JP6933387B2 - Relay device, communication system, communication method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a relay device, a communication system, a communication method, and a program.

LTE (Long Term Evolution) communication used in wide area networks (WAN; Wide Area Network) is defined by 3GPP (3rd Partnership Project), which defines the use of cellular communication technology. Specifically, for example, the communication speed of LTE communication is defined by the UE (User Equipment) category shown in FIG. The higher the UE category, the higher the communication speed.

Therefore, due to the recent demand for high-speed data communication, a higher UE category is selected for a relay device such as a mobile router. However, the higher the UE category, the higher the power consumption of the relay device. Therefore, in the relay device equipped with the battery, there is a problem that the communicable time is shortened.

In addition, even if the amount of data handled is small, such as accessing the homepage by e-mail or browser, if the UE category selected in the relay device is high, the power consumption will increase and the communication available time will be shortened. There's a problem.

In Patent Document 1, in a LAN (Local Area Network) between a relay device such as a mobile router and a user's terminal device, the amount of data (communication amount) transmitted and received between the relay device and the terminal device is defined as communication. It is described that when the amount is exceeded, switching from wireless LAN communication to Bluetooth® communication is performed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-032160

However, Patent Document 1 does not mention the UE category in the relay device, and cannot solve the problem that the power consumption of the relay device increases when the UE category is high.

An object of the present invention is to provide a relay device, a communication system, a communication method, and a program capable of reducing power consumption.

The relay device according to the first aspect of the present invention is a relay device connected to the Internet by LTE communication, and is a communication amount monitoring unit that monitors the communication amount between the terminal device and the relay device, and the relay. The selection unit includes a selection unit for selecting a UE category in the device, and when the communication volume per fixed time monitored by the communication volume monitoring unit is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value, the selection unit is the UE in the relay device. When a UE category higher than a predetermined level is selected as a category and the communication volume per fixed time monitored by the communication volume monitoring unit is less than a predetermined threshold value, the selection unit selects the UE in the relay device. A UE category lower than the predetermined level is selected as the category.

The communication system according to the second aspect of the present invention is a communication system including a relay device connected to the Internet by LTE communication and a terminal device connected to the relay device so as to be wirelessly communicable. Includes a communication volume monitoring unit that monitors the communication volume between the terminal device and the relay device, and a selection unit that selects a UE category in the relay device, and is monitored by the communication volume monitoring unit for a certain period of time. When the amount of communication per hit is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the selection unit selects a UE category higher than a predetermined level as the UE category in the relay device, and the constant amount monitored by the communication amount monitoring unit. When the amount of communication per hour is less than a predetermined threshold, the selection unit selects a UE category lower than the predetermined level as the UE category in the relay device.

In the communication method according to the third aspect of the present invention, the relay device connected to the Internet by LTE communication monitors the communication amount between the terminal device and the relay device, and the monitored communication amount per fixed time. Is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, a UE category higher than a predetermined level is selected as the UE category in the relay device, and the monitored communication volume per fixed time is less than the predetermined threshold value. A UE category lower than the predetermined level is selected as the UE category in the relay device.

In the program according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the relay device connected to the Internet by LTE communication is subjected to a process of monitoring the amount of communication between the terminal device and the relay device, and a UE category in the relay device is selected. When the amount of communication per monitored fixed time is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the UE category becomes a UE category higher than a predetermined level as the UE category in the relay device. When the monitored communication volume per fixed time is less than a predetermined threshold value, the UE category in the relay device is selected to be a UE category lower than the predetermined level.

It is possible to provide a relay device, a communication system, a communication method, and a program capable of reducing power consumption.

It is a block diagram which shows an example of the mobile router which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the communication system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the communication method which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure explaining an example of the UE category of LTE communication. It is a figure explaining the communication method which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention.

Embodiment 1
Hereinafter, Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a mobile router 100 as a relay device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Further, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the communication system 400 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile router 100 includes an antenna 101, a WAN side wireless control unit 102, a system control unit 103, and a LAN side wireless control unit 104. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the mobile router 100 is connected to the Internet 300 by LTE communication. Further, the mobile router 100 is wirelessly connected to the terminal device 200 used by the user by Wi-Fi communication or the like.

