KR20070049817A - Method of auto-handover between different networks according to priority - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is an automatic handover method between network networks according to a priority of a terminal having interfaces for a plurality of network networks. The method is an automatic handover method between heterogeneous network networks according to a priority of a terminal having interfaces for a plurality of network networks, wherein the network networks each have a unique reference value and a lower limit value. A signal strength measuring step of periodically measuring signal strengths of a network network having a higher priority than the network network being connected and the network currently connected; And a handover step of performing a handover to a next priority network when the signal strength of the currently connected network is less than or equal to the reference value of the currently connected network and at the same time more than the reference value of the next priority network. If the signal strength measured in the handover step is less than the reference value of the network of the next priority, and if more than the lower limit of the currently connected network is characterized in that the connection with the currently connected network. Through this, the terminal can selectively hand over to an appropriate network network according to the network situation.

Description

Method of auto-handover between different networks according to priority}

FIG. 1 is a diagram according to the related art for manually selecting an interface when the terminal 120 moves from the WPAN area 100 to the WLAN area 110.

2 is a block diagram of a terminal 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart of an automatic handover method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a diagram illustrating automatic interface selection when the terminal 420 moves from the WPAN area 400 to the WLAN area 410.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

200: mobile terminal or computer terminal

201: LAN interface

202: WLAN interface

203: WPAN Interface

204: WMAN interface

205: signal strength measurement unit

206: processor

The present invention relates to an automatic handover method between network networks, and more particularly, to a method for selectively handing over to an appropriate network network according to a network situation in a terminal having a LAN interface, a WLAN interface, a WPAN interface, and a WMAN interface.

FIG. 1 is a diagram according to the related art for manually selecting an interface when the terminal 120 moves from the WPAN area 100 to the WLAN area 110.

Referring to FIG. 1, the terminal 120 has both a WPAN interface 120a and a WLAN interface 120b. In the WPAN area 100, an access point (AP) 1 (101) and a WLAN area ( In the 110, access points 2 (111) are connected to each other.

That is, when the terminal 120 moves, the user activates the WPAN interface 120a in the WPAN area 100, and activates the WLAN interface 120b in the WLAN area 110 to access the AP. By connecting, communication was possible.

However, according to this prior art, when moving from a currently connected network to another network or when the terminal 120 belongs to multiple networks, the user may select appropriate interfaces 120a or 120b for communication. There was a problem that you must manually select).

In addition, this manual selection not only hassle for the user, but also has a problem that there is no criterion for determining whether it is appropriate for communication in the current state.

The present invention was created to solve the above problems, and by measuring the signal strength of the network periodically and giving priority to the network, LAN interface, WLAN interface, WPAN interface, and WMAN interface It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for automatically handing over to an appropriate network according to a network situation in a mobile terminal having a terminal.

In order to achieve the above object, a handover method according to the present invention is an automatic handover method between heterogeneous network networks according to a priority of a terminal having interfaces for a plurality of network networks, each of which has unique reference values. And a lower limit value, wherein the handover method comprises: a signal strength measuring step of periodically measuring signal strengths of a currently connected network and a network network having a higher priority than a currently connected network; And a handover step of performing a handover to a next priority network when the signal strength of the currently connected network is less than or equal to the reference value of the currently connected network and at the same time more than the reference value of the next priority network. It is done.

Preferably, when the signal strength measured in the handover step is less than the reference value of the network of the next priority, and if more than the lower limit of the currently connected network network, the connection with the currently connected network network is maintained. It is done.

Preferably, the priorities of the network networks are in the order of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN), and Wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN). It is done.

Preferably, the handover method further comprises, if the terminal is connected to a local area network (LAN) cable, handover to the LAN network despite the priority.

Preferably, the handover method further comprises the step of handing over to a network having a higher priority when the signal strength of the network network having a higher priority than the currently connected network is higher than a reference value.

Preferably, the reference value and the lower limit are 30% and 10% of the maximum signal strength of the network.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an automatic handover method between network networks according to priorities according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In adding reference numerals to the components of the drawings, it should be noted that the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible even if they are shown in different drawings. In addition, in the following description, many specific details are shown, such as components of a specific circuit, which are provided to help a more general understanding of the present invention, and the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. It is self-evident to those of ordinary knowledge in Esau. In describing the present invention, when it is determined that detailed descriptions of related known functions or configurations may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

2 is a block diagram of a terminal 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention, a LAN interface 201, a WLAN interface 202, a WPAN interface 203, a WMAN interface 204, and a signal strength measurement unit 205. , And a processor 206.

Referring to FIG. 2, the interfaces 201 to 204 are means for interfacing the terminal 200 with the corresponding network according to the specification of the corresponding network, and the signal strength measuring unit 205 is provided with the command of the processor 206. Therefore, periodically measuring the strength of the signal received from the networks. Reference numeral 207 denotes a wireless antenna, which transmits data to or receives data from the outside.

