JP6109602B2 - Wireless repeater - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a wireless repeater used in a wireless LAN.

  With the widespread use of the Internet connection via the wireless LAN according to the Wi-Fi standard, various devices such as a plurality of personal computers, game machines, and smartphones are connected to the wireless LAN in one home. The number of terminals is increasing. As a result, not only the location near the access point device that provides the wireless LAN, but also communication across walls and ceilings, or attenuation due to the influence of other devices such as microwave ovens. There is an increasing number of cases where communication must be performed at a large location. On the other hand, comfortable communication speed required when using the Internet is also increasing. For this reason, it is considered to check communication quality when installing a device (Patent Document 1).

  As a countermeasure against this, a radio wave transmitted by an access point device is relayed and amplified by a wireless repeater, so that a strong radio wave is retransmitted in the middle to ensure stable communication. In particular, when connecting from an area that is away from the access point device and easily attenuates, a wireless repeater is placed between the area and the access point device.

  Moreover, when using a frequency 2.4 GHz band, it is desirable to arrange | position so that the influence of another electronic device can be avoided. For example, Patent Document 2 proposes that a wireless LAN system includes a relay unit and a unit that determines whether an electronic device that can interfere with a radio wave interferes.

JP 2006-333321 A JP 2007-043366 A

  However, communication can be stabilized by amplifying radio waves by placing a wireless repeater, but its throughput is alternately handled by the wireless repeater between transmission and reception between the access point device and the wireless terminal. Compared to the case where no wireless repeater is used, the number is halved. For this reason, if the position where the wireless repeater is installed is not appropriate, the throughput may decrease rather than the effect of the wireless repeater cannot be obtained. When there is one wireless terminal, it may be between the access point device and the wireless terminal. However, when there are a plurality of wireless terminals, it is not easy to determine whether the installation position of the wireless repeater is appropriate. For this reason, there are many cases where the merits cannot be enjoyed even if a wireless repeater is introduced, and the frequent occurrence of such cases has become a conscious obstacle to further introduction of the wireless repeater.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to make it possible to evaluate and confirm an arrangement in which a wireless repeater can be suitably used.

In the present invention, the access point device has AP throughput measuring means for measuring the throughput with the wireless terminal,
The wireless repeater has a relay throughput measuring means for measuring the throughput between the wireless terminal connected via the wireless repeater;
The access point device, the wireless repeater, or both,
The above problem has been solved by providing a wireless LAN system having throughput recording means for recording measured statistical values of throughput in the storage means.

  When a wireless repeater relays wireless communication with a wireless terminal, if the access point device measures the throughput of data transmitted / received to / from each wireless terminal, the throughput communicated by the wireless repeater can be reduced. It can be obtained as an actual value. At the same time, the access point apparatus measures the throughput with the wireless terminal connected without using the wireless repeater. By recording these measured values together, it is possible to grasp the throughput of the entire wireless LAN environment established by the installation of the wireless repeater at that time, so the statistical values are recorded. Here, the statistical value includes preferential evaluation based on the presence or absence of a total value, an average value, and other flags. While changing the position of the wireless repeater, execute each throughput measurement means, record the statistical value, compare the obtained statistical value, the position when the wireless repeater is installed is the highest You can see if you can get throughput.

In addition, the access point device, the wireless repeater, or both,
For each of the wireless terminals connected to the constructed wireless LAN, a target throughput value that serves as a threshold value at the time of determination can be recorded in the storage means,
Throughput comparison means for comparing the measured throughput value, which is the measured throughput value, with the target throughput value, and the wireless repeater at the time and position of the measurement based on the comparison result by the throughput comparison means It is possible to determine whether the required throughput, which is different for each type of the wireless terminal, is ensured for each of the wireless terminals.

