JP2014039203A - Communication device, communication method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To resolve a problem in which, because determination about whether or not communication is switched is left to a communication terminal side, proper switching is not performed in the case that the communication terminal has no communication switching function based on the communication quality.SOLUTION: A communication device comprises: a data signal transmission part transmitting a data signal to a communication terminal; a control signal transmission part transmitting a control signal for establishing communication with the communication terminal; and an area controller restricting a communication establishment possible area at which an electric wave including the control signal can arrive, to a partial area in a communication possible area at which an electric wave including the data signal can arrive.

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication device, a communication method, and a program.

A communication terminal that determines whether or not to switch to communication by a wireless LAN access point based on a communication quality investigation result of the wireless LAN access point when a wireless LAN access point is detected in a state where communication is established in the wireless communication network Is known (for example, Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-219733

  With the spread of high-function mobile phones such as smartphones and the spread of voice and data communications using mobile phones, wireless communication traffic is becoming tight. In particular, in an urban area where the population is dense, a state where stable communication cannot be performed has occurred. Therefore, there is a demand for offloading communication traffic to a communication network that is physically different from the wireless communication network, for example, a wireless LAN network, and there is also a technique for switching the communication network without the user being aware of the traffic. It has been demanded. In the prior art, it is left to the communication terminal to determine whether to switch the communication network, and appropriate switching is performed when the communication terminal does not have a communication network switching function based on communication quality. There was no problem.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a data signal transmission unit that transmits a data signal to a communication terminal, a control signal transmission unit that transmits a control signal for establishing communication with the communication terminal, and a control signal are included. There is provided a communication device including an area control unit that restricts a communication establishment area where radio waves can reach to a part of the communicable area where radio waves including data signals can reach.

  In the communication apparatus, the area control unit may limit a communication establishment possible area by controlling a transmission level or a transmission rate of a radio wave including a control signal. In the communication device, the area control unit may limit the communication establishment possible area to a part of the area where the throughput between the communication device and the communication terminal exceeds a predetermined threshold. In the communication device, the area control unit limits the area where communication can be established to an area where the throughput between the communication device and the communication terminal is higher than the throughput between the other communication device and the communication terminal of the communication device. Good.

  The communication device includes a communication quality acquisition unit that acquires communication quality between the communication device and the communication terminal, and the communication terminal when the communication quality acquired by the communication quality acquisition unit falls below a predetermined reference value. You may further provide the communication control part which cut | disconnects communication between communication terminals. In the above communication device, the communication control unit is predetermined when communication between the communication terminal and the communication terminal is disconnected because the communication quality acquired by the communication quality acquisition unit falls below a predetermined reference value. The establishment of communication with the communication terminal may be prohibited until the elapsed time elapses.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, a communication establishment area in which a radio wave including a control signal for establishing communication with a communication terminal can be reached within a communication area in which a radio wave including a data signal can be reached. Provided is a communication method including a control signal transmission stage for transmitting a control signal, and a data signal transmission stage for transmitting a data signal to a communication terminal that establishes communication based on the control signal, in a limited area. .

  It should be noted that the above summary of the invention does not enumerate all the necessary features of the present invention. In addition, a sub-combination of these feature groups can also be an invention.

An example of the communication environment of the communication apparatus 100 is shown schematically. 1 schematically shows an intensity distribution of a radio wave including a data signal transmitted from communication apparatus 100. The communication establishment possible area 170 which the electromagnetic wave containing the control signal which the communication apparatus 100 transmits can reach | attain, and the intensity distribution of the electromagnetic wave containing a control signal are shown schematically. 1 schematically shows a functional configuration of a communication apparatus 100. An example of the flowchart of the process which the communication apparatus 100 establishes communication with the communication terminal 200 and performs data communication is shown. The communication establishment possible area 170 when the noise source 400 exists in the vicinity of the communication apparatus 100 is schematically shown. An example of a flowchart of processing in which the communication apparatus 100 restricts the communication establishment possible area 170 according to the communication status between the communication apparatus 100 and the communication terminal 200 is shown. An example of a communication status registration table is shown. An example of the communication environment of the communication apparatus 100 and the communication apparatus 510 is shown schematically. An example of the communication environment of the communication apparatus 100, the communication apparatus 510, and the communication apparatus 520 is shown schematically. An example of a communication management table is shown. The function structure of the server apparatus 530 is shown schematically. 2 shows a hardware configuration of the communication apparatus 100.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. In addition, not all the combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solving means of the invention.

  FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example of a communication environment of the communication device 100. The communication device 100 is a device that establishes communication with the communication terminal 200 and transmits / receives data signals to / from the communication terminal 200. For example, the communication device 100 is an access point in a wireless LAN. The communication device 100 may be an access point in the infrastructure mode. Communication device 100 may be a communication terminal that temporarily serves as an access point in the ad hoc mode. The communication terminal 200 is a device that can establish communication with the communication device 100. For example, the communication terminal 200 is a smartphone.

  The communication device 100 transmits a radio wave including a control signal for establishing communication with the communication terminal 200. Then, the communication device 100 receives a communication establishment request from the communication terminal 200 that has received the control signal, and transmits a communication establishment response to the communication terminal 200, whereby communication between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 is established. . Data signals are transmitted and received between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 with which communication has been established. Communication device 100 transmits a data signal by transmitting a radio wave including the data signal.

