JPH05327715A - Radio/wire lan communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the need for arranging a base station on a wire LAN with the previous consciousness of a cell, etc., by moving freely a mobile station and actuating only the radio LAN transceiver set in a place requiring the radio communication. CONSTITUTION:A means is provided to detect the disconnection/connection state from a wire LAN through a wire LAN transceiver connection detecting circuit 3 and to activate a ratio LAN transceiver 2 of a terminal connected to the wire LAN through a radio LAN when the connection is secured to the wire LAN when the radio LAN is not working. In such constitution, the radio communication is enabled in a necessary place and in a necessary period when the terminal disconnected from the wire LAN is once connected to the wire LAN once more.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication control system in a LAN communication device having both a wireless LAN transceiver and a wired LAN transceiver, and particularly to a wired L transceiver.
The present invention relates to a communication control system for a LAN communication device attached to a mobile computer that can be moved frequently such that disconnection from an AN or connection to a wired LAN frequently occurs.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a communication device having both a wireless communication device and a wired communication device is used by switching to a wired channel such as a public network for backup when the quality of the wireless channel deteriorates. Was the most. In these communication devices, it is necessary to be always connected to the wired channel.

Further, it is the base station that uses the wired LAN in wireless communication, and the functions of the base station and the mobile station are greatly different. A wired LAN is used for the base stations to exchange information about mobile stations.

With reference to the drawings, an example of a communication system in a communication control device having both a wireless device and a wired device using the above-described conventional wired LAN will be described below.

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 7, a bus type LAN 4
04 to which base stations 401 and 402 are connected, and a mobile station 403
Wirelessly communicate with the base stations 401 and 402.

The base station with which the mobile station 403 communicates is determined by allowing each base station to send information regarding the strength of the radio wave reaching each base station to the bus type LAN 404 and to exchange information between the base stations. Control (e.g.
-240027).

[0007]

However, in the above-mentioned method, the base station connected to the wired LAN needs to keep the wireless device operating at all times, and it is necessary to arrange the base stations in consideration of cell overlap. It must be done on a wired LAN.

In addition, a plurality of base stations operate to manage the mobile stations, and thus a large number of control frames exchanged between the base stations are generated on the wired LAN.

In view of the above problems, the present invention is equipped with both a wireless LAN transceiver and a wired LAN transceiver,
Wired LA is used to control the wireless LAN transceiver by using a frame of a format common to wireless LAN / wired LAN.
By performing this on N, the wireless L
By only providing a means for activating the AN transceiver, the function of managing the mobile station can be omitted, and the base station and the mobile station can communicate on an equal footing. In the mobile station, disconnection from the wired LAN, Alternatively, the purpose is to facilitate connection to a wired LAN.

[0010]

In order to solve the above problems, in the wireless / wired LAN communication system of the present invention, a wireless LA
LAN control circuit that can send and receive frames in a format common to N / wired LAN, and wireless LAN transceiver / wired LAN that modulates and demodulates signals of wireless LAN / wired LAN
A transceiver and a wired LAN transceiver connection detection circuit that automatically detects that the wired LAN transceiver is connected to or disconnected from a communication medium, and a wireless LAN transceiver / wired LAN transceiver based on a signal from the wired transceiver connection detection circuit And a LAN control circuit, a transceiver switching circuit for switching the connection between the wired LAN and the LAN control circuit is provided, and means for automatically activating the wireless LAN transceiver when disconnected from the wired LAN is provided. / Has means for activating the wireless LAN transceiver of the wired LAN communication device.

[0011]

According to the present invention, the base station and the mobile station can be realized with the same function by the above-mentioned means, and the mobile station is a wired LAN
It can also act as a base station when connected to.

Further, in order to activate only the wireless LAN transceiver of the base station necessary for the communication of the mobile station, it is not necessary to fix the base station at a position in consideration of cell overlap.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A wireless / wired LAN communication system of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 are block diagrams showing an embodiment of a wireless / wired LAN communication system of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a LAN control circuit, which generates and analyzes a common portion of a frame format handled by each wireless / wired LAN. Reference numeral 2 is a wireless LAN transceiver, and 3 is a wired LAN transceiver, which performs modulation / demodulation of signals for respective communication media. Reference numeral 4 is a wired LAN transceiver connection detection circuit, and 5 is a transceiver switching / multiplexing circuit. The wired LAN transceiver connection detection circuit 4 outputs a connection detection signal 6 output from the wired LAN transceiver 3 and indicating whether or not it is connected to the wired LAN. By detecting and inputting the switching control signal 7 to the transceiver switching / multiplexing circuit 5, the channel from the LAN control circuit 1 is switched to either the wireless LAN transceiver 2 or the wired LAN transceiver 3 and multiplexed as necessary. To be transformed. Further, the switching control signal 7 can be input from the LAN control circuit 1 to the transceiver switching / multiplexing circuit 5. It enables both a wireless LAN transceiver and a wired LAN transceiver to operate at the same time like a base station.

