JP2007295124A - Communication control unit, and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To postpone the start of second communication band assignment control until completing first communication band assignment control started earlier. <P>SOLUTION: When the request for communication band assignment control based on narrow-area QoS control occurs while an access point 101 is executing communication band assignment control based on wide-area QoS control, a response for directing to perform the request again is made after prescribed time passes. When the request for the communication band assignment control occurs again after the active communication band assignment control is completed and the prescribed time passes, the communication band assignment control is executed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to communication band allocation control in a network.

  Conventionally, a technology has been proposed to prevent the loss of service request messages by accepting service request messages prior to the addition of the relevant node when performing service provision change processing accompanying the addition of a node to the service request network, etc. Has been. For example, see Patent Document 1.

Also, a technique has been proposed in which session identification information is shared between nodes so that difference information is sent at the service providing side node when the service is resumed and updated to the latest service information with an appropriate amount of data. For example, see Patent Document 2.
JP 2001-230793 A JP 2005-216313 A

  However, when a plurality of services that provide “QoS” that guarantees a certain communication speed by reserving a band for a specific communication on the network are used on the same network, network resource information is used for each service. Need to share with. In addition, when the services are operated in parallel, there is a problem that an appropriate remaining resource cannot be determined when a network resource allocation request occurs at the same time. In addition, when an active service controls the start and stop of provision of other services, information must be made known to all devices that receive the service, which increases the communication load on the network. There is also a problem.

  An object of the present invention is to postpone the start of the next communication band allocation control until the previously started communication band allocation control is completed.

  The present invention relates to a control method for a communication control apparatus, wherein an execution step of executing communication band allocation control in response to a request from the communication apparatus and communication band allocation control based on the request from the first communication apparatus are completed. And a control step for performing control so as to postpone the start of communication band allocation control based on a request from the second communication device.

  In addition, the present invention is a communication control apparatus, and an execution unit that executes communication band allocation control in response to a request from the communication apparatus, and communication band allocation control based on the request from the first communication apparatus is completed. And control means for controlling so as to postpone the start of the communication band allocation control requested by the second communication device.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably execute the communication band allocation control by deferring the start of the next communication band allocation control until the communication band allocation control started earlier is completed.

  The best mode for carrying out the invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, a wireless network system using an IEEE 802.11e standard compliant QoS wireless LAN as a communication medium for a communication channel and supporting both UPnP QoS standard compliant QoS middleware will be described as an example. In the QoS wireless LAN, QoS control based on resource management in a narrow area (by radio cell (BSS)) is performed, and in QoS middleware, QoS control based on resource management in a wide area (by subnet) is performed.

  When a request for securing a communication path by narrow-area QoS control occurs during the process of securing a communication path by wide-area QoS control between devices, the narrow-area QoS control is terminated until one processing unit is completed. A process for prohibiting a communication channel securing request by QoS control will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a wireless network system according to the first embodiment. A wireless access point 101 corresponds to QoS control based on narrow area (BBS unit) resource management and QoS control based on wide area (subnet unit) resource management. A server apparatus 102 has a function of performing QoS control based on wide area (subnet unit) resource management. In this example, a personal computer (PC) will be described as an example of the server apparatus 102. Reference numeral 103 denotes a client device that supports wide-area QoS control and narrow-area QoS control, and functions as a wireless station that performs wireless communication with the wireless access point 101. In this example, a display device will be described as an example of the client device 103, but another device such as a notebook PC may be used. Similar to the client apparatus 103, 104 is a client apparatus that supports wide-area and narrow-area QoS control, and in this example, is a content providing apparatus that provides content information such as a moving image. Reference numeral 105 denotes a client device that supports only narrow-area QoS control and functions as a wireless station that performs wireless communication with the wireless access point 101. In this example, a display device will be described as an example of the client device 105, but another device such as a notebook PC may be used. Similarly to the client device 105, a client device 106 supports only narrow-area QoS control. In this example, the content providing device provides content information such as a moving image.

  In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, a traffic stream (TS) is set between the display device 103 and the content providing device 104 according to QoS middleware control in a wireless cell managed by the wireless access point 101. In addition, TS setting is performed between the display device 105 and the content providing device 106 in accordance with QoS wireless LAN control.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional layer in a wireless access point or a PC. As shown in FIG. 2, it is roughly classified into a network application function unit 200, a transport control function unit 210, an 802.11e QoS control function unit 220, and a communication media control function unit 230.

  In the network application function unit 200, 201 is an AV stream application, 202 is UPnP AV, and 203 is a UPnP QoS control unit. In the transport control function unit 210, 211 is a UDP TCP / IP, and 212 is a bridge.

  In the 802.11e QoS control function unit 220, 221 is an admission control unit, 222 is a resource management unit, and 223 is a policy management unit. In the communication media control function unit 230, 231 is a wireless LAN (MAC), 232 is a wireless LAN (PHY), 233 is a wired LAN (MAC), and 234 is a wired LAN (PHY). Here, MAC is an abbreviation for Medium Access Control, and PHY is an abbreviation for Physical Layer.

  Next, during the TS setting according to the QoS middleware control between the display apparatus 103 and the content providing apparatus 104, the TS setting according to the QoS wireless LAN control is performed between the display apparatus 105 and the content providing apparatus 106. The case where it is performed will be described. That is, if a communication bandwidth allocation request based on narrow-area QoS control occurs after the wireless access point 101 starts communication bandwidth allocation processing based on wide-area QoS control, the generated communication is continued until the communication bandwidth allocation processing ends. This process waits for a bandwidth allocation request.

  3 to 5 are diagrams showing message sequences on the network in the first embodiment. 6 and 7 are flowcharts showing processing in the wireless access point 101.

  First, the viewing content of the content providing device 104 is determined using the remote controller in the display device 103, and the display device 103 transmits a message for acquiring a traffic specification (TSPEC) necessary for transmission of the viewing content. Here, a TSPEC acquisition (Getting TSPEC) message (300, 400, 500) is sent to the content providing apparatus 104 via the wireless access point 101. Then, the TSPEC stored in the content providing apparatus 104 is transmitted to the display apparatus 103. Then, the display apparatus 103 transmits a TS reservation request (Request Traffic QoS) message (301, 401, 501) for content transmission to the PC 102 using TSPEC. Then, the TS reservation request message (301, 401, 501) is sent to the CDS (Contents Delivery Service) of the PC.

  Next, the CDS transmits a status acquisition (Get QoS State) message (302, 402, 503) to each device that supports QoS middleware control. In this example, transmission is made to the wireless access point 101, the display device 103, and the content providing device 104, and the availability of media resources of each device is received as a response status to the TS securing request message.

  Here, the wireless access point 101 that has received the status acquisition message activates the process of the flowchart shown in FIG. 6 in addition to the QoS middleware control process. First, it is determined whether or not TS setting processing is being performed by wireless QoS control. Here, it is determined whether an ADDTS request (ADDTS Req.) Message is being received (S601), and if it is being received, it is determined whether an ADDTS response (ADDTS Res.) Message has not been transmitted (S602). Here, in the unsent state, it waits for the end of transmission of the ADDTS response message.

  If the setting process is not in progress, a status for instructing to make a re-request after the specified time (306, 406) has been set when the ADDTS request message is received from the display device 105 (S603). Accordingly, when an ADDTS request message is received from the display device 105, an ADDTS response message including a TS Delay value is transmitted to the display device 105, and the display device 105 instructs not to perform a re-request for a specified time. Then, the wireless access point 101 starts a clock timer that counts the postponement time (303, 403) for postponing acceptance of the ADDTS request message (S604).

  Next, the wireless access point 101 waits for reception of a TS setting (Setup Traffic QoS) message (307, 505) instructing to secure a TS for content transmission from the PC 102 (S605). Here, the timer waits until the timer expires (S606), and before the timer expires, the timer is cleared (S607) upon receipt of a message (FIG. 3) or the expiration of the timer (FIG. 4). Then, the status instructing the display device 105 to wait for a specified time to re-request the ADDTS request message is cleared (S608), and this one processing unit is ended.

  The postponement time described above is necessary until the PC 102 collects the availability of media resources of each device and completes the transmission of a message instructing to secure a TS for content transmission based on the availability of the media resources as a criterion. It ’s a great time. Further, the prescribed time defines a time longer than the postponement time.

  As an example, the following calculation formula is used, but other calculation formulas can be applied to the postponement time as long as it is sufficiently longer than the time required to complete the transmission of the Setup Traffic QoS message.

(Postponement time) = (number of devices in the same subnet) x (time required for exchanging TS setting messages of UPnP QoS standard per device) + (maximum time required for QoS management control processing of server UPnP QoS standard)
(Specified time) = (postponement time) + (protection time)
Next, the wireless access point 101 that has received the ADDTS request message (304, 404, 502) from the display device 105 activates the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 7 in addition to the normal wireless QoS control processing.

  First, the wireless access point 101 determines whether or not the time delay timer described above is in operation (S701). Here, if it is in operation, an ADDTS response message (305, 405) in which the above-mentioned specified time is set to the TS Delay value is returned (S706). If it is not in operation, it is determined whether the ADDTS request message (304, 404) has been received during the postponement time. If not received here, an ADDTS response message (504) according to the normal TS allocation process is returned (S705), and one processing unit is terminated.

  Note that the processing when the ADDTS request message is received while the clock timer is operating and the ADDTS request message is received after the clock timer expires (after YES in S702) will be described in detail in the second embodiment.

  On the other hand, when the display device 105 receives the ADDTS response message (305, 405) including the TS Delay value from the wireless access point 101, the retransmission of the ADDTS request message is postponed while indicated by the TS Delay value. When the time indicated by the TS Delay value expires, the ADDTS request message (309, 409) is transmitted to the wireless access point 101 again.

  As a result, the wireless access point 101 activates the process of the flowchart shown in FIG. 7 again. If the TS can be secured with the remaining wireless network resources, a parameter indicating acceptance is added, and if it is not possible, a parameter indicating rejection is added, and the normal TS allocation process is performed. The ADDTS response message is returned.

  On the other hand, when the display device 105 receives a message (310, 410, 504) to which a parameter for accepting a TS setting request is received from the wireless access point 101, the display device 105 recognizes the success of the TS setting.

  Through the processing described above, the wireless access point 101 corresponding to a plurality of system QoS control processes delays the start of the system QoS control process started later until one unit of the system QoS control process started earlier is completed. As a result, the system QoS control based on the accurate resource management of the communication path can be performed by exclusively performing a plurality of system QoS controls using the remaining resource of the same communication path as a criterion.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the second embodiment, processing of a wireless access point when a request to start securing a TS communication path is sequentially generated from both the display device 105 and the content providing device 106 will be described.

  The wireless network system configuration of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a message sequence on the network in the second embodiment. First, as in the first embodiment, viewing content is determined by the display device 103, and when the PC 102 receives a TS reservation request message (801) from the display device 103, a Get QoS State message is transmitted to each device. Here, the wireless access point 101 that has received the Get QoS State message activates the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 6 as in the first embodiment.

  When the wireless access point 101 receives the ADDTS request message (804) from the display device 105, the process of the flowchart shown in FIG. First, the wireless access point 101 determines whether or not the time delay timer described above is in operation (S701). In this case, since it is operating, the ADDTS response message (805) in which the above-mentioned specified time is set to the TS Delay value is returned (S705), and one processing unit is terminated.

  Further, when the wireless access point 101 receives the ADDTS request message (808) from the content providing apparatus 106 after expiration of the clock timer (807), the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 7 is started. First, since the clock timer is not operating, NO is determined in S701, and it is determined whether the ADDTS request message has been received while the clock timer is operating (S702). Here, since it has been received from the display device 105, it is determined whether or not the specified time notified by the ADDTS response message (805) has passed (S703).

  In this case, since it has not elapsed, it is determined whether or not the transmission source device of the current ADDTS request message (808) is the same as the transmission source device of the received ADDTS request message 804 (S704). Here, since it is the content providing apparatus 106, an ADDTS response message in which the above-mentioned prescribed time is set to the TS Delay value is returned (S706), and one processing unit is terminated.

  If the specified time has elapsed in S703, or if the same apparatus is in S704, an ADDTS response message (813) according to the normal TS allocation process is returned (S705), and one processing unit is terminated.

  As a result, the TS communication path can be assigned in order from the apparatus that previously requested the communication path securing process, including the delay time, in the TS channel securing process after the specified time has expired.

[Other Embodiments]
A recording medium recording software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus, and a computer (CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reads and executes the program codes stored in the recording medium. . It goes without saying that the object of the present invention can also be achieved by this.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the recording medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the recording medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

  As a recording medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

  In addition, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also the following cases are included. That is, based on the instruction of the program code, an OS (operating system) running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing. .

  Further, the program code read from the recording medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. After that, based on the instruction of the program code, the CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by the processing. Needless to say.

It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of the radio | wireless network system in 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the functional layer in a wireless access point or PC. , , It is a figure which shows the message sequence on the network in 1st Embodiment. , 6 is a flowchart showing processing in the wireless access point 101. It is a figure which shows the message sequence on the network in 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

101 Wireless access point 102 Server device (PC)
103 Client device (display device)
104 Client device (content providing device)
105 Client device (display device)
106 Client device (content providing device)

Claims (11)

A control method for a communication control device, comprising:
In response to a request from the communication device, an execution step of executing communication band allocation control;
A control step for controlling to postpone the start of the communication band allocation control based on the request from the second communication device until the communication band allocation control based on the request from the first communication device is completed;
A control method for a communication control apparatus, comprising:   The communication band allocation control based on the request from the first communication device is communication band allocation control for performing communication band allocation based on the network resource management in the first range, and is based on the request from the second communication device. 2. The communication control apparatus control according to claim 1, wherein the communication band allocation control is communication band allocation control for performing communication band allocation based on network resource management in a second range different from the first range. Method.   3. The communication control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein communication band allocation control based on a request from the first communication apparatus is performed based on control of a management apparatus that manages network resources in the first range. Control method.   2. The control method of a communication control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the end of the first communication band allocation control is at least completion of allocation of the communication band or a timeout of a timer for measuring a postponement time.   The method of controlling a communication control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the end of the first communication band allocation control is recognized by an instruction to set the communication band from the management apparatus.   2. The control of the communication control device according to claim 1, wherein, in the control step, a response to instruct to make a request again after a predetermined time elapses in response to a request from the second communication device. Method.   The method of controlling a communication control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the specified time is a time obtained by adding a protection time to a time until the communication band allocation process is completed.   In the control step, when there is a communication band allocation request from a third communication device, an instruction is given to make a request again after the stipulated time has elapsed unless the stipulated time has elapsed. 6. A control method for a communication control device according to 6. A communication control device,
Execution means for executing communication band allocation control in response to a request from the communication device;
Control means for controlling to postpone the start of the communication band allocation control requested from the second communication apparatus until the communication band allocation control based on the request from the first communication apparatus is completed;
A communication control device comprising:   The program for making a computer perform the control method of the communication control apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 8.   The computer-readable recording medium which recorded the program of Claim 10.

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