireless communication system on condition that the wireless communication connection request is notified from the succeeding device. .

  Accordingly, when the in-vehicle wireless communication device shifts from the first wireless communication area to the second wireless communication area and the hand-up condition is satisfied, the succeeding device is notified that the hand-up condition is satisfied, and wireless communication is performed from the succeeding device. The communication link based on the first wireless communication method is disconnected on the condition that the disconnection request is notified, and the communication link based on the second wireless communication method is connected on the condition that the wireless communication connection request is notified from the succeeding device. Thus, the wireless communication can be continued by switching from the first wireless communication system to the second wireless communication system.

  As a result, when shifting from a state where high-speed wireless communication cannot be performed to a state where it can be performed, instead of performing hand-up, the first wireless communication method is used according to a wireless communication disconnection request from a succeeding device. When it is prohibited to perform hand-up with the base station by disconnecting the communication link and connecting the communication link of the second wireless communication method in accordance with the wireless communication connection request from the succeeding device Even so, high-speed wireless communication can be appropriately performed.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the wireless communication means is located in the first wireless communication area that provides the first wireless communication method that complies with the first wireless communication protocol, Performs wireless communication by the first wireless communication system, while at least a first wireless communication protocol and a second wireless communication protocol that has a narrower coverage area and higher communication speed than the first wireless communication protocol. When the device is located in the second wireless communication area that provides the second wireless communication method, wireless communication is performed by at least one of the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method.

  When the hand-up condition is satisfied, the control means notifies the higher-order application that the hand-up condition is satisfied, so that the wireless communication means is notified by the first wireless communication method on condition that the wireless communication disconnection request is notified from the higher-order application. The communication link is disconnected, and the communication link based on the second wireless communication method is connected to the wireless communication means on condition that the wireless communication connection request is notified from the host application.

  Therefore, when the in-vehicle wireless communication device moves from the first wireless communication area to the second wireless communication area and the hand-up condition is satisfied, the higher-order application is notified of the establishment of the hand-up condition, and the wireless application disconnection request is issued By disconnecting the communication link by the first wireless communication system on the condition that the communication is notified, and by connecting the communication link by the second wireless communication system on the condition that the wireless communication connection request is notified from the upper application. Also in this case, the wireless communication can be continued by switching from the first wireless communication system to the second wireless communication system.

  As a result, when a transition from an inoperable state to a state in which high-speed wireless communication is not possible is performed, communication according to the first wireless communication method is performed according to a wireless communication disconnection request from a higher-level application instead of performing hand-up. By disconnecting the link and connecting the communication link according to the second wireless communication method in accordance with the wireless communication connection request from the higher-level application, in the same manner as described in claim 1 above, between the base station and Even when hand-up is prohibited, high-speed wireless communication can be appropriately performed.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, description will be made assuming that the wireless communication circuit 3 performs packet communication. FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of the in-vehicle wireless communication device as a functional block diagram. The in-vehicle wireless communication device 1 includes a CPU 2 (control means in the present invention), a wireless communication circuit 3 (wireless communication means in the present invention), a memory 4 and a rear device interface circuit 5 (rear device connection means in the present invention). ).

  The CPU 2 controls the overall operation of the in-vehicle wireless communication device 1 by executing a control program. The wireless communication circuit 3 has a wireless communication system A (first wireless communication system referred to in the present invention) compliant with a wireless communication protocol A (first wireless communication protocol referred to in the present invention) having a wide coverage area and a low communication speed. And a wireless communication system B (second wireless communication system referred to in the present invention) that complies with the wireless communication protocol B (second wireless communication protocol referred to in the present invention) having a narrow coverage area and a high communication speed. Communicate.

  The memory 4 stores various information such as information necessary for the CPU 2 to execute the control program. The rear device interface circuit 5 has an interface function with, for example, a navigation device as a rear device.

