JP3973035B2 - Area identification device, communication system, area identification method and communication method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an area specifying system and an area specifying method for a wireless LAN terminal, and more particularly to an area specifying system and an area specifying method for a wireless LAN terminal having a plurality of directional antennas.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a conventional wireless LAN system, as described in Patent Document 1, a LAN system in which a master station and a plurality of slave stations are connected by a wireless line is known.
[0003]
In addition, as described in Patent Document 2, a wireless device such as a master station includes a control unit having a CPU and a memory, an antenna unit including a plurality of directional antennas, and a wireless transmission / reception circuit unit. Wireless devices are also known.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-65668 (first and second pages, FIG. 1)
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-115041 (page 3, FIG. 1)
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The above-described conventional wireless LAN system has been improved in technology so as to deliver radio waves farther, but the following problems occur due to the radio waves reaching far away.
[0006]
The first problem is that a terminal owned by the user can be seen from an external wireless LAN terminal such as a neighboring company or a house, and communication can be performed. As a result, security is reduced due to intrusion from the outside.
[0007]
The second problem is that a large number of terminals that are not relevant to the user are displayed on the screen of the list of wireless LAN terminals, and it is difficult to find a terminal that the user wants to use. In short, even when it is desired to connect to a terminal in front of the user, it is necessary to search for a desired terminal from terminals existing within a range of several tens of meters. Furthermore, in the case of devices of the same model number, there is a case where they cannot be distinguished on the screen, and there is a problem that it is impossible to know whether or not the terminal is correct unless it is connected.
[0008]
An object of the present invention is to provide an area specifying system and an area specifying method for a wireless LAN terminal capable of preventing such a decrease in security and easily searching for a terminal to be connected and a terminal to be used.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The area specifying apparatus according to the present invention stores at least two directional antennas and a wireless LAN terminal existing in the communicable area area as a communicable area area in which the radio wave coverage of these directional antennas overlaps. And when the other wireless LAN terminal is stored in the storage means when the wireless LAN terminal stored in the storage means receives the control signal from the other wireless LAN terminal. The means for enabling reception communication and the same storage means as the storage means for storing the wireless LAN terminal that is turned on among wireless LAN terminals that can communicate with the wireless LAN terminal when the wireless LAN terminal is turned on Means for extracting a wireless LAN terminal stored in the network .
[0010]
According to the communication method of the present invention, a range in which radio wave arrival ranges of at least two directional antennas overlap each other is defined as a first communicable range area, and wireless LAN terminals existing in the first communicable range area are stored in a first memory. The step of storing in the means and an area that is different from the first communicable area and that overlaps the radio wave coverage of at least two directional antennas is defined as the second communicable area, The step of storing the wireless LAN terminals existing in the communicable range area in the second storage means, and only communication between the wireless LAN terminals stored in the first storage means and the second storage means is possible. Or a communication step that enables communication between the wireless LAN terminal stored in the first storage means and the wireless LAN terminal stored in the second storage means Characterized in that it has a form of a communication step classes.
[0011]
According to the communication method of the present invention, a range in which radio wave arrival ranges of at least two directional antennas overlap each other is defined as a first communicable range area, and wireless LAN terminals existing in the first communicable range area are stored in a first memory. Storing in the means, and an area including the first communicable range area, where a radio wave reachable range of at least two directional antennas overlaps is defined as a second communicable range area. Storing the wireless LAN terminal existing in the communicable range area in the second storage means, and the communication step enabling only communication between the wireless LAN terminals stored in the first storage means or the first Two types of communication steps of communication steps enabling communication between the wireless LAN terminal stored in the storage means and the wireless LAN terminal stored in the second storage means Characterized in that it has.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an area specifying system for specifying a physical location of each wireless LAN terminal existing inside the network using an area specifying device in a network constructed by wireless LAN terminals. It is. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0013]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a wireless LAN terminal area specifying system for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the area specifying system in the present embodiment includes an area specifying device 200 and a plurality of wireless LAN terminals 100, 110, and 120. A plurality of wireless LAN terminals 100, 110, and 120 form a single network. In this network, the position of the wireless LAN terminal 100 is fixed or movable, and is fixed or movable. It is specified by the area specifying device 200.
