JP6566482B2 - Wireless communication apparatus, wireless communication system, wireless communication method, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a wireless communication device, a wireless communication system, a wireless communication method, and a program, and in particular, a wireless communication device, a wireless communication system, a wireless communication method, and a program capable of easily switching between a parent device and a child device. About.

  When wireless communication is performed using a communication network (hereinafter referred to as an ICS (Internet Service Provider) network) provided by a circuit provider, a restriction such as 7 GB (gigabytes) may be imposed on the communication amount. Since the master unit using desaling or the like handles the communication of the slave unit to which it belongs, the amount of communication increases. On the other hand, the slave unit connected to the master unit has less communication volume than the case of operating as the master unit. Therefore, the child device can avoid the restriction of the communication amount, but the parent device may be restricted because the communication amount increases. In addition, when the wireless communication device performs communication in a poor radio wave environment, the battery consumption increases to ensure communication stability.

  In such a case, the communication amount can be averaged between a plurality of wireless communication devices by switching the parent device and the child device in accordance with the communication amount and the remaining battery level. For example, a wireless communication device with a stable radio wave environment can be set as a wireless communication device that operates as a parent device, or a wireless communication device with a large remaining battery level can be set as a wireless communication device that operates as a parent device.

  However, when connecting to the next master unit after switching the master unit and the slave unit, since the wireless connection information is different for each wireless master unit, the wireless connection information of the next master unit must be set in the slave unit. Therefore, switching the wireless master device is a burden on the user. That is, there is a problem that it is difficult to easily switch between the parent device and the child device.

  In Patent Document 1, the first terminal and the second terminal record statistical information on interference from the external communication system, notify the recorded statistical information to the master station, and the master station is based on the collected statistical information. The second terminal is selected as a candidate station to which the master station function is to be transferred, and the master station requests the second terminal to transfer the master station function, and the second terminal accordingly sets the master station function. It is disclosed that if it can be transferred, it functions as a master station. The communication method disclosed in Patent Document 2 is a technology related to a PLC (Power Line Communication) communication method. Therefore, the communication method disclosed in Patent Document 2 does not disclose the exchange of wireless connection information such as SSID (Service Set Identifier) and password necessary for WiFi connection.

  In Patent Document 2, when the remaining battery level of the master unit is equal to or less than a set value, the master / slave unit switching condition is set, and the wireless communication device as the master unit is connected to the terminal of the slave unit as the next master unit. It is disclosed that a parent / child device switching command is issued to switch the role of the parent / child device. The method disclosed in Patent Document 3 does not disclose the exchange of wireless connection information when switching.

JP 2010-045800 A JP 2001-103570 A

  As described above, there is a problem that it is difficult to easily switch between the parent device and the child device between a plurality of wireless communication devices.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and provides a wireless communication device, a wireless communication system, a wireless communication method, and a program capable of easily switching between a parent device and a child device. With the goal.

A wireless communication apparatus according to the present invention
A wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication as a parent device or a child device; and
A wireless connection information storage unit for storing wireless connection information for the wireless communication;
A switching processing unit that performs switching processing between the parent device and the child device;
When switching from the parent device to the child device, to another wireless communication device that operates as the child device, a switching information transmission unit that transmits the switching instruction to the parent device and the wireless connection information,
Is provided.

A wireless communication apparatus according to the present invention
A wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication as a parent device or a child device; and
A wireless connection information storage unit for storing wireless connection information for the wireless communication;
A switching information receiving unit for receiving a switching instruction to the parent device and the wireless connection information from another wireless communication device operating as the parent device;
A switching processing unit that executes switching processing to the base unit in response to the switching instruction, and stores the received wireless connection information in the wireless connection information storage unit;
Is provided.

A wireless communication system according to the present invention includes:
A wireless communication device operating as a base unit;
Another wireless communication device that performs wireless communication with the wireless communication device and operates as a slave, and
The wireless communication device
Storing wireless connection information for the wireless communication;
Perform the switching process between the master unit and the slave unit,
When switching from the parent device to the child device, to the other wireless communication device operating as the child device, to send the switching instruction to the parent device and the wireless connection information,
The other wireless communication device is:
Receiving the switching instruction and the wireless connection information to the parent device from the wireless communication device operating as the parent device;
In response to the switching instruction, a switching process to the parent device is performed,
The received wireless connection information is stored in a wireless connection information storage unit.

A wireless communication method according to the present invention includes:
A step of performing wireless communication as a parent device or a child device;
Storing wireless connection information for the wireless communication;
Performing a switching process between the master unit and the slave unit;
When switching from the parent device to the child device, a step of transmitting a switching instruction to the parent device and the wireless connection information to another wireless communication device operating as the child device;
Is provided.

The program according to the present invention is:
A step of performing wireless communication as a parent device or a child device;
Storing wireless connection information for the wireless communication;
Performing a switching process between the master unit and the slave unit;
When switching from the parent device to the child device, a step of transmitting a switching instruction to the parent device and the wireless connection information to another wireless communication device operating as the child device;
Is executed on the computer.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a wireless communication device, a wireless communication system, a wireless communication method, and a program capable of easily switching between a parent device and a child device.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless communication device according to a first embodiment. 3 is a block diagram illustrating functions of the wireless communication device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating operations of a plurality of wireless communication devices according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating operations of a plurality of wireless communication devices according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating operations of a plurality of wireless communication devices according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a sequence between a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the wireless communication apparatus according to the first embodiment. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the wireless communication apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a sequence between a plurality of wireless communication devices according to a second embodiment. 10 is a diagram illustrating operations of a plurality of wireless communication devices according to Embodiment 3. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating operations of a plurality of wireless communication devices according to Embodiment 3. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a sequence between a plurality of wireless communication devices according to a third embodiment. 10 is a diagram illustrating operations of a plurality of wireless communication devices according to Embodiment 3. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating operations of a plurality of wireless communication devices according to Embodiment 3. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a sequence between a plurality of wireless communication devices according to a third embodiment. It is a figure which illustrates the user interface of a main unit, a sub unit, and a sub unit. It is a figure which illustrates the user interface of a main unit, a sub unit, and a sub unit.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted as necessary for the sake of clarity.

[Embodiment 1]
A configuration of the wireless communication apparatus according to Embodiment 1 will be described.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless communication apparatus according to the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, radio communication apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1 communicates with each of a plurality of radio communication apparatuses 200, 300, and 400. The wireless communication device 100 is a wireless communication device that can be switched to a parent device that has the parent device right Rp or a child device that does not have the parent device right Rp that communicates with the parent device. The wireless communication device having the parent device right Rp operates as a parent device. A wireless communication device that does not have the parent device right Rp operates as a child device. In this example, it is assumed that the wireless communication device 100 is a parent device, the wireless communication devices 200, 300, and 400 are child devices, and the next parent device is the wireless communication device 200.
In this example, it is assumed that the parent device right Rp is a right to operate as the parent device.

The wireless communication device 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, a wireless connection information storage unit 114, and a switching processing unit 112. The wireless communication unit 110 includes a reception unit 111 and a transmission unit 113. The receiving unit 111 includes a switching information receiving unit 115, and the transmitting unit 113 includes a switching information transmitting unit 116. The wireless communication unit 110 performs wireless communication as a parent device or a child device. The wireless connection information storage unit 114 stores wireless connection information Cs for wireless communication. The switching processing unit 112 performs switching processing between the parent device and the child device. When switching from the parent device to the child device, the switching information transmitting unit 116 transmits the switching instruction Ps to the parent device and the wireless connection information Cs to the other wireless communication devices 200, 300, and 400 operating as the child devices.
The parent device right Rp may be stored in the wireless connection information storage unit 114, for example. In addition, the receiving unit 111 and the switching information receiving unit 115 may have different configurations. Further, the transmission unit 113 and the switching information transmission unit 116 may have different configurations.

A case where the wireless communication device 100 operates as a parent device will be described.
The receiving unit 111 receives communication information J200, J300, and J400 from each of the wireless communication devices 200, 300, and 400 that operate as a plurality of slave units.

  Based on information J100 (not shown) relating to communication of the wireless communication device 100 and information J200, J300 and J400 relating to communication of the wireless communication devices 200, 300 and 400 which are a plurality of slave units, the switching processing unit 112 The next parent device is determined from the wireless communication devices 200, 300, and 400 that are a plurality of child devices. After the transmission unit 113 transmits the switching instruction Ps for switching the parent device, the switching processing unit 112 switches the own wireless communication device 100 to the child device.

  The transmission unit 113 receives a communication information reception response Rj200 (not shown) of information J200 related to communication received by the reception unit 111, a switching instruction Ps for switching the parent device, and wireless connection information Cs for performing communication. To the wireless communication device 200. The transmission unit 113 receives a communication information reception response Rj300 (not shown) of the information J300 related to communication received by the reception unit 111, a switching instruction Ps for switching the parent device, and wireless connection information Cs for communication. To the wireless communication device 300. The transmission unit 113 receives a communication information reception response Rj400 (not shown) of information J400 related to communication received by the reception unit 111, a switching instruction Ps for switching the parent device, and wireless connection information Cs for communication. To the wireless communication device 400. The transmission unit 113 transmits the parent device right Rp to the wireless communication device 200 that is the next parent device.

In addition, when the wireless communication apparatus 100 operates as a slave unit, it operates as follows.
The wireless communication unit 110 performs wireless communication as a slave unit. The switching information receiving unit 115 of the wireless communication device 100 receives the switching instruction Ps to the parent device and the wireless connection information Cs from another wireless communication device that operates as the parent device, for example, the wireless communication device 200. The switching processing unit 112 executes switching processing to the parent device according to the switching instruction Ps. The switching processing unit 112 stores the received wireless connection information Cs in the wireless connection information storage unit 114.

  In addition, the switching processing unit 112 performs switching from the child device to the parent device or switches the connected parent device. Switching the connected parent device means switching the connection destination from the wireless communication device that is the current parent device to the wireless communication device that is the next parent device.

A case where the wireless communication apparatus 100 operates as a slave unit will be described more specifically.
Transmitter 113 transmits information J100 related to communication of wireless communication apparatus 100 to the parent device. The receiving unit 111 receives the communication information reception response Rj100, the switching instruction Ps, and the wireless connection information Cs from the parent device. When wireless communication apparatus 100 is the next parent device, receiving unit 111 receives parent device right Rp from the parent device. When the receiving unit 111 receives the parent device right Rp and the switching instruction Ps, or when the receiving unit 111 receives the parent device right Rp, the switching processing unit 112 starts from the time when the information J100 related to communication of the own wireless communication device 100 is transmitted. If the communication information reception response Rj100 is not received within the period Th, the own wireless communication device 100 is switched to the parent device.

  Note that the communication information reception response may be simply referred to as a reception response. The wireless connection information Cs is a setting for performing a wireless connection, such as an SSID (Service Set Identifier) or a password for wireless connection. Information related to communication may be referred to as communication information. Further, the wireless connection information Cs may be transmitted in response to a wireless connection information acquisition request Csr from the slave unit. Communication information J200 and communication information J300 may be transmitted periodically.

  In this example, the wireless communication device to which the parent device right Rp is set next is determined from the plurality of wireless communication devices 200, 300, and 400. Without being limited thereto, the wireless communication device to which the parent device right Rp is set next may be determined from the wireless communication devices 100, 200, 300, and 400 including the own wireless communication device 100.

  In addition, the wireless communication device having the parent device right Rp may be referred to as a wireless communication device in which the parent device right Rp is set. In addition, a wireless communication device in which the parent device right Rp is set may be referred to as a parent device, and a wireless communication device in which the parent device right Rp is not set may be referred to as a child device. In addition, the wireless communication device may be simply referred to as a terminal.

  In the first embodiment, when the switching processing unit 112 of the wireless communication device 100 determines to switch the wireless communication device 100 to a child device, the switching instruction Ps for switching the parent device and the wireless connection information Cs for performing communication. Is transmitted to the plurality of slave units 200, 300 and 400. Thereby, it is not necessary for the user to perform the wireless connection information Cs, and the setting of the user's wireless connection information Cs can be simplified. Therefore, it is possible to automatically and rapidly switch from the parent device to the child device or from the child device to the parent device according to the state of the wireless communication device.

  In the first embodiment, the communication information J200, J300, and J400 is periodically transmitted from the wireless communication devices 200, 300, and 400 that are the slave units to the wireless communication device 100 that is the master unit. As a result, when the base unit leaves the network for any reason and does not receive these communication information, the base unit does not transmit a communication information reception response. With this, the slave unit can detect that the master unit has left the network. By detecting the separation, both the slave unit that has the master unit right Rp and the slave unit that does not have the master unit right Rp behave in the same way as when the switching instruction Ps is received, and the master unit is smoothly switched. be able to. In addition, since the wireless connection information Cs is shared when the parent device is switched, the user does not need to make a new setting. Therefore, stable operation can be realized even when the base unit leaves the network.

The function of the wireless communication apparatus according to Embodiment 1 will be described.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating functions of the wireless communication apparatus according to the first embodiment.
In this example, initially, the wireless communication device 100 operates as a parent device with the parent device right Rp set, and the other wireless communication devices 200, 300, and 400 operate as child devices without the parent device right Rp being set. It shall be.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the wireless communication device 100 includes a base unit function unit 101, a slave unit function unit 102, a terminal state management unit 103, a wireless connection information management unit 104, a base unit right transfer function unit 105, and a user interface function unit. 106.

  When the wireless communication apparatus 100 operates as a parent device, the function of the receiving unit 111 that receives communication information J200, J300, and J400 from the plurality of child devices 200, 300, and 400, The function of the transmission unit 113 that transmits Rp to the next base unit is included. Further, the terminal state management unit 103 includes the function of the switching processing unit 112.

  Further, when the wireless communication apparatus 100 operates as a slave unit, the function of the transmission unit 113 that transmits information J100 related to communication of the wireless communication device 100 to the master unit, the switching instruction Ps from the master unit, and the slave unit function unit 102 A function of the reception unit 111 that receives the wireless connection information Cs is included.

  For example, when there is a wireless connection request Rq (not shown) with appropriate wireless connection information Cs from the wireless communication apparatus 200 operating as a child device, the parent device function unit 101 permits wireless connection. Then, after the wireless connection, base unit function unit 101 provides a connection with a communication device or the like provided outside via own wireless communication device 100.

  The handset function unit 102 sets the base unit right Rp and makes a wireless connection request Rq with the wireless connection information Cs to the wireless communication apparatus 100 functioning as the base unit. When the wireless communication device 100 permits wireless connection, the wireless communication device 100 performs wireless connection and communicates with a communication device provided outside via the wireless communication device 100.

  The terminal state management unit 103 has a function of managing the states of the parent device and the child device. When the terminal state management unit 103 operates as a parent device, the communication information J200 of the subordinate child device 200, the communication information J300 of the child device 300, the communication information J400 of the child device 400, and the communication information J100 of the own wireless communication device 100 are displayed. Receive, collect and analyze.

  The terminal state management unit 103 (switching processing unit 112) includes a plurality of communication information J100 of the own wireless communication device 100 and a plurality of communication information J200, J300, and J400 of the wireless communication devices 200, 300, and 400 that are slave units. The next parent device is determined from the wireless communication devices 200, 300, and 400 that are the child devices.

  For example, when receiving the communication information J200 from the child device 200, the terminal state management unit 103 transmits a communication information reception response Rj200 to the child device 200 in response thereto. The terminal state management unit 103 receives, collects and analyzes the communication information J100, J200, J300, and J400, and then delivers the results to the parent device right transfer function unit 105.

  The terminal state management unit 103 issues an instruction to transfer the parent device right Rp to the next parent device. Based on the communication information J100 of the own wireless communication device 100 and a predetermined threshold value Jh, the terminal state management unit 103 determines whether to switch the own wireless communication device 100 to a child device. If the terminal state management unit 103 determines that the own wireless communication device 100 is to be switched to a slave device, the terminal state management unit 103 includes a switching instruction Ps and wireless connection information Cs, and includes a parent device switching packet Psp indicating parent device switching. , 300 and 400 are sent to the transmission unit 113. When switching from the parent device to the child device, the terminal state management unit 103 is used to transmit the parent device switching packet Psp to all the child devices belonging to the own wireless communication device.

  When operating as a parent device, the terminal state management unit 103 may determine that the information J100 related to communication of the own wireless communication device 100 is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold Jh and that the own wireless communication device 100 is switched to a child device. .

  When the terminal state management unit 103 does not switch the parent device, that is, when the own wireless communication device 100 remains operating as the parent device, the parent device switching packet Psp is not transmitted to the other wireless communication devices 200, 300, and 400.

  When the terminal state management unit 103 functions as a slave unit, the terminal state management unit 103 transmits the communication information J100 to the parent unit to which the terminal state management unit 103 belongs, and receives a communication information reception response Rj100 as a reply. Further, the base unit switching packet Psp is received from the base unit.

  The wireless connection information management unit 104 manages wireless connection information Cs used for wireless connection. When the wireless communication device becomes the next parent device and wirelessly connects to the child device, the wireless connection information Cs set in the wireless connection information management unit 104 is used.

  Note that the wireless connection information Cs and the predetermined threshold value Jh may be set in advance, for example, by the user using each user interface function unit of all wireless communication apparatuses. Then, the wireless connection information management unit 104 acquires preset wireless connection information Cs and a predetermined threshold value Jh from the user interface function unit 106.

  The wireless connection information Cs may be included in communication information, for example. The wireless connection information management unit 104 may acquire the wireless connection information Cs included in the communication information from the terminal state management unit 103 that collects the communication information.

  The parent device delegation function unit 105 has a function of delegating a parent device right Rp which is a right to switch from a child device to a parent device. The parent device delegation function unit 105 is the parent device of the wireless communication device that currently operates as the parent device to the wireless communication device that is determined as the next parent device (the wireless communication device to which the parent device right Rp is set next). The right Rp is transmitted. When the slave unit set with the master unit right Rp (slave unit having the master unit right Rp) receives the master unit switching packet Psp indicating the master unit switch, the slave unit stops functioning as the master unit. Activate the function.

  The parent device right transfer function unit 105 does not transmit the parent device right Rp when the wireless communication device selected as the next parent device is a wireless communication device that currently functions as the parent device.

  The user interface function unit 106 operates the wireless connection information management unit 104. The user interface function unit 106 operates on the wireless communication apparatus 100 as, for example, a graphic user interface (hereinafter referred to as GUI (Graphic User Interface)), and performs setting of the wireless connection information Cs and control of the terminal state management unit 103. used.

  Operations of a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses according to Embodiment 1 will be described.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating operations of a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating operations of a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating operations of a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a sequence between a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the wireless communication apparatus according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the wireless communication apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows operations from step S101 to step S106 shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 shows operations of step S108 and step S109 shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 shows operations of step S115 and step S116 shown in FIG.
FIG. 7 shows the operation of the wireless communication apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 6 and switching from the parent device to the child device.
FIG. 8 shows an operation of the wireless communication apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 6 and switching from the slave unit to the master unit.

  In FIG. 7, steps that are the same as or correspond to the steps in FIG. 6 are denoted with the same reference numerals. For example, “communication information reception?” In step S101 and step S103 in FIG. 7 corresponds to “communication information J200” in step S101 and “communication information J300” in step S103.

  In FIG. 8, steps that are the same as or correspond to the steps in FIG. 6 are given the same reference numerals.

  Note that the operation of the wireless communication device 400 is the same as that of the wireless communication device 200 and the wireless communication device 300, and therefore is omitted in FIG. 6 for simplicity.

  As shown in FIGS. 3, 6, 7, and 8, the wireless communication device 100 in which the parent device right Rp is set operates as a parent device, and the wireless communication device 200, the wireless communication device 300, and the wireless communication device 400 are connected. Operates as a slave unit. That is, each of the wireless communication device 200, the wireless communication device 300, and the wireless communication device 400 that is a slave device is wirelessly connected to the wireless communication device 100 that is a parent device. Note that a wireless connection of a child device to the parent device may be referred to as belonging to the parent device. Further, as described above, the wireless communication device 400 is omitted in FIG. 6 for simplicity.

  The wireless communication device 200 that is the slave device transmits the communication information J200 of the own wireless communication device 200 to the wireless communication device 100 that is the parent device by using the terminal state management unit 203 (step S101). Similarly, the wireless communication device 300 as a slave device transmits the communication information J300 to the wireless communication device 100 as a parent device using the terminal state management unit 303 (step S103).

  When receiving the communication information J200, the wireless communication device 100 returns a communication information reception response Rj200 using the terminal state management unit 103 (step S102). Similarly, when the wireless communication apparatus 100 receives the communication information J300, the wireless communication apparatus 100 returns a communication information reception response Rj300 using the terminal state management unit 103 (step S104). Further, the wireless communication apparatus 100 collects the communication information J100 of the wireless communication apparatus 100 and the communication information J200 and J300 of the slave unit using the terminal state management unit 103 (step S105). That is, the wireless communication device 100 operates as a parent device, and collects communication information J200 and J300 from the wireless communication device 200 and the wireless communication device 300 that operate as a child device.

  Note that the communication information J200 and the communication information J300 may be transmitted periodically. As a result, when the parent device does not receive communication information for some reason, the parent device does not transmit a communication information reception response. With this, the slave unit can detect that the master unit has left the network.

  Further, a wireless communication device that operates as a parent device may be referred to as a parent device, and a wireless communication device that operates as a child device may be referred to as a child device.

  The wireless communication device 100 that has collected the communication information J200 and the communication information J300 uses the parent device right transfer function unit 105 as a wireless communication device to operate as the next parent device, the wireless communication device 200, the wireless communication device 300, and the wireless communication device. The communication device 400 is determined and the master device right Rp is delegated (step S106). In this example, the wireless communication device 100 delegates the parent device right Rp to the wireless communication device 200. As a result, the wireless communication device 200 has the master right Rp.

In addition, although it has a master unit right, it may be called holding a master unit right or holding a master unit right.
Further, the step S106 of determining and delegating the delegation destination of the parent device right Rp may be performed every time the communication information J100, the communication information J200, the communication information J300, and the communication information J400 change. Thereby, since the wireless communication device to which the parent device right is set is determined based on the latest communication information, it is possible to average the load on the wireless communication device operating as the parent device.

  As shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, after step S <b> 106, the wireless communication device 100 performs parent device switching (step S <b> 107 a: Yes). The wireless communication apparatus 200 sets the received parent device right Rp (step S107b).

  As shown in FIGS. 4, 6, 7, and 8, when the wireless communication device 100 that is the parent device is switched to the child device, the terminal state management unit 103 is used to change to the child device that has belonged so far. A base unit switching packet Psp indicating base unit switching is transmitted to a certain wireless communication apparatus 200 (step S108). Similarly, using the terminal state management unit 103, the parent device switching packet Psp is transmitted to the wireless communication device 300 that is the child device to which it has belonged so far (step S109).

  As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 8, the wireless communication device 100 that has transmitted the parent device switching packet Psp stops the function of operating as the parent device (step S <b> 110). The wireless communication device 100 activates a function that operates as a slave (step S113). The wireless communication apparatus 200 that receives the parent device switching packet Psp and has the parent device right Rp stops the function of the child device (step S111). The wireless communication device 200 having the parent device right Rp operates as a parent device by operating the function of the parent device (step S114).

  The wireless communication device 300 that is the slave device disconnects the wireless connection with the wireless communication device 100 that has been the parent device so far (step S112). The wireless communication device 300 that is the slave device attempts to establish a wireless connection to the wireless communication device 200 that is the next parent device, and belongs to the wireless communication device 200 (step S115). The wireless communication device 100 that has activated the function as a slave device and has become a slave device attempts to establish a wireless connection to the wireless communication device 200 that is the next master device, and belongs to the wireless communication device 200 (step S116).

  The steps S106, S108, S111, and S114 related to the wireless communication apparatus 200 are summarized as follows. The wireless communication device 200 that has received the parent device right Rp and has received the parent device switching packet Psp including the switching instruction Ps and the wireless connection information Cs stops the operation of the child device and starts the operation of the parent device. Then switch to the next base unit.

  The steps S106, S108, S109, S110, S113, and S116 related to the wireless communication apparatus 100 are summarized as follows. The wireless communication device 100 that has transmitted the parent device right Rp and transmitted the parent device switching packet Psp including the switching instruction Ps and the wireless connection information Cs stops the operation of the parent device and starts the operation of the child device. Then, it is switched to the slave unit, and it belongs to the wireless communication apparatus 200 as the next master unit with the wireless connection information Cs.

  The steps S109, S112, and S115 related to the wireless communication apparatus 300 are summarized as follows. The wireless communication device 300 that is a slave device that has received the master device switching packet Psp including the switching instruction Ps and the wireless connection information Cs without receiving the master device right Rp communicates with the wireless communication device 100 that is the master device. Disconnect and belong to the wireless communication apparatus 200 as the next base unit with the wireless connection information Cs.

  Thereafter, the communication information J100 is transmitted from the wireless communication device 100 as the slave device to the wireless communication device 200 as the parent device. Communication information J300 is transmitted from radio communication apparatus 300 as a slave unit to radio communication apparatus 200 as a master unit. In this way, this time, the same operations as in steps S101 to S116 are repeated using the wireless communication device 200 as a parent device and the wireless communication device 100 and the wireless communication device 300 as child devices. After that, one of the plurality of wireless communication devices serves as a parent device, and the other wireless communication device serves as a child device, and the same operations as in steps S101 to S116 are repeated.

  In the first embodiment, the wireless connection information Cs is transmitted included in the parent device switching packet Psp, set in advance by the user, or transmitted included in the communication information. In any of these methods, a user who uses a wireless communication device can switch between a parent device and a child device between a plurality of wireless communication devices without requiring any operation when the parent device is switched. . As a result, it is possible to provide a wireless communication device, a wireless communication system, a wireless communication method, and a program that can easily switch between a parent device and a child device.

  In the first embodiment, the wireless connection information Cs is not set separately for each parent device, but uses the common wireless connection information Cs. Regardless of which wireless communication device becomes the parent device, wireless connection is established using the same common wireless connection information Cs. Therefore, when the master unit is switched, the slave unit does not need to set another wireless connection information again. Then, the user can automatically switch to the parent device without setting the wireless connection information Cs again.

  In the first embodiment, since the parent device collects the communication information of the own wireless communication device and the communication information of the child device, the parent device is set according to the state of the wireless communication device based on the communication information. It is possible to switch between and slave units.

[Embodiment 2]
Operations of a plurality of radio communication apparatuses according to Embodiment 2 will be described.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a sequence between a plurality of wireless communication devices according to the second embodiment.
The second embodiment is an example in which the wireless communication device 100 delegates the parent device right Rp to the wireless communication device 200 because the battery remaining amount is insufficient.

First, an outline of the operation of the wireless communication apparatus according to the second embodiment will be described.
The wireless communication unit 110 of the wireless communication device 100 includes remaining battery levels J200a (not shown), J300a (not shown), and J400a included in the communication information J200, J300, and J400 of the other wireless communication devices 200, 300, and 400. (Not shown) is received. Based on the remaining battery level J100a of the wireless communication device 100 and the remaining battery levels J200a, J300a, and J400a of the other wireless communication devices 200, 300, and 400, the switching processing unit 112 performs other wireless communication devices 200, 300, and 400. The next base unit is determined from the list.

Next, the operation of the wireless communication apparatus according to Embodiment 2 will be specifically described.
As illustrated in FIG. 9, the wireless communication device 200 and the wireless communication device 300 belong to the wireless communication device 100 that is a parent device as a child device. Then, each of the wireless communication device 200 and the wireless communication device 300 uses the communication information J200 and the communication information J300 of the own wireless communication device managed by the terminal state management unit 203 and the terminal state management unit 303 as the parent device. 100 is periodically transmitted (step S151 and step S153). In addition, the wireless communication device 100 returns those communication information reception responses Rj200 and Rj300 (steps S152 and S154).

  The communication information J200 and the communication information J300 include, for example, at least one of a radio wave status, a remaining battery level, and a communication amount. The radio wave status is, for example, communication quality such as received electric field strength, received signal-to-noise ratio, and bit error rate. The remaining battery capacity is, for example, the remaining battery capacity or the time until the battery capacity becomes zero. The amount of communication is, for example, the cumulative (total) communication amount used up to now or the current communication speed.

  The wireless communication device 100 receives and collects the communication information J200 and the communication information J300 (step S155). When wireless communication apparatus 100 receives communication information J200 and communication information J300, terminal state management unit 103 communicates with battery remaining amount J100a of own wireless communication apparatus 100 included in communication information J100 of own wireless communication apparatus 100, and communication. The remaining battery level J200a of the wireless communication device 200 included in the information J200 is compared with the remaining battery level J300a of the wireless communication device 300 included in the communication information J300. When the remaining battery level J100a of the own wireless communication device 100 is smaller than the remaining battery level J200a of the wireless communication device 200 and the remaining battery level J300a of the wireless communication device 300, the wireless communication device 200 having a sufficient remaining battery level or A determination is made to delegate the parent device right Rp to the wireless communication device 300. In this example, first, it is assumed that the battery remaining amount J300a of the wireless communication device 300 is the largest, and the parent device right Rp is transferred to the wireless communication device 300.

  That is, when the communication information J100 is the battery remaining amount J100a, the terminal state management unit 103 (switching processing unit 112) determines that the wireless communication device 300 that operates as the parent device has the largest remaining battery amount, The next base unit is determined and the base unit right Rp is transferred.

  The wireless communication device 100 decides to delegate the parent device right Rp to the wireless communication device 300, and transmits the parent device right Rp from the parent device right delegation function unit 105 to the wireless communication device 300 for delegation (step S156). The wireless communication apparatus 300 that has received the parent device right Rp holds the parent device right Rp in the terminal state management unit 303. At this time, the wireless communication apparatus 300 has not yet operated as a parent device.

  Since the wireless communication device 100 periodically receives and collects the communication information J200 and the communication information J300 from the wireless communication device 200 and the wireless communication device 300, the steps S151 to S155 are repeated. At this time, if there is a change in the communication information J100 and communication information J200 and J300 collected by the wireless communication device 100 as the parent device, the wireless communication device to which the parent device right Rp is delegated is determined again. This time, it is assumed that the battery remaining amount J200a of the wireless communication device 200 is the largest, and the parent device right Rp is transferred to the wireless communication device 200.

  The wireless communication device 100 determines delegation of the parent device right Rp to the wireless communication device 200, and transmits the parent device right Rp from the parent device right delegation function unit 105 to the wireless communication device 200 (step S157). The wireless communication apparatus 200 that has received the parent device right Rp holds the parent device right Rp in the terminal state management unit 203.

  For delegation of the parent device right Rp, for example, a parent device right delegation packet Rpp may be used. The parent device right transfer packet Rpp includes wireless connection information Cs held by the wireless connection information management unit 104 of the wireless communication device 100. The wireless connection information Cs is a setting for wireless connection, and is, for example, an SSID (Service Set Identifier) or a password for wireless connection.

  The wireless communication apparatus 200 stores the wireless connection information Cs in the wireless connection information management unit 204. The wireless communication device 200 uses the wireless connection information Cs stored in the wireless connection information management unit 204 when the own wireless communication device 200 functions as a parent device. Therefore, no matter which wireless communication device is changed to the parent device, wireless connection is possible with the same wireless connection information Cs.

  The wireless communication device 100 transmits a parent device right discard instruction Pd for destroying the parent device right Rp to the wireless communication device 300 that is a wireless communication device other than the wireless communication device 200 that is the next parent device (step S158). ). As a result, the parent device right Rp that has been transferred to the wireless communication apparatus 300 is discarded. Therefore, it is possible to uniquely determine the next wireless communication device that operates as the parent device.

  When the wireless communication device 100 detects that the remaining battery level J100a of the own wireless communication device 100 is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold Bh set in advance, the terminal state management unit 103 causes the wireless communication device 200 to communicate with the wireless communication device 200. The switching packet Psp is transmitted (step S159), and the parent device switching packet Psp is transmitted to the wireless communication apparatus 300 (step S160).

  In the second embodiment, the wireless communication device 200 with the largest remaining battery power is set as the wireless communication device to which the parent device right Rp is to be set next, and then the remaining battery power of the wireless communication device 100 as the parent device is set. An example in which the parent device switching packet Psp is transmitted when the amount J100a is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold Bh is shown. This is not a limitation.

  When the remaining battery level J100a of the wireless communication device 100 that is the parent device is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold Bh, the wireless communication device with the largest remaining battery amount is set as the wireless communication device to which the parent device right Rp is to be set next, The parent device right transfer packet Rpp and the parent device switching packet Psp may be transmitted immediately.

  Thereafter, as in the first embodiment, wireless communication apparatus 100 stops base unit function unit 101 (step S110) and starts handset function unit 102 (step S113). The subunit | mobile_unit function part 102 of the radio | wireless communication apparatus 100 tries radio | wireless connection to the radio | wireless communication apparatus 200, and belongs to the radio | wireless communication apparatus 200 (step S116).

  The wireless communication device 200 confirms whether the terminal state management unit 203 holds the parent device right Rp. In this example, since the wireless communication apparatus 200 holds the master unit right Rp, the slave unit function unit 202 is stopped (step S111), and the master unit function unit 201 is activated (step S114). Then, the wireless communication device 200 causes the wireless communication device 100 and the wireless communication device 300 to belong to the own wireless communication device 200 using the wireless connection information Cs transmitted from the wireless communication device 100 together with the parent device right Rp. That is, the wireless communication device 200 wirelessly connects the wireless communication device 100 and the wireless communication device 300 to the own wireless communication device 200 using the wireless connection information Cs. Since the wireless communication apparatus 200 uses the wireless connection information Cs transmitted from the wireless communication apparatus 100, the wireless communication apparatus 100 and the wireless communication apparatus 300 can be self-radiated without performing new wireless connection information. It can be attributed to the communication device 200.

  The wireless communication device 300 disconnects the wireless connection with the wireless communication device 100 that is the old base unit (step S112). It is confirmed whether the terminal state management unit 303 of the wireless communication apparatus 300 holds the parent device right Rp. In this example, since the parent device right Rp is not held, the terminal state management unit 303 of the wireless communication device 300 tries to connect to the wireless communication device 200 that is the next parent device and belongs to the wireless communication device 200. (Step S115).

  The wireless communication device 200 having the parent device right Rp can become the parent device unconditionally by receiving the parent device switching packet Psp from the wireless communication device 100. By such a method, switching between the master unit and the slave unit can be performed automatically and in a short time.

  In the second embodiment, the remaining battery level, which is communication information, is collected, and the parent device is switched based on the collected remaining battery level. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and switching may be performed regardless of the remaining battery level within the time when the wireless communication device is the parent device. That is, the terminal state management unit 103 of the wireless communication device 100 that is the parent device holds the time when the parent device function unit 101 of the wireless communication device 100 is activated, and the parent device is switched after a predetermined time has elapsed from the activation time. The packet Psp may be transmitted. As a result, even when the remaining battery level does not reach the predetermined threshold Bh (arbitrary remaining level), it is possible to switch the wireless communication device that operates as the master unit in a predetermined time. And in a some radio | wireless communication apparatus, those battery residual amounts can be further averaged.

[Embodiment 3]
Operations of a plurality of radio communication apparatuses according to Embodiment 3 will be described.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating operations of a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses according to the third embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating operations of a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses according to the third embodiment.
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a sequence between a plurality of wireless communication devices according to the third embodiment.

  10, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are examples in the case where the HGW 500 has exceeded the accumulated communication amount of LTE (Long Term Evolution), and therefore the master unit right Rp is delegated to the wireless communication device 600. That is, FIG. 10, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 show a case where the communication information is the LTE accumulated communication amount of each smartphone and the operation until the smartphone 600 is switched from the child device to the parent device.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the plurality of wireless communication devices according to the third embodiment uses an HGW (Hone Gate Way) 500 installed in a home or the like as a wireless communication device in which the parent device function unit operates, A plurality of smartphones capable of performing LTE communication are used as wireless communication devices in which the machine function unit operates.

  The smartphone 600, the smartphone 700, and the smartphone 800 belong to the HGW 500 as slave units. The HGW 500 is connected to the Internet (not shown), and the smartphone 600, the smartphone 700, and the smartphone 800 connected to the HGW 500 are connected to the Internet via the HGW 500 and can use the Internet.

In addition, the smart phone 600, the smart phone 700, and the smart phone 800 may be called a some smart phone. In addition, each of the smartphone 600, the smartphone 700, and the smartphone 800 may be referred to as each smartphone.
Further, the operation of the parent device function unit may be referred to as the operation of the parent device, and the operation of the child device function unit may be referred to as the operation of the child device.

  Each of the HGW 500, the smartphone 600, the smartphone 700, and the smartphone 800 includes a parent device function unit, a child device function unit, a terminal state management unit, a connection setting management unit, a parent device right transfer function unit, and a user interface function unit. These functional units may be provided by, for example, a JAVA (registered trademark) application.

  Each of the smart phone 600, the smart phone 700, and the smart phone 800 can be connected to an ICS (Internet Service Provider) network provided by the line operator through LTE communication. Each smartphone is in a state in which the LTE communication function is stopped while functioning as a slave and connected. In each smartphone, the accumulated communication amount in LTE communication is limited to 7 GB (gigabytes) by the line operator.

  As illustrated in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, the smartphone 600 that is the child device transmits the LTE accumulated communication amount J600b that is communication information to the HGW 500 that is the parent device (step S201). The smartphone 700 that is the slave device transmits the LTE accumulated communication amount J700b that is communication information to the HGW 500 that is the master device (step S203). The smartphone 800 that is the slave device transmits the LTE accumulated communication amount J800b that is communication information to the HGW 500 that is the master device (step S205).

That is, the HGW 500 receives and collects the LTE accumulated traffic J600b, J700b, and J800b from each of the smartphone 600, the smartphone 700, and the smartphone 800 belonging to itself (HGW500) by using the terminal state management unit 503 (steps). S207). At this time, since the HGW 500 does not have the LTE communication function, the HGW 500 does not collect its own LTE accumulated communication amount J500b.
Note that the LTE accumulated communication amount may be referred to as communication information.

When the HGW 500 receives the LTE accumulated communication amount J600b that is communication information, the HGW 500 returns an LTE accumulated communication amount reception response Rj600 (step S202). When receiving the LTE accumulated traffic J700b, the HGW 500 returns an LTE accumulated traffic reception response Rj700 (step S204). When receiving the LTE accumulated traffic J800b, the HGW 500 returns an LTE accumulated traffic reception response Rj800 (step S206).
The LTE accumulated communication amount reception response may be referred to as a communication information reception response.

  The LTE accumulated communication amount of each smartphone collected by the HGW 500 is 1 GB for the LTE accumulated communication amount J600b of the smartphone 600, 4 GB for the LTE accumulated communication amount J700b for the smartphone 700, and 2 GB for the LTE accumulated communication amount J800b for the smartphone 800.

  Based on the collected LTE accumulated communication amount J600b, J700b, and J800b, the HGW 500 determines the next wireless communication device to operate as the parent device as the smartphone 600, and uses the parent device right delegation function unit 505 to obtain the parent device right Rp. Delegate to smartphone 600 (step S208). For example, the HGW 500 determines the smartphone 600 having the least collected LTE accumulated communication amount as a wireless communication device that operates next as a parent device, and uses the parent device right transfer function unit 505 to transfer the parent device right Rp to the smartphone 600. Delegate.

  That is, when the communication information is a communication amount such as an LTE cumulative communication amount, the HGW 500 operating as the parent unit determines the wireless communication device 600 that is the wireless communication device with the lowest communication amount as the next parent unit. To do.

  By using the LTE accumulated communication amount for the communication information, the parent device and the child device can be switched automatically and at high speed according to the terminal state. In addition, by connecting the smartphone with the smallest LTE accumulated communication amount as a parent device and connecting another smartphone as a child device, the LTE accumulated communication amount can be shared and averaged between the smartphones.

  Note that the delegation of the parent device right Rp, that is, the switching of the parent device from the HGW 500 to the smartphone 600 eliminates the LTE cumulative communication amount J600b, J700b, and J800b that each smartphone periodically transmits to the HGW 500, and is out of the communication range of the HGW 500. Before it becomes.

  In addition, when the communication information is, for example, communication quality, the HGW 500 operating as the parent device may determine the wireless communication device with the highest communication quality as the next parent device.

  For example, each smartphone goes out of the communication range of the HGW 500 by going out. Each smartphone detects that the belonging has been lost because the received response to the LTE accumulated communication amount J600b, J700b, and J800b transmitted by itself is not included in the HGW 500. The smartphone 600 that has detected that the attribution is lost and has the parent device right Rp stops the function of the child device (step S211) and activates the function of the parent device (step S212). At this time, the wireless connection information Cs to be used may be set in advance in the wireless connection information management unit 604 by, for example, a method shown in FIG.

  A case where the parent device leaves the network for some reason can be considered in the same manner as when each smartphone as a child device goes out and goes out of the communication range of the HGW 500 as a parent device.

  In such a case, the communication information reception response is not transmitted because the parent device does not receive the communication information periodically transmitted by the child device. With this, the slave unit detects that the master unit has left the network. After the detection, the slave unit having the master unit right Rp and the slave unit not having the master unit right Rp operate in the same manner as when the master unit switching packet Psp is received, so that smooth master unit switching can be performed. it can.

  As described above, according to the third embodiment, the parent device switching operation can be performed even when the parent device switching packet Psp from the parent device is not received.

  The smartphone 700 that is another smartphone and does not have the parent device right Rp disconnects the wireless connection with the HGW 500 (step S209). The smartphone 800 that is another smartphone and does not have the parent device right Rp disconnects the wireless connection with the HGW 500 (step S210).

  The smartphone 700 that has disconnected the wireless connection with the HGW 500 attempts to establish a wireless connection to the smartphone 600 that has newly become the parent device, and belongs to the smartphone 600 (step S213). The smartphone 800 that has disconnected the wireless connection with the HGW 500 attempts a wireless connection to the smartphone 600 that has newly become the parent device, and belongs to the smartphone 600 (step S214).

  At this time, the smart phone 700 and the smart phone 800 that are the slave units are connected to the Internet via the ICS network to which the smart phone 600 is connected. A device that functions as a child device may be referred to as a child device.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating operations of a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses according to the third embodiment.
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating operations of a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses according to the third embodiment.
FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a sequence between a plurality of wireless communication apparatuses according to the third embodiment.

  13, 14, and 15 are cases where each smartphone goes out and goes out of the communication range of the HGW 500, and since the smartphone 600 has exceeded the accumulated communication amount of LTE, the master device right Rp is delegated to the smartphone 800. This is an example.

  FIG. 13 is an example when the user goes out with each smartphone. FIG. 14 shows an operation when the LTE accumulated communication amount J600b of the smartphone 600 exceeds a predetermined threshold Ch. The predetermined threshold Ch is set by, for example, a user interface function unit 606 shown in FIG. FIG. 15 shows the process until the smartphone 600 is switched from the parent device to the child device.

  As illustrated in FIG. 13, when the user goes out with each smartphone, the smartphone 700 and the smartphone 800 that are the child devices communicate with the smartphone 600 that is the parent device, respectively. At this time, the wireless connection information Cs is not changed, and communication is performed with the previous wireless connection information Cs.

  As illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the smartphone 700 periodically transmits the LTE accumulated communication amount J700b, which is communication information, to the smartphone 600 (step S301). The smartphone 600 returns an LTE accumulated traffic reception response Rj700 for the LTE accumulated traffic J700b (step S302). The smartphone 800 periodically transmits the LTE accumulated communication amount J800b, which is communication information, to the smartphone 600 (step S303). The smartphone 600 returns an LTE accumulated traffic reception response Rj800 with respect to the LTE accumulated traffic J800b (step S304).

  The smartphone 600 collects its own LTE accumulated communication amount J600b and also collects the LTE accumulated communication amounts J700b and J800b of the slave units (step S305).

  When the LTE accumulated communication amount J600b set in the terminal state management unit 603 is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold Ch, the smartphone 600 is based on the collected LTE accumulated communication amount of each smartphone. Next, the smartphone that operates as the parent device (the parent device right Rp should be set) is determined.

  In this example, the predetermined threshold Ch is 4.5 GB (gigabytes). The LTE accumulated communication amount J600b is 4.5 GB, the LTE accumulated communication amount J700b is 4 GB, and the LTE accumulated communication amount J800b is 2 GB.

  In such a case, since the LTE accumulated communication amount J600b of the smartphone 600 is 4.5 GB or more (reached) which is the predetermined threshold Ch, the smartphone 600 selects the smartphone 800 with the smallest LTE accumulated communication amount next, Decide on a smartphone to work as. Then, the parent device right delegation function unit 605 delegates the parent device right Rp from the smartphone 600 to the smartphone 800 (step S306).

  By connecting the smartphone with the smallest LTE accumulated communication amount as a parent device and connecting other smartphones as child devices, the LTE accumulated communication amount can be shared and averaged between the smartphones.

  Using the terminal state management unit 603, the smartphone 600 transmits a parent device switching packet Psp indicating parent device switching (step S307 and step S308), stops the parent device function (step S311), and then changes the child device function. Start up (step S312). For example, an IP (Internet Protocol) packet is used as the parent device switching packet Psp.

  When receiving the parent device switching packet Psp, the smartphone 800 having the parent device right Rp stops the child device function (step S310) and activates the parent device function (step S313). At this time, the wireless connection information Cs used in the wireless connection may be set in advance in the wireless connection information management unit 804 by, for example, a method similar to that of the smartphone 600 shown in FIG.

  The smartphone 700 that does not have the parent device right Rp disconnects the wireless connection with the smartphone 600 (step S309). The smartphone 700 and the smartphone 600 belong to the smartphone 800 (Step S314 and Step S315).

  FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a user interface of the parent device, the child device, and the child device.

  As illustrated in FIG. 16, the user uses the user interface function unit 606 of the smartphone 600 belonging to the HGW 500 to copy the wireless connection information Cs from the wireless connection information management unit 504 of the HGW 500 that is the parent device. Then, the copied wireless connection information Cs is set in the wireless connection information management unit 604 of the smartphone 600 that is the child device. In this way, the user operates the slave unit to acquire the wireless connection information Cs from the master unit. Similarly, the wireless connection information Cs can be acquired and set from the smartphone 700 and the smartphone 800 as well.

  The acquisition of the wireless connection information Cs may be transmitted from the HGW 500 serving as the parent device to the smartphone 600 in response to the wireless connection information acquisition request Csr from the smartphone 600 serving as the child device.

  The wireless connection information Cs is used when the smartphone 600 operates as a slave or as a master when wirelessly connecting. The wireless connection information Cs is used when the smartphone 700 and the smartphone 800 operate as a parent device. The wireless connection information Cs is also used when the smartphone 700 and the smartphone 800 operate as slave units. By using the same wireless connection information Cs as the wireless connection information Cs of the HGW 500 at the time of wireless connection, the smartphone 700 and the smartphone 800 do not need to perform new wireless connection information.

  FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a user interface of the parent device, the child device, and the child device.

  As illustrated in FIG. 17, the user can use the user interface function unit 606 to select communication information for switching the parent device and set a parent device switching threshold for the selected communication information. The communication information includes, for example, a radio wave condition, a remaining battery level, and a communication amount. In the example shown in FIG. 17, the LTE accumulated communication amount is selected as the communication information for switching the base unit, and the threshold value is set to 4.5 GB (gigabytes). According to this setting, when the LTE accumulated communication amount of the HGW 500 that is the parent device becomes 4.5 GB or more which is the threshold value, the parent device becomes a child device, and the next parent device is determined from the plurality of child devices. The

  As described above, since the parent device and the child device always cooperate with each other, the parent device and the child device can be switched at high speed and automatically. Further, even when a plurality of wireless communication devices exist on the network, communication information is always exchanged and the parent device right is delegated, so that the communication speed is hardly affected by switching.

  In the embodiment, the number of wireless communication devices operating as slave units has been described as two or three. Without being limited thereto, the number of wireless communication devices operating as slave units may be other than two or three.

  In the above embodiments, the present invention has been described as a hardware configuration, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can also realize processing of each component by causing a CPU (Central Processing Unit) to execute a computer program.

  In the above embodiments, the program can be stored using various types of non-transitory computer readable media and supplied to the computer. Non-transitory computer readable media include various types of tangible storage media. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic recording media (for example, flexible disks, magnetic tapes, hard disk drives), magneto-optical recording media (for example, magneto-optical disks), CD-ROMs (Read Only Memory), CD-Rs, CD-R / W, semiconductor memory (for example, mask ROM, PROM (Programmable ROM), EPROM (Erasable PROM)), flash ROM, RAM (Random Access Memory) are included. The program may also be supplied to the computer by various types of transitory computer readable media. Examples of transitory computer readable media include electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. The temporary computer-readable medium can supply the program to the computer via a wired communication path such as an electric wire and an optical fiber, or a wireless communication path.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

100, 200, 300, 400 ... Wireless communication device 101, 201, 301, 401, 501, 601, 701, 801 ... Master unit function unit 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702, 802 ... Slave unit function Unit 103, 203, 303, 403, 503, 603, 703, 803 ... terminal state management unit 104, 204, 304, 404, 504, 604, 704, 804 ... wireless connection information management unit 105, 205, 305, 405, 505, 605, 705, 805 ... Master device delegation function unit 106, 206, 306, 406, 506, 606, 706, 806 ... User interface function unit 110 ... Radio communication unit 111 ... Reception unit 112 ... Switching processing unit 113 ... Transmission unit 114 ... wireless connection information storage unit 115 ... switching information reception unit 116 ... switching information Transmission unit 500 ... HGW 600, 700, 800 ... Smartphone J100, J200, J300, J400 ... Information relating to communication J100a, J200a, J300a, J400a ... Battery remaining amount J500b, J600b, J700b, J800b ... LTE accumulated communication amount Jh, Bh, Ch ... predetermined threshold Cs ... wireless connection information Csr ... wireless connection information acquisition request Ps ... switch instruction Psp ... master unit switching packet Pd ... master unit right discard instruction Rp ... master unit right Rpp ... master unit delegation packet Rq ... wireless connection Request Rj100, Rj200, Rj300, Rj400, Rj600, Rj700, Rj800 ... Communication information reception response Th ... Predetermined period

Claims (10)

A wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication as a parent device or a child device; and
A wireless connection information storage unit for storing wireless connection information for the wireless communication;
A switching processing unit that performs switching processing between the parent device and the child device;
When switching from the parent device to the child device, the parent device right and the wireless connection information are transmitted to the next wireless communication device that operates as the next parent device, to another wireless communication device that operates as the child device, a switching instruction to the next master unit from the master unit, and the wireless connection information and the switching information transmission unit that transmits the discard instruction and base unit rights to discard the master unit rights,
Bei to give a,
The switching processing unit determines the next parent device based on communication quality or accumulated communication amount,
Wireless communication device. The wireless communication unit receives a cumulative communication amount of the other wireless communication device;
The switching unit, said on the basis of the cumulative traffic of the cumulative traffic with the other wireless communication device of a wireless communication device, determines the next master unit from among the other radio communication device,
The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1. The switching processing unit switches to the slave unit after the switching information transmission unit transmits the switching instruction.
The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. A user interface function unit;
The wireless connection information is set using the user interface function unit.
The radio | wireless communication apparatus of any one of Claims 1-3. The wireless connection information includes at least one of an SSID (Service Set Identifier) and a password,
The radio | wireless communication apparatus of any one of Claims 1-4. A wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication as a parent device or a child device; and
A wireless connection information storage unit for storing wireless connection information for the wireless communication;
From another radio communication device operating as the master unit, receiving a switching instruction to the next master unit from the master unit, and the wireless connection information, a discard instruction and base unit rights to discard the master unit right A switching information receiver to
A switching processing unit that executes switching processing to the base unit in response to the switching instruction, and stores the received wireless connection information in the wireless connection information storage unit;
A wireless communication device. The switching processing unit performs switching from the slave unit to the master unit, or switches the connected master unit.
The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 6. A wireless communication system comprising: a wireless communication device that operates as a base unit; and another wireless communication device that performs wireless communication with the wireless communication device and operates as a slave unit,
The wireless communication device
Storing wireless connection information for the wireless communication;
Perform the switching process between the master unit and the slave unit,
When switching from the parent device to the child device, the parent device right and the wireless connection information are transmitted to the next wireless communication device that operates as the next parent device, and the other wireless communication device that operates as the child device. , transmits a switching instruction to the next master unit from the master unit, and the wireless connection information, a discard instruction and base unit rights to discard the master unit rights,
Determine the next base unit based on communication quality or accumulated communication volume,
The other wireless communication device is:
From the wireless communication device operating as the master unit, and the switching instruction to the next master unit from the master unit, and the wireless connection information, the base unit rights discard instruction for discarding the base unit rights, Receive
In response to the switching instruction, a switching process to the base unit is performed, and the received wireless connection information is stored in a wireless connection information storage unit.
Wireless communication system. A step of performing wireless communication as a parent device or a child device;
Storing wireless connection information for the wireless communication;
Performing a switching process between the master unit and the slave unit;
When switching from the parent device to the child device, the parent device right and the wireless connection information are transmitted to the next wireless communication device that operates as the next parent device, to another wireless communication device that operates as the child device, sending a switching instruction to the next master unit, and the wireless connection information, a discard instruction and base unit rights to discard the master unit rights from said master unit,
Determining the next base unit based on communication quality or accumulated communication amount;
A wireless communication method comprising: A step of performing wireless communication as a parent device or a child device;
Storing wireless connection information for the wireless communication;
Performing a switching process between the master unit and the slave unit;
When switching from the parent device to the child device, the parent device right and the wireless connection information are transmitted to the next wireless communication device that operates as the next parent device, to another wireless communication device that operates as the child device, sending a switching instruction to the next master unit, and the wireless connection information, a discard instruction and base unit rights to discard the master unit rights from said master unit,
Determining the next base unit based on communication quality or accumulated communication amount;
A program that causes a computer to execute.

Images