JP2012142785A - Radio communications system and redundancy method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a radio communications system having a relay device that determines whether relay is required or not, usually transmits/receives data without going through the relay device, and relays the data only when it is determined that the relay is required.SOLUTION: A redundancy method is for a radio communications system comprising a plurality of radio communication apparatuses 1 to 3, and a relay device 4 communicable with each of the plurality of communication apparatuses. The relay device 4 monitors data between the one first radio communication apparatus being a transmission source and the other second radio communication apparatus being a transmission destination; determines the presence/absence of preset timeout time; and relays the data between the first radio communication apparatus and the second radio communication apparatus when the timeout time is detected. Thereby, the relay device 4 usually transmits/receives the data without going through the relay device; and relays the data only when the timeout time is detected.

Description

  The present invention relates to a wireless communication system including a repeater that relays data that does not require real-time property, and a redundancy method thereof.

  In recent years, there is a wireless communication system such as an air conditioning control system in a building that performs control data of the system by wireless communication as a specific low power wireless station. In such a system, the control data is communicated between a controller having a large number of air conditioner wireless communication devices and a controller having a centralized wireless communication device.

  In this case, the access method of the wireless LAN between a plurality of wireless communication devices is, for example, CSMA / CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance). The function is expanded.

  However, as shown in FIG. 7, when the communication between the wireless communication device 101 and the wireless communication device 102 is relayed using the relay device 104, the relayed data is received by the relay device 104 and relayed. There is a problem that a delay time is generated for the relay time in the repeater 104 until the relay data received by the wireless communication device 2 can be received.

  When the number of communication points between wireless communication devices becomes enormous, there is a problem that the control performance deteriorates because the control cycle of the system is delayed due to the delay of the communication time.

  In order to expand the communication area, repeaters were added in multiple stages to enable installation in locations where radio wave conditions were not possible, making it possible to manage a wide area with a single master unit. There is a wireless telemeter system (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2010-11156 (FIG. 1, page 1)

  When expanding the communication area by adding repeaters, there is a problem that the communication time by relay is delayed.

  In the case of the air conditioning control system in a building described above, a wireless communication device is provided after confirming the conditions for communication in advance. However, a repeater becomes unnecessary or a repeater is necessary due to subsequent environmental changes. Therefore, if relaying is performed even when relaying is unnecessary, there is a problem that unnecessary delay time due to relaying occurs.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and when data to be communicated like a voice call is not required to be real-time, and the delay affects the controllability like the control data, In a wireless communication system between a plurality of wireless communication devices equipped with a repeater, when it is determined whether or not relaying is necessary, and data is normally transmitted and received without going through a repeater, and it is determined that it is necessary It is an object of the present invention to provide a wireless communication system including a repeater that relays only, and a redundancy method thereof.

  In order to achieve the above object, a wireless communication system according to the present invention is a wireless communication system between a plurality of wireless communication devices including a repeater, both of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the plurality of wireless communication devices. A repeater capable of communicating, and the repeater is activated by intercepting communication data between a first wireless communication device serving as one transmission source and a second wireless communication device serving as the other transmission destination. A timer that stores a time-out time that is set in advance, and a real-time determination unit that includes a determination unit that determines whether the communication data needs to be relayed based on the first time-out time. When the timeout time is detected, the communication data is relayed between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device, and the communication data is normally transmitted / received without using the relay device, time Only characterized by being adapted to relay when detecting the out time.

  In order to achieve the above object, a wireless communication system redundancy method according to the present invention is a wireless communication system redundancy method between a plurality of wireless communication devices including a repeater, wherein the wireless communication system includes a plurality of wireless communication devices. A wireless communication system redundancy method between devices, comprising: a plurality of wireless communication devices; and a repeater capable of communicating with any of the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the relay device includes one transmission source, Intercept communication data between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device that is the other transmission destination, determine the presence or absence of a preset time-out time, and when the time-out time is detected, Relaying of the communication data between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device is performed, and usually only when the communication data is transmitted and received without going through the relay device and a timeout time is detected. To relay Characterized in that it was.

  According to the present invention, it is a wireless communication system between a plurality of wireless communication devices including a repeater, and determines whether or not a relay is necessary, and usually transmits and receives data without using a repeater, It is possible to provide a wireless communication system including a repeater that relays only when it is determined to be necessary, and a redundancy method thereof.