  The communicable area 150 indicates an area where radio waves including a data signal transmitted by the communication device 100 can reach. In the present embodiment, the communication possible area 150 when the communication apparatus 100 uses an omnidirectional antenna will be described as an example, but the communication apparatus 100 may include a directional antenna.

  Base station 300 is a base station constituting a wireless communication network. For example, the base station 300 is a base station in a mobile communication system such as a second generation mobile communication system (2G) and a third generation mobile communication system (3G). Base station 300 may be an example of another communication device of communication device 100. A wireless communication area 310 indicates a communication area covered by the base station 300. Communication terminal 200 may be able to switch between communication with communication apparatus 100 and communication with base station 300.

  FIG. 2 schematically shows an intensity distribution of a radio wave including a data signal transmitted from the communication device 100. In principle, the intensity of the radio wave transmitted by the communication device 100 is stronger as the distance to the communication device 100 is closer, and weaker as the distance to the communication device 100 is longer. If the strength of the radio wave is weak, transmission data tends to be lost, and communication throughput decreases. Therefore, the closer the position of the communication terminal 200 in the communicable area 150 is to the outer edge of the communicable area 150, the lower the communication throughput between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200.

  The communication stable area 160 indicates an area in the communicable area 150 where the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 can communicate stably. The area where the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 can communicate stably is, for example, an area where the radio wave intensity including the data signal transmitted by the communication device 100 exceeds a certain threshold. An area within the communicable area 150 and outside the stable communication area may be referred to as a fringe area.

  Here, if the communication terminal 200 communicating with the base station 300 outside the communicable area 150 moves into the fringe area and switches to communication with the communication device 100 within the fringe area, the base station 300 Communication may be more unstable than communication with. For example, as in the case where the communication apparatus 100 is a Wi-Fi (registered trademark) access point and the base station 300 is a 3G base station, the communication apparatus 100 is switched to communication with the communication apparatus 100 to perform communication with higher throughput. Nevertheless, since the communication with the communication device 100 is unstable, the throughput may be lowered. In order to solve such a problem, the communication apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment limits an area where radio waves including a control signal can reach.

  FIG. 3 schematically shows a communication establishment possible area 170 where a radio wave including a control signal transmitted from the communication apparatus 100 can reach and an intensity distribution of the radio wave including the control signal. For example, the communication device 100 limits the communication establishment possible area 170 by controlling the transmission level of the radio wave including the control signal.

  The communication apparatus 100 may limit the communication establishment area 170 to a part of the communicable area 150 by reducing the transmission level of the radio wave including the control signal to be lower than the transmission level of the radio wave including the data signal. . Thereby, the radio wave including the control signal does not reach the outer edge of the communicable area 150 in the communicable area 150. Therefore, it is possible to prevent communication between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 from being established in an area where the radio wave intensity is weak.

  The communication device 100 may limit the communication establishment area 170 to a part of the area where the intensity of the radio wave exceeds a predetermined threshold. That is, the communication device 100 may limit the communication establishment possible area to a part of the area where the throughput between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 exceeds a predetermined threshold. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent communication between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 from being established in an area where the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 cannot communicate with a throughput exceeding a predetermined threshold.

  FIG. 4 schematically shows a functional configuration of the communication apparatus 100. The data signal transmission unit 102 transmits a data signal to the communication terminal 200. The receiving unit 104 receives a data signal and a control signal from the communication terminal 200. The communication control unit 106 controls communication between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200. The terminal information storage unit 108 stores identification information of the communication terminal 200. For example, the terminal information storage unit 108 may store the MAC address of the communication terminal 200 as identification information.

  The communication quality acquisition unit 110 acquires the communication quality between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200. For example, the communication quality acquisition unit 110 acquires the signal strength of the data signal received by the reception unit 104 as the communication quality between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200. Further, the communication quality acquisition unit 110 may acquire the throughput between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 as the communication quality between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200. The communication quality acquisition unit 110 acquires a throughput between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 by, for example, executing a ping command on the communication terminal 200 and analyzing a response of the ping command.

  Here, the communication control unit 106 may disconnect the communication between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 when the communication quality acquired by the communication quality acquisition unit 110 falls below a predetermined reference value. As a result, it is possible to prevent the state in which communication between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 has been established from continuing with low communication quality. Note that the communication control unit 106 may disconnect the communication by transmitting a communication disconnection request to the communication terminal 200. For example, the communication device 100 disconnects communication by transmitting a disassociation signal to the communication terminal 200.

  The predetermined reference value may be communication quality of communication between the base station 300 and the communication terminal 200. For example, when the throughput between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 acquired by the communication quality acquisition unit 110 is lower than the throughput between the base station 300 and the communication terminal 200, the communication control unit 106 The communication between 100 and the communication terminal 200 is disconnected. The communication terminal 200 disconnected from the communication device 100 establishes communication with the base station 300, so that communication can be performed with higher throughput than communication with the communication device 100. . That is, according to the communication device 100 according to the present embodiment, the communication terminal 200 can be guided to switch to communication with higher communication quality.

