JP6156905B2 - Mobile terminal having virtual received signal strength indicator display function - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention extends RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) used as an indicator of communication quality including the maximum communication speed in communication through a wireless communication line connecting a base station and a wireless terminal, The present invention relates to a virtual RSSI (virtual received signal strength index) that can handle a case where a plurality of wireless communication lines are bundled and used as one line, and particularly relates to a portable terminal having a virtual RSSI display function.

  At present, in a normal digitized mobile phone system, when a plurality of mobile terminals are connected in multiple ways to one base station and one of the mobile terminals moves, the mobile terminal is connected as the mobile terminal moves. Base stations are sequentially transferred to adjacent base stations.

  In addition, the connection between one mobile terminal and a base station is made through a subscriber wireless line, but the base station is connected to a network for each mobile phone carrier, and the above subscriber wireless line is connected to each mobile phone carrier. Is different. Further, there may be a plurality of types of subscriber wireless lines belonging to the same mobile phone operator, and the multiple access method may be different for each type. Also, normally, it is difficult for one mobile terminal to transfer (that is, handover) to another multiple access method without switching the hardware configuration, and in particular, a plurality of base stations belonging to different mobile phone operators. Delivery to is particularly difficult.

  Further, as an index for displaying communication quality on such a portable terminal, when the portable terminal receives a radio wave from a base station, a value proportional to the electric field strength or the power density at the position of the portable terminal is used. For example, the control signal from the base station is periodically received and the received signal strength is measured, and this strength is converted into, for example, the number of antennas and displayed on the screen. Such an index is known as RSSI, and can generally be evaluated for each transmission / reception unit serving as each wireless interface with a subscriber wireless line. For this measurement, the methods of Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 02-244939) and Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-520147) can be applied. In general, in order for the mobile terminal to perform the requested function, the communication speed needs to be equal to or higher than a certain threshold value. The above index is used by the user to confirm that this threshold is satisfied.

  In general, the communication speed of such a portable terminal has an upper limit determined by the interference power generated in the transmission line, the noise figure of the transmission / reception unit, and the allocated bandwidth. For this reason, when high-speed communication exceeding the upper limit of the communication speed is required, it is possible to bundle a plurality of subscriber wireless lines or switch to other higher-speed subscriber wireless lines, for example, A simple wireless line can be applied.

  The present invention provides the same function as the RSSI even when the former is bundled with a plurality of lines, and presents a virtual RSSI value obtained by extending the conventional RSSI value to the user of the mobile terminal. The user can select a more advantageous wireless connection. The plurality of lines assumed by the present invention are not limited to lines of the same provider and multiple access system, but are also lines of communication systems different from the above by other companies, or lines specially provided in an emergency. . Further, in addition to the case where the base station and the mobile terminal can communicate directly, the base station and the mobile terminal may be connected via a wireless network.

  In the present invention, a virtual RSSI value is defined for each configured virtual network. For a wireless system comprising a pair of a transmission unit and a reception unit, or a transmission / reception unit, the virtual RSSI value is defined as a virtual network in which the conventional RSSI value is simply the reception intensity of the target wireless system. The maximum communicable capacity obtained from the signal-to-noise power ratio at each reception is derived from the Shannon limit. In this way, the connectivity to the service that the user can experience becomes a more direct indicator.

JP-A-02-244939 Special table 2007-520147 gazette

  The concept of virtual RSSI that extends the conventional RSSI to handle a case where a plurality of wireless communication lines are bundled and used as one line is introduced and applied to a portable terminal.