In the meantime, the processor 206 periodically measures the signal strength of the currently connected network and the network network having a higher priority than the currently connected network, and the signal strength of the currently connected network is currently connected. When the control signal is less than the reference value of the network and at the same time the reference value of the network of the next priority is controlled to handover to the network of the next priority, while the measured signal strength is less than the reference of the next priority network. If more than the lower limit of the currently connected network, the respective sections are controlled to maintain the connection with the currently connected network. In addition, when the terminal is connected to a local area network (LAN) cable, the processor 206 hands over to the LAN network despite the priority, and the signal strength of the network network having a higher priority than the currently connected network network is increased. If the value is higher than the reference value, the control is performed to handover to a network with high priority.

3 is a flowchart of an automatic handover method according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating automatic interface selection when the terminal 420 moves from the WPAN area 400 to the WLAN area 410. . Hereinafter, a handover method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3.

As a premise, the present invention has four network networks as an example, in the order of Local Area Network (LAN), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN), and Wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN). It is assumed that priority is given, and the priority can be changed according to a user's selection.

Also, even when connected to another network, handover to the LAN network is performed when the LAN cable is connected.If the signal strength of other network networks is insufficient, the terminal is finally connected to the WMAN network. It should be noted that the description is based on the handover of.

The connection / disconnection with the LAN occurs in the process of detaching the LAN cable, and in steps S300 and S301, when an event in which the LAN cable is connected occurs, the terminal 200 connects to the LAN using the LAN interface 201. .

Preferably, since the LAN network is given the highest priority, the LAN cable is connected to the LAN network in spite of the other network even if the LAN cable is connected even when communicating through another network. Therefore, hereinafter, description will be made mainly on the case of accessing the priority under the LAN network.

When the LAN cable is removed in step S302, the signal strength measuring unit 205 of the terminal 200 first measures the signal strength of the WLAN network in step S303. If the measured signal strength of the WLAN network is greater than or equal to the reference value of the WLAN network (S304), in step S305, if the measured signal strength is less than or equal to the WLAN reference value, the signal strength of the WPAN is measured (S306). If it is equal to or greater than the WPAN reference value (S307), it connects to the WPAN network (S308).

Since the signal strength of the WLAN network may be reduced depending on the situation even when the WLAN network is connected in step S305, the signal strength of the WLAN network is periodically measured (S303) and compared with the reference value of the WLAN network (S304). Preferably, since there may be a case where the signal strength is a threshold value of the reference value or the lower limit, the signal strength for handover is preferably obtained by averaging at least three measured values. If the measured signal strength of the WLAN is below the WLAN reference value (S304) and below the WPAN reference value (S307), but above the lower limit of the WLAN (S309), the WLAN connection is maintained (S305).

On the other hand, even when the WPAN network is connected in step S308, the signal strength of the WPAN network is also periodically measured (S306), and it is checked whether or not it falls below the WPAN reference value (S307). The measurement is preferably obtained by averaging at least three measurements as described above.

If the signal strength of the WPAN network falls below the reference value of the WPAN network (S307) and is less than the lower limit of the WLAN network of the higher priority measured periodically (S309), the terminal finally accesses the WMAN network (S310). Even when the WMAN network is connected, signal strengths of the WLAN network and the WPAN network having higher priority than the WMAN network are periodically measured, and when signal strengths higher than the reference value of the corresponding network are measured, the connection is made to the corresponding network.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains may make various changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. It will be appreciated that modifications or variations may be made. Therefore, changes in the future embodiments of the present invention will not be able to escape the technology of the present invention.

As described above, by periodically measuring the signal strength of the network networks, and by prioritizing the network networks, a terminal having a LAN interface, a WLAN interface, a WPAN interface, and a WMAN interface is suitable for the network conditions. Handover can be done automatically.

Claims (6)

In an automatic handover method between heterogeneous network networks according to a priority of a terminal having interfaces for a plurality of network networks, each of the network networks has a unique reference value and a lower limit value. A signal strength measuring step of periodically measuring signal strengths of a network network currently connected and a network network having a higher priority than the network network currently connected; And And a handover step of handing over to a next priority network when the signal strength of the currently connected network is less than the reference value of the currently connected network and at the same time more than the reference value of the next priority network. Handover method. The method of claim 1, wherein in the handover step The measured signal strength is less than the reference value of the network of the next priority, and if more than the lower limit of the currently connected network network handover method characterized in that the connection with the currently connected network network is maintained. The method of claim 1, wherein the priority of the network networks is Handover method characterized in that the order of priority, in the order of the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN), and Wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN). The method of claim 1, wherein the handover method is If the terminal is connected to a local area network (LAN) cable, handover to the LAN network despite the priority; handover method further comprising. The method of claim 1, wherein the handover method is And handing over to a network having a higher priority when the signal strength of the network having a higher priority than the currently connected network is higher than a reference value. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference value and the lower limit Handover method, characterized in that 30% and 10% of the maximum signal strength of the network.

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