JP4538288B2 - Wireless communication system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a wireless communication system in which a base station device and a terminal device communicate wirelessly, and in particular, when a terminal device switches between voice communication and data communication and executes it, after switching the channel used before switching. The present invention relates to a wireless communication system that reserves a usable channel by making a reservation for use.

  For example, in a wireless communication system that operates by determining whether voice communication or data communication is performed when a base station device and a terminal device are connected to each other, when switching between voice communication and data communication is executed, Disconnect and reconnect.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the operation of communication between the base station apparatus and the terminal apparatus in such a wireless communication system.
In the example of FIG. 4, the terminal apparatus transmits a connection request signal designating voice communication to the base station apparatus, and the base station apparatus performs channel assignment and line connection (process T11). After the line connection, the terminal device and the base station device transmit and receive audio signals.
When switching from voice communication to data communication is activated in the terminal device (process T12), the terminal device transmits a disconnection request signal to the base station device, and the base station device that has received the signal performs channel release and line release. (Process T13). After the communication disconnection, the terminal apparatus transmits a connection request signal designating data communication to the base station apparatus, and the base station apparatus performs channel assignment and line connection (process T14). Thereby, a terminal device and a base station apparatus perform transmission / reception of a data signal.

ARIB STD-T79, "Municipal digital mobile communication system", Japan Radio Industry Association

  However, in the communication procedure as shown in FIG. 4, for example, when another communication request occurs between the time when the terminal device transmits a disconnection request signal and the time when the next connection request signal is transmitted, The channel used for the other communication may be assigned to another communication, and as a result, all the channels may be in use and the communication after switching cannot be performed. There was a bug.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems, and in a configuration in which a base station apparatus and a terminal apparatus communicate wirelessly, the terminal apparatus performs switching between voice communication and data communication. In doing so, an object of the present invention is to provide a wireless communication system capable of securing a usable channel by reserving a channel used before switching for use after switching.

In order to achieve the above object, in the wireless communication system according to the present invention, when the base station apparatus and the terminal apparatus communicate wirelessly, the following processing is performed.
That is, in the terminal device, the terminal communication mode switching instruction unit instructs to switch between the voice communication mode for executing voice communication and the data communication mode for executing data communication. The terminal voice communication means wirelessly communicates voice signals with the base station apparatus using the channel assigned by the base station apparatus in a state where the voice communication mode is set. The terminal data communication means wirelessly communicates data signals with the base station apparatus using the channel allocated by the base station apparatus in a state where the data communication mode is set. The terminal communication mode switching control means is instructed to switch to the other communication mode by the terminal communication mode switching instruction means in a state where one of the voice communication mode or the data communication mode is set. In this case, a signal for reserving a channel used in communication in the one communication mode is wirelessly transmitted to the base station apparatus, and the communication is switched to communication in the other communication mode.

  In the base station apparatus, a base station channel allocation unit allocates a channel to the terminal apparatus that is a communication partner. Base station voice communication means wirelessly transmits voice signals to and from the terminal apparatus set with the voice communication mode using the channel assigned to the terminal apparatus by the base station channel assignment means. connect. A base station data communication unit wirelessly transmits a data signal to and from the terminal device in which the data communication mode is set using a channel allocated to the terminal device by the base station channel allocation unit. connect. A base station channel reservation signal receiving means receives a signal for reserving the channel transmitted from the terminal apparatus. When the base station communication mode switching control means receives a signal for reserving the channel from the terminal apparatus by the base station channel reservation signal receiving means, the terminal apparatus performs communication in the one communication mode. When a channel being used is secured and the terminal device starts communication in the other communication mode, the reserved channel is allocated to the terminal device by the base station channel assignment means.

  Therefore, in the terminal device, when switching to the data communication mode during communication in the voice communication mode or when switching to the voice communication mode during communication in the data communication mode, the terminal device reserves the channel used before switching. When the base station device receives a signal for reserving the channel, the channel used before the switching is released and freed. For example, when the terminal device starts the communication after switching, the channel is allocated to the terminal device when the terminal device starts communication after switching. Channels that can be used by switching to data communication and reserving the channels used before switching for use after switching It can be ensured.

Here, various modes may be used as a mode for instructing switching between the voice communication mode and the data communication mode. For example, a mode in which a switching instruction is input by an operation by a person (user), for example. Alternatively, a mode may be used in which switching is instructed (automatically) when a preset condition is satisfied.
In addition to the voice communication mode and the data communication mode, other modes may be used.
In addition, as the mode switching, for example, a mode in which a specific mode is designated and switched may be used, or a mode in which a plurality of modes are switched in a predetermined order by a switching instruction is used. May be.