The portable terminal having the virtual received signal strength indicator display function of the present invention is assumed to be used in a mobile network having one or a plurality of base stations connected to the network and a plurality of wireless systems that can be wirelessly connected thereto. . Among them, in particular, there are one or more respective base stations, and each of the wireless systems including at least one of the base stations is connected to a network,
For the mobile terminal having a plurality of radio transmission and reception functions at the same time Ru can wirelessly connect to the single or plurality of base stations, k-th (where, k = 1,2, ..., M ) the base station in a wireless system H # k of - For the communication capacity limit C _{k in} the wireless access section between mobile terminals, the available frequency bandwidth is B _k , and the signal-to-noise power ratio of the transmission path is SNR _k , and a single corresponding to the wireless system H # k. In a mobile network in which communication resources Y # k provided by the wireless interface F # k are shared by a plurality of virtual networks W # j (where j = 1, 2,..., N),
Let P _j (where P _j ≦ 1) be a communication rate parameter that can be controlled according to the priority of the virtual network W # j,
Let R _{Tkj be} the time occupation ratio of the virtual network W # j when the communication capacity limit C _k is used in a time-sharing manner between different virtual networks,
R _Fkj as a frequency occupancy ratio of the virtual network W # j when the frequency bandwidth B _k is frequency-divided between different virtual networks,
The partial virtual RSSI value VC _kj for each wireless interface F # k is expressed by the following equation:

Means for determining from,
A network control server connected to the network and controlling the time occupancy ratio or the frequency occupancy ratio;
The network control server monitors traffic, _feeds back at least one of a frequency occupation ratio R _Fkj , a time occupation ratio R _Tkj , and a probability parameter P _j to perform traffic control in the network ,
The partial virtual RSSI value VC _kj or an index converted from the partial virtual RSSI value VC _kj is displayed in association with the application or service used by the mobile terminal.

The time occupation ratio R _Tkj or the frequency occupation ratio R _Fkj can satisfy the following equation.

In addition, the partial virtual RSSI value VC _kj is converted into a length or an angle, k is displayed side by side in an area adjacent to the application icon in the wireless system, and the virtual RSSI value is displayed as the total arrangement area. May be.

The virtual RSSI value VC _j is expressed as

With the means to request from
The virtual RSSI value VC _j or an index converted from the virtual RSSI value VC _j is displayed in association with an application or service used by the mobile terminal.

As the mobile terminal moves, at the time of handover for switching the base station with which the mobile terminal communicates, (1) the base station to be newly connected is selected on the mobile terminal side, and (2) the base station is By notifying the network control server, (3) the information including the frequency occupation ratio R _Fkj , the time occupation ratio R _Tkj , and the probability parameter P _j is transmitted from the network control server to the portable terminal, and (4) The mobile terminal receives these pieces of information, and uses these values to determine a new virtual RSSI value. In the area adjacent to the application on the display screen, the calculated RSSI value or a simpler RSSI value is obtained. An indicator obtained by converting it so as to be displayed is displayed.

Use a predetermined design value for the usable frequency bandwidth,
(1) Signal strength for obtaining the signal-to-noise power ratio is obtained from the strength of the received signal or the position of the pilot signal in the signal space diagram when demodulating the digital signal, and (2) noise power. For the interference in the transmission line and the value measured in advance for the radio interface, the value obtained from the output of the radio interface when there is no signal, or the pilot signal point position or any signal in the signal space diagram when demodulating the digital signal It is obtained from the variation distribution of point positions.

A measurement means for measuring the amount of data traffic transmitted and received by the application is provided, and the use efficiency of communication resources is calculated by calculating the ratio of the measurement result of the data traffic volume for each application to the virtual RSSI value in the measurement means. ,
When the utilization efficiency falls below or exceeds a predetermined threshold, a feedback signal that decreases or increases at least one of the frequency occupancy ratio R _Fj , the time occupancy ratio R _Tj , and the probability parameter P _j , respectively. It is what is used .

  By presenting the virtual RSSI value to the user of the mobile terminal, the user can select a more advantageous wireless connection.

It is a figure for explaining the basis of the present invention, and shows that there are a plurality of base station # 1 to base station #M corresponding to a plurality of wireless systems H (number M) and a plurality of wireless portable terminals that can be wirelessly connected thereto. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example that is the basis of the present invention, in which communication resources provided by a single wireless interface F # k corresponding to a wireless system #k are assigned to a plurality of virtual networks W # j (J = 1, 2, 3, 4, ,..., N), that is, a network configuration in the case where communication resources provided by the M wireless interfaces are shared by N virtual networks. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the radio | wireless system for implement | achieving the radio | wireless communication which can apply this invention. It is a figure which shows displaying a virtual RSSI value linked | related with the application in a wireless portable terminal. (A) shows that the index based on the virtual RSSI value VC _j described above is associated and displayed for each service or application on the screen of the application. (B) omits the calculation of the summation in Equation 5 by accumulating partial virtual RSSI values, that is, the value of P _j × C _{kj in} each term of Equation 5 or a value proportional thereto, for example, on a pie chart. Show that you can. (C) shows on the radar chart the partial virtual RSSI value, that is, the value of P _j × C _kj or a value proportional thereto. The radio interface of the base station in FIG. 6 is a diagram showing that the radio interfaces are distributed and installed in a plurality of satellite stations S.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, devices having the same function or similar functions are denoted by the same reference numerals unless there is a special reason.

As shown in FIG. 1, it is assumed that there are a plurality of base stations # 1 to #M corresponding to a plurality of wireless systems H (number M) and a plurality of wireless portable terminals that can be wirelessly connected thereto. Base station # 1 to base station #M are connected to networks 2-1 to 2-M, and each wireless mobile terminal is wirelessly connected to at least one of the above base stations. Focusing on the communication capacity that can be provided by an arbitrary radio system H # k (where k = 1, 2, 3,..., M), the communication capacity of the radio access section between the mobile terminal 3-k and the base station #k The limit C _k is known to be given by the following equation from Shannon-Hartley's theorem, _{where the} usable frequency bandwidth B _k and the signal-to-noise power ratio of the transmission line are SNR _k .

Here, the usable frequency bandwidth B _k is a design value determined in advance for each radio system, and the signal-to-noise power ratio SNR _k is a value obtained from the radio interface to be used. The signal intensity can be obtained from, for example, the spectrum intensity of the received signal or the position of the signal constellation of the demodulated digital signal. As for noise power, it is most convenient to use a value measured in advance for the wireless interface. However, the received signal can be obtained from the output of the wireless interface when there is no signal, or a signal space diagram when demodulating a digital signal. Can be obtained from the fluctuation distribution of the pilot signal point position or any one of the signal point positions.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, each of Y # k of communication resources provided by the wireless system H # k (where k = 1, 2,..., M) shown in FIG. However, it is assumed that j = 1, 2,. That is, for example, consider a network in which N-type different services and applications that execute N types of different services and applications are connected to the base station group. In this multiple access, the communication capacity limit _{C k} subjecting each of the communication resources Y # k, for example, the time occupied ratio _{(R Tk1: R Tk2: R} Tk3: ...: R TN) dividing utilized, or, for example, a frequency band the width _{B k} occupancy ratio _{(R Fk1: R Fk2: R} Fk3: ...: R FkN) will be divided utilized. However, R _Tk1 + R _Tk2 + R _Tk3 +... + R _TkN = 1, R _Fk1 + R _Fk2 + R _Fk3 +... + R _FkN = 1. For a connection portion that cannot be used for some reason, the visibility can be improved by _setting R _Tkj or R _Fkj to zero.

At this time, the communication capacity limit C _kj provided by the communication resource Y # k to the virtual network W # j is expressed as follows.

As shown in FIG. 2, the virtual network assumed in the present invention assumes that each mobile terminal uses a plurality of communication resources Y # k at the same time. In this case, the communication capacity limit VC _j of the virtual network #j, and therefore the virtual RSSI value in the present invention can be expressed by the following equation by adding the above C _kj to the communication resource Y # k as a more general expression. Each term of the sum when the following expression is expanded is referred to as a partial virtual RSSI value.

Here, P _j (where P _j ≦ 1) is a communication rate parameter of the network corresponding to the virtual network W # j, and priority control related to access accommodation from different mobile terminals is introduced for each of a plurality of configured virtual networks. This is to consider the influence of this on the communication capacity.

However, in Equation 5, it is assumed that the SNR in each frequency element when the radio resource is divided in the frequency domain and the resource is allocated to the virtual network is equal in the same radio system. If they are different, different SNR _kj may be used for each divided and used frequency.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of a wireless system for realizing such wireless communication. In this configuration, the physical radio transmission / reception unit 10 in which the radio transmission / reception units are parallel, and the control unit that receives signals from the physical radio transmission / reception unit 10 and appropriately divides and integrates the transmission / reception data to logically form one transmission / reception data. 11, a virtual wireless transmission / reception unit 12 that virtually terminates this as a wireless transmission / reception unit, an application data transmission / reception unit 13 that is responsible for passing transmission / reception data to / from the application via the virtual wireless transmission / reception unit 12, and a virtual RSSI calculation unit 14 Consists of. The coefficients B _k , SNR _k , R _Fkj , R _Tkj , and P _j necessary for calculating the virtual RSSI are provided from the control unit 11 to the virtual RSSI calculation unit 14. These coefficients are provided from the network control server 4 as necessary. The application data transmission / reception unit 13 measures the data traffic amount of the digital signal transferred to and from the virtual wireless transmission / reception unit 12 as necessary. This measured value is transmitted to the network control server 4. The network control server 4 monitors the measured value and uses it as a feedback signal for reviewing the frequency occupancy ratio R _Fkj , the time occupancy ratio R _Tkj , and the probability parameter P _j , thereby performing traffic control in the network.

  The virtual RSSI value described above is displayed in association with the application in the wireless portable terminal, as shown in FIG. 4 and described below.

  Incidentally, in mobile terminals such as conventional mobile phones and smartphones that are currently in widespread use, the display is updated based on the number of antennas as a method of notifying the user of connectivity that changes from time to time. This is for displaying the RSSI value for each wireless interface or simply the electric field strength of the received signal in a form that is easy for the user to understand. For example, the level is divided into 3-5 levels and replaced with the number of antennas. is there.

  On the other hand, the present invention assumes the near future in which the network virtualization technology is widely spread to wireless terminals, and a mobile terminal is provided with a plurality of wireless interfaces. In addition, depending on the mobile service or application used by the user, the wireless interface used and the amount of wireless resources used differ, and as a result of the introduction of intentional connection priority control, the connection performance to the network may differ. Assumed.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, in the services displayed as a list on the screen of the user terminal or the application screen shown in FIG. 5A, the above-mentioned virtual RSSI value VC _j is set for each service or application. The based index is displayed in association with each other.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), by summing up each term of Equation 5, that is, the value of P _j × C _kj or a value proportional thereto, for example, on a pie chart, the summation in Equation 5 is calculated. It can be omitted.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5C, when each term of Equation 5, that is, the value of P _j × C _kj or a value proportional thereto is shown on the radar chart, Equation 5 The change in the total is almost proportional to the change in the area of the portion surrounded by the solid line. That is, the change in the virtual RSSI value can be displayed by the change in the area. The dotted line in FIG. 5C is, for example, a value in an ideal case when viewed from the position from the base station, as a target value.

  The radio interface of the base station in FIG. 6 is one in which the radio interfaces are distributed and installed in a plurality of satellite stations S. The connection between the base station 1 and each satellite station S may be wired or wireless. The portable terminal 3 is equipped with a plurality of wireless interfaces. Also in this case, the virtual RSSI value can be calculated by the above equation (5).

  In addition to using these multiple radio interfaces, they can be handed over partially as the mobile terminal moves by using them simultaneously. It can be lost. For this reason, handover is facilitated, and it is possible to provide a communication service that is not easily interrupted.

At the time of the handover, the mobile terminal selects a newly connected base station and notifies the network control server of the selected base station, so that the frequency occupancy ratio R _Fkj , time Information including the occupation ratio R _Tkj and the communication rate parameter P _j is transmitted to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal receives these pieces of information, and uses these values to determine a new virtual RSSI value. In the area adjacent to the application on the display screen, the calculated RSSI value or a simpler RSSI value is obtained. Display the converted index so that it becomes visible.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base station 2 Network 3 Mobile terminal 4 Network control server 10 Physical layer part 11 Control part 12 Virtual radio | wireless part 13 Application data transmission / reception part 14 Virtual RSSI calculation part

Claims (7)

There is one or more respective base stations, and each of the wireless systems including at least one of the base stations is connected to a network;
For the mobile terminal having a plurality of radio transmission and reception functions at the same time Ru can wirelessly connect to the single or plurality of base stations, k-th (where, k = 1,2, ..., M ) the base station in a wireless system H # k of - For the communication capacity limit C _{k in} the wireless access section between mobile terminals, the available frequency bandwidth is B _k , and the signal-to-noise power ratio of the transmission path is SNR _k , and a single corresponding to the wireless system H # k. In a mobile network in which communication resources Y # k provided by the wireless interface F # k are shared by a plurality of virtual networks W # j (where j = 1, 2,..., N),
Let P _j (where P _j ≦ 1) be a communication rate parameter that can be controlled according to the priority of the virtual network W # j,
Let R _{Tkj be} the time occupation ratio of the virtual network W # j when the communication capacity limit C _k is used in a time-sharing manner between different virtual networks,
R _Fkj as a frequency occupancy ratio of the virtual network W # j when the frequency bandwidth B _k is frequency-divided between different virtual networks,
The partial virtual RSSI value VC _kj for each wireless interface F # k is expressed by the following equation:

Means to find out from
A network control server connected to the network and controlling the time occupancy ratio or the frequency occupancy ratio;
The network control server monitors traffic, _feeds back at least one of a frequency occupation ratio R _Fkj , a time occupation ratio R _Tkj , and a probability parameter P _j to perform traffic control in the network,
A portable terminal having a virtual received signal strength indicator display function, wherein the partial virtual RSSI value VC _kj or an indicator converted therefrom is displayed in association with an application or service used by the portable terminal. Regarding the time occupation ratio R _Tkj or the frequency occupation ratio R _Fkj ,

The mobile terminal having a virtual received signal strength indicator display function according to claim 1, wherein: The partial virtual RSSI value VC _kj is converted into a length or an angle, k is displayed side by side in an area adjacent to the application icon in the wireless system, and the virtual RSSI value is displayed as the entire arrangement area. The portable terminal which has a virtual received signal strength parameter | index display function in any one of Claim 1 or 2 characterized by the above-mentioned. The virtual RSSI value VC _j is expressed as

With the means to request from
3. The virtual received signal strength index according to claim 1, wherein the virtual RSSI value VC _j or an index converted from the virtual RSSI value VC _j is displayed in association with an application or service used by the mobile terminal. A portable terminal having a display function. At the time of handover for switching a base station with which the mobile terminal communicates as the mobile terminal moves, (1) a base station to be newly connected is selected on the mobile terminal side, and (2) the base station is connected to the network. By notifying the control server, (3) the information including the frequency occupancy ratio R _Fkj , the time occupancy ratio R _Tkj , and the probability parameter P _j is transmitted from the network control server to the portable terminal, and (4) the above The mobile terminal receives these pieces of information, uses these values to determine a new virtual RSSI value, and displays the calculated RSSI value or a simpler display in an area adjacent to the application on the display screen. The virtual received signal strength indicator display function according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 4, wherein an indicator obtained by converting the indicator so as to become is displayed. Mobile terminal having. Use a predetermined design value for the usable frequency bandwidth,
In order to obtain the above signal-to-noise power ratio, (1) signal strength is obtained from the strength of the received signal or the position of the pilot signal in the signal space diagram when demodulating the digital signal, and (2) noise For power, the value measured in advance for interference in the transmission line and the radio interface, the value obtained from the radio interface output when there is no signal, or the pilot signal point position in the signal space diagram when demodulating the digital signal The mobile terminal having a virtual received signal strength indicator display function according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the mobile terminal is obtained from a variation distribution of signal point positions. A measurement means for measuring the amount of data traffic transmitted and received by the application is provided, and the use efficiency of communication resources is calculated by calculating a ratio between the measurement result of the data traffic volume for each application and the virtual RSSI value in the measurement means. ,
When the utilization efficiency falls below or exceeds a predetermined threshold, a feedback signal that decreases or increases at least one of the frequency occupancy ratio R _Fj , the time occupancy ratio R _Tj , and the probability parameter P _j , respectively. mobile terminal having a virtual received signal strength indicator display function according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that is to use.