[0014]
First, the wireless LAN terminal 100 includes a computer 101 that operates under program control, an input device 102 through which a user inputs information, a display device 103 that displays information to the user, and a storage device 104 that stores information processed by the CPU 101. And a wireless LAN communication device 105 that performs wireless communication, and an omnidirectional antenna 106 that transmits a signal from the wireless LAN communication device 105 and receives a signal from another wireless LAN terminal. The wireless LAN terminals 110 and 120 are also configured by the same device as the wireless LAN terminal 100 described above.
[0015]
On the other hand, the area specifying device 200 includes a computer 201 that operates under program control, a storage device 202 that stores information processed by the CPU 201, a wireless LAN communication device 203 that performs wireless communication, and a wireless LAN communication device 203. And two directional antennas 204 and 205 for receiving signals from other wireless LAN terminals. These directional antennas 204 and 205 are set with communicable ranges 210 and 211, respectively. Note that the directional antenna 205 is disposed outside the area specifying device 200 for convenience, but may be connected to the wireless LAN communication device 203 of the area specifying device 200 wirelessly.
[0016]
Usually, the directivity antennas 204 and 205 have radio wave transmission / reception ranges 210 and 211 limited only to the front of the antenna, and therefore when the two directivity antennas 204 and 205 are arranged to face each other, 2 Between the two antennas 204 and 205, there is an area where radio waves can be transmitted and received with both antennas. For this reason, when a certain wireless LAN terminal (for example, 100) transmits radio waves and both the directional antenna 204 and the directional antenna 205 can receive the radio waves, the wireless LAN terminal that emits the radio waves is directional. It can be seen that the antenna is between the directional antenna 204 and the directional antenna 205.
[0017]
Therefore, in the present embodiment, by using the area specifying device 200 and specifying the location where the wireless LAN terminal 100 exists, access from a wireless LAN terminal outside the specific area is denied, or the wireless LAN terminal is given to the user. When displaying the list, it is possible to devise such as displaying only terminals in a specific area.
[0018]
For example, as described above, the directional antenna 204 has the communicable range 210, and the directional antenna 205 similarly has the communicable range 211, and these two communicable ranges overlap. That is, the communicable range 210 has a conical shape to the right of the directional antenna 204 and covers the wireless LAN terminals 100, 110, and 120. The communicable range 211 extends in a conical shape to the left side of the directional antenna 205 and covers the wireless LAN terminals 100 and 110.
[0019]
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of identification when identification values are given to the wireless LAN terminal and the communicable range in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, wireless LAN devices such as the wireless LAN terminal 120 have device identification values for identifying each. For example, the device identification value of the wireless LAN terminal 100 is 100, the device identification value of the wireless LAN terminal 110 is 110, and the device identification value of the wireless LAN terminal 120 is 120. For these device identification values, values unique to the device such as a media access control (MAC) address are used. The area specifying device 200 has an area identification value 200, and the value is also a value unique to the area specifying device such as a MAC address.
[0020]
FIG. 3 is a basic process flow diagram of the area specifying device in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, in specifying the area of the wireless LAN terminal 100 using the area specifying device 200, the wireless LAN terminal 100 first transmits a signal using the wireless LAN communication device 105 and the omnidirectional antenna 106 (steps). A1).
[0021]
On the other hand, the area specifying device 200 receives a signal from the terminal 100 using the directional antenna 204 and the wireless LAN communication device 203, and stores the received signal in the storage device 202 together with the reception time (step A2). Similarly, the area identification device 200 receives a signal using the directional antenna 205 and the wireless LAN communication device 203, and stores the signal in the storage device 202 together with the reception time (step A3).
[0022]
Next, in the area specifying device 200, the signal received by the directional antenna 204 and the reception time are compared with the signal received by the directional antenna 205 and the reception time. It can be seen that the terminal 100 exists in the area of the area identification value 200 (step A4). Here, when it is found that the above-described wireless LAN terminal 100 is in the area, the device identification value 100 of the signal transmission source is stored in the in-area device list provided in the storage device 202 (step A5). ). This intra-area device list stores the apparatus identification values of all apparatus terminals identified as existing in the current area.
[0023]
In the above-described area specifying system, the wireless LAN terminal 100 can inquire of the area specifying apparatus 200 about the area where the specific apparatus exists. That is, if the received signal is an inquiry about area information (step A6), the area specifying apparatus 200 determines whether the apparatus identification value 100 of the designated wireless LAN terminal 100 is included in the in-area apparatus list. If it is included, the area identification value 200 is returned to the wireless LAN terminal 100 (step A7). As a result, the wireless LAN terminal 100 receives the area identification value 200 from the area specifying device 200 (step A8).