  In this case, when the handoff condition from the wireless communication protocol A having a low communication speed to the wireless communication protocol B having a high communication speed, that is, the hand-up condition is satisfied, the CPU 2 sends a packet communication disconnection request from the rear apparatus to the rear apparatus interface. By transmitting a packet communication disconnection request signal from the wireless communication circuit 3 to a base station that provides only the wireless communication protocol A on condition that the notification is made via the circuit 5, the communication link by the wireless communication system A is disconnected. The packet communication connection request signal is transmitted from the wireless communication circuit 3 to the base station that provides the wireless communication protocol B on condition that the packet communication connection request is notified from the rear device via the rear device interface circuit 5. Thus, the communication link by the wireless communication method B is connected.

  FIG. 2 shows a wireless communication area (first wireless communication area in the present invention) that provides only the wireless communication system A that conforms to the wireless communication protocol A, and a wireless communication system A that conforms to the wireless communication protocol A. 1 schematically shows a wireless communication area (second wireless communication area in the present invention) that provides a wireless communication system B that complies with the wireless communication protocol B. In the present embodiment, a wireless communication area that provides only the wireless communication method A is referred to as a single area, and a wireless communication area that provides the wireless communication method A and the wireless communication method B is referred to as a hybrid area.

  Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, description will be made on the assumption that the in-vehicle wireless communication device 1 is located in the hybrid area and performs packet communication by the wireless communication method B having a high communication speed. FIG. 3 shows a process performed by the CPU 2 as a flowchart, and FIG. 4 shows a sequence diagram.

  When the CPU 2 detects that the in-vehicle wireless communication device 1 is in the packet communication state (“YES” in step S1), the CPU 2 determines whether or not the hand-down condition is satisfied (step S2), and the hand-up condition is It is determined whether or not it is established (step S3).

  Now, when the CPU 2 detects that the hand-down condition is satisfied when the in-vehicle wireless communication device 1 shifts from the hybrid area to the single area ("YES" in step S2), the CPU 2 performs the hand-down. (Step S4). Specifically, the CPU 2 connects the communication link by the wireless communication method A with the base station after the area shift, and disconnects the communication link by the wireless communication method B with the base station before the area shift, thereby performing the wireless communication. Switch from method B to wireless communication method A to continue packet communication.

  Next, when the CPU 2 detects that the hand-up condition is satisfied as a result of the in-vehicle wireless communication device 1 shifting from the single area to the hybrid area (“YES” in step S3), the CPU 2 subsequently establishes the hand-up condition. The rear device is notified via the higher device interface circuit 5 (step S5). When the CPU 2 detects that a packet communication disconnection request has been notified from the rear device via the rear device interface circuit 5 (“YES” in step S6), the CPU 2 sends a packet communication disconnect request signal to the wireless communication circuit 3. To the base station that provides only the wireless communication protocol A, the communication link by the wireless communication system A is disconnected (step S7), and the packet communication connection request is transmitted from the rear device via the rear device interface circuit 5. When the notification is detected ("YES" in step S8), a packet communication connection request signal is transmitted from the wireless communication circuit 3 to the base station that provides the wireless communication protocol B, thereby enabling a communication link using the wireless communication system B. Are connected (step S9).

  According to the series of processes described above, when the hand-up condition is satisfied, the in-vehicle wireless communication device 1 notifies the succeeding device that the hand-up condition is satisfied, and the packet communication disconnection request is transmitted from the succeeding device to the succeeding device interface circuit 5. Wireless communication on the condition that the communication link by the wireless communication system A is disconnected on the condition that it is notified via the wireless communication system A, and the packet communication connection request is notified from the succeeding device via the downstream device interface circuit 5 The communication link by the system B is connected.

  By the way, as a case where the handoff condition described above is satisfied, a case where the vehicle is traveling, that is, a case where the in-vehicle wireless communication device 1 is moving is generally used. For example, the vehicle is parked or stopped. Even if the in-vehicle wireless communication device 1 is not moving, the handoff condition is satisfied when the radio wave environment changes, and in this case, the same processing as described above is performed. .