  Note that the communication control unit 106 may acquire data indicating communication quality between the base station 300 and the communication terminal 200 from the base station 300 or the communication terminal 200. In this case, base station 300 or communication terminal 200 acquires communication quality during communication between base station 300 and communication terminal 200. For example, the communication control unit 106 may acquire the maximum throughput and the average throughput of communication between the base station 300 and the communication terminal 200 as the communication quality. Note that the communication control unit 106 may acquire the throughput input by the setter who sets parameters related to communication of the communication apparatus 100 as the communication quality of communication between the base station 300 and the communication terminal 200.

  In addition, when the communication control unit 106 disconnects communication with the communication terminal 200 due to the communication quality being lower than a predetermined reference value, the communication control unit 106 performs the communication until a predetermined time elapses. Establishment of communication with the terminal 200 may be prohibited. For example, when the communication terminal 200 moves from the communication stable area 160 to the fringe area and the communication quality falls below a predetermined reference value and the communication is disconnected, the communication terminal 200 may immediately reestablish the communication. The communication terminal 200 cannot be expected to move into the communication stable area 160, and stable communication cannot be expected.

  Therefore, until the predetermined time elapses, the communication control unit 106 prohibits establishment of communication with the communication terminal 200, so that communication between the communication apparatus 100 and the communication terminal 200 can be performed with low communication quality. It can be prevented from being established. In addition, as a result, when the communication terminal 200 is located in the fringe area or goes back and forth between the fringe area and the communication stability area 160, the communication terminal 100 and the communication terminal 200 are connected. Thus, it is possible to prevent the establishment and disconnection of communication from being repeated.

  Here, the predetermined time may be set in units of several seconds, tens of seconds, hundreds of seconds, or the like. Further, the predetermined time may be set and changed by a setter who performs settings related to communication of the communication apparatus 100.

  The communication control unit 106 associates the terminal information storage unit 108 with the identification information of the communication terminal 200 when the communication with the communication terminal 200 is disconnected because the communication quality falls below a predetermined reference value. The cutting time may be stored. When the communication control unit 106 receives a communication establishment request from the communication terminal 200, the communication control unit 106 refers to the terminal information storage unit 108 and the difference between the current time and the previous disconnection time has passed a predetermined time. If not, establishment of communication with the communication terminal 200 may be prohibited.

  The area control unit 112 restricts the communication establishment possible area 170 where the radio wave including the control signal can reach to a part of the communicable area where the radio wave including the data signal can reach. For example, the area control unit 112 limits the communication establishment possible area 170 by controlling the transmission level of the radio wave including the control signal. The area control unit 112 can make the communication establishment area 170 smaller by reducing the transmission level.

  Further, the area control unit 112 may control the communication establishment possible area 170 by controlling the transmission rate of the radio wave including the control signal. The higher the transmission rate of the radio wave including the control signal, the smaller the reachable area of the control signal. Therefore, the area control unit 112 limits the communication establishment possible area 170 by improving the transmission rate of the radio wave including the control signal.

  The setting information storage unit 114 stores setting information used when restricting the communication establishment possible area 170. For example, the setting information storage unit 114 stores a first correspondence table 116 that associates the transmission level of radio waves including a control signal with the reach of radio waves including a control signal. The first correspondence table 116 associates the reach of radio waves with each of a plurality of radio wave transmission levels. When the target arrival distance of the radio wave including the control signal is determined, the area control unit 112 refers to the transmission level corresponding to the target arrival distance in the first correspondence table 116, thereby determining the transmission level of the radio wave including the control signal. You may decide.

  The first correspondence table 116 may be generated in advance by experiments. For example, the transmission level and the arrival distance are associated with each other by actually measuring the arrival distance of the radio wave while switching the transmission level of the radio wave including the control signal. The experiment may be performed in an experimental space without an obstacle, or may be performed in an experimental space prepared according to the environment of the place where the communication device 100 is installed.

  The setting information storage unit 114 may store a second correspondence table 118 that associates the distance from the communication device 100 to the communication terminal 200 and the throughput between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200. The second correspondence table 118 associates the throughput between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 when the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 are separated from each other for each of the plurality of distances.

  The second correspondence table 118 may be generated in advance by experiment. For example, the distance and the throughput are associated by measuring the throughput between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 while gradually changing the distance between the communication terminal 200 and the communication device 100.

  Further, the second correspondence table 118 may be updated as communication between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 is performed in an environment where the communication device 100 is actually installed. For example, when the communication apparatus 100 receives a data signal from the communication terminal 200, the communication apparatus 100 acquires the throughput between the communication apparatus 100 and the communication terminal 200 and the distance between the communication apparatus 100 and the communication terminal 200 to obtain the second The correspondence table 118 is updated. The communication device 100 acquires the distance between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 by receiving position information from the communication terminal 200, for example.

  The area control unit 112 may acquire a distance corresponding to the threshold by referring to the second correspondence table 118 when the communication establishment possible area 170 is limited to a part of the area where the throughput exceeds a certain threshold. . Then, the area control unit 112 may acquire the transmission level corresponding to the distance by referring to the first correspondence table 116.