Various channels may be used as the channel. For example, a plurality of channels constituted by a plurality of slots provided in a time division manner may be used.
Various signals may be used as the audio signal and the data signal, respectively.
In addition, the configuration in which the terminal device reserves a channel for the base station device is, for example, only when switching from the voice communication mode to the data communication mode and when switching from the data communication mode to the voice communication mode. It may be applied, or it may be applied in both cases.
Various signals may be used as a signal for reserving a channel. For example, the signal may be included in a signal for requesting disconnection of communication.

In addition, as a mode of assigning channels to terminal devices that are communication partners in the base station device, for example, different channels are assigned from among available channels to one or more terminal devices that are communication partners. Such an embodiment can be used.
In addition, as a process of switching from one communication mode to the other communication mode by the terminal device, for example, communication with one base station device is disconnected by a disconnection request, and communication with the other communication mode is performed. In order to start the connection, processing such as connection (reconnection) by a connection request can be used.

  In addition, various modes may be used as a mode in which a channel reserved for a certain terminal device by the base station device is allocated to the terminal device. For example, information for identifying the terminal device by the base station device, Use a mode in which information for specifying the channel is stored and assigned, or a mode in which the terminal device stores information for specifying the channel and notifies the base station device to request the allocation of the channel. Can do.

As one configuration example, the terminal device is provided in an emergency vehicle, and transmits or receives a voice signal or a data signal related to the emergency vehicle.
Therefore, when urgent information is communicated by an emergency vehicle by voice signal or data signal, a channel is reserved and secured when switching between the voice communication mode and the data communication mode. It can be ensured that communication is performed reliably.
Here, various types of emergency vehicles may be used. For example, an ambulance or a fire engine can be used.

  As described above, according to the wireless communication system according to the present invention, the terminal device instructs to switch to the other communication mode in a state where one of the voice communication mode and the data communication mode is set. If so, a signal for reserving a channel used in communication in the one communication mode is wirelessly transmitted to the base station apparatus, and the base station apparatus is switched to communication in the other communication mode. Then, when a signal for reserving the channel is received from the terminal device, the terminal device secures a channel used in communication in the one communication mode, and the terminal device When starting communication in the communication mode, the terminal device assigns the reserved channel to the terminal device. In run by switching signal and data communication, to reserve for the use of channel used before switching to after switching, it is possible to secure the available channels.

An embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a municipal digital mobile communication system used as a disaster prevention radio system as a radio communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The wireless communication system of this example includes a base station device 1, a control device 2, and a plurality of terminal devices 11, 12, and 13.
Here, the control device 2 is a device that controls the base station device 1.
The terminal device 11 is mounted on an ambulance, the terminal device 12 is mounted on a fire engine, the terminal device 3 is carried by a person, and a mobile station that can move any of the terminal devices 11 to 13. Used as a device.
Note that various numbers may be used as the number of base station apparatuses 1 and the number of terminal apparatuses 11 to 13, respectively.

In this example, voice signals and data signals are communicated wirelessly between the base station device 1 and the terminal devices 11 to 13 accommodated in the communication area (service area) of the base station device 1.
In the terminal devices 11 to 13, when issuing a communication connection request to the base station device 1, it is specified whether to request a voice signal communication (voice communication) or a data signal communication (data communication) To do. In the base station apparatus 1, in order to execute communication (voice communication or data communication) specified by the connection request received from the terminal apparatuses 11 to 13, an available channel is allocated to the terminal apparatuses 11 to 13 .

FIG. 2 shows an example of a physical channel slot arrangement for communication (downlink communication) from the base station apparatus 1 to the terminal apparatuses 11 to 13 and communication (uplink communication) from the terminal apparatuses 11 to 13 to the base station apparatus 1. Is shown.
In downlink communication and uplink communication, four physical channel slots CH1, CH2, CH3, and CH4 are arranged in a time-sharing manner. In downlink communication and uplink communication, the arrangement of slots is shifted by a time corresponding to two slots. ing.
As described above, in this example, a plurality of channels are configured by the time division communication method. However, a plurality of channels are configured by, for example, a code division communication method, a frequency division communication method, or a combination of two or more methods. May be.