Furthermore, in the storage means, it is possible to record the presence or absence of a priority flag for each of the wireless terminals,
When the evaluation means performs the evaluation, the improvement effect is obtained only when the result of the throughput comparison means is higher than the target throughput value by the throughput comparison means for at least all of the wireless terminals for which the priority flag is true. It is effective when there is an electronic device for which it is absolutely necessary to ensure throughput. For example, a network television that requires real-time video quality.

Furthermore, the wireless repeater has switching means for turning on / off the relay function according to an instruction from the access point device,
The access point device is
It has a switching instruction means for giving an instruction to switch on / off of the relay function of the wireless repeater, and has an on / off comparison means for comparing the measured throughput in both the on-state and the off-state switched by it. If it is highly rated when turned on, it has an instruction to turn on the relay function, and if it is highly rated when turned off, it has self-adjusting means to issue an instruction to turn off the relay function. Then
Even if it is once measured, if it is more convenient not to use the wireless repeater in the situation after the change of the wireless environment that actually changes every moment, it can be used by automatically turning off the relay function It is possible to make adjustments without the operator having to operate.

For the results that can be measured in this way, on the map information, plot the installation position when performing throughput measurement of the access point device and the wireless terminal,
By plotting and displaying the position of the wireless repeater when performing each throughput measurement together with the evaluation result by the evaluation means, it is possible to visually grasp at which point the wireless repeater should be installed. This may be a program realized by providing a display device in a wireless repeater or a wireless access point device, or a program that receives measurement results and evaluation results from these and displays them on a wireless terminal.

  With the wireless LAN system according to the present invention, it is possible to numerically grasp where the wireless repeater is placed and where the throughput is actually improved or further improved. Thereby, the capability of the radio repeater which has not been sufficiently utilized in the past can be utilized to the maximum extent.

Plan view showing an example of a wireless LAN environment for implementing the present invention Flow chart in the first embodiment of the present invention Functional block diagram as an example of a wireless LAN system according to the present invention Example table combining target value database and judgment database Flow chart showing execution procedure of evaluation means Example table for location database The figure which shows the example which plotted the measurement evaluation result in map information Flow chart showing the adjustment procedure after practical use Selection database table example

  The present invention will be described in detail below. The present invention is a wireless LAN system 10 having an access point device 11 constituting a wireless LAN and a wireless repeater 12 that relays wireless communication between the access point device and a wireless terminal 13. The wireless terminal actually uses this wireless LAN system 10.

  A description will be given taking the use in a home as shown in FIG. However, the present invention is not particularly limited to use in the home, and is preferably implemented in any environment where a wireless terminal is connected to the access point device 11 constituting a wireless LAN, such as an office or factory, The effect of installing the wireless repeater can be fully enjoyed.

  The access point device 11 described above is a device that can form a wireless LAN network by skipping wireless communication around it. It is desirable that it corresponds to a general Wi-Fi standard. Either the case of serving as a router connected to the WAN side or the case of a bridge connected to the router by wire may be used.

  The wireless repeater 12 described above can transmit the contents of received radio waves with increasing radio wave intensity for wireless communication broadcasted between the access point device 11 and the wireless terminal 13. . At this time, since the received contents are transmitted, the intensity of the transmitted radio wave is increased compared with the received radio wave, but the throughput is decreased.

  The wireless terminal 13 is a terminal that can wirelessly communicate with the access point device 11, and the type of the wireless terminal 13 is not particularly limited, such as a personal computer, a television, a game machine, and a smartphone. However, for the convenience of the present invention, an evaluation result (described later) that has been measured can be used for a long time if the position is not moved.

  In the environment of FIG. 1 taken as an example here, a plurality of wireless terminals 13 are connected to one access point device 11. Some of the wireless terminals 13 are blocked by the walls, doors, stairs, etc. of the house and are placed directly at a position where the access point device 11 cannot be seen. Assuming that Here, the wireless repeaters 12 are placed at several points, and the throughput of each wireless terminal 13 is measured.