  The control signal transmission unit 120 transmits a control signal by transmitting a radio wave including the control signal according to the control of the area control unit 112. The control signal transmitted by the control signal transmission unit 120 is, for example, a beacon in a wireless LAN. By restricting the reachable area of the radio wave including the beacon to a part of the communicable area 150 by the area control unit 112, the communication terminal 100 located outside the part of the area is allowed to have the communication device 100 present. It can be made unrecognizable. As a result, it is possible to prevent communication between the communication terminal 200 and the communication apparatus 100 located in an area where the intensity of the radio wave including the data signal is low and the throughput is low in the area where data communication is possible, from being established. .

  Further, the control signal transmitted by the control signal transmission unit 120 may be a probe response in the wireless LAN. By limiting the reachable area of the radio wave including the probe response to a part of the communicable area 150 by the area control unit 112, the probe terminal can be received by the communication terminal 200 located outside the part of the area. Can be eliminated. Thereby, even when the communication device 100 authenticates the probe request transmitted by the communication terminal 200, if the communication terminal 200 is located outside the communication establishment possible area, the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 It is possible to prevent communication from being established.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of a flowchart in which the communication apparatus 100 establishes communication with the communication terminal 200 and executes data communication. In step S502, the control signal transmission unit 120 transmits a beacon. The control signal transmission unit 120 transmits the beacon by limiting the reachable area of the beacon to a part of the communicable area 150 according to the control of the area control unit 112.

  In step S504, the receiving unit 104 receives a probe request from the communication terminal 200 that has received the beacon. In step S506, the control signal transmission unit 120 transmits a probe response to the communication terminal 200. The control signal transmission unit 120 transmits the probe response by limiting the reachable area of the probe response to a part of the communicable area 150 according to the control of the area control unit 112.

  In step S508, the receiving unit 104 receives a communication establishment request from the communication terminal 200 that has received the probe response. In step S510, the communication control unit 106 refers to the terminal information storage unit 108, and a predetermined time has elapsed from the previous disconnection time associated with the identification information of the communication terminal 200 that transmitted the communication establishment request. It is determined whether or not.

  If the communication control unit 106 determines that a predetermined time has not elapsed since the previous communication disconnection, the process returns to step S502. As a result, a communication establishment response is not transmitted to the communication terminal 200 that has transmitted the communication establishment request, and communication is not established. If the communication control unit 106 determines that a predetermined time has elapsed since the previous communication disconnection, the process proceeds to step S512. Note that the communication control unit 106 also proceeds to step S512 even when the disconnection time is not associated with the identification information of the communication terminal 200 that has transmitted the communication establishment request.

  In step S512, the control signal transmission unit 120 transmits a communication establishment response. The control signal transmission unit 120 transmits the communication establishment response by limiting the reachable area of the communication establishment response to a part of the communicable area 150 according to the control of the area control unit 112.

  In step S514, a data signal is transmitted and received between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200. In step S516, the communication quality acquisition unit 110 acquires the communication quality of communication between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200. In step S518, the communication control unit 106 determines whether the communication quality acquired in step S516 is below a predetermined reference value. If the communication control unit 106 determines not to fall below, the process returns to step S514. If the communication control unit 106 determines that the value is below, the process proceeds to step S520.

  In step S520, the communication control unit 106 disconnects communication between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200. In step S522, the terminal information storage unit 108 stores the disconnection time at which the communication between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 is disconnected in association with the identification information of the communication terminal 200.

  FIG. 6 schematically shows a communication establishment possible area 170 when the noise source 400 exists in the vicinity of the communication device 100. The noise source 400 is a device that emits radio waves, an object that blocks radio waves, and the like. The unstable communication area 410 is an example of an area where communication becomes unstable due to the presence of the noise source 400 causing radio waves transmitted from the communication apparatus 100 to be interfered or blocked.

  The area control unit 112 restricts the communication establishment possible area 170 so that the communication establishment possible area 170 does not include the fringe area and the communication unstable area 410 caused by the distance from the communication device 100 being separated. To do. Further, the area control unit 112 can establish communication so that the overlap between the communication establishment possible area 170 and the fringe area and the communication unstable area 410 due to the distance from the communication device 100 is reduced. Area 170 may be restricted. The communication device 100 may include an array antenna and may realize directivity with respect to the radio wave including the control signal by transmitting the radio wave including the control signal via the array antenna.

  The area control unit 112 may limit the communication establishment possible area 170 based on the position information of the noise source 400 input by a setter who performs settings related to communication of the communication device 100. Further, the area control unit 112 may limit the communication establishment possible area 170 according to the communication status between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of a flowchart of a process in which the communication device 100 limits the communication establishment possible area 170 according to the communication status between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200. This flowchart starts when the communication apparatus 100 receives a data signal from the communication terminal 200.

  In step S702, the communication apparatus 100 acquires position information of the communication terminal 200 that has transmitted the data signal. For example, the communication apparatus 100 receives the GPS (Global Positioning System) information from the communication terminal 200 to acquire the position information of the communication terminal 200. Further, the communication apparatus 100 includes an array antenna, receives a data signal by the array antenna, and estimates the position of the communication terminal 200 based on the arrival direction and arrival time of the data signal. May be obtained.