  In this example, identification information unique to each device is set for each of the terminal devices 11 to 13, or identification information is set and managed by the base station device 1. In the communication between the terminal devices 11 to 13 and the base station device 1, the identification information of the terminal devices 11 to 13 is included in the communication signal. In the base station device 1, the terminal device 11 accommodated by the own device 1. The identification information of ˜13 and the information specifying the channels assigned to the terminal devices 11 to 13 are stored in the memory and managed.

FIG. 3 shows an example of communication operation between the base station device 1 and the terminal devices 11 to 13 in the wireless communication system of this example.
First, when starting voice communication, the terminal apparatuses 11 to 13 transmit a connection request signal designating voice communication to the base station apparatus 1 by radio.
In the base station apparatus 1 that has received this connection request signal, a channel (slot in this example) to be used for communication is allocated to the terminal apparatuses 11 to 13 that have transmitted the connection request signal to perform line connection. (Process T1).
Then, after the line is connected, the base station device 1 and the terminal devices 11 to 13 transmit and receive audio signals.

When such voice communication is performed, when switching between voice communication and data communication (in this example, switching from voice communication to data communication) is started in the terminal devices 11 to 13 (process T2) The terminal apparatuses 11 to 13 transmit a disconnection request signal including a channel reservation request to the base station apparatus 1 by radio.
Note that the switching between the audio signal and the data communication in the terminal devices 11 to 13 may be started, for example, instructed by a person who operates the terminal devices 11 to 13 or automatically according to preset conditions. May be activated.

In the base station apparatus 1 that has received the disconnection request signal including the channel reservation request, the channel that is currently used by the terminal apparatuses 11 to 13 that issued the disconnection request signal (in this example, the channel that is performing voice communication) Is reserved to execute communication after switching (data communication in this example), and the currently used communication line is released (process T3).
After the line is released, the terminal devices 11 to 13 wirelessly transmit a connection request signal specifying data communication using the reserved channel to the base station device 1.
In the base station apparatus 1 that has received this connection request signal, the reserved channel is assigned to the data communication requested by the connection request signal for the terminal apparatuses 11 to 13 that have issued the connection request signal. Are connected (process T4).
Then, after the line is connected, the base station device 1 and the terminal devices 11 to 13 transmit and receive data signals.

  Here, FIG. 3 shows an example of a processing procedure when switching from voice communication to data communication. However, for example, a processing procedure when switching from data communication to voice communication can be similarly realized. In addition, for example, in switching from data communication to voice communication, when an instruction for switching is made when transmission of all the data to be transmitted in a series is not completed, all of the data in the series is transmitted. It is also possible to use a mode in which the terminal apparatuses 11 to 13 transmit a disconnection request signal including a channel reservation request after the transmission is completed.

  In addition, for example, it is possible to give an authority to make a channel reservation only to specific terminal devices 11 and 12 such as an emergency vehicle such as an ambulance or a fire engine. Based on the identification information or specific information of the terminal devices 11 to 13 received from the terminal devices 11 to 13, it is determined whether or not the terminal devices 11 to 13 have the authority, and the terminal device having the authority It is also possible to use a configuration that allows channel reservation only for 11 and 12.

As described above, in the wireless communication system of the present example, when the terminal apparatuses 11 to 13 execute switching between voice communication and data communication, a disconnection request including a channel reservation request is transmitted to the base station apparatus 1. Accordingly, the base station device 1 reserves and secures the channel used by the terminal devices 11 to 13 for the communication before the switching for the communication after the switching, and connects from the terminal devices 11 to 13 after the switching. Allocate the channel for the request.
That is, the terminal devices 11 to 13 notify the base station device 1 that the channel currently used is reserved for use in the switched communication in the disconnection request when switching between voice communication and data communication. As a result, the base station apparatus 1 reserves the channel for the switched communication and does not allocate it to other communications. Then, the terminal devices 11 to 13 after the switching request to use the channel reserved in the connection request, whereby the base station devices 11 to 13 use the reserved channel for the communication after the switching. assign.

Therefore, in the wireless communication system of this example, when switching between voice communication and data communication executed by the terminal devices 11 to 13, the channel used by the terminal devices 11 to 13 is used for communication after switching. By making a reservation and disconnecting and reconnecting the line, it is possible to ensure that communication after switching between voice communication and data communication is reliably executed.
In particular, for example, the terminal device 11 provided in the ambulance surely transmits and receives voices and data related to emergency treatment information until it arrives at the hospital, or the terminal device 12 provided in the fire engine fires. Reserving a channel is very effective in order to reliably transmit and receive voice and data related to firefighting information at the site.

  In the terminal devices 11 to 13 of this example, the terminal communication mode switching instruction means is configured by a function of instructing switching between the voice communication mode and the data communication mode, for example, by an operation by a person. The terminal voice communication means is configured by the function of performing communication, the terminal data communication means is configured by the function of performing data communication in the data communication mode, and a signal for reserving a channel when switching the communication mode (this example) The terminal communication mode switching control means is configured by the function of transmitting a disconnection request signal including a channel reservation request and a connection request signal for communication after switching.

  Further, in the base station apparatus 1 of this example, the base station channel allocation means is configured by the function of allocating channels used for communication to the terminal apparatuses 11 to 13 that have requested connection, and the voice communication mode performs voice communication. The base station voice communication means is configured by the function of performing the communication, the base station data communication means is configured by the function of performing data communication in the data communication mode, and a signal for reserving the channel from the terminal devices 11 to 13 is received. The base station channel reservation signal receiving means is configured by the receiving function, and when a signal for reserving a channel is received from the terminal device, a channel is secured for the terminal device, and after switching by the terminal device Base station communication mode switching control means is configured by the function assigned to communication.

Here, the configurations of the wireless communication system, the base station device, the terminal device, and the like according to the present invention are not necessarily limited to those described above, and various configurations may be used. The present invention can also be provided as, for example, a method or method for executing the processing according to the present invention, a program for realizing such a method or method, or a recording medium for recording the program. It is also possible to provide various devices and systems.
The application field of the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above-described fields, and the present invention can be applied to various fields.
In addition, as various processes performed in the wireless communication system, the base station apparatus, the terminal apparatus, and the like according to the present invention, for example, a processor is stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) in hardware resources including a processor, a memory, and the like. A configuration controlled by executing the control program may be used, and for example, each functional unit for executing the processing may be configured as an independent hardware circuit.
Further, the present invention can be grasped as a computer-readable recording medium such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk or a CD (Compact Disc) -ROM storing the control program, or the program (itself). The processing according to the present invention can be performed by inputting the program from the recording medium to the computer and causing the processor to execute the program.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of a radio | wireless communications system. It is a figure showing an example of slot arrangement of a physical channel. It is a figure which shows an example of the flow of communication with the base station apparatus and terminal device which concern on one Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the flow of communication with a base station apparatus and a terminal device.

Explanation of symbols

  1 .... Base station device 2 .... Control device 11-13 ... Terminal device

Claims (1)

In a wireless communication system in which a base station device and a terminal device communicate wirelessly,
The terminal device includes a terminal communication mode switching instruction means for instructing switching between a voice communication mode for performing voice communication and a data communication mode for performing data communication;
A terminal voice communication means for wirelessly communicating a voice signal with the base station apparatus using a channel assigned by the base station apparatus in a state where the voice communication mode is set;
Terminal data communication means for wirelessly communicating a data signal with the base station device using a channel allocated by the base station device in a state where the data communication mode is set;
When switching to the other communication mode is instructed by the terminal communication mode switching instruction means in a state where one of the voice communication mode or the data communication mode is set, the one communication mode A terminal communication mode switching control means for wirelessly transmitting a signal for reserving a channel used in communication by the base station apparatus and switching to communication by the other communication mode,
The base station device, a base station channel allocation means for allocating a channel to the terminal device as a communication partner,
Base station voice communication means for communicating a voice signal wirelessly with the terminal apparatus set with the voice communication mode using a channel assigned to the terminal apparatus by the base station channel assignment means;
Base station data communication means for wirelessly communicating a data signal with the terminal apparatus in which the data communication mode is set using a channel assigned by the base station channel assignment means to the terminal apparatus;
Determining means for determining whether the terminal device has an authority to reserve the channel based on the identification information of the terminal device received from the terminal device;
Base station channel reservation signal receiving means for receiving a signal for reserving the channel transmitted from the terminal device;
When a signal for reserving the channel is received from the terminal apparatus by the base station channel reservation signal receiving means for only the terminal apparatus determined to have the authority to reserve the channel by the determining means. When the terminal device secures a channel used in communication in the one communication mode and the terminal device starts communication in the other communication mode, the channel reserved for the terminal device A base station communication mode switching control means assigned by the base station channel assignment means,
A wireless communication system.

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