[0024]
Further, when it is determined that the signal received in step A4 is out of the area, the device identification value 100 of the wireless LAN terminal 100 that transmitted the signal is searched from the in-area device list in the storage device 202, and If it exists, it is deleted from the intra-area device list (step A9). At this time, for example, when a signal is issued from the wireless LAN terminal 120, NO is determined in step A4, and the process of step A9, that is, the flow is performed.
[0025]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of rejection processing when communication from outside the area occurs in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, in the process of rejecting communication from outside the area, first, the wireless LAN terminal 100 inquires in which area the wireless LAN terminal 100 is present (step B2) when the power is turned on (step B1). In response to this, the area identification device 200 receives the inquiry (step B3) and transmits the area identification value of the area identification device 200 (step B4). Thereafter, the wireless LAN terminal 100 receives the area identification value (step B5). The processing of these steps B2 to B5 has the same contents as the steps A1 to A9 in the flow of FIG. 3 described above.
[0026]
Here, it is assumed that the wireless LAN terminal 110 transmits a control signal (step B6) to control the wireless LAN terminal 100. As a result, the wireless LAN terminal 100 that has received this control signal receives the control signal from the wireless LAN terminal 110 (step B7).
[0027]
Next, the wireless LAN terminal 100 inquires of the area specifying device 200 about the area where the wireless LAN terminal 110 that is the transmission source of the received control signal exists (step B8). When the area specifying device 200 receives the inquiry from the wireless LAN terminal 100 (step B9), the area specifying device 200 checks the wireless LAN terminal 100 for the existing area of the wireless LAN terminal 110, and the area identification value 200. Is returned (step B10). Thereby, the wireless LAN terminal 100 receives the signal from the area identification device 200 (step B11). The processes in steps B8 to B11 are the same as those in steps A1 to A9 in the flow of FIG. 3 described above.
[0028]
Further, the wireless LAN terminal 100 determines whether or not the presence area of the wireless LAN terminal 110 is the same as its own existence area (step B12), and if it is the same, the control received in step B6 described above. The signal is accepted (step B13). In step B12, if the wireless LAN terminal 110 is located in a different area, the process ends without doing anything. That is, in the case of a control signal from the wireless LAN terminal 120, the flow of NO is made in step B12, and the control process is terminated without performing the process in step B13.
[0029]
The above is the rejection processing flow when communication from outside the area occurs. Next, automatic connection of the in-area devices will be described.
[0030]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of automatic connection processing of the in-zone device in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, upon automatic connection from a terminal in the same area, the wireless LAN terminal 100 acquires its own area from the area specifying device 200 (step C2) when the power is turned on (step C1). Steps C1 to C2 are the same as steps B1 to B5 in FIG. 4 described above.
[0031]
Next, the wireless LAN terminal 100 searches for nearby wireless LAN terminals (step C3). For all the found wireless LAN terminals, the existing area is acquired by the area specifying device 200, and only the terminals in the same area as the self are extracted. At this time, if the service provided by each terminal can be acquired, the service is acquired, and only the terminal providing the service to be used is extracted (step C4).
[0032]
Further, as a result of extracting the terminals in the same area, it is determined whether or not there is only one terminal in the same area (step C5). To the terminal (step C6). However, if the number of remaining terminals is not only one in step C5, that is, if there are zero or more terminals, step C6 is not performed and the automatic connection process is terminated.
[0033]
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an area specifying device for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, this embodiment is an example in which four directional antennas are provided in the area specifying device, and the directional antenna 206 and the area specifying device 200 in the first embodiment of FIG. A directional antenna 207 is added. In addition, when narrowing a transmission / reception possible area etc., the structure using three or more directional antennas is also considered.
[0034]
FIG. 7 is a terminal list display screen diagram for distinguishing terminals existing in a range where radio waves reach in the area specifying device for explaining the third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the present embodiment is a screen that displays a list of terminals that exist in a radio wave reach range using the area specifying device 200 in the wireless LAN terminal 100. This terminal list 300 is displayed on the wireless LAN terminal 100 by using the area specifying device 200 and separating the inside and outside of the area. That is, as the terminals in the area, there are a first television, a first mobile phone, a printer, and a PDA, and their model numbers are XXX or XXX. Terminals outside the area include the second television and the second and third mobile phones, and the model numbers are XXX and XXX, respectively. In this way, terminals may be displayed for each area, and terminals in the same area may be highlighted.