  In step S704, the communication quality acquisition unit 110 acquires the communication quality of communication between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200. For example, the communication quality acquisition unit 110 acquires the throughput corresponding to the radio wave intensity of the data signal received from the communication terminal 200 by referring to the second correspondence table 118 stored in the setting information storage unit 114.

  In step S706, the setting information storage unit 114 correlates the identification information of the communication terminal 200, the date and time when the data signal was received, the position information acquired in step S702, and the throughput acquired in step S704, and determines the communication status. Store in the registration table.

  In step S708, the area control unit 112 determines whether or not the communication establishment possible area 170 needs to be changed. For example, when the position of the communication terminal 200 whose throughput is below a predetermined threshold is within the communication establishment possible area 170, the area control unit 112 restricts the communication establishment possible area 170 to exclude the position. .

  In addition, when the position of the communication terminal 200 whose throughput exceeds a predetermined threshold is outside the communication establishment possible area 170, the area control unit 112 expands the communication establishment possible area 170 to include the position. Good. For example, the area control unit 112 may expand the communication establishment possible area 170 by improving the transmission level of the radio wave including the control signal or reducing the transmission rate.

  The flowchart illustrated in FIG. 7 may be started when a data signal is received from the communication terminal 200 for the number of times set by a setter who performs settings related to communication of the communication apparatus 100. Alternatively, it may be started every time a data signal is received from the communication terminal 200.

  FIG. 8 shows an example of the communication status registration table. In the communication status registration table, the setting information storage unit 114 stores the MAC address of the communication terminal 200, the date and time when the data signal was received, the position information acquired in step S702, and the throughput acquired in step S704. The setting information storage unit 114 stores the distance and direction from the communication device 100 as position information of the communication terminal 200.

  The setting information storage unit 114 is configured when the communication between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 is disconnected because the throughput between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 falls below a predetermined reference value. In addition, the identification information and position information of the communication terminal 200, the throughput, the date and time when the throughput is determined, or the date and time when the communication is disconnected may be stored in the communication status registration table.

  The communication device 100 may generate a schedule for restricting the communication establishment possible area 170 based on the data registered in the communication status registration table. If the analysis result of the communication status registration table indicates that the throughput periodically decreases in a part of the communicable area 150, the communication device 100 can be transferred to the part of the area according to the period. A schedule for limiting the communication establishment possible area 170 may be generated so that radio waves including the control signal do not reach.

  For example, when the communication device 100 is installed at a station, when a train arrives and a large number of passengers having devices having a communication function get off, noise sources increase and communication throughput decreases. In such a case, according to the communication apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, communication can be prevented from being established between the communication apparatus 100 and the communication terminal 200 in an area where the throughput is reduced.

  Further, the communication device 100 may generate a schedule for limiting the communication establishment possible area 170 based on data acquired from the outside. For example, the communication apparatus 100 acquires a noise source occurrence state in the communicable area 150 from the outside, and generates a schedule. Specifically, the communication apparatus 100 may acquire train arrival time data and generate a schedule.

  In addition, the communication apparatus 100 may limit the communication establishment possible area 170 based on data indicating an area where the communication service is desired to be provided. For example, in a store such as a restaurant, if the reachable area of radio waves including control signals and data signals is limited in the store in order to limit the provision of communication services to the areas in the store, Then, communication becomes unstable. On the other hand, according to the communication device 100 according to the present embodiment, by limiting the reachable area within the store only for radio waves including the control signal, the establishment of communication is restricted within the store, even at the end of the store. A relatively high quality communication can be provided.

  In this embodiment, the base station which comprises a radio | wireless communication network was mentioned and demonstrated as an example of the other communication apparatus of the communication apparatus 100. However, the other communication devices of the communication device 100 may be any device that can establish wireless communication with the communication terminal 200, and may be, for example, a wireless LAN access point.

  In the present embodiment, when the communication control unit 106 disconnects communication with the communication terminal 200 due to the communication quality being lower than a predetermined reference value, until a predetermined time elapses. In the meantime, the embodiment for prohibiting establishment of communication with the communication terminal 200 has been described. Here, the predetermined time may be set by, for example, a setter who performs settings related to communication of the communication apparatus 100, but may be set based on the moving speed of the communication terminal 200.

  The communication control unit 106 acquires the moving speed of the communication terminal 200 when communication with the communication terminal 200 is disconnected because the communication quality acquired by the communication quality acquisition unit 110 falls below a predetermined reference value. You can do it. The communication control unit 106 may acquire the position information of the communication terminal 200 and acquire the moving speed of the communication terminal 200 from the change in the position information. Further, the communication control unit 106 may acquire data indicating the moving speed from the communication terminal 200 before disconnecting the communication.

  The communication control unit 106 may set the predetermined time shorter as the acquired moving speed is faster. When the moving speed of the communication terminal 200 is fast, there is a high possibility that the communication terminal 200 enters the communication stable area 160 in a short time. Therefore, by setting the predetermined time short, it is possible to reduce the possibility that establishment of communication is prohibited even though the communication terminal 200 has already moved into the communication stable area 160.

