JP2000224645A - Radio communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform the position detection, etc., of a mobile station in for example, a radio LAN system. SOLUTION: In mobile stations 2a-2f, a movement detecting means 22 detects its own movement on the basis of broadcast signals received from master stations 1a-1c by a receiving means 21, a storage means 23 stores its own movement history and a transmitting means 24 transmits that movement history to the master stations by radio. In the master stations, a transmitting means 11 transmits the broadcast signal by radio, a receiving means 12 receives the movement history from the mobile station, a storage means 13 stores that movement history and, corresponding to notice requests received from managing devices C1 and C2 by a receiving means 14, a transmitting means 15 transmits the movement history of the mobile station to the managing device. In the managing device, a transmitting means 31 transmits the notice request to the master station, a receiving means 32 receives the movement history from the master station and an output means 33 outputs information on that movement history.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wireless communication system such as a wireless LAN system including a management device, a plurality of master stations, and a mobile station. The present invention relates to a wireless communication system capable of detecting a position of a mobile station, tracking a movement of the mobile station, and the like by acquiring the mobile station.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a wireless LAN system, for example, a plurality of fixed stations perform information communication with mobile stations scattered in respective communicable areas (basic service areas: BSA) via wireless lines. Have been done. Here, the fixed stations are connected to each other via a line (for example, a wired LAN) at a distance from each other, and a different wireless medium (operating frequency) is assigned to the adjacent fixed station, so that communication between the adjacent fixed stations can be performed. It has been practiced to prevent mutual radio interference between possible areas.

[0003] In such a wireless LAN system, for example, a system is employed in which each fixed station registers a plurality of mobile stations existing in each communicable area by using a unique identifier assigned to the mobile station. A scheme is adopted in which the mobile station is authenticated and information is transmitted to the mobile station using the identifier.

In the above-described wireless LAN system, for example, when a mobile station moves from the communicable area of one fixed station to the communicable area of another fixed station, the mobile station moves between the two fixed stations. A method of managing the movement of the mobile station by communicating the identifier of the mobile station has been considered. Then, based on such management, by preventing each fixed station from transmitting information to a mobile station that has moved from its own communicable area to the communicable area of another fixed station, It is considered to prevent a decrease in information communication throughput in a wireless section.

[0005]

However, in the above-described wireless LAN system, a certain mobile station moves from the communicable area of one fixed station to the communicable area of another fixed station by the above-described method. Although it is possible for the fixed station to detect that the communication has been performed, for example, the network manager of the wireless LAN system performs position detection, movement tracking, and the like of the mobile station moving in the communicable area of the plurality of fixed stations. There was a problem that it could not be done.

[0006] Such position detection of a mobile station can be performed, for example, when performing a function evaluation when constructing a large-scale wireless LAN system having a large number of fixed stations (communicable areas), or performing operation management after the system is operated. This is necessary when performing, for example, a wireless LAN system, and is particularly necessary when the wireless LAN system is applied to a wide area.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and comprises a management device and a plurality of master stations (for example, the fixed station described above) connected to the management device via a line. A mobile station (for example, the above-described mobile station) that can move in the communicable area of the master station. When the master station wirelessly communicates with a mobile station existing in the communicable area, the management apparatus uses the mobile station. It is an object of the present invention to provide a wireless communication system such as a wireless LAN system capable of acquiring the movement history of a mobile station and thereby detecting the position of a mobile station.

[0008]

To achieve the above object, a wireless communication system according to the present invention comprises:
A plurality of master stations connected to the management device via a line;
And a mobile station capable of moving in the communication area of the master station. When the master station wirelessly communicates with a mobile station existing in the communication area by wirelessly transmitting a broadcast signal, the following is performed. Then, the management device acquires the movement history of the mobile station and performs position detection and the like.

That is, at the master station, the broadcast signal transmitting means transmits the broadcast signal to the mobile station by radio, while at the mobile station, the broadcast signal receiving means receives the broadcast signal from the master station and the movement detecting means at the mobile station. Based on the broadcast signal received from the master station, the movement of the master station from the communicable area to the communicable area of the master station is detected. And the mobile station side movement history transmitting means wirelessly transmits its own movement history to the master station. In the master station, the master station side movement history receiving means receives the movement history wirelessly transmitted from the mobile station, and stores the movement history received by the master station side storage means in association with the mobile station.

[0010] In the management device, the notification request transmitting means transmits a notification request of the movement history of the mobile station to the master station via the line, while the notification request receiving means is transmitted from the management apparatus to the master station. Receiving the notification request, and transmitting the movement history of the mobile station to the management device via the line in response to the notification request received by the movement history transmission means on the master station side. Further, in the management device, the management-side movement history receiving means receives the movement history transmitted from the master station, and the output means outputs information on the received movement history.

Therefore, for example, the network administrator (user) can detect the position of the mobile station, track the movement of the mobile station based on the movement history of the mobile station acquired by the management device, and thereby, can use a large-scale wireless communication system. It is possible to efficiently perform the function evaluation when constructing the system and the operation management after the system is operated.

Further, in the radio communication system according to the present invention, the mobile station side movement history transmitting means of the mobile station uses the movement detecting means to move from the communicable area of one master station to the communicable area of another master station. The mobile station transmits its own movement history to the other master station in response to the detection of the movement of the mobile station, and sends the movement history of the mobile station that has been in a non-communication state for a predetermined time to the master station. There is provided a deletion means for deleting from the storage means.

Therefore, for example, when a certain mobile station moves from the communicable area of one master station to the communicable area of another master station, the other master station performs a radio transmission from the mobile station. While the history can be received and stored, the one master station can delete the movement history of the mobile station that has been in a non-communication state for a predetermined time, and thus, the movement history of the mobile station can be deleted. Registration (storage) and deletion to the master station can be performed efficiently.

In the wireless communication system according to the present invention, the management apparatus described above selects the latest movement history when the movement history for the same mobile station is received from a plurality of master stations, and selects the latest movement history. Selection means for outputting information about the output by the output means. Therefore, for example, a case where the movement histories of the same mobile station are simultaneously stored in a plurality of master stations, and the movement histories of the same mobile station are transmitted from the plurality of master stations to the management device. However, the management device can perform position detection and the like by selecting the latest movement history.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of a wireless LAN system to which a wireless communication system according to the present invention is applied. The wireless LAN system includes a plurality of master stations 1a to 1c connected to a line (for example, a backbone) B. And a plurality of mobile stations 2 performing wireless communication with the master stations 1a to 1c.
a to 2f and the wired LANs 3a and 3b connected to the line B
Management devices C1 and C2 provided above are provided. FIG. 2 conceptually shows communicable areas (for example, basic service areas) BSA1 to BSA3 of the respective master stations 1a to 1c.

FIG. 1 shows only a part of a large number of devices (master station, mobile station, etc.) constituting the wireless LAN system of this embodiment. It is also connected to an access point (other master station or the like) outside the figure via B, and, for example, a mobile station other than that shown in FIG. 1 exists outside the figure as a mobile station.

Each of the plurality of master stations 1a to 1c is composed of, for example, a fixed station used as an access point, and a wireless medium (frequency of a wireless signal) as a transmission medium differs between adjacent master stations. By allocating a wireless medium to each of the master stations 1a to 1c, radio interference between adjacent master stations (communicable areas) is prevented. In this example, the frequency fa is assigned to the master station 1a.
, A wireless medium of frequency fc is assigned to the master station 1b, and a wireless medium of frequency fc is assigned to the master station 1c. Each of the plurality of mobile stations 2a to 2f is composed of, for example, a mobile station, and the communicable areas BSA1 to BSA3 of the plurality of master stations 1a to 1c.
It is possible to move.

Each of the plurality of management devices C1 and C2 is a personal computer (PC) equipped with an SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) manager function which is a standard network management protocol of LAN, for example.
, And has a function of managing a network in a wireless LAN system. Line B
, Each of which is connected to the management devices C1 and C2 via
1c has, for example, an SNMP agent function corresponding to the SNMP manager function of the management devices C1 and C2.

First, a configuration example of the mobile stations 2a to 2f will be described.
In this example, since the configurations and operations of the mobile stations 2a to 2f are the same, a configuration example of each of the mobile stations 2a to 2f will be described on behalf of the mobile station 2a for convenience of explanation. Figure 1 above
As shown in the figure, the mobile station 2a has a broadcast signal receiving means 21 for receiving a broadcast signal from the master station 1a to 1c, and the master station 1a to 1c based on the broadcast signal received from the master station 1a to 1c. Movement detecting means 22 for detecting movement of the other master stations 1a to 1c from the communicable areas BSA1 to BSA3 to the communicable areas BSA1 to BSA3, and the movement history of the own station based on the detection result by the movement detecting means 22. A mobile station-side storage means 23 for storing the information and a mobile station-side movement history transmitting means 24 for wirelessly transmitting its own movement history to the master stations 1a to 1c are provided.

The broadcast signal receiving means 21 has a function of receiving a broadcast signal wirelessly transmitted from the master stations 1a to 1c. In this example, each of the master stations 1a to 1c has a function.
From 1c, a broadcast signal including the MAC addresses (identifiers) of the master stations 1a to 1c is wirelessly transmitted at a constant cycle. In this example, the MAC addresses are used as the identifiers of the master stations 1a to 1c and the mobile stations 2a to 2f.
Any identifier may be used.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the format of the broadcast signal 41. The broadcast signal 41 includes a bit synchronization signal 42 for establishing bit synchronization and a frame synchronization signal 43 for establishing frame synchronization. And the (own station) MAC address 44 of the master station 1a to 1c that is the transmission source of the broadcast signal 41;
Signal type information 45 for distinguishing the broadcast signal 41 from a data signal, various control information 46, a frame sequence number 47 indicating a frame sequence number, a frame check sequence (FCS) 48 for error detection, and the like. Contains.

Such broadcast signals are transmitted, for example, by the master stations 1a to 1c in the respective communicable areas BSA1 to BSA1.
The mobile station existing in the BSA 3 is assigned to itself (the parent station 1a).
1c) is used to notify the presence of the base stations 1a to 1c. For example, when wireless communication using the TDMA method is performed between the base stations 1a to 1c and the mobile station 2a, the base stations 1a to 1c are used.
1c is used to notify the mobile station 2a of a timing at which information transmission to the parent stations 1a to 1c is to be performed.

The movement detecting means 22 includes one of the master stations 1a to 1c.
Communicable area BSA1 to BSA3 to other master stations 1a to
1c has a function of detecting movement to the communicable areas BSA1 to BSA3, and this detection is performed by the other master station 1a.
1c based on the broadcast signal. Here, the movement detecting means 22 of the present example detects movement based on a difference in frequency of a broadcast signal wirelessly transmitted from the adjacent master stations 1a to 1c and a MAC address included in the broadcast signal.

Specifically, for example, when the mobile station 2a is the master station 1a
Communicable area BSA1 to communicable area B of master station 1b
When the mobile station 2a moves to SA2, the operating frequency in the communicable area changes from the frequency fa to the frequency fb.
In this case, it becomes impossible to receive a broadcast signal wirelessly transmitted from the master station 1b at regular intervals. In such a case, in the mobile station 2a of the present example, the movement detecting means 22 controls the broadcast signal receiving means 21 so that
The reception of the broadcast signal is awaited while the reception frequency is sequentially adjusted to a plurality of frequencies (candidate frequencies) specified in the wireless LAN system.

For example, when the mobile station 2a moves into the communicable area BSA2 of the master station 1b as described above, the broadcast signal from the master station 1b is received by the broadcast signal receiving means 21 during the search at the frequency fb. In response to this, the movement detecting means 22 detects the MAC address of the master station 1b included in the broadcast signal received. The movement detecting means 22 stores, for example, the MAC address of the master station 1a included in the broadcast signal received last time, and the MAC address of the master station 1b received this time is the same as that of the master station 1a received last time. Based on the fact that the mobile station 2a is different from the MAC address, the own station (mobile station 2a)
It detects that it has moved to SA2.

In this embodiment, the mobile station 2a detects the movement of its own station based on the difference in the frequency of the broadcast signal and the MAC addresses of the master stations 1a to 1c included in the broadcast signal. Parent stations 1a-1c
Communicable area BSA1 to BSA3 to other master stations 1a to
Any movement detection method may be used as long as the movement to the communicable areas BSA1 to BSA3 of 1c can be detected.

The mobile station-side storage means 23 is composed of, for example, a memory and has a function of storing the movement history of the own station based on the result of the movement detection. FIG. 3 shows an example of the format of the movement history 51 stored by the mobile station storage means 23. In the movement history 51, the MACs of the parent stations (fixed stations in this example) 1a to 1c are stored.
Address and communicable area BSA1 of the master station 1a to 1c
The communication start times in BSA3 are stored, for example, in chronological order in association with each other.

As the mobile station storage means 23, any means can be used as long as it can store the movement history. Also, as the movement history,
The embodiment is not necessarily limited to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, and various embodiments may be used according to the management status of the system. Also, for example, how long the movement history for the mobile station is stored is not particularly limited. For example, by storing the new movement history sequentially without deleting the old movement history, for example, it is relatively easy to store the movement history. It is also possible to use a mode in which the mobile station stores the movement history for a long period. Alternatively, as another example, when storing a new movement history, the old movement history is deleted to always store the movement history for a certain period. A mode in which the movement history is stored in the mobile station may be used.

The mobile station side movement history transmitting means 24 has a function of wirelessly transmitting its own movement history stored in the mobile station side storage means 23 to the master stations 1a to 1c, for example.
The mobile station side movement history transmitting means 24 of the present example uses the movement detecting means 22 to detect the communicable area BSA1 of one of the master stations 1a to 1c.
To BSA3 to other master stations 1a to 1c.
In response to detecting the movement to A1 to BSA3, the movement history of the own station is transmitted to the other master stations 1a to 1c.

More specifically, the mobile station side movement history transmitting means 24 of the present embodiment receives the next broadcast signal from the destination master station 1a to 1c after detecting the movement by the movement detecting means 22. The master station 1a ~
1c to transmit its own movement history. Here, in this example, the above-described movement history is transmitted to the master stations 1a to 1c together with a transmission request signal used when the mobile station 2a transmits information to the master stations 1a to 1c. Is performed.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the format of the transmission request signal 61 described above.
Is a bit synchronization signal 62 for establishing bit synchronization.
And a frame synchronization signal 6 for establishing frame synchronization.
3 and the MAC address 64 of the mobile station (mobile station in this example) 2a that is the source of the transmission request signal 61
And various control information 65, a flag (movement history transmission request flag) 66 for notifying whether or not the movement history is included in the transmission request signal 61, the MAC address of the mobile station 2a, and (BSA) And an information signal 67 for notifying the movement history in association with the movement history.

The mobile station-side movement history transmitting means 24 transmits the master station 1
By indicating that the movement history is included in the movement history transmission request flag 66 in the transmission request signal 61 to be transmitted to a to 1c and including the movement history in the information signal 67, the master station 1a To 1c to transmit the movement history of the own station (the mobile station 2a). Note that, as described above, in this example, the mobile station 2a spontaneously causes the master station 1a to
1c shows the mode of transmitting its own movement history,
For example, the master stations 1a to 1c transmit a movement history notification request to the mobile station 2a, and the mobile station 2a transmits its own movement history to the master stations 1a to 1c in response to the notification request. Such a mode can also be used.

As described above, the mobile station 2a of the present example always analyzes its own MAC address contained in the broadcast signal wirelessly transmitted from the master stations 1a to 1c, thereby to determine its own movement. Detects and stores a movement history based on the detection result, and moves from the communicable area BSA1 to BSA3 of one master station 1a to 1c to the communicable area BSA1 to BSA3 of another master station 1a to 1c. By transmitting its own movement history to the other master stations 1a to 1c, it notifies that it has moved to the communicable areas BSA1 to BSA3 of the other master stations 1a to 1c.

Next, a configuration example of the master stations 1a to 1c will be described. In this example, since the configuration and operation of each of the master stations 1a to 1c are the same, a configuration example of each of the master stations 1a to 1c will be described on behalf of the master station 1a for convenience of explanation. As shown in FIG. 1, the master station 1a receives a broadcast signal transmitting means 11 for wirelessly transmitting a broadcast signal to the mobile stations 2a to 2f, and receives a movement history wirelessly transmitted from the mobile stations 2a to 2f. Master station-side movement history receiving means 12, master station-side storage means 13 for storing received movement histories in association with mobile stations 2 a to 2 f, and notification for receiving notification requests transmitted from management apparatuses C 1 and C 2. The request receiving means 14 and the mobile station 2a to the management devices C1 and C2 in response to the received notification request.
The movement history transmitting means 15 for transmitting the movement histories of the mobile stations 2a to 2f via the line B, and the movement histories of the mobile stations 2a to 2f which have been in a non-communication state for a predetermined time are deleted from the storage means 13 for the master station. And a deletion unit 16.

The broadcast signal transmitting means 11 has a function of wirelessly transmitting a broadcast signal to the mobile stations 2a to 2f, and each master station 1a of this embodiment converts the broadcast signal shown in FIG. Is transmitted in a cycle of The master station-side movement history receiving means 12 includes the mobile stations 2a to 2a.
The mobile station 2 has a function of receiving a movement history wirelessly transmitted from the mobile station 2a. In this example, the mobile station 2a receives the MAC addresses and movement history of the mobile stations 2a to 2f via the transmission request signal shown in FIG.

More specifically, when the master station 1a of this embodiment receives a transmission request signal wirelessly transmitted from the mobile stations 2a to 2f, the master station 1a performs the transmission based on the movement history transmission request flag in the transmission request signal. It is determined whether or not the movement history is included in the transmission request signal, thereby determining whether the transmission request signal is related to a normal (other than movement history) transmission request,
Alternatively, it is determined whether the request is related to a request for transmitting a movement history.

The base station side storage means 13 stores, for example, an extended MIB
(Management Information Base) is configured from a database, and when a transmission request signal related to a transmission request of the movement history is received, the MAC addresses of the mobile stations 2a to 2f received by the transmission request signal are associated with the movement history. It has the function of storing. In this example, an extended MIB database is provided for each MAC address of each of the mobile stations 2a to 2f, and the master station 1a stores the received movement history in the extended MIB database corresponding to the corresponding MAC address as a management object. Remember.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the arrangement of the movement histories stored on the extended MIB database. As shown in FIG. 5, for example, "Mobile Station Status"
The moving history of each mobile station (“mobile station 1”, “mobile station 2”,...) is stored under “mobile station BSA movement history Status” existing below “s”.

The master station storage means 13 may be of any type as long as it can store the movement histories of the mobile stations 2a to 2f. As a method of storing the movement histories of the mobile stations 2a to 2f in association with the mobile stations 2a to 2f, for example, based on the timing at which the master station 1a receives the movement histories from the mobile stations 2a to 2f, etc. It is also possible to use a mode in which the MAC addresses of the mobile stations 2a to 2f are specified, and the specified MAC address and the movement history are stored in association with each other.
For example, by including the MAC addresses of the mobile stations 2a to 2f in the movement histories transmitted from the mobile stations 2a to 2f, it is possible to use a mode in which the association between the MAC addresses and the movement histories is ensured.

The notification request receiving means 14 includes a management device C1,
It has a function of receiving a notification request transmitted from C2 via the line B. In this example, the notification request is a GET request-PDU (Protocol) of the SNMP manager function provided in the management devices C1 and C2. Data Unit) is used. The master station side movement history transmitting means 15 has a function of transmitting the movement history of the mobile stations 2a to 2f requested by the notification request received from the management devices C1 and C2 to the management devices C1 and C2 via the line B. In this example, the above-mentioned GE
T request-GET response corresponding to PDU-P
DU is used.

FIG. 6 shows the GET request-P
An example of the format of a DU (hereinafter referred to as a GET request) 71 is shown. In this example, the above G
An ET response-PDU (hereinafter referred to as a GET response) also uses the same format as the GET request.

As shown in the figure, the GET request 71 is, for example, the mobile station 2a
Request-id 72 indicating that it is for retrieving the movement history of ~ 2f, and the extended MIB of the master station 1a.
It includes a name 75 indicating the identifier of the management object in which the movement histories of the mobile stations 2a to 2f to be searched in the database are stored. The error-st
atus73, error-index74, and value
e76 is used in the GET response.

In the master station 1a of this example, the management devices C1, C2
When the GET request is received from the GET request, it is searched whether or not the identifier (for example, the MAC address of the mobile station 2a to 2f) of the management object specified as the search target by the GET request exists in its own extended MIB database. When the presence of the identifier of the management object is detected, the movement history of the mobile stations 2a to 2f, which is the content of the management object, is transmitted to the management device C using the GET response by the master station side movement history transmission means 15.
1. Send to C2. In this GET response, the movement history to be transmitted to the management devices C1 and C2 is inserted into the value 76 described above.

On the other hand, for example, in the master station 1a that has confirmed that the movement history of the mobile stations 2a to 2f requested from the management devices C1 and C2 is not stored in its own MIB database (search error), error-st
"noSuchName" in Atus73 (2 bits)
Management device C
1 and C2 to notify the management devices C1 and C2 that the management object related to the specified MAC address (mobile station 2a to 2f) does not exist in its own extended MIB database. The erro mentioned above
The r-index 74 is used to notify an index at the time of a search error.

The deletion means 16 stores the movement histories of the mobile stations 2a to 2f, which have been in a non-communication state for a predetermined time, in the extended MIB of the own station.
It has a function to delete from the database. Specifically, for example, when the wireless communication between the master station 1a and the mobile stations 2a to 2f does not occur for a predetermined time or more, the mobile stations 2a to 2f move from the communicable area BSA1 of the master station 1a to another. In such a case, the deletion unit 16 deletes the movement history of the mobile station 2a to 2f from the extended MIB database of the own station. I do. The above-mentioned predetermined time may be set arbitrarily. In short, the mobile stations 2a to 2f existing within the communicable area of the own station have moved outside the communicable area of the own station. What is necessary is just to set a time that can be regarded as a thing.

As described above, the master station 1a of the present embodiment transmits a broadcast signal to the mobile stations 2a to 2f existing in the communicable area BSA1 by radio, thereby enabling radio communication with the mobile stations 2a to 2f. Communicate with mobile stations 2a-2f
From the mobile stations 2a to 2f stored in response to a notification request from the management devices C1 and C2, to the management devices C1 and C2. The mobile station 2a to 2f that has transmitted and has been in a non-communication state for a predetermined period of time is deleted from the extended MIB database.

Further, the master station 1a of this example manages the mobile stations 2a to 2f existing in its own communicable area BSA1 by using, for example, the MAC addresses and the movement histories of the mobile stations 2a to 2f. Is a mobile station 2a having a MAC address and a movement history on its own extended MIB database.
２2f are regarded as existing in the own communicable area BSA1, while the mobile station 2a has no MAC address or movement history in its own extended MIB database.
The mobile stations 2a to 2f are managed assuming that the mobile stations 2a to 2f do not exist in the communicable area BSA1. Then, based on such management, the master station 1a of this example transmits only information to the mobile stations 2a to 2f existing in its own communicable area BSA1 by radio, thereby enabling its own communication. Useless information transmission to the mobile stations 2a to 2f that do not exist in the area BSA1 is prevented.

Next, a configuration example of the management devices C1 and C2 will be described. In this example, since the configurations and operations of the management devices C1 and C2 are the same, for convenience of explanation, the management devices C1 and C2 will be described.
A configuration example of each of the management devices C1 and C2 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the management device C1 includes a notification request transmitting unit 31 that transmits a notification request of the movement history of the mobile stations 2a to 2f to the master stations 1a to 1c via the line B.
The same mobile station 2a as the management-side movement history receiving means 32 for receiving the movement histories transmitted from the master stations 1a to 1c, and the output means 33 for outputting information on the received movement histories.
And selecting means 34 for selecting the latest movement history and outputting the information on the movement history by the output means 33 when the movement histories of the movement history 〜2f are received from the plurality of master stations 1a to 1c.

The notification request transmitting means 31 includes the master stations 1a to 1c.
Has a function of transmitting a request for notification of the movement history of the mobile stations 2a to 2f via the wired LAN 3a and the line B. In this example, as described above, this notification request
The GET request of the MP manager function is used. Note that the notification request may be, for example, a request for a notification of the movement history of one or more specific mobile stations 2a to 2f, or a notification of the movement history of all the mobile stations 2a to 2f, for example. It may be a request. Also,
The notification request may be transmitted to, for example, all the master stations 1a to 1c, or may be transmitted to, for example, one or more specific master stations 1a to 1c.
a to 1c. Further, the notification request may be performed, for example, according to an instruction from the user,
Further, for example, a mode in which the notification request is transmitted in a predetermined mode (time or the like) may be used.

The management-side movement history receiving means 32 includes the master station 1a.
Movement history transmitted from １1c to line B and wired LAN
The mobile station 2a has a function of receiving data via the mobile station 2a to 2f in response to a GET response transmitted from the master station 1a to 1c.
The output unit 33 has a function of outputting the received information on the movement history of the mobile stations 2a to 2f. Here, the information regarding the movement history may be, for example, information of the received movement history as it is, or may be, for example, mobile stations 2a to 2f obtained by analyzing or processing the received movement history.
May be information such as a position detection result. The output may be, for example, a mode of outputting on a display screen, a mode of outputting to a floppy disk or the like, a mode of outputting (transmitting) to another device such as a printer, or the like.

FIG. 7 shows, for example, the management devices C1, C
The mobile stations 2a to 2
Display output 81 in the case of displaying and outputting the movement history of f
An example is shown. In the display output 81 shown in FIG.
"History No.", "Time", "BSA number (communicable area number)", and "Fixed station MAC address (identifier of parent station)" are shown for specific mobile stations 2a to 2f. , The slave stations 2a to 2f are “time”
Communicable areas BSA1 to BSA3 ("BS") of the master stations 1a to 1c corresponding to the "fixed station MAC address".
In this case, it is shown in the order of "history No."

[0052] The selection means 34 is the same mobile station 2a to 2f.
When a plurality of movement histories are received, there is a function of selecting the latest movement history and outputting information about the movement history. Note that the reception of a plurality of movement histories for the same mobile station 2a to 2f means that, for example, when the management apparatus C1 transmits a movement history notification request to a plurality of master stations 1a to 1c, the same movement is not performed. This occurs when the movement histories of the stations 2a to 2f are simultaneously stored in the plurality of master stations 1a to 1c.

As a method of selecting the latest movement history, for example, the time when the master stations 1a to 1c receive the movement history from the mobile stations 2a to 2f is stored, and the time is transmitted to the management device C1. In this way, the mobile station 2a to 2f analyzes the method of selecting the one with the latest time as the latest one, or analyzes the content of the received travel history, for example.
In this case, a method in which the latest update time of the movement history is selected as the latest one can be used.

As described above, in the management device C1 of this example,
The mobile stations 2a to 2f transmit a notification request of the movement history of the mobile stations 2a to 2f to the master stations 1a to 1c, receive the movement history transmitted from the master stations 1a to 1c, output information on the received movement history, and When a plurality of movement histories for the same mobile station 2a to 2f are received, information on the latest movement history is output.

Next, for example, when the mobile station 2a moves from the communicable area BSA1 of the master station 1a to the communicable area BSA3 of the adjacent master station 1b, and when the position of the mobile station 2a is searched from the management device C1. As an example, an example of the operation performed by the above-described wireless LAN system of the present example will be described.
That is, each of the master stations 1a to 1c has its own communicable area BS.
For example, the mobile station 2a-2f in the A1-BSA3 is notified of its existence by wirelessly transmitting a broadcast signal to the mobile station 2a-2f at a constant period.
When a is within the communicable area BSA1 of the master station 1a, the mobile station 2a is performing wireless communication with the master station 1a.

In this case, the mobile station 2a moves from the communicable area BSA1 of the master station 1a to the communicable area BSA2 of the master station 1b.
When the mobile station 2a moves to the mobile station 2a, the mobile station 2a detects its own movement based on the broadcast signal received from the master station 1b, and updates its own movement history in response to the movement detection, and updates the movement history by the transmission request signal. Radio transmission is performed to the station 1b. By receiving the transmission request signal, the master station 1b manages the mobile station 2a assuming that the mobile station 2a has moved to its own communicable area BSA2, while the master station 1a is in a non-communication state for a predetermined time. As a result, the mobile station 2a moves to the outside of its own communicable area BSA1 and deletes the movement history of the mobile station 2a. The master station 1b stores the movement history received from the mobile station 2a in the extended MIB database, and waits for a reference (notification request) from an SNMP host (in the present example, the management devices C1 and C2).

Further, the management device C1 is provided with a specific mobile station 2a in accordance with an instruction from a user operating a keyboard or the like (for example, a network administrator of a wireless LAN system).
First, for example, a GET request requesting notification of the movement history of the mobile station 2a is sequentially transmitted to all the master stations 1a to 1c in the wireless LAN system. The master stations 1a to 1c having received the GET request confirm whether or not the movement history of the mobile station 2a specified by the GET request is stored in its own extended MIB database. Transmits the movement history of the designated mobile station 2a to the management device C1 as a GET response.

Then, the management device C1 is connected to the master stations 1a to 1c.
And outputs information on the movement history of the mobile station 2a that has been successfully received from the mobile station 2a. When the movement history of the mobile station 2a is received from the plurality of master stations 1a to 1c, the latest movement history is selected from the movement history and information on the movement history is output. The user can know the past movement history of the mobile station 2a, the position where the mobile station 2a currently exists (the position in which of the communicable areas BSA1 to BSA3 exists) and the like based on the information output by the management device C1.

As described above, in the wireless LAN system of this example, the current positions of the mobile stations 2a to 2f are searched by operating the management devices C1 and C2, for example, by operating the network manager (user) of the wireless LAN system. To do,
It is possible to verify the time-series movement trajectories (movement histories) of the mobile stations 2a to 2f, and thereby, for example, a large-scale wireless LAN including a large number of master stations 1a to 1c (communicable areas BSA1 to BSA3). Function evaluation when constructing the system and operation management after system operation can be efficiently performed, and network management of the wireless LAN system can be easily performed.

In the wireless LAN system of this example, the mobile stations 2a to 2f are connected to the communicable area B of one of the master stations 1a to 1c.
When moving from SA1 to BSA3 to the communicable area BSA1 to BSA3 of another master station 1a to 1c, the other master station 1
The mobile stations 2a to 2c transmit their own movement histories to the mobile stations 2a to 2c.
It can be known that f has moved to its own communicable area BSA1 to BSA3. In addition, the one master station 1a
1c to 1c delete the movement histories of the mobile stations 2a to 2f in response to the non-communication state for a predetermined time, so that the movement histories for the same mobile station 2a to 2f are stored in a plurality of master stations 1a to 1f. 1c can prevent duplicate storage.

As described above, in the wireless LAN system of this example, the movement histories of the mobile stations 2a to 2f can be registered (stored) and deleted in the master stations 1a to 1c efficiently. In this example, for example, the mobile stations 2a to 2f are connected to one master station 1a.
Until a predetermined time elapses from when the mobile station 2a moves from the communicable area BSA1 to BSA3 to the communicable area BSA1 to BSA3 of another master station 1a to 1c, the mobile station 2a to Although it may happen that the movement history of 2f is redundantly stored, even in such a case, the management devices C1 and C2 select the latest movement history. Based on this, it is possible to detect the positions of the mobile stations 2a to 2f.

The wireless LAN system according to the present embodiment is particularly effective when applied to a wide area such as a large-scale factory, tenant, office building, and the like, and for example, a PHS (Personal Handy Phone). This is also effective in the case where a wireless LAN system is used under a public network such as a public network such as a mobile communication system.
2 can be performed efficiently.

Here, the format of signals such as the above-mentioned broadcast signal, transmission request signal, GET request and GET response is not necessarily limited to that shown in the above embodiment, and various types may be used. Also, various timings can be used as the timing for transmitting these signals.

Further, the number and configuration of the master station, mobile station, and management device provided in the system may be variously changed, and communication used for wireless communication between the master station and the mobile station may be used. Various methods may be used. Also, various lines may be used as a line connecting a plurality of master stations and the management device. For example, not only a wired line but also a wireless line may be used.

The various processes performed by the master station, the mobile station, and the management device according to the present invention are controlled, for example, by the processor executing a control program in a hardware resource including a processor and a memory. An embodiment may be used, or an embodiment may be used in which, for example, each functional unit for executing the processing is configured as an independent hardware circuit. Further, in the above embodiment, as a preferred embodiment, the case where the wireless communication system according to the present invention is applied to a wireless LAN system has been described. However, the present invention is applicable to various systems including a master station, a mobile station, and a management device. It is also possible.

[0066]

As described above, according to the radio communication system of the present invention, a management device, a plurality of master stations connected to the management device via a line, and a communicable area of these master stations are defined. The mobile station comprises a mobile station, the mobile station detects its own movement, wirelessly transmits its own movement history to the master station, and stores the movement history received by the master station from the mobile station in association with the mobile station. Since the master station transmits the movement history of the mobile station to the management apparatus in response to the notification request from the management apparatus, and the management apparatus outputs information on the movement history received from the master station, for example, a network administrator ( The user) can perform position detection, movement tracking, and the like of the mobile station only by operating the management device.

Further, in the radio communication system according to the present invention, when the mobile station detects movement from the communicable area of one master station to the communicable area of another master station, the mobile station communicates with the other master station. While sending your own travel history to
Since the movement history of the mobile station in which the one master station has been in a non-communication state for a predetermined time is deleted, it is possible to efficiently register (store) and delete the movement history of the mobile station in the master station. it can. Further, in the wireless communication system according to the present invention, since the management apparatus selects the latest movement history when receiving the movement history of the same mobile station from a plurality of master stations, for example, a network administrator (user) Can get information about the latest travel history.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a wireless LAN system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a format of a broadcast signal.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a format of a movement history stored in a mobile station.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a format of a transmission request signal.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of an arrangement of a movement history of a mobile station stored in a master station.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a format of a GET request-PDU.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of display output of a movement history of a mobile station by a management device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a to 1c: master station, 2a to 2f: mobile station, 3
a, 3b ... wired LAN, C1, C2 ... management device,
BSA1 to BSA3: communicable area; 11, broadcast signal transmitting means; 12, master station side movement history receiving means; 13, master station side storage means; 14, notification request receiving means; 15, master station Side movement history transmission means, 16.
Deletion means, 21 broadcast signal reception means,
22 ··· Move detection means, 23 ··· Mobile station side storage means,
24 mobile station side movement history transmission means, 31 ... notification request transmission means, 32 management side movement history reception means, 33
..Output means, 34..Selection means,

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A management apparatus, comprising: a plurality of master stations connected to the management apparatus via a line; and a mobile station capable of moving in a communication area of the master station, wherein the master station wirelessly transmits a broadcast signal. In a wireless communication system that wirelessly communicates with a mobile station that is within a communicable area by transmitting at a mobile station, the mobile station includes a broadcast signal receiving unit that receives a broadcast signal from a master station, and a broadcast signal reception unit that receives the broadcast signal from the master station. Movement detecting means for detecting movement from the communicable area of another master station to the communicable area of the master station based on the broadcast signal; and movement for storing the movement history of the own station based on the detection result by the movement detecting means. A mobile station side movement history transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting the movement history of the mobile station to the master station; Broadcast signal transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting a signal; master station side movement history receiving means for receiving a movement history wirelessly transmitted from the mobile station; and base station side storage means for storing the received movement history in association with the mobile station. The management device further includes a notification request transmitting unit that transmits a notification request of the movement history of the mobile station to the master station via a line. The master station further includes a notification transmitted from the management device. Notification request receiving means for receiving the request; and master station side movement history transmission means for transmitting the movement history of the mobile station to the management apparatus via the line in response to the received notification request. A radio communication system comprising: a management-side movement history receiving unit that receives a movement history transmitted from a master station; and an output unit that outputs information on the received movement history. 2. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile station side movement history transmitting means of the mobile station moves from the communicable area of one master station to the communicable area of another master station by the movement detecting means. The mobile station transmits its own movement history to the other master station in response to the detection of the movement of the mobile station, and stores the movement history of the mobile station in the non-communication state for a predetermined period of time in the master station. A wireless communication system comprising a deletion unit for deleting from a communication system. 3. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the management apparatus selects the latest movement history when receiving the movement history of the same mobile station from a plurality of master stations. A wireless communication system comprising: a selection unit that outputs information on the movement history by an output unit.