[0035]
FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a wireless LAN terminal area specifying system for explaining a fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, the present embodiment is a case where a plurality of area specifying devices 200 and 210 exist. That is, in addition to the first wireless LAN system configured by the wireless LAN terminals 100 and 110, the area specifying device 200, and the directional antennas 204 and 205, the wireless LAN terminals 120, 130, and 140, and the area specifying device There is a second wireless LAN system composed of 210 and directional antennas 214 and 215. Here, the communicable range of the area specifying device 200 has a value of area identification value 200, and the wireless LAN terminals 100 and 110 exist in this area. Similarly, the communicable range of the area identification device 210 has a value of area identification value 210, and wireless LAN terminals 120, 130, and 140 exist in this area. However, the wireless LAN terminal 150 does not belong to any area.
[0036]
For example, when the wireless LAN terminal 100 wants to communicate only with a wireless LAN terminal in the same area as itself, the area identification value of the communication partner is acquired, and if the area identification value is 200, communication is performed. In this example, communication with only the wireless LAN terminal 110 is possible.
[0037]
When it is desired to communicate with the wireless LAN terminals in both the area 200 and the area 210, the area identification devices 200 and 210 are inquired about the area identification value of the communication partner. In this case, communication with the wireless LAN terminals 110, 120, 130, and 140 becomes possible. In the present embodiment, communication can usually be performed only in one conference room, and in some cases, communication can be performed across two conference rooms.
[0038]
FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of an area identification system for a wireless LAN terminal for explaining a fifth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 9, the present embodiment is a case where a plurality of area specifying devices 200 and 210 overlap. While the example of FIG. 8 described above is adjacent to two areas, FIG. 9 is a case where one area includes another area.
[0039]
For example, such a configuration can be used when communication is desired only in a conference room and when communication is desired only in a conference room and for each table.
[0040]
FIG. 10 is a list display screen diagram of terminals existing in a range where radio waves reach when a plurality of area specifying devices are used in FIG. As shown in FIG. 10, in this embodiment, a plurality of area specifying devices 200 and 210 are used, and a terminal to be managed is determined for each area specifying device 200 and 210. Here, a screen for displaying a map 301 of terminals existing in a range where radio waves reach is shown. For example, the terminal map 301 uses a plurality of area specifying devices 200 and 210 and is controlled for each of the area specifying devices 200 and 210. This is a map of the devices to be used.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the wireless LAN terminal area specifying system according to the present invention uses the area specifying device having a plurality of directional antennas to specify the area of the wireless LAN terminal that is transmitting radio waves, thereby There is an effect that the area where the transmitting wireless LAN terminal exists can be specified.
[0042]
In addition, the present invention can ignore or reject a signal from a wireless LAN terminal existing in a specific area, so that the security of the wireless LAN terminal can be improved.
[0043]
Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the area specifying device can identify a terminal existing in the same area as the terminal operated by the user, there is an effect that the selection operation of the existing wireless LAN terminal can be simplified. In other words, if all the wireless LAN terminals within the wireless reachable range are made connectable, the user can select from a list of terminals displayed in large numbers even though he wants to connect to the terminal in front of him. Although it is necessary to search for a terminal, the present invention eliminates that need.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an area identification system for a wireless LAN terminal for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of identification when identification values are given to the wireless LAN terminal and the communicable range in FIG. 1, respectively.