1 is a configuration diagram of a wireless communication system according to a first embodiment. 3 is a time chart for explaining the operation of the wireless communication system according to the first embodiment. The block diagram of the radio | wireless communication apparatuses 1-3. The block diagram of the repeaters 4 and 5. FIG. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a wireless communication system according to a second embodiment. 9 is a time chart for explaining the operation of the wireless communication system according to the second embodiment. The time chart explaining operation | movement of the conventional repeater.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  A wireless communication system 100 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of the first embodiment, and a plurality of wireless communication devices 1, 2, and 3 are provided with communication areas that can communicate with each other, as shown by a broken line, usually without a relay 4, Communication is performed by a predetermined procedure, for example, a CSMA / CD access method.

  The repeater 4 includes a communication area that can be communicated as indicated by a one-dot broken line, and a communication area that can intercept data (hereinafter, also referred to as communication data) that the wireless communication devices 1, 2, and 3 communicate with. It is provided at a position to be provided.

  Next, the configuration of each unit will be described. The wireless communication devices 1, 2, and 3 have the same configuration, and each configuration is shown in FIG. Wireless communication devices 1, 2 and 3 (hereinafter referred to as wireless communication device 1 in the description common to wireless communication devices 1, 2 and 3) are an antenna 11 for transmitting and receiving, a selector 12 for switching transmission and reception, and a transmission circuit. 13, a receiving circuit 14 and a communication control circuit 15 for controlling transmission and reception.

  Furthermore, the communication control circuit 15 includes a communication data processing unit 17 that processes data to be transmitted and received. In the case of a control system, the communication data processing unit 17 may be a controller that controls the system.

  Further, when the data executed by the wireless communication system 100 is control data, it is necessary to set the cycle and timing of data transmission. These settings are shown in the communication control circuit 15. It is assumed that the program is set in advance.

  In addition, it is assumed that the communication area in which the wireless communication device 1 can communicate is set in advance by the antenna 11 and the transmission circuit 13 with the directivity and the transmission power.

  Next, the configuration of the repeater 4 will be described with reference to FIG. Similar to the wireless communication device 1, the repeater 4 includes an antenna 11 that transmits and receives, a selector 12 that switches between transmission and reception, a transmission circuit 13, a reception circuit 14, and a communication control circuit 16 that controls transmission and reception.

  The communication control circuit 16 stores a timer 21 that is activated by intercepting communication data between a wireless communication device that is one transmission source and a wireless communication device that is the other transmission destination, and a preset timeout time. A memory 22 and a timeout determination unit 17a including a determination unit 23 that determines whether to relay communication data intercepted from the timeout time are included.

  Next, the operation of the wireless communication system 100 according to the first embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 4A shows a time chart when there is no relay 4 relay, and FIG. 4B shows a time chart when there is a relay 4 relay.

  Here, the timeout time To set in the memory 22 in advance is the time Tr1 until the wireless communication device that is the transmission destination receives the data of the wireless communication device that is the transmission source and starts an incoming call response, the transmission destination, Is set to a value obtained by adding the time Tr2 until the repeater 4 can detect the incoming call response Ack.

  The timeout time To is normally set to one fixed value. However, when the transmission / reception response time differs for each wireless communication device, a different value may be set for each transmission / reception destination.

  Next, when the count value of the timer 21 that has intercepted data of the wireless communication device that is the transmission source and starts counting the timeout time reaches the timeout time To, the incoming response Ack from the wireless communication device that is the transmission destination is It is judged that there is no data, relays the intercepted data, transmits the data to the transmission destination included in the relayed data, and receives the incoming response Ack from the wireless communication device as the transmission destination by the relay device 4 Complete the relay.

  That is, when the time-out time To is detected, the repeater 4 relays data between the wireless communication device that is the transmission source and the wireless communication device that is the transmission destination. Do not relay.

  Therefore, it is possible to provide a redundant wireless communication system that requires time for relaying only when a timeout time is detected, and normally does not perform relaying, so that no time is required for relaying.

  Example 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is that in the first embodiment, the repeater 4 that relays a plurality of wireless communication devices 1, 2, and 3 is composed of only one repeater 4. The relay device 5 having a communication area as shown by a two-dot broken line that can cover the communication area shown by the one-dot broken line 4 is intercepted.

  The wireless communication system 100a configured as described above includes a repeater 4 and a repeater 5. The configuration of the repeater 4 is the same as that of the repeater 4 shown in FIG. A first timer (not shown) that is activated by intercepting communication data between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device that is the other transmission destination, and a preset first timeout time To1 are stored. A first timeout determination unit (not shown) including a first memory (not shown) and a first determination unit (not shown) that determines whether or not to relay communication data from the first timeout time.