  Moreover, when the moving speed of the communication terminal 200 is slow, the possibility that the communication terminal 200 enters the communication stable area 160 in a short time is low. Therefore, by setting the predetermined time longer, it is possible to prevent communication from being established even though the communication terminal 200 is still in the fringe area.

  Also, the communication control unit 106 sets a predetermined time shorter when the moving direction of the communication terminal 200 is toward the communication stability area 160 than when the movement direction is not toward the communication stability area 160. Also good. When the moving direction of the communication terminal 200 is toward the communication stable area 160, the possibility that the communication terminal 200 enters the communication stable area 160 in a short time is high. Therefore, by setting the predetermined time short, it is possible to reduce the possibility that establishment of communication is prohibited even though the communication terminal 200 has already moved into the communication stable area 160.

  FIG. 9 schematically illustrates an example of a communication environment of the communication device 100 and the communication device 510. Communication device 100 and communication device 510 are connected via network 600. The communication device 100 and the communication device 510 may be connected to the network 600 by wired communication, or may be connected to the network 600 by wireless communication. Communication device 100 and communication device 510 may be directly connected by wired communication or wireless communication. A communicable area 512 indicates a communicable area of the communication device 510.

  In the example illustrated in FIG. 9, the communication device 100 acquires communication quality with the communication terminal 200. When communication is established between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200, the communication quality acquisition unit 110 included in the communication device 100 uses, for example, the signal strength of the data signal received from the communication terminal 200 as the communication terminal. It is acquired as communication quality with 200. The communication quality acquisition unit 110 may acquire the communication quality with the communication terminal 200 by analyzing the response of the ping command.

  If the communication quality acquisition unit 110 has not established communication with the communication terminal 200, for example, the communication quality acquisition unit 110 receives a data signal transmitted from the communication terminal 200 to another communication device with which communication has been established. The signal strength of the data signal is acquired as the communication quality. The communication quality acquisition unit 110 may convert the signal strength of the data signal into a throughput between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200, and acquire the converted throughput as the communication quality. For example, the communication device 100 refers to a table in which the signal strength of the data signal is associated with the throughput between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 at the signal strength, thereby converting the signal strength of the data signal into the throughput. Convert. The communication device 100 may identify the communication terminal 200 that has transmitted the data signal based on the identification information of the communication terminal 200 included in the header of the data signal. The communication device 510 has the same function as the communication device 100.

  Here, a case where communication is established between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 will be described. The communication device 100 acquires communication quality between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200. Further, the communication device 100 receives the communication quality between the communication device 510 and the communication terminal 200 from the communication device 510 via the network 600.

  Then, the communication device 100 determines that the communication quality between the acquired communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 is lower than the communication quality between the communication device 510 and the communication terminal 200 received from the communication device 510. In this case, the communication between the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 is disconnected. As a result, the communication terminal 200 can be given an opportunity to establish communication with the communication device 510.

  For example, when the communication terminal 200 moves away from the communication device 100 and moves closer to the communication device 510, the communication quality with the communication device 100 is lowered and the communication quality with the communication device 510 is improved. become. According to the present embodiment, when the communication quality between the communication terminal 200 and the communication device 100 is lower than the communication quality between the communication terminal 200 and the communication device 510, the communication device 100 and the communication terminal 200 Communication between them is disconnected. As a result, the communication terminal 200 can establish communication with the communication device 510, and can establish communication with the communication device 510 to perform communication with higher communication quality than the communication quality with the communication device 100. It becomes like this.

  FIG. 10 schematically illustrates an example of a communication environment of the communication device 100, the communication device 510, and the communication device 520. Communication device 520 has the same functions as communication device 100 and communication device 510. When the communication device 100, the communication device 510, and the communication device 520 are described without distinction, they may be simply referred to as communication devices. The communicable areas 512 and 522 indicate the communicable areas of the communication devices 510 and 520, respectively.

  The communication terminal 210 and the communication terminal 220 are devices that can establish communication with a communication device. When the communication terminal 200, the communication terminal 210, and the communication terminal 220 are described without distinction, they may be simply referred to as communication terminals.

  Server device 530 is a device connected to a communication device via network 600. The server device 530 and the communication device may be connected to the network 600 by wired communication, or may be connected to the network 600 by wireless communication. The server device 530 and the communication device may be directly connected by wired communication or wireless communication.

  Server device 530 manages which of communication device 100, communication device 510, and communication device 520 has established communication with communication terminal 200, communication terminal 210, and communication terminal 220, respectively. The server device 530 receives, from the communication device, identification information of the communication terminal that has established communication with the communication device and information indicating that communication has been established, so that each communication terminal can communicate with any communication device. You may manage whether it is established. Note that the communication device may transmit the identification information of the communication terminal and information indicating that the communication is established to the server device 530 when the communication device establishes communication with the communication terminal.

  Server device 530 registers the communication quality between the communication device and the communication terminal received from the communication device in the communication management table in association with the identification information of the communication terminal. In addition, the server device 530 indicates in the communication management table whether the communication terminal 200, the communication terminal 210, and the communication terminal 220 have established communication with the communication device 100, the communication device 510, or the communication device 520, respectively. sign up.