  In the first embodiment, the procedure for carrying out the invention is shown in the flow of FIG. First, it is assumed that the wireless LAN environment is in place at the start. That is, at the initial time (S101), the wireless connection between the access point device 11 and each wireless terminal 13 is completed. The wireless repeater 12 is placed there and turned on (S102). The place to be placed is arbitrary, but if it is placed between the wireless terminal 13 and the access point device 11 which are naturally considered to have a relatively low throughput, a suitable point can be easily derived.

  An example of functional blocks of the access point device 11 and the wireless repeater 12 is shown in FIG. The AP throughput measuring means 20 included in the access point device 11 measures the throughput with each wireless terminal 13 (S103). Specifically, hardware or software for measuring the amount of data may be installed in an interface that transmits and receives data directly connected to an antenna. In executing this, an external switch (45, 55) serving as a trigger may be provided in either or both of the access point device 11 and the wireless repeater 12. It is preferable that the AP throughput measuring means 20 of the access point device 11 is set to start measurement when one of the external switches 45 and 55 is pressed. As an actual throughput measurement method, an attempt is made to send a file or packet of a predetermined size from the access point device 11 to each wireless terminal 13, measure the required time, and divide the size by the required time. Thus, the throughput can be obtained.

  The measured throughput value, which is the measured throughput value, is recorded in the determination databases 23 and 33 in either or both of the storage means 21 and 31 included in each of the access point device 11 and the wireless repeater 12. The throughput recording means 22 and 32 are executed (S104). At this time, the values measured only on one of the access point device 11 and the wireless repeater 12 are exchanged by wireless communication with each other, and both values are stored in the respective evaluations. This is preferable because a judgment can be made.

  The determination databases 23 and 33 are tables for recording throughput for each wireless terminal 13. Specifically, it is preferable to have a record for each MAC address of the wireless terminal 13.

  On the other hand, in the storage means 21 and 31 of the access point device 11 and the wireless repeater 12, a target value database that records a target throughput value that is a threshold for which the measured throughput value is satisfied for each wireless terminal 13. 25, 35 may be included. Similarly to the determination databases 23 and 33, the target value databases 25 and 35 may have a record for each MAC address of the wireless terminal, and these databases may be integrated tables. An example of this integrated table is shown in FIG. In recording, throughput comparing means 26 and 36 for obtaining a value obtained by subtracting the target throughput value from the actually measured throughput value are executed. Furthermore, if this value is positive, it can be said that the wireless terminal 13 has cleared the target. If it is negative, it can be said that the wireless terminal 13 has left a problem.

  In this integrated table, it is preferable to have a priority flag for each terminal separately from the target throughput value, because it is easy to prioritize the position selection described later. In the case where data for which the determination value is positive for all the wireless terminals 13 cannot be obtained and any convenience must be selected, at least the wireless terminal 13 whose priority flag is TRUE is determined. It is possible to select to place the wireless repeater 12 at a position where the value is positive.

  This priority flag is surely input manually by the user to the access point device 11 or the wireless repeater 12. Also, it is possible to automatically determine by reading the MAC address of each wireless terminal 13 and inquiring an external database as to what type of article the wireless terminal 13 is such as a television, a notebook computer, or a smartphone. In this case, the user's trouble can be saved. Since the MAC address is uniquely assigned to the manufacturer of the device, it can be automated by recording it in an external database installed on the Internet so that each access point device 11 can refer to it. Become.

  Based on such information, the evaluation means 27 and 37 perform the evaluation determination. An example of the flowchart is shown in FIG. First, if the value of (actual measurement−target) is positive and the determination is “good” for all the wireless terminals, the evaluation is A, which is the best. Next, even if some wireless terminals have a negative (actual measurement-target) value and a determination of x, if there is a circle for all of the wireless terminals with priority flags, there is a practical disadvantage. This is evaluated as B. Furthermore, evaluation C is given if there is even one with a determination of ◯, and evaluation D is given if there is no determination with ◯. Further, statistical values are calculated for the measured throughput values of all wireless terminals. Basically, the total value or the average value is easy to understand, but when the number of wireless terminals is large, the distribution may be easily analyzed by obtaining a standard deviation or the like. This evaluation result is recorded in the position specifying databases 24 and 34 as a measurement evaluation result at that point.