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, in the in-vehicle wireless communication device 1, when the area shifts from the single area to the hybrid area and the hand-up condition is established, the hand-up condition is used instead of performing the hand-up. The establishment is notified to the succeeding device, the communication link by the wireless communication method A is disconnected on condition that the wireless communication disconnection request is notified from the succeeding device, and the wireless communication connection request is notified from the succeeding device. Since it is configured to connect a communication link based on the wireless communication method B as a condition, high-speed packet communication cannot be performed even when hand-up with a base station is prohibited. When shifting from a state to a state where it can be performed, high-speed packet communication can be appropriately performed.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the first embodiment described above, the CPU 2 disconnects the communication link on the condition that the CPU 2 executes the application of the succeeding device and the CPU 2 is notified of the packet communication disconnection request or the packet communication connection request from the succeeding device. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, when the CPU 2 executes its own upper application, the control software receives a packet communication disconnection request or a packet communication connection request from the upper application. The communication link is disconnected or connected on the condition that is notified.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, in the in-vehicle wireless communication device 1, when the area shifts from the single area to the hybrid area and the hand-up condition is established, the hand-up condition is used instead of performing the hand-up. The establishment is notified to the upper application, the communication link by the wireless communication method A is disconnected on the condition that the wireless communication disconnection request is notified from the upper application, and the wireless communication is performed on the condition that the wireless communication connection request is notified from the upper application. Since the communication link by the communication method B is configured to be connected, it is prohibited to perform hand-up with the base station in the same manner as described in the first embodiment. Even if there is a transition from a state where high-speed packet communication cannot be performed to a state where it can be performed, Fast Do packet communication can be appropriately carried out.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified or expanded as follows.

  The rear device is not limited to the navigation device, but a help switch that outputs a help detection signal indicating that the user has operated the help switch, a theft detection ECU that outputs a theft detection signal indicating that there is a risk of theft, Others such as an airbag detection ECU that outputs an airbag detection signal indicating that the airbag has been deployed may be used.

Functional block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention The figure which shows schematically the hybrid area which provides the single area which provides only the wireless communication system A, and the wireless communication system A and the wireless communication system B The flowchart which shows the processing which CPU performs Sequence Diagram The figure which shows the processing when the hand-down condition is satisfied and the hand-up condition is satisfied Sequence diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

In the drawings, 1 is an in-vehicle wireless communication device, 2 is a CPU (control means), 3 is a wireless communication circuit (wireless communication means), and 5 is a rear device interface circuit (rear device connection means).

Claims (2)

When the device is located in a first wireless communication area that provides a first wireless communication method that complies with the first wireless communication protocol, wireless communication is possible using the first wireless communication method and at least The second wireless communication area that provides the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method that conforms to the second wireless communication protocol that has a narrower coverage area and higher communication speed than the first wireless communication protocol. A wireless communication means capable of wireless communication by at least one of the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method when the machine is located;
When the hand-up condition establishment is notified, a rear device connection means capable of connecting a rear device for notifying a wireless communication disconnection request and notifying a wireless communication connection request;
The wireless communication means disconnects the communication link by the first wireless communication method on the condition that the wireless communication disconnection request is notified from the succeeding apparatus connected to the succeeding apparatus connection means, and the succeeding apparatus connection is established. Control means for connecting a communication link according to a second wireless communication system to the wireless communication means on condition that a wireless communication connection request is notified from a succeeding device connected to the means;
The on-board wireless communication device, wherein when the hand-up condition is satisfied, the control means notifies the rear-end device connected to the rear-end device connection means that the hand-up condition is satisfied. When the device is located in a first wireless communication area that provides a first wireless communication method that complies with the first wireless communication protocol, wireless communication is possible using the first wireless communication method and at least The second wireless communication area that provides the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method that conforms to the second wireless communication protocol that has a narrower coverage area and higher communication speed than the first wireless communication protocol. A wireless communication means capable of wireless communication by at least one of the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method when the machine is located;
It is configured to execute a higher-level application that notifies a wireless communication disconnection request and a wireless communication connection request when a hand-up condition establishment is notified, and the wireless communication disconnection request is notified from the higher-level application. Control that causes the wireless communication means to disconnect the communication link based on the first wireless communication system and connects the wireless communication means to the communication link based on the second wireless communication system on condition that a wireless communication connection request is notified from the host application Means and
The in-vehicle wireless communication device, wherein when the hand-up condition is satisfied, the control means notifies the host application that the hand-up condition is satisfied.

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