A frame scheduler 101 is a LAN
When a frame is exchanged between the control circuit 1 and the data transmission / reception unit 102, protocol processing in a wireless LAN or a wired LAN and adjustment between respective functional units are performed. Between the frame scheduler 101 and the LAN control circuit 1,
It is possible to exchange not only data but also control signals such as a connection detection signal and a switching control signal. Reference numeral 103 denotes a wireless communication starting unit, which executes an operation for starting wireless communication when the channel is switched from the wired LAN transceiver 3 to the wireless LAN transceiver 2. Reference numeral 104 denotes a wireless communication unit activation control unit, and when the wireless communication start unit 103 cannot start wireless communication, the wired LAN transceiver 3 uses the wired L
When the wireless LAN transceiver is connected to the AN, the wireless communication transceiver activation controllers communicate with each other through another wired LAN transceiver connected to the same wired LAN to activate the wireless LAN transceiver and activate wireless communication.

In FIG. 2, 201 is a wired LAN frame format and 202 is a wireless LAN frame format. The common part of each frame format is handled by the LAN control circuit 1 of FIG. 1, and the other wireless / wired preambles are handled by the wireless LAN transceiver 2 and the wired LAN transceiver 3 of FIG.

An embodiment of the wireless / wired LAN communication system of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6 by using the respective functions shown in FIGS.

First, FIG. 3 shows the wireless / wired LA shown in FIG.
9 illustrates an example in which a terminal equipped with an N communication device is connected to a wired LAN.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 301 denotes a mobile station, 3
02 is a base station. Each is equipped with the wireless / wired LAN communication device shown in FIG. 303 is the mobile station 30
1 is a wired LAN to which the base station 302 is connected, and 3
04 is a wired LAN 3 between the mobile station 301 and the base station 302.
It is a wired frame transmitted and received through 03.

Since the mobile station 301 is connected to the wired LAN 303, the transceiver switching / multiplexing circuit 5 receives the connection detection signal 6 and the LAN control circuit 1 and the wired LAN.
Establish a channel between transceivers 3.

Therefore, the frame 304 from the mobile station 301 is transmitted to the wired LAN 303.

Next, FIG. 4 shows the wired LAN 3 in FIG.
03 is connected to the mobile station 301, the wired LAN 30
3 shows an embodiment in the case of being separated from 3.

Since the mobile station 301 is disconnected from the wired LAN 303, the connection switching signal 6 causes the transceiver switching / multiplexing circuit 5 to connect to the LAN control circuit 1 and the wired L line.
The channel established between the AN transceivers 3 is
The channel is switched between the N control circuit 1 and the wireless LAN transceiver 2.

The frame scheduler 101 is notified by the LAN control circuit 1 that the channel has been switched, and establishes a wireless channel using the wireless communication starting unit 103.

By these processes, the wired LAN is used up to that point.
The frame transmitted to 303 is transmitted wirelessly. At this time, if there is a base station 302 or mobile station 311 that has already activated the wireless LAN transceiver,
The wireless frame 314 transmitted from the mobile station 301 flows to the wired LAN 303 through the base station 302 or is directly exchanged with the mobile station 311.

On the other hand, when none of the terminals has activated the wireless LAN transceiver, the wireless communication starting unit 103
It stores that the wireless channel could not be established until the wireless channel was established or the channel was switched to the wired LAN transceiver next time. At the same time, a message indicating that wireless communication cannot be performed is displayed on the display or the like to the user of the terminal.

Next, FIG. 5 shows an embodiment in the case where there is no terminal responding to the mobile station 301 which has activated the wireless LAN transceiver in FIG.

The radio communication starting unit 103 of the mobile station 301 is
It is stored that the wireless channel has not been established as shown in the embodiment of FIG.

In this state, the mobile station 301 is connected to the wired LAN 30.
3 is connected to the wired LAN transceiver 3, the channel is switched by the connection detection signal 6, and the frame scheduler 101 is notified of the state change through the LAN control circuit 1. However, the wireless communication start unit 103, which stores that the wireless channel has not been established previously, cooperates with the wireless communication unit activation control unit 104 to perform another wireless / wired LAN communication connected to the wired LAN 303. Attempting to activate the device's wireless LAN transceiver.

That is, the radio communication unit activation control unit 104
Is a wired LAN 30 through the wired LAN transceiver 3.
3 transmits a wired frame 304 for requesting activation of the wireless communication unit, and receives a response from the terminal which has already activated the wireless LAN transceiver or can be activated on the wired LAN in the wired frame 304. To do.

The wireless communication starting unit 103 switches the channel from the wired LAN transceiver 3 to the wireless LAN transceiver 2 and starts a wireless frame 314 for starting wireless communication.
Is transmitted to the base station 302 that responded with the wired frame 304. The wireless communication starting unit 103 receives the wireless frame 314 for establishing wireless communication from the base station 302, and starts wireless communication. If the wireless communication cannot be started and there are a plurality of base stations that have responded with the wired frame 304, this operation is repeated until the wireless channel is established.