The mobile router 100 includes a control unit (not shown). The control unit includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown), a storage unit (not shown), and the like. Then, when the CPU executes the program stored in the storage unit, all the processing in the control unit is realized. Specifically, when the CPU executes the program stored in the storage unit, the control unit functions as the WAN side wireless control unit 102, the system control unit 103, and the LAN side wireless control unit 104.
Further, the program stored in each storage unit of the control unit includes a code for realizing processing in each of the control units by being executed by the CPU. The storage unit includes, for example, this program and an arbitrary storage device capable of storing various information used for processing in the control unit. The storage device is, for example, a memory or the like.

The WAN side wireless control unit 102 includes an LTE communication unit 102A and a UE category switching unit 102B.
The LTE communication unit 102A controls the antenna 101 so as to satisfy the communication amount (communication speed) defined for the UE category switched by the UE category switching unit 102B.
The UE category switching unit 102B switches the UE category of the mobile router 100 according to a control signal input from the communication control unit 103A (described later) of the system control unit 103.

The system control unit 103 includes a communication control unit 103A and a communication volume monitoring unit 103B.
The communication control unit 103A is based on the information regarding the communication amount (communication speed) between the mobile router 100 and the terminal device 200 input from the Wi-Fi communication unit 104A of the LAN side wireless control unit 104, and the mobile router 100 Functions as a selection unit for selecting the UE category in. Further, the communication control unit 103A inputs the information regarding the selected UE category as a control signal to the UE category switching unit 102B of the WAN side wireless control unit 102.

Specifically, the communication control unit 103A first inputs information regarding the communication amount (communication speed) between the mobile router 100 and the terminal device 200 to the communication amount monitoring unit 103B. Next, the communication amount monitoring unit 103B determines whether or not the communication amount per fixed time is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value based on the information regarding the communication amount (communication speed) input from the communication control unit 103A. Next, the communication volume monitoring unit 103B inputs information about whether or not the communication volume per fixed time is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value to the communication control unit 103A. The communication control unit 103A selects the UE category based on the information about whether or not the communication amount per fixed time input from the communication amount monitoring unit 103B is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value. More specifically, when the amount of communication per fixed time is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the communication control unit 103A selects a UE category higher than a predetermined level as the UE category. Further, when the communication amount per fixed time is less than a predetermined threshold value, the communication control unit 103A selects a UE category lower than a predetermined level as the UE category.

More specifically, when the communication amount (communication speed) is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value, the communication control unit 103A confirms the level of the current UE category of the mobile router 100, and the current UE category is at a predetermined level. If the following, a UE category higher than a predetermined level is selected as the UE category.
Further, when the communication amount (communication speed) is less than a predetermined threshold value, the communication control unit 103A confirms the level of the current UE category of the mobile router 100, and when the current UE category is larger than the predetermined level, Select a UE category lower than a predetermined level as the UE category.

The LAN side wireless control unit 104 includes a Wi-Fi communication unit 104A.
The Wi-Fi communication unit 104A controls Wi-Fi communication between the mobile router 100 and the terminal device 200.
Further, the Wi-Fi communication unit 104A inputs information regarding the communication amount (communication speed) between the mobile router 100 and the terminal device 200 to the communication control unit 103A.

Next, the communication method according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
First, when the mobile router 100 is activated by the user (step S1), the mobile router 100 starts LTE communication with the Internet 300 in UE category 1, for example (step S2). Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the UE category 1 means that the communication speed (downward direction) from the Internet 300 to the mobile router 100 is 10 Mbps, and the communication speed (upward direction) from the mobile router 100 to the Internet 300 is. It is a category of 5 Mbps. That is, the UE category 1 is a category having the slowest communication speed in the table shown in FIG. The UE category when the mobile router 100 performs LTE communication at the time of activation is not limited to the UE category 1, and may be, for example, the UE category 3.

Next, the communication amount monitoring unit 103B starts monitoring the communication amount (communication speed) between the mobile router 100 and the terminal device 200 input from the Wi-Fi communication unit 104A via the communication control unit 103A. (Step S3). Further, the communication amount monitoring unit 103B inputs information about the communication amount (communication speed) per fixed time to the communication control unit 103A. Then, the communication control unit 103A determines whether or not the communication amount (communication speed) per fixed time is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value (step S4).