  Further, the second repeater 5 has the same configuration as that of the repeater 4 shown in FIG. 3, and a second timer (not shown) activated by intercepting data to the first repeater 4 and respective wireless communication. A second memory (not shown) that stores a second timeout time To2 obtained by adding the first timeout time To1 between the devices and the relay response time Tr3 of the first wireless communication device, and the second repeater 5 A second timeout determination unit (not shown) is provided that includes a determination unit (not shown) that determines whether the incoming response of the relay data from the repeater 4 exceeds the second timeout time To2 and determines whether or not relaying is necessary.

  Here, the relay response time Tr3 of the first wireless communication device means that the second relay device 5 intercepts the start of data communication of the first wireless communication device as shown in FIG. After detecting the timeout time To1, the incoming response from the second wireless communication device as the transmission destination is set to a time Tr3 or more required for the first repeater 4 to transmit the relay data.

  In the wireless communication system 100a configured as described above, when the second timeout determination unit detects the second timeout time To2, data relay between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device is performed. In general, when data is transmitted and received without going through the first repeater 4 and the second repeater 5 and the first timeout time To1 is detected, the first repeater 4 In addition, when the second timeout time To2 is detected, the second repeater 5 is used for relaying, and the repeater can be made redundant.

  Therefore, it is possible to provide a redundant wireless communication system that can relay data even when the repeater 4 fails.

  In addition, although some embodiment of this invention was described, these embodiment is shown as an example and is not intending limiting the range of invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope equivalent to the invention described in the claims.

1, 2, 3, 101, 102 Wireless communication device 4, 5, 104 Repeater 11 Antenna 12 Selector 13 Transmission circuit 14 Reception circuit 15, 16 Communication control circuit 16a Timeout determination unit 17 Communication data processing unit 21 Timer 22 Memory 23 Determination Unit 100, 100a Wireless communication system

Claims (5)

A wireless communication system between a plurality of wireless communication devices including a repeater,
A plurality of wireless communication devices and a repeater capable of communicating with any of the plurality of wireless communication devices;
With
The repeater includes a timer that is activated by intercepting communication data between a first wireless communication device that is one transmission source and a second wireless communication device that is the other transmission destination, and a preset timeout time. And a real-time determination unit including a determination unit that determines whether or not to relay the communication data from the first timeout time,
When the repeater detects the time-out time, the repeater relays the communication data between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device,
A wireless communication system characterized in that communication data is normally transmitted and received without going through a repeater and relayed only when a timeout time is detected.   The time-out period is a time until the second wireless communication device receives communication data of the first wireless communication device and starts an incoming response, and the second wireless communication device starts an incoming response. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the incoming call response is a value obtained by adding a time until the repeater can detect the incoming call response. The repeater includes a first repeater and a second repeater,
A first timer that is activated by intercepting the communication data of a first wireless communication device that is one transmission source and a second wireless communication device that is a transmission destination of the other; A first time-out determination unit including a first memory for storing a first time-out time set in advance, and a determination unit for determining whether or not to relay the communication data from the first time-out time. ,
The second repeater is configured to intercept the communication data to the first repeater and start the second timer, the first time-out period between the respective wireless communicators, and the first A second memory for storing a second timeout time obtained by adding the relay response time of the wireless communication device, and the second repeater has an incoming response of the relay data from the repeater 1 as the second response time. A second timeout determination unit including a determination unit that determines whether or not a timeout time has been exceeded,
When the second timeout determination unit detects the second timeout period, the communication data is relayed between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device,
Normally, when the communication data is transmitted and received without going through the first repeater and the second repeater, and the first timeout time is detected, the first repeater further includes the 2. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein when the second time-out period is detected, the second repeater is used for relay, and the repeater is made redundant.   The relay response time of the first wireless communicator is such that after the second repeater intercepts the start of communication of the communication data of the first wireless communicator and detects the first timeout time, The wireless communication system according to claim 3, wherein the incoming response from the second wireless communication device is set to be longer than a time required for the first relay to transmit relay data. A redundancy method of a wireless communication system between a plurality of wireless communication devices including a repeater,
A plurality of wireless communication devices, and a repeater capable of communicating with any of the plurality of wireless communication devices,
The repeater intercepts communication data between the first wireless communication device serving as one transmission source and the second wireless communication device serving as the other transmission destination, and determines the presence or absence of a preset timeout time,
When the timeout time is detected, the communication data is relayed between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device,
A wireless communication system redundancy method, wherein the communication data is normally transmitted / received without using a repeater and relayed only when a timeout time is detected.

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