At this time, the mobile station 301 is connected to the wired LAN 303.
Even if the wired LAN transceiver 3 is deactivated after disconnecting from the wireless LAN transceiver 3, the wireless LAN transceivers 2 of the mobile station 301 and the base station 302 are still in operation, so that communication can be continued.

Next, FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of how to activate the wireless LAN transceiver of the optimum terminal on the wired LAN.

It is assumed that the mobile station 301 connected to the wired LAN 303 by the wired transceiver cable 313 has moved to the position shown in FIG. When the mobile station 301 was on the left side of the obstacle 305, it was able to communicate with the wireless LAN transceiver of the base station 302, but when it moved to the right side of the obstacle 305, the radio waves could not reach, so wireless communication could be performed. Absent.

Therefore, the mobile station 301 is connected to the wired transceiver cable 323 to activate the wireless LAN transceiver of the base station connected to the wired LAN 303 according to the embodiment described with reference to FIG. At this time, wired LAN
Since the wired frame 304 flowing on the 303 is broadcast, responses are returned from a plurality of candidate base stations.

However, as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 5 described above, since the wireless channel is established only after the wireless frame 314 can be exchanged at the same time, the wireless LAN transceiver is already activated as shown in FIG. Even if there is a base station 302 that has been converted, if communication with the mobile station 301 is impossible due to an obstacle 305 or the like, a new wireless communication is performed by exchanging the wireless frame 314 with another base station 312 that responds with a wired frame 304. Activate the wireless LAN transceiver of the station.

[0038] Thus, the mobile station, once connected to the wired LAN to which it has moved, can communicate wirelessly without being affected by the moved position or obstacles.

[0039]

As described above, the present invention detects the state of being disconnected from the wired LAN or being connected to the wired LAN, and when the wireless LAN is connected to the wired LAN when the wireless LAN is not operating, the wired LAN is used. By providing a means for activating a wireless LAN transceiver of another terminal connected to the wired LAN, the terminal separated from the wired LAN is once connected to the wired LAN, so that the wireless communication is performed at a necessary time and at a necessary place. Communication can be enabled.

As a result, the mobile station can be freely moved by a simple operation. Further, since only the wireless LAN transceiver at the place where the wireless communication is required is operated, it is not necessary to arrange the base station on the wired LAN in consideration of the cell or the like in advance.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a device and a function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a frame format of a wired LAN and a wireless LAN in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a terminal having the function of the present invention is connected to a wired LAN in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which a terminal having the function of the present invention is separated from a wired LAN in the same embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing how a terminal having the function of the present invention activates a wireless LAN transceiver of another terminal on a wired LAN in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing how the terminal having the function of the present invention activates another wireless LAN transceiver in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a conventional wireless communication system using a wired LAN.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 LAN control circuit 2 Wireless LAN transceiver 3 Wired LAN transceiver 4 Wired LAN transceiver connection detection circuit 5 Transceiver switching / multiplexing circuit 6 Connection detection signal 7 Switching control signal 101 Frame scheduler 102 Data transmission / reception unit 103 Wireless communication start unit 104 Wireless communication unit Activation control unit 201 Wired LAN frame format 202 Wireless LAN frame format 301, 311 Mobile station 302, 312 Base station 303 Wired LAN 304 Wired frame 314 Wireless frame 305 Obstacle 313, 323 Wired transceiver cable

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A LAN control circuit capable of transmitting and receiving a frame of a format common to a wireless LAN / wired LAN, a wireless LAN transceiver / wired LAN transceiver for modulating / demodulating signals of the wireless LAN / wired LAN, and a wired LAN transceiver for a wired LAN. Wired LAN transceiver connection detection circuit that automatically detects connection or disconnection, and wireless LAN transceiver / wired LAN based on signals from the wired LAN transceiver connection detection circuit
The transceiver includes a transceiver switching circuit that switches the connection between the transceiver and the LAN control circuit. When disconnecting the wired LAN transceiver from the wired LAN or connecting the wired LAN transceiver to the wired LAN, the wireless LAN transceiver and the wired L transceiver are connected.
In a communication method for continuously performing communication by switching AN transceivers, a means for automatically activating a wireless LAN transceiver when disconnected from a wired LAN, and a wireless connected to the wired LAN on the wired LAN. / Wireless / wired LAN communication system characterized by having means for activating a wireless LAN transceiver of a wired LAN communication device. 2. A terminal provided with the structure of claim 1 is a wired L
Once disconnected from the AN, a means for notifying the display of the terminal that wireless communication is not possible and a terminal disconnected from the wired LAN when there is no other party who responds to the radio wave transmitted from the wireless LAN transceiver The wired L according to claim 1, which is connected to a wired LAN.
A wireless / wired LAN communication system comprising means for activating a wireless LAN transceiver of another wireless / wired LAN communication device connected to the AN.