  FIG. 11 shows an example of the communication management table. Identification information of a plurality of communication terminals is registered in the communication management table. In addition, the communication management table associates each piece of identification information of the communication terminal with the identification information of the communication apparatus with which the communication terminal has established communication, and between the communication terminal and each of the plurality of communication apparatuses. Communication quality is registered. FIG. 11 shows an example in which the throughput between the communication device and the communication terminal is registered as the communication quality. The server device 530 may periodically receive the communication quality between the communication device and the communication terminal from the communication device, and update the communication management table with the received communication quality.

  The server device 530 refers to the communication management table, and for each communication terminal, whether or not the communication quality with the communication device that has established communication is lower than the communication quality with the communication device that has not established communication. Determine. If the server device 530 determines that any one of the communication terminals is lower, the server device 530 disconnects the communication with the communication terminal with respect to the communication device that has established communication with the communication terminal. A disconnection instruction signal including the instruction is transmitted. The communication device that has received the disconnection instruction signal disconnects communication with the communication terminal that has established communication. Thereby, the opportunity to establish communication with a communication apparatus with higher communication quality can be given to the communication terminal.

  For example, in the example of the communication management table illustrated in FIG. 11, the communication quality of the server device 530 with the communication device 100 that has established communication for the communication terminal 210 is lower than the communication quality with the communication device 510. Is determined. Then, server device 530 transmits a disconnection instruction signal to communication terminal 210. Communication terminal 210 disconnects communication with communication device 520 in accordance with the received disconnection instruction signal. As a result, the communication terminal 210 can establish communication with the communication device 510.

  Note that the server device 530 may register the date and time information when the communication quality is acquired in the communication management table in association with the communication quality. As time passes after acquiring communication quality, there is a high possibility that the communication quality will change due to a change in the position of the communication terminal or the like. Therefore, for example, when a certain amount of time has elapsed after acquiring the communication quality, the server device 530 may delete the communication quality to invalidate the communication quality.

  FIG. 12 schematically shows a functional configuration of the server device 530. The server device 530 includes a reception unit 532, a storage unit 534, a management unit 536, a determination unit 538, and a transmission unit 540. The receiving unit 532 receives communication quality between each of the plurality of communication devices and each of the plurality of communication terminals, and identification information of the communication terminals from the plurality of communication devices. The storage unit 534 stores a communication management table.

  The management unit 536 manages which of the plurality of communication devices each of the plurality of communication terminals has established communication with. The management unit 536 may manage each of the plurality of communication terminals by registering with which communication device of the plurality of communication devices communication is established in the communication management table.

  The determination unit 538 determines, for each of the plurality of communication terminals, whether the communication quality with the communication device that has established communication is lower than the communication quality with the communication device that has not established communication. When there is a communication terminal in which the communication quality with a communication device that has established communication is lower than the communication quality with a communication device that has not established communication among the plurality of communication terminals, A disconnection instruction signal including an instruction to disconnect communication with the communication terminal is transmitted to a communication apparatus that has established communication with the communication terminal.

  In the present embodiment, the server device 530 receives communication quality between the communication terminal and the communication device from the communication device, and transmits a disconnection instruction signal to the communication device based on the received communication quality. I gave it as an explanation. However, it is not limited to this. The server device 530 may acquire position information of a plurality of communication devices and position information of a plurality of communication terminals, and transmit a disconnection instruction signal to the communication device based on the acquired position information.

  Server device 530 acquires position information of a plurality of communication devices. For example, the server device 530 acquires GPS information from each of the plurality of communication devices. Server device 530 receives position information of a plurality of communication terminals. Server device 530 may receive position information of the communication terminal from the communication device or the communication terminal. The communication device may acquire position information from the communication terminal and transmit it to the server device 530 when performing data communication with the communication terminal. In addition, the server device 530 manages which of the plurality of communication devices each of the plurality of communication terminals has established communication with.

  Server device 530 calculates the distance between the communication device and the communication terminal from the location information of the communication device and the location information of the communication terminal. Then, the server device 530 acquires the communication quality between the communication device and the communication terminal based on the calculated distance. For example, the server device 530 may acquire the communication quality based on the distance by referring to a table that associates the distance between the communication device and the communication terminal with the communication quality.

  When there is a communication terminal whose communication quality with a communication apparatus that has established communication is lower than the communication quality with a communication apparatus that has not established communication among the plurality of communication terminals, A disconnection instruction signal is transmitted to the communication device that has established communication with the communication terminal. Thereby, an opportunity to establish communication with a communication apparatus with higher communication quality can be given to the communication terminal.

  In the present embodiment, the server apparatus 530 connected to the communication apparatus 100, the communication apparatus 510, and the communication apparatus 520 via the network 600 has been described as an example. However, the communication apparatus 100 plays the role of the server apparatus 530. You may be responsible.

  FIG. 13 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the communication apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. The communication apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a CPU peripheral unit having a CPU 904 and a RAM 906 connected to each other by a host controller 902, a ROM 910 connected to the host controller 902 by an input / output controller 908, a communication interface 912, and an antenna 914. And an input / output unit. The input / output unit may further include a hard disk drive, a CD-ROM drive, and a USB interface.