FIG. 3 is a basic process flow diagram of the area specifying device in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of rejection processing when communication from outside the area occurs in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of automatic connection processing of the in-zone device in FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of an area specifying device for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a terminal list display screen diagram for distinguishing terminals existing in a range where radio waves reach in an area identification device for explaining a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of an area specifying system for a wireless LAN terminal for explaining a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a wireless LAN terminal area specifying system for explaining a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a list display screen diagram of terminals existing in a range where radio waves reach when a plurality of area specifying devices are used in FIG. 8;
[Explanation of symbols]
100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150 Wireless LAN terminals 101, 201 CPU
102 Input Device 103 Display Device 104, 202 Storage Device 105, 203 Wireless LAN Communication Device 106 Omnidirectional Antenna 200, 210 Area Identification Device 204, 205, 206, 207, 214, 215 Directional Antenna 300 Terminal List 301 Terminal Map

Claims (6)

  At least two directional antennas;
  A storage means for storing a wireless LAN terminal existing in the communicable range area as a communicable range area in which the radio wave coverage of these directional antennas overlaps;
  When the wireless LAN terminal stored in the storage means receives a control signal from another wireless LAN terminal, if the other wireless LAN terminal is stored in the storage means, the control signal is accepted and communication is possible. And means to
  Of the wireless LAN terminals that can communicate with the wireless LAN terminal when the wireless LAN terminal is turned on, a wireless LAN terminal stored in the same storage means as the storage means in which the powered-on wireless LAN terminal is stored Means to extract and
An area specifying device characterized by comprising:   At least two directional antennas and a range in which radio wave arrival ranges of these directional antennas overlap are defined as a communicable range area, a storage unit that stores wireless LAN terminals existing in the communicable range area, and the storage unit Means for enabling communication when the stored wireless LAN terminal receives a control signal from another wireless LAN terminal and accepts the control signal when the other wireless LAN terminal is stored in the storage means; Have multiple area identification devices consisting of
  When the coverage areas managed by each area identification device exist in a state where they do not overlap,
  When only communication between the wireless LAN terminals stored in the storage means of each area specifying device is possible, and the storage of the wireless LAN terminal and other area specifying devices stored in the storage means of one area specifying device A communication system having two types of communication modes for enabling communication with a wireless LAN terminal stored in the means.   At least two directional antennas and a range in which radio wave arrival ranges of these directional antennas overlap are defined as a communicable range area, a storage unit that stores wireless LAN terminals existing in the communicable range area, and the storage unit Means for enabling communication when the stored wireless LAN terminal receives a control signal from another wireless LAN terminal and accepts the control signal when the other wireless LAN terminal is stored in the storage means; Have multiple area identification devices consisting of
  When the coverage area managed by one area identification device includes the coverage area managed by another area identification device,
  When only communication between wireless LAN terminals stored in the storage means of the other area specifying device is possible, and communication between wireless LAN terminals stored in the storage means of the one area specifying device A communication system characterized by having two types of communication modes when all of them are possible.   A range in which radio wave arrival ranges of at least two directional antennas overlap each other is defined as a communicable range area, and a wireless LAN terminal existing in the communicable range area is stored in a storage unit;
  When the stored wireless LAN terminal receives a control signal from another wireless LAN terminal, the step of accepting the control signal and enabling communication when the other wireless LAN terminal is stored in the storage means When,
  Of the wireless LAN terminals that can communicate with the wireless LAN terminal when the wireless LAN terminal is turned on, a wireless LAN terminal stored in the same storage means as the storage means in which the powered-on wireless LAN terminal is stored Step to extract and
An area specifying method characterized by comprising: A range in which radio wave reachable ranges of at least two directional antennas overlap each other is set as a first communicable range area, and a wireless LAN terminal existing in the first communicable range area is stored in the first storage unit;
An area that is different from the first communicable area and that overlaps the radio wave coverage of at least two directional antennas is defined as a second communicable area, and exists in the second communicable area Storing the wireless LAN terminal to be stored in the second storage means;
A communication step that enables communication only between wireless LAN terminals stored in the first storage means and the second storage means, respectively, or the wireless LAN terminal stored in the first storage means and the second storage means A communication method characterized by having two types of communication steps, communication steps enabling communication with a wireless LAN terminal stored in a storage means. A range in which radio wave reachable ranges of at least two directional antennas overlap each other is set as a first communicable range area, and a wireless LAN terminal existing in the first communicable range area is stored in the first storage unit;
An area that includes the first communicable range area, and a range in which the radio wave coverage of at least two directional antennas overlaps is defined as a second communicable range area, and exists within the second communicable range area Storing the wireless LAN terminal to be stored in the second storage means;
A communication step that enables communication only between the wireless LAN terminals stored in the first storage means or the wireless LAN terminal stored in the first storage means and the second storage means A communication method comprising two types of communication steps, communication steps enabling communication with a wireless LAN terminal.

Images