  For example, in the table shown in FIG. 4, the value of (actual measurement-target) of the wireless terminal (3) to which the priority flag is attached is negative and the determination is x. However, since there are other terminals that have a positive value and a good determination, the evaluation is C. The total measurement throughput value is 57 Mbps, and the average value is 11.4 Mbps.

  The above measurement and recording are performed an arbitrary number of times by changing the position of the wireless repeater 12 (S105 → S102). The measurement results at the respective positions and the evaluation are recorded in the position specifying databases 24 and 34. FIG. 6 shows an example of the position specifying databases 24 and 34 after the measurement evaluation is performed a plurality of times. In the example of FIG. 6, the position 3 is superior to the position 2 if only the total value of the throughputs is obtained, but the evaluation of the wireless terminal 13 to which the priority flag is assigned is good at the position 2 and the minimum throughput is secured. On the other hand, in position 3, since the wireless terminal 13 to which the priority flag is given includes those having an evaluation of x, it may be that position 2 should be adopted rather. Recognize. On the other hand, when position 1 where the evaluations for all the wireless terminals 13 are ◯ is inferior to position 2 in the total of actual measurement values, which one should be given priority is a selection according to the actual situation of the user. In particular, it is better to select the one whose evaluation is close to A. That is, from the evaluation results at each position and the measured total value, the one with the highest evaluation is extracted, and if there are multiple locations with the same evaluation, selecting the one with the highest measured total will The effect of installing the repeater 12 can be enjoyed to the maximum.

  In addition, in order to use it as a guideline for how many times the measurement is repeated, the access point device 11 and the wireless repeater 12 are provided with display means 28 and 38 that can grasp the evaluation result for each measurement. Is easy to put a break. For example, the display on a liquid crystal screen, LED which changes color, etc. are mentioned. If it is a liquid crystal screen, the evaluation contents and statistical values may be displayed. In the case of an LED, for example, blue may be displayed for evaluation A, green for evaluation B, orange for evaluation C, and red for evaluation D. By looking at the results of the display means 28 and 38, the measurement can be repeated until evaluation A or evaluation B is repeated several times. Note that not only visual display but also audio display may be used.

  Further, as a comparison object, on the access point device 11 side, the measured throughput value with each wireless terminal 13 in a state where the function of the wireless repeater 12 is turned off is measured and evaluated in the same way. It becomes easy to determine whether it is necessary. In any measurement with the wireless repeater 12 turned on, if the evaluation is lower than that when the wireless repeater 12 is turned off, the installation of the wireless repeater 12 will worsen the situation, so it is better not to use it for the time being I understand that. Thereafter, if the arrangement of the wireless terminal 13 changes or the arrangement of other electronic devices installed in the wireless LAN range changes, the same measurement and determination may be performed again.

  When a liquid crystal screen with a large amount of information is not used as the display means, the information in the position specifying databases 24 and 34 can be accessed from any of the wireless terminals 13 and read out in the form of a CSV file or HTML file. It is desirable to keep it. This may be realized using a web server function that the access point device 11 or the like generally has.

  The result read out as a file in this way is plotted as the respective measurement points of the wireless terminal 13, the access point device 11, and the wireless repeater 12 as the moving point on the map information of the home or factory where the wireless LAN is installed. As a result, it is possible to visually determine where it is appropriate to place the wireless repeater 12. The image is shown in FIG.

  The measurement as described above is basically performed by moving the wireless repeater 12. However, when a high evaluation cannot be obtained inevitably, the access point device 11 is within the range in which the wired cable moves. The same examination as described above can also be performed by moving the position.

  Since the frequency range used for the wireless LAN also uses other electronic devices, the actual throughput may fluctuate greatly even after actually measuring and evaluating and selecting and installing a suitable location. In some cases, the throughput may be improved if the relay function of the wireless repeater 12 is turned off on the spot. For this reason, the access point device 11 automatically measures the throughput by turning on and off the wireless repeater 12 periodically or when some conditions are satisfied, and whichever of the above evaluations is performed. If it is judged that the evaluation of the means is high and the throughput is improved and it is better to turn off the wireless repeater 12, it is preferable to turn it off temporarily.

  Specifically, it can be executed by a flow as shown in FIG. First (S301), the wireless LAN system is actually used (S302). At this time, the throughput and the radio wave intensity can be observed for at least some of the wireless terminals in practical use. The following checks are performed on the observation results. First, practical throughput comparing means for determining whether or not the practical throughput is equal to or higher than the target throughput value, which is a threshold value, is executed for all wireless terminals 13 (S303). However, in this determination, if it is evaluation B or evaluation C at the initial installation stage, it is naturally expected to be less than the threshold value. 13 may be excluded from this check. If the actual throughput is less than the threshold value even though the initial evaluation is ◯, the wireless repeater 12 is turned on and off again to measure the measured throughput value (S303 → No → S306). ). Next (S303 → Yes → S304), if a threshold is set for the radio wave intensity for each wireless terminal 13, the practical radio wave intensity for determining whether or not the radio wave intensity in practical use is equal to or greater than the threshold. Comparison means is executed (S304). If there is a wireless terminal 13 that is less than the threshold value, the wireless repeater 12 is turned on and off again to measure the measured throughput value (S304 → No → S306). Furthermore, even if these throughputs and radio field intensities are not particularly problematic, when a predetermined set time elapses, such as when one of the wireless terminals 13 has passed one day from the latest throughput measurement (S305 → Yes), the environment becomes Since there is a possibility that it has changed, it is preferable to turn on and off the wireless repeater 12 again to measure the actually measured throughput value.

  This measurement (S306) is based on the following functions. First, the wireless repeater 12 includes switching means 39 for turning on / off the relay function according to an instruction from the access point device 11. Here, it is desirable not to turn off the power but to turn on / off only the relay function. This is because it becomes difficult to restart once the power is turned off. On the other hand, the access point device 11 is provided with a switching instruction means 29 that issues an instruction to the wireless repeater 12 to switch the relay function on and off. Then, the access point apparatus 11 executes the on / off comparison unit 41 as a series of programs. That is, first, the switching instruction unit 29 instructs the relay function of the wireless repeater 12 to be either on or off, and the AP throughput measurement unit 20 is executed in each of the on / off states. However, it is preferable that the destination target to execute the AP throughput measurement unit and transmit the file or the packet here is only the wireless terminal 13 to which no session is established at that time. This is because even if a separate packet is transmitted to the wireless terminal 13 during the session, an accurate measurement is not obtained. For this reason, the influence of the on / off function extends to all the wireless terminals 13, but the wireless terminal 13 that is a target for measuring a change in the throughput value due to the on / off is limited to a part of them. Accordingly, the measured throughput values are compared with each other or compared with the target throughput value in each case where the relay function is turned on and off within a measurable range (S307). The actual measured throughput values and the comparison results at the on / off time are recorded in the selection databases 43 and 53 provided in the storage means 21 and 31 (S308). At this time, if the measurement time immediately before the throughput measurement and the comparison determination is recorded at the same time, it can be used for the determination by the elapsed time in S305. A table example of the selection databases 43 and 53 is shown in FIG. Here, as the determination, it is shown whether the measured throughput value is higher when on or off.

  With respect to one or more wireless terminals 13, the throughput is measured, and when the measurement values and the comparison determination results in the selection databases 43 and 53 are updated, the determination results are totaled, It is determined which radio terminal 13 is better when it is off and which is more (S309). In the case of the same number, either may be prioritized. If there are many wireless terminals 13 that have been evaluated to be better when turned off, and the evaluation is higher (S309 → off), the access point device 11 turns off the relay function for the wireless repeater 12. The self-adjusting means 42 is executed (S310). On the other hand, if the wireless terminal 13 that received the evaluation result that it was better to turn on was more highly evaluated (S309 → on), the access point device 11 sends a response to the wireless repeater 12. Then, the self-adjusting means 42 for turning on the relay function is executed (S311). Thereafter, it is put into practical use (S302), and if there is a change in throughput, the setting is reconstructed again. By automatically performing a series of procedures, even if the user does not move the wireless repeater 12 finely, it is possible to determine which one is on or off and adjust the state according to the time.

  Note that the determination here is based on the total of whether or not the throughput of each wireless terminal is good. However, the determination may be made in consideration of the above priority flag, or may be performed by other determination methods. May be.

  Further, it may be possible to confirm from the outside by the display means 38 whether the wireless repeater is on or off. Further, the access point device 11 may take in the information so that it can be confirmed from the outside by the display means 28 as well.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Wireless LAN system 11 Access point apparatus 12 Wireless repeater 13 Wireless terminal 20 AP throughput measuring means 21, 31 Storage means 22, 32 Throughput recording means 23, 33 Determination databases 24, 34 Position specifying databases 25, 35 Target value database 26, 36 Throughput comparison means 27, 37 Evaluation means 28, 38 Display means 29 Switching instruction means 39 Switching means 41 On-off comparison means 42 Self-adjusting means 43, 53 Selection database 45, 55 External switch

Claims (4)

An access point device constituting a wireless LAN;
A wireless LAN system having a wireless repeater that relays wireless communication between the access point device and a wireless terminal,
The access point device is
AP throughput measuring means for measuring the throughput with the wireless terminal,
The access point device, the wireless repeater, or both,
Throughput recording means for recording the total value of the measured throughput in the storage means,
For each of the wireless terminals connected to the constructed wireless LAN, it is possible to record a target throughput value that is a threshold value in the determination in the storage unit,
Throughput comparison means for comparing the measured throughput value, which is the measured throughput value, with the target throughput value, and the wireless repeater at the position where the measurement was performed based on the comparison result by the throughput comparison means Evaluation means for evaluating communication quality by
Wireless LAN system. In the storage means, it is possible to record the presence or absence of a priority flag for each of the wireless terminals,
When the evaluation means performs the evaluation, at least for all of the wireless terminals for which the priority flag is true, only the result of the throughput comparison means that the measured throughput value is higher than the target throughput value Is determined to be good,
The wireless LAN system according to claim 1. The wireless repeater has switching means for turning on / off the relay function according to an instruction from the access point device,
The access point device is
It has a switching instruction means for giving an instruction to switch on / off of the relay function of the wireless repeater, and has an on / off comparison means for comparing the measured throughput in both the on-state and the off-state switched by it. A self-adjusting means for issuing an instruction to turn on the relay function if it is highly evaluated when turned on, and an instruction to turn off the relay function if being highly evaluated when turned off;
The wireless LAN system according to claim 1 or 2. An access point device constituting a wireless LAN,
AP throughput measuring means for measuring the throughput with the wireless terminal, and throughput recording means for recording the total value of the measured throughput in the storage means,
For each of the wireless terminals connected to the constructed wireless LAN, a target throughput value that serves as a threshold value at the time of determination can be recorded in the storage means,
When a wireless repeater that relays wireless communication between the access point device and the wireless terminal is installed, a throughput that compares the measured throughput value, which is the measured throughput value, with the target throughput value A comparison means, and an evaluation means for evaluating the communication quality by installing the wireless repeater at the position where the measurement is performed from the comparison result by the throughput comparison means,
Access point device.

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