  The host controller 902 connects the RAM 906 and the CPU 904 that accesses the RAM 906 at a high transfer rate. The CPU 904 operates based on programs stored in the ROM 910 and the RAM 906 to control each unit. The input / output controller 908 connects the host controller 902, the communication interface 912 that is a relatively high-speed input / output device, and the ROM 910.

  The communication interface 912 communicates with other communication devices via a network. The communication interface 912 transmits and receives control signals and data signals via the antenna 914. Different antennas 914 may be used for control signal transmission and data signal transmission. Further, different antennas 914 may be used for control signal reception and data signal reception. The hard disk drive stores programs and data used by the CPU 904 in the communication apparatus 100. The CD-ROM drive reads a program or data from the CD-ROM and provides it to the hard disk drive via the RAM 906. The ROM 910 stores a boot program that the communication apparatus 100 executes at startup, a program that depends on the hardware of the communication apparatus 100, and the like.

  A program provided to the hard disk drive via the RAM 906 is stored in a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a USB memory and provided by the user. The program is read from the recording medium, installed in the hard disk drive in the communication apparatus 100 via the RAM 906, and executed by the CPU 904.

  The program installed and executed in the communication device 100 works on the CPU 904 and the like to make the communication device 100 the data signal transmission unit 102, the reception unit 104, the communication control unit 106, and the terminal information storage described with reference to FIGS. Unit 108, communication quality acquisition unit 110, area control unit 112, setting information storage unit 114, and control signal transmission unit 120.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment. It is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such changes or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  The order of execution of each process such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the apparatus, system, program, and method shown in the claims, the description, and the drawings is particularly “before” or “prior to”. It should be noted that the output can be realized in any order unless the output of the previous process is used in the subsequent process. Regarding the operation flow in the claims, the description, and the drawings, even if it is described using “first”, “next”, etc. for convenience, it means that it is essential to carry out in this order. It is not a thing.

100 communication device, 102 data signal transmission unit, 104 reception unit, 106 communication control unit, 108 terminal information storage unit, 110 communication quality acquisition unit, 112 area control unit, 114 setting information storage unit, 116 first correspondence table, 118 2 correspondence table, 120 control signal transmission unit, 150 communicable area, 160 communication stable area, 170 communicable area, 200 communication terminal, 210 communication terminal, 220 communication terminal, 300 base station, 310 wireless communication area, 400 noise source 410 communication unstable area, 510 communication device, 512 communication possible area, 520 communication device, 522 communication possible area, 530 server device, 532 reception unit, 534 storage unit, 536 management unit, 538 determination unit, 540 transmission unit, 600 Network, 902 host computer Roller, 904 CPU, 906 RAM, 908 input-output controller, 910 ROM, 912 communication interface, 914 an antenna

Claims (10)

A data signal transmitter for transmitting a data signal to the communication terminal;
A control signal transmitter for transmitting a control signal for establishing communication with the communication terminal;
A communication apparatus comprising: an area control unit that restricts a communication establishment area in which radio waves including the control signal can reach to a part of a communicable area in which radio waves including the data signal can reach.   The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the area control unit limits the communication establishment area by controlling a transmission level or a transmission rate of a radio wave including the control signal.   The communication according to claim 1, wherein the area control unit limits the communication establishment possible area to a part of an area where a throughput between the communication device and the communication terminal exceeds a predetermined threshold. apparatus.   The area control unit limits the communication establishment possible area to an area in which a throughput between the communication device and the communication terminal is higher than a throughput between another communication device of the communication device and the communication terminal. The communication apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. A communication quality acquisition unit for acquiring communication quality between the communication device and the communication terminal;
The communication control part which cut | disconnects communication between the said communication apparatus and the said communication terminal, when the communication quality which the said communication quality acquisition part acquired is less than the predetermined reference value is further provided. The communication device according to any one of the above. A communication quality acquisition unit for acquiring communication quality between the communication device and the communication terminal;
When the communication quality acquired by the communication quality acquisition unit is lower than the communication quality received from another communication device of the communication device and between the other communication device and the communication terminal, the communication device and the communication device The communication apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a communication control unit that disconnects communication with the communication terminal. A communication quality acquisition unit for acquiring communication quality between the communication device and the communication terminal;
A communication quality transmitting unit that transmits the communication quality acquired by the communication quality acquiring unit to a server device;
The communication device based on the communication quality received from the communication quality transmitter by the server device and the communication quality between the other communication device and the communication terminal received from another communication device of the communication device. Communication control for disconnecting communication between the communication device and the communication terminal when a disconnection instruction signal including an instruction to disconnect communication between the communication device and the communication terminal is received. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a unit.   The communication control unit prohibits establishment of communication with the communication terminal until a predetermined time elapses when communication between the communication terminal and the communication terminal is disconnected. 8. The communication device according to any one of items 7.   The program for functioning a computer as a communication apparatus of any one of Claim 1 to 8. The communication establishment area where radio waves including a control signal for establishing communication with a communication terminal can be reached is limited to a part of the communicable area where radio waves including a data signal can reach, and the control is performed. A control signal transmission stage for transmitting a signal;
A data signal transmission step of transmitting the data signal to the communication terminal that has established communication based on the control signal;
A communication method comprising: