JP2006295410A - Mobile unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mobile unit capable of scanning in a short period of time and with small power consumption during handover. <P>SOLUTION: The mobile unit 10 includes a radio field intensity measurement part 12, a radio field intensity prediction part 14, a storage part 16, and a handover processing part 18. The radio field intensity measurement part 12 measures the radio field intensity of an radio wave from an access point. The radio field intensity prediction part 14 calculates predicted radio field intensity being the future radio field intensity from a difference between the past radio field intensity before the unit time measured with the radio field intensity measurement part 12 and the current radio field intensity. The storage part 16 stores a quasi-threshold and a threshold. The handover processing part 18 executes a series of handover processing. It is judged whether or not the predicted radio field intensity is smaller than the quasi-threshold. When the predicted radio field intensity is smaller than the quasi-threshold, the handover processing is started. By this, a completion time of the handover processing can be quickened. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a mobile device.

Mobile devices such as mobile phones and mobile wireless terminals perform wireless communication via access points in a wireless local area network (LAN) configured from a plurality of access points (APs) serving as base stations. When the mobile device moves between access points, the mobile device performs handover (Hand Over) to switch the access point from the access point that has belonged so far to an access point that has a better communication state at a shorter distance. The handover process is started by performing a scan for searching for the next belonging access point when the radio wave intensity of the belonging access point falls below a predetermined threshold (see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-241937

  However, in the handover process, there are various procedures such as scanning of an access point belonging to the next, and thereafter authentication, IP acquisition, SIP registration of a mobile device, call control, and the like. For this reason, the above mobile device has a drawback that it takes time to complete the handover process. In particular, a wireless LAN has a narrow cell radius and frequent handovers occur. Therefore, it is problematic that the timing of completing the handover process is late. Frequent handovers and delays in completing handover processing can affect call quality.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide means capable of increasing the possibility that the timing for completing the handover process will be advanced.

  The present invention relates to a mobile device that performs wireless communication via an access point in a wireless LAN composed of a plurality of access points, a radio field intensity measuring unit that measures radio field intensity of radio waves from the access point, and radio field intensity A radio field strength prediction unit that predicts a future radio field strength from past radio field strengths measured by the measurement unit, a storage unit that stores a first threshold value of the radio field strength, and a handover processing unit that performs a handover process. When the future radio wave intensity predicted by the intensity predicting unit becomes smaller than the first threshold value, the handover processing unit starts the handover process.

  According to this configuration, based on the future radio field intensity predicted by the radio field intensity predicting unit, when the future radio field intensity becomes smaller than the first threshold value, the handover processing unit starts the handover process. The possibility that the timing of starting the handover process will be increased, and the possibility that the completion time of the handover process will be increased.

  In this case, the radio field intensity predicting means can predict the future radio field intensity from the difference between the past radio field intensity measured by the radio field intensity measuring means and the current radio field intensity.

  According to this configuration, the radio field intensity predicting unit predicts the future radio field intensity from the difference between the past radio field intensity and the current radio field intensity. Therefore, the future radio field intensity can be predicted by a simple algorithm.

  In this case, the storage means stores the second threshold value of the radio wave intensity, and the handover processing means is when the current radio wave intensity measured by the radio wave intensity measurement means is smaller than the second threshold value, and the handover process is started. If not, the handover process is started, and when the handover process is started, the handover process is continued, and the current radio wave intensity measured by the radio wave intensity measuring means is equal to or greater than the second threshold, When the handover process is started, it is preferable to interrupt the handover process.

  According to this configuration, the handover processing means starts the handover process when the current radio wave intensity is smaller than the second threshold and the handover process has not been started, and when the handover process has started. Since the handover process is continued, the handover process can be performed based on the current radio field intensity even if the handover process is not started due to the predicted future radio field intensity. In addition, when the current radio field intensity measured by the radio field intensity measuring means is equal to or greater than the second threshold and the handover process is started, the handover process is interrupted, so the handover process is performed according to the predicted future radio field intensity. Even if is started, the handover process can be interrupted when the current radio wave intensity is equal to or greater than the second threshold.

  According to the mobile device of the present invention, it is possible to increase the possibility that the timing for completing the handover process will be advanced.

  Hereinafter, a mobile device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  First, the configuration of the mobile device according to the present embodiment will be described. The mobile device of this embodiment is used in a wireless LAN. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a wireless LAN system including a mobile device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The wireless LAN system 100 of this embodiment includes a mobile device 10, access points 20 and 22 that relay wireless communication of the mobile device, and a control station 30 that controls the access points 20 and 22. The access points 20 and 22 have communication areas 24 and 26, respectively. As shown in FIG. 1, if the mobile station 10 belonging to the access point 20 moves in the direction of the arrow and moves from the communication area 24 of the access point 20 to the communication area 26 of the access point 22, handover is performed. Processing is performed.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the mobile device according to the embodiment of the present invention. The mobile device 10 of the present embodiment physically includes an antenna transmission / reception unit, an RF circuit, a signal converter, a comparator, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). ) And the like, and have functions described later depending on the respective devices, a radio wave intensity measuring unit 12 (radio wave intensity measuring unit), a radio wave intensity predicting unit 14 (radio wave intensity predicting unit), a storage unit 16 (storage unit), and a handover. A functional block such as a processing unit 18 (handover processing means) is provided.

  The radio wave intensity measurement unit 12 receives a radio wave signal from the access point and measures the radio wave intensity of the radio wave from the access point. The radio field intensity prediction unit 14 calculates a predicted radio field intensity that is a future radio field intensity from the difference between the past radio field intensity before unit time measured by the radio field intensity measurement unit 12 and the current radio field intensity.

  The storage unit 16 has a quasi-threshold value (first threshold value) that is a reference for starting the handover process based on the predicted radio wave intensity, and a threshold value (second threshold value) that is a reference for starting the handover process based on the currently measured radio wave intensity. Remember. This threshold value and quasi-threshold value can be changed as appropriate. In this case, the threshold value can be a value lower than the quasi-threshold value, the quasi-threshold value can be a value lower than the threshold value, and the threshold value and the quasi-threshold value can be the same value.

  The handover processing unit 18 performs a series of handover processes including scanning, authentication, IP acquisition, registration, and call control.

  Hereinafter, functions of the mobile device of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of handover processing of the mobile device according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 shows a relationship between the radio wave intensity and the operation for each time in the mobile device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. In the following example, it is assumed that the mobile device threshold is set to -70 dB and the quasi-threshold is set to -65 dB.

  As shown in FIG. 4, it is assumed that the user 50 who has the mobile device is moving in a direction in which the radio wave intensity of the radio wave from the access point to which the user currently belongs is weakened. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, it is determined whether or not the current radio wave intensity is smaller than the threshold value (S11). If the current radio wave intensity is smaller than the threshold value, the handover process is started and continued ( S12), the handover process is completed (S13). If the mobile device does not start the handover process based on the predicted radio wave intensity and the quasi-threshold value, the handover process is performed based on the current radio wave intensity and the threshold value as described above.

However, in the example shown in FIG.
Radio wave intensity -45dB> threshold -70dB at time _{t 1,}
Radio wave intensity -50dB> threshold -70dB at time _{t 2,}
Radio wave intensity -55dB> threshold -70dB at time _{t 3,}
Radio wave intensity -61dB> threshold -70dB at time _{t 4,}
Radio wave intensity -65dB> threshold -70dB at time _{t 5,}
Next, it becomes larger than the electric wave intensity threshold at that time, when if starts a handover process based on the current radio wave strength and the threshold, to initiate a handover process, will be referred to as time t ₆ after the handover process Starts and completes later.

  Therefore, in the mobile device of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, when the current radio wave intensity is not smaller than the threshold value, the predicted radio wave calculated from the difference between the past radio wave intensity a unit time ago and the current radio wave intensity. It is determined whether the intensity is smaller than the quasi-threshold value (S14). When the predicted radio wave intensity is smaller than the quasi-threshold value, the handover process is started (S15).

In the example of FIG.
At time _{t 2:}
Fluctuation prediction width = (Radio wave intensity at time t ₂ −50 dB) − (Radio wave intensity at time t ₁ −45 dB)
= -5dB
Predicted radio wave intensity = (Radio wave intensity at time t ₂ −50 dB) + (Fluctuation prediction width−5 dB)
= -55dB
Predicted radio wave intensity −55 dB> quasi threshold −65 dB

At time _{t 3:}
Variation expected width = (radio field intensity at time _{t 3} -55 dB) - (radio field intensity at time _{t 2} -50 dB)
= -5dB
Predicted wave intensity = (radio field intensity at time _{t 3} -55 dB) + (change prediction range -5 dB)
= -60dB
Predicted radio wave intensity −60 dB> quasi threshold −65 dB

At time _{t 4:}
Variation expected width = (radio field intensity at time _{t 4 -61dB)} - (radio field intensity at time _{t 3} -55 dB)
= -6dB
Predicted wave intensity = (radio field intensity at time _{t 4 -61dB)} + (change prediction range -6 dB)
= -67dB
Predicted radio wave intensity −67 dB <quasi threshold −65 dB

As described above, although better predictions radio wave intensity for the time t ₂ and t ₃ is greater than the level threshold, for better prediction radio wave intensity at time t ₄ is less than the level threshold, the handover processing at time t ₄ Is started.

  When the handover process is started, steps up to scanning, authentication, and IP acquisition are sequentially performed. It is determined whether or not the current radio wave intensity is smaller than the threshold (S16). If the current radio wave intensity is smaller than the threshold, the handover process is continued (S17), registration and call control are performed, and the handover process is performed. Completion (S18). On the other hand, if the current radio wave intensity is not smaller than the threshold value, the handover process is interrupted, and registration and call control are not performed (S19).

In the example of FIG.
Radio wave intensity -65dB> threshold -70dB at time _{t 5,}
Radio wave intensity -71dB <threshold -70dB at time _{t 6,}
Since it is, at time t _6, the registration, call control is performed, the handover process is completed.

  Hereinafter, the effect of the mobile device of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating a handover process for each time in a conventional mobile device, and FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating a handover process for each time in a mobile device according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5A, in the conventional mobile device, when the radio field intensity decreases, the handover process is started only after the actually measured radio field intensity falls below the threshold value. On the other hand, in the mobile device of the present embodiment, the handover process is started after the predicted radio wave intensity falls below the quasi-threshold value. Therefore, when the actually measured radio field intensity falls below the threshold value, the steps such as scanning, authentication, and IP acquisition have already been completed, so that the completion time of the handover process can be advanced by the time required for these steps. In addition, since the predicted radio field intensity is calculated based on the radio field intensity measured in the past, the predicted radio field intensity can be well matched with the actual radio field intensity.

  In the above-described embodiment, the process up to the IP acquisition is performed in advance, but a procedure before that can be performed in advance. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation during a handover process of a mobile device according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, it is determined whether or not the predicted radio field intensity is smaller than the quasi-threshold value (S21). If the predicted radio field intensity is smaller than the quasi-threshold value, the handover process is started and the actually measured radio field intensity is determined. The handover process is continued regardless of whether or not is below the threshold (S22). Then, the handover process is completed (S23). According to this embodiment, the call control is terminated before the actually measured radio field intensity falls below the threshold, and the user is not aware of the handover by voluntarily switching to the previous call. Is possible.

  The mobile device of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the wireless LAN system containing the mobile apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the mobile apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement at the time of the handover process of the mobile apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the electromagnetic wave intensity for every time and operation | movement in the mobile apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. (A) is a figure which shows the hand-over process for every time in the conventional mobile apparatus, (b) is a figure which shows the hand-over process for every time in the mobile apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement at the time of the handover process of the mobile apparatus which concerns on another embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Mobile device, 12 ... Radio wave intensity measurement part, 14 ... Radio wave intensity prediction part, 16 ... Memory | storage part, 18 ... Handover process part, 20, 22 ... Access point, 24, 26 ... Communication area, 30 ... Control station, 50 ... User, 100 ... Wireless LAN system

Claims (3)

In a wireless LAN composed of a plurality of access points, a mobile device that performs wireless communication via the access points,
Radio wave intensity measuring means for measuring the radio wave intensity of the radio wave from the access point;
Radio field strength predicting means for predicting the future radio field intensity from the past radio field intensity measured by the radio field intensity measuring unit;
Storage means for storing a first threshold value of the radio field intensity;
Handover processing means for performing handover processing;
With
When the future radio wave intensity predicted by the radio wave intensity predicting unit becomes smaller than the first threshold, the handover processing unit starts a handover process.
Mobile machine. The radio field intensity predicting unit predicts the future radio field intensity from the difference between the past radio field intensity measured by the radio field intensity measuring unit and the current radio field intensity.
The mobile device according to claim 1. The storage means stores a second threshold value of radio field intensity,
The handover processing means includes
When the current radio field intensity measured by the radio field intensity measuring means is smaller than the second threshold,
When the handover process is not started, start the handover process,
When the handover process is started, continue the handover process,
When the current radio field intensity measured by the radio field intensity measuring means is greater than or equal to the second threshold,
When the handover process is started, the handover process is interrupted.
The mobile device according to claim 1 or 2.

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