In step S4, when the communication amount (communication speed) per fixed time is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value (step S4; Yes), the communication control unit 103A confirms the current UE category in the mobile router 100 and the current UE. It is determined whether or not the category is below the predetermined level (step S5). Here, the predetermined level is, for example, UE category 3 in the table shown in FIG.

In step S5, if the current UE category is higher than a predetermined level (step S5; No), the process returns to the process of step S4.

In step S5, when the current UE category is equal to or lower than a predetermined level (step S5; Yes), the communication control unit 103A inputs an instruction signal for stopping LTE communication to the LTE communication unit 102A, and the LTE communication unit 102A , The LTE communication between the Internet 300 and the mobile router 100 is stopped (step S6).

Next, the communication control unit 103A selects a UE category (for example, UE category 4) higher than a predetermined level as the UE category, and uses the information about the selected UE category as a control signal to use the UE category of the WAN side wireless control unit 102. Input to the switching unit 102B. Next, the UE category switching unit 102B switches the UE category according to the control signal input from the communication control unit 103A. Next, the LTE communication unit 102A controls the antenna 101 so as to satisfy the communication amount (communication speed) defined in the UE category switched by the UE category switching unit 102B, and between the mobile router 100 and the Internet 300. LTE communication is started (step S7).

In step S4, when the communication amount (communication speed) per fixed time is less than a predetermined threshold value (step S4; No), the communication control unit 103A confirms the current UE category in the mobile router 100 and the current UE. It is determined whether or not the category is below the predetermined level (step S8).

In step S8, when the current UE category is equal to or lower than a predetermined level (step S8; Yes), the process returns to the process of step S4.

In step S8, when the current UE category is larger than a predetermined level (step S8; No), the communication control unit 103A inputs an instruction signal for stopping LTE communication to the LTE communication unit 102A, and the LTE communication unit 102A receives the LTE communication unit 102A. The LTE communication between the Internet 300 and the mobile router 100 is stopped (step S9).

Next, the communication control unit 103A selects a UE category (for example, UE category 1) lower than a predetermined level as the UE category, and uses the information about the selected UE category as a control signal to use the UE category of the WAN side wireless control unit 102. Input to the switching unit 102B. Next, the UE category switching unit 102B switches the UE category according to the control signal input from the communication control unit 103A. Next, the LTE communication unit 102A controls the antenna 101 so as to satisfy the communication amount (communication speed) defined in the UE category switched by the UE category switching unit 102B, and between the mobile router 100 and the Internet 300. LTE communication is started (step S10).

According to the mobile router 100, the communication system 400, the communication method, and the program according to the first embodiment described above, when the communication amount per fixed time monitored by the communication amount monitoring unit 103B is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value. In addition, a UE category higher than a predetermined level is selected as the UE category in the mobile router 100. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, when the communication amount per fixed time exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the UE category becomes high and the communication speed becomes high, so that the communication speed is slower than the communication amount, which is inconvenient. The user does not have to feel it. On the other hand, when the communication amount per fixed time monitored by the communication amount monitoring unit 103B is less than a predetermined threshold value, a UE category lower than a predetermined level is selected as the UE category in the mobile router 100. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, when the communication amount per fixed time becomes less than a predetermined threshold value, the UE category becomes low and the power consumption can be suppressed. Thereby, it is possible to provide a mobile router 100, a communication system 400, a communication method, and a program capable of reducing power consumption.

Further, since the communication control unit 103A selects the UE category after confirming the current UE category of the mobile router 100, it is not necessary to lower or raise the UE category unnecessarily.

Further, by appropriately setting the predetermined threshold value and the predetermined level based on the communication history of the terminal device 200 and the like, the power consumption of the mobile router 100 is reduced while ensuring a sufficient communication speed for the user. can do.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit. For example, the mobile router 100 may further include a temperature sensor that detects the temperature inside the mobile router 100. Then, even when the communication amount (communication speed) per fixed time is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value, if the temperature inside the mobile router 100 is higher than the predetermined temperature, the communication control unit 103A is classified as a UE category. The current UE category may be left as it is without selecting a UE category higher than a predetermined level. As a result, if the UE category is raised when the temperature inside the mobile router 100 is high, the processing load will increase, and the disadvantage that the communication speed will not increase and the power consumption will not be reduced can be avoided.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention has been described as a hardware configuration, but the present invention is not limited thereto. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can also be realized by causing a CPU (Central Processing Unit) to execute a computer program according to the processing procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG.
In addition, the programs described above can be stored and supplied to a computer using various types of non-transitory computer readable media. Non-temporary computer-readable media include various types of tangible storage media. Examples of non-temporary computer-readable media include magnetic recording media (eg, flexible disks, magnetic tapes, hard disk drives), magneto-optical recording media (eg, magneto-optical disks), CD-ROMs (Read Only Memory) CD-Rs, CDs. -R / W, including semiconductor memory (for example, mask ROM, PROM (Programmable ROM), EPROM (Erasable PROM), flash ROM, RAM (Random Access Memory)). The program may also be supplied to the computer by various types of temporary computer readable media. Examples of temporary computer-readable media include electrical, optical, 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.

100 mobile router (relay device)
101 Antenna 102 WAN side wireless control unit 102A LTE communication unit 102B UE category switching unit 103 System control unit 103A Communication control unit (selection unit)
103B Traffic monitoring unit 104 LAN side wireless control unit 104A Wi-Fi communication unit 200 Terminal device 300 Internet 400 Communication system

Claims (4)

It is a relay device connected to the Internet by LTE communication.
A communication volume monitoring unit that monitors the communication volume between the terminal device and the relay device,
A selection unit for selecting a UE category in the relay device and
With
When the communication volume per fixed time monitored by the communication volume monitoring unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value, the selection unit confirms the level of the current UE category of the relay device and the current UE category. Is equal to or lower than the predetermined level, the selection unit selects a UE category higher than the predetermined level as the UE category in the relay device.
When the communication volume per fixed time monitored by the communication volume monitoring unit is less than a predetermined threshold value, the level of the current UE category of the relay device is confirmed, and the current UE category is the predetermined UE category. When the level is larger than the level, the selection unit selects a UE category lower than the predetermined level as the UE category in the relay device. A communication system including a relay device connected to the Internet by LTE communication and a terminal device connected to the relay device so as to be capable of wireless communication.
The relay device is
A communication volume monitoring unit that monitors the communication volume between the terminal device and the relay device,
A selection unit for selecting a UE category in the relay device and
With
When the communication amount per fixed time monitored by the communication amount monitoring unit is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value, the selection unit confirms the level of the current UE category of the relay device, and the current UE category. When is equal to or lower than the predetermined level, the selection unit selects a UE category higher than the predetermined level as the UE category in the relay device.
When the communication volume per fixed time monitored by the communication volume monitoring unit is less than a predetermined threshold value, the level of the current UE category of the relay device is confirmed, and the current UE category is the predetermined UE category. A communication system in which the selection unit selects a UE category lower than the predetermined level as the UE category in the relay device when it is larger than the level. The relay device connected to the Internet by LTE communication
Monitor the amount of communication between the terminal device and the relay device,
When the monitored communication volume per fixed time is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value, the level of the current UE category of the relay device is confirmed, and when the current UE category is equal to or lower than the predetermined level, the relay is performed. Select a UE category higher than a given level as the UE category in the device,
When the monitored communication volume per fixed time is less than a predetermined threshold, the level of the current UE category of the relay device is confirmed, and when the current UE category is larger than the predetermined level, the relay A communication method for selecting a UE category lower than the predetermined level as the UE category in the device. For relay devices connected to the Internet via LTE communication,
Processing to monitor the amount of communication between the terminal device and the relay device,
The process of selecting the UE category in the relay device and
To run,
The UE category is
When the monitored communication volume per fixed time is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value, the level of the current UE category of the relay device is confirmed, and when the current UE category is equal to or lower than the predetermined level, the relay device is used. The UE category in the above is selected so as to be a UE category higher than a predetermined level.
When the monitored communication volume per fixed time is less than a predetermined threshold value, the level of the current UE category of the relay device is confirmed, and when the current UE category is larger than the predetermined level, the relay A program selected so that the UE category in the device is a UE category lower than